Rulers of Epiphany
“Bethlehem, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting." (Micah 5:2)
December 1
Alexander the Great conquered the majority of the known world for the Greek empire. At his death the empire was divided, leaving Israel to be ruled by the Seleucid Empire. It was under this empire that a ruler arose who had the audacity to call himself Antiochus Epiphanes, meaning god manifest. He was mocked by the Jewish people who called him Epimanes, the madman.1 This madman began a reign of terror unleashing persecution upon the Jewish people under his realm. He banned Jewish practices and Torah keeping and brutally put to death anyone who disobeyed. The god that he was manifesting was the god of this world, a god of oppression, pride and destruction filled with malice towards God and His people. Micah had proclaimed that from the small City of David a place of humble beginnings would come a ruler who's coming forth was truly from everlasting. The life of king David foreshadowed the life of Christ who was David’s direct descendent who was born in the same city. He began his life at even a lower station than David being born in a stable of a carpenter’s family. Though He came in this world in the lowest fashion, His eternal power and deity was affirmed hundreds of years before His birth, for only God can come from everlasting origins. Power and authority are given unto Him as His birthright, but to what benefit is this ruling King to the sons of men? Our modern societies have rejected monarchy as they have found men to all be corruptible and unable to lead with equity. Kings have been corrupted by their pride and require accountability to their rule to protect the people from their tyranny. Here the prophet gives us a clear vision unto the nature of the Messiah’s rule “For now He shall be great to the ends of the earth; and this One shall be peace.” (Micah 5:4-5) Peace and goodwill towards men has never been truly present under the rule of sinful men. The Pax Romana was incomplete as the people were kept from warring with each other only by fear of punishment. This peace that comes under the Messiah’s Kingdom is far greater, for He changes the hearts of men to desire the good of others out of genuine love that He has poured out into their hearts. Emmanuel is called the Prince of Peace, for He does not only subdue hearts into cordial coexistence but transforms them to truly care for the welfare of their neighbor. The true epiphany of Jesus Christ unveiled to the world the glory of God by magnifying the meekness of His character and revealing the transformation His grace enacts upon the hearts of men. Totalitarian governance is abhorrent to us because of the unworthiness of any fallen man to hold such power. Christ reigns with absolute equity, perfect judgment and true righteousness. Jesus wields total power and authority in His Kingdom for our peace and we gladly submit to His rightful governance of our souls, for He alone is worthy.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes - Greek King over Israel - 175BC-164BC https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiochus_IV_Epiphanes