“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn." (Isaiah 60:1-3).
Epiphany is the celebration commemorating the visit of the Magi (Wise Men) from the East bringing gifts when they came to see the baby Jesus. The gospel writer Matthew reports that they brought three gifts. It is generally assumed that there were three wise men. The text does not tell us how many were in the group. Some say that there could have been six or even more in the group. This delightful tale of strange Wise Men from the East, from some faraway land who brought Christmas presents to the baby Jesus is filled with mystery and intrigue.
The word “epiphany” actually means an unveiling, a revelation or an eye-opening “Aha!” experience. It also means appearing, bringing something to light, making manifest or visible what was once unseen and hidden. Epiphany in Christianity is defined as the revelation of Jesus Christ to the gentiles. Theophany is the revelation of God to man.
Barrow, Alaska is located on the farthest northern tip of the state of Alaska, part of the United States, above the Arctic Circle. If you think it is dark in winter you haven’t seen anything. In Barrow Alaska, the sun sets in the afternoon on November 18, and it doesn’t rise again until January 24. It is 65 days of darkness. Up there, the earth is inclined in such away that the sun never shows itself for over two months out of the year. But when the sun does rise for a moment on January 24, the whole town comes out to celebrate, because finally, there is light again. Just like the people of Barrow, Alaska celebrate the coming of light after 65 days of darkness, the people who were in darkness celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world. That’s an epiphany. The Sun of God reveals his glory for everyone to see.
The wise men from the East were most likely men of learning like professors and philosophers of their day. These professionals were brilliant and highly educated scholars who were trained in medicine, history, religion, prophecy and astronomy. Our modern word 'magistrate' is a direct descendant of the word 'magi'. Since these men thought deeply about life, it certainly makes sense to call them 'Wise Men.' They were also trained in what we would call astrology. Back then, astrology was connected with people's search for God. They studied the skies in order to find answers to the great questions of life–questions like: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? These men were highly influential people who served as advisors to the king. It is interesting that the Magi had no trouble gaining an appointment with King Herod. That fact alone shows how important and distinguished they were.
What possibly could have motivated them to make a treacherous thousand-mile journey across the desert? They had an "Epiphany", a light bulb that came on as a revelation. They were given a star as a sign to go and see the 'King of the Jews' in the country of Judea. It was a sign that the prophets and the forefathers told thousands of years, that a savior was to be born. It was told since the fall of Adam in the garden of Eden. This was foretold by the ancient Eastern religions as well as the others. Darkness of sin is dispelled forever with the appearance of the Light of the world. "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned (Isaiah 9:2), "the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” (quoted by Matthew 4:16 at the beginning of Jesus ministry).
Jesus was born in a world of gross darkness of sin covering the world. Sin and guild continued to plague and destroy the world by means of wars, hatred and injustice. Isaiah, the prophet describes it: “So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us.We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows. Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like people without eyes. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead. For our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities: rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning our backs on our God,inciting revolt and oppression, uttering lies our hearts have conceived." (Isaiah 59:9-13). Such a darkness needed to be brigtened by someone who is righteous to bring freedom from sin and guilt to make things right with God. This is Epiphany – when someone trapped in the darkness of sin sees and believes in the glory of Jesus Christ. God has made known the Light of His eternal glory, so that the darkness of sin might be dispelled in us and in the world around us.
The bible also speaks of the darkness of a closed mind. “Live no longer as the ungodly do for they are hopelessly confused. Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him.” (Ephesians 4:17-18). Closed mindedness is applicable to many topics of discussion as economic, political and religious. But for our purposes the darkness of closed mindedness is spiritual in nature. “Their judgment is based on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.” (John 3:19). The logos of God, the Word that became flesh and lived among man, was the light of the world. The darkness that was being blinded to knowledge of God, was illumined by the knowledge of God in Jesus. Light is knowledge. And darkness means ignorance, lack of knowledge or no knowledge. “God commanded the light to shine out of darkness. The light has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) . There, in the form of a little child, the wise men saw the light of the world. There they saw the glory of God, and this is what filled them with a spirit of awe and worship. They had gone from darkness to light, and they rejoiced, and gave this child who was their God their gifts from afar.
Then there is the darkness of death, which is still a mystery to man. Nobody knows what happens after death, except for the revelation by Jesus Christ. David says in Psalm 23, "even though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I fear no evil becasue you are with me."
There is an Eastern Prayer called 'the seeker's prayer for revelation' that is quoted in the vedas. This well known prayer in Sanskrit that dates back to about 1000 BC goes like this in Sanskrit: "asato ma sadgamaya, tamaso ma jyotirgamaya, mrtyorma amrtam gamaya. (Briha-daranyaka Upanishad — I.iii.28 - 9th century BC). This ancient prayer is an admission of a sense of helplessness and a heartfelt cry for assistance. It is not a prayer for food, shelter, health, partnership, riches, success, fame or glory. These things even in abundance, will forever leave humans still wanting for more. They prayed for God's leading from false to truth, from darkness to light, and from death to life. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life." Lead me from the false to the truth. (Jesus said, I am the truth John 14:6)
Lead me from darkness to light. (Jesus said, Iam the light of the world John 8:12) Lead me from death to life. (Jesus said, I am the life John 14:6, I am the bread of life John 6:35). The ancient prayer seeking after light, life and truth was finally answered in their epiphany. The prophecy was fulfilled, as Isaiah said about the wise men, “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn… all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord." (Isaiah 60).
Light has come. So shine out of the darkness. Shine with the light of Jesus Christ. "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light." (Ephesians 5:8)
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