Advent – Day 6: Knowing and Caring

Numbers 24.17 17 “I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not near;

A star shall come forth from Jacob,

A scepter shall rise from Israel,

And shall crush through the forehead of Moab,

And tear down all the sons of Sheth.” - Balaam, son of Beor (NASB)

Matthew tells us that wise men came from the east following a star that would lead them to the King of Jews (See Matthew 2.1-12). The prophecy above was spoken by Balaam, son of Beor, a ancient pagan prophet from the east – over by Babylonia somewhere. Somebody was paying attention to what was going on.

Balaam lived about 1400 years before the manger scene in Bethlehem. He was from an area which was back then: Ur of the Chaldeans. He knew about the Star, and the wise men from the east (magi, who showed up in Judea) knew about the Star. Nobody in Judea seemed to notice. Nobody seemed to care. And the Magi had studied about this Star for about 1400 years. They sure thought it was a big deal. These people were not strangers to one another and they remembered history.

Today people are looking for a ruler, someone to come along and straighten out this mess we’re in: debt, war, disease. Our world is a very fluid place and lots and lots of people would very much like for the it to be more static and predictable. That’s why people sing Imagine. We sing about what we want.That’s why many think if we just got rid of religion the world would be a better place. Religion ain’t the problem: sin is.

And to be sure, we need a Ruler. We need someone whose going to straighten out this mess we’re in. But He has to be a different kind of ruler: he has to be someone who really understands us and knows how to deal with us. He has to be fair and equitable. But he won’t take any crap and won’t put up with any competition. But He will be willingly loved; He won’t settle for slavery or robotics either. He will know what we are meant for and what we are capable of with Him.

Balaam, the prophet thirty four hundred years ago, got a glimpse of this Ruler: The Lord Jesus Christ. And Balaam’s people studied about Jesus (though they didn’t know His name) for centuries after Balaam perished for messing with the people from whom the Ruler would come. (See Numbers 31).

Not too many people today know or care about the Star. Not too many know or care about the significance of Christmas. Christmas, for most, is the beginning of an end of the year party which culminates on New Year’s Eve and dissipates with the New Year’s Day hangover.

Yes, we need a Ruler but not someone who will deal with us fairly and equitably and not heal our hearts. You see, we’re the problem: we don’t know what we don’t know and we don’t care about what we don’t know. We need help. Amidst the parties, the gifts, the decorations, and the feasts may your heart be enlightened to know what this is really all about; the pagans of old knew – how about me and you?