ALERT TO THE RISING STAR A Message for the Body of Christ out of Israel and the Nations S. Joela Krüger
It was by a star that the Creator of the universe guided strangers from eastern lands to Bethlehem, as Matthew records. Skilled at observing the heavens, they recognized its brightness in the night sky as a sign from God the signal of a major shift in power structures and the advent of a new era. The mighty of earth were soon to fall. We are still living in the era heralded by the star, and strange though it may seem, our years are counted by the birth of a baby in the poverty of a cattle stall. The country, politically oppressed and occupied by foreign troops, was small and relatively obscure. A challenge to our mindset? Yet down through the centuries the rulers of this world have reckoned their life-span from the coming of the gentle and humble King of the Jews. Joy at the birth of a King led these unknown men to set out on a perilous trek with nothing but the star of hope in the night sky to guide their path. Neither darkness nor danger could turn them from their purpose. They had one aim: to search for the Child until they found Him, and to fall at His feet in worship. Where is the newborn King of the Jews? they asked in Jerusalem. Greedy for power, King Herod was quick to perceive a threat to his authority. And although the religious scholars knew the correct answer, in Bethlehem in Judea, they buried themselves in their parchments, having little desire to go out looking for a promised Messiah. The prospect of His appearance was unsettling to the high-ranking citizens of Jerusalem.
How different the reaction of the wise men, who were filled with joy because the star went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. Here the little family had finally found temporary lodgings. Strangers from afar are often more perceptive than those closer to home. The wise men were unperturbed by the humble surroundings as they bowed before the Child in adoration, spreading at His feet the treasures they had brought gifts worthy of a king. Worshipping Him was all the reward they coveted after the weariness and toil of the journey. How worthwhile the endless miles had proved to be. When the Baby s parents brought Him to the temple in Jerusalem, elderly Simeon recognized Him and rejoiced aloud (Luke 2:22 ff). The light to reveal God to the nations, the glory of His people Israel, the Son of God and man, had come at last to His Father s house. Thirty-three years later, His last hours were a sharp contrast. In a cruel and degrading parody of royal homage, Roman soldiers wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, Hail! King of the Jews! And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. (Matthew 27: 29-30) A sign fixed to the cross announced the charge: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews (John 19:19) a miserable wretch sentenced to death for attempting to usurp Caesar s throne! Pilate had ordered it to be written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, rendering the scorn international. The light sent to reveal God to the nations had seemingly lost its splendour; the glory of Israel had been turned into a mockery of Israel.
Almost 2000 years later another star appeared. Not a star of hope, but of discrimination, ostracism and persecution. It began in Germany in 1933 with the boycott of Jewish shops and businesses followed in 1941 by mandatory identification in public for all Jews six or more years of age, first in Poland, then in the entire German Reich and in almost all other territories under German occupation. New regulations required them to display the star of David prominently on their clothing, below the left shoulder and above the heart. Disenfranchised and helpless, Jews faced death. The doors of the Church were shut in their faces. Christians seemed strangely unaware that Jesus, His mother and His disciples would have had to wear the yellow star along with their fellow Jews. Heedless and complacent, we Christians followed the tradition of centuries. We wanted the King, but not His people. Seeing ourselves as the new Israel, we failed to query the widespread assumption that the Jews had lost their birthright as the elder son. As so often in the past, we closed our eyes to the light to reveal God to the nations. Delusion resulted in blindness. Unnoticed and unmourned by most of their Christian neighbours, millions of people simply disappeared. Rarely was anyone concerned enough to risk asking what had become of them.
The abuse of the star finally came to an end. But in 1948, to the amazement of the whole world, the star reappeared in the flag of the newborn State of Israel. It stands for God s faithfulness to His covenant, for His promises that cannot fail, and for the last word, which He reserves for Himself. Is this the end of the story? No, not yet. The star is destined to rise again for a magnificent final appearance. A star announced Jesus first coming to this earth, and the wise men set out to welcome Him. The grand finale of our present era is nearing, and once again the sign will be a star. Jesus the Messiah is coming back to this earth. If we would go out to meet Him, we need to give thought to His words in the last chapter of the Bible. His final I Am statement tells us who He is and how He will appear: I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star. Revelation 22:16 NIV Where is the newborn King of the Jews? was the first question. And the last question will be, How can I prepare to meet the returning King of the Jews? The King of kings and Lord of lords will appear when the night is darkest. Jesus Yeshua ha Mashiach Messiah of Your people, Redeemer and Saviour of the world! You are the bright Morning Star, a light to reveal God to the nations and the glory of your people Israel forever.
NOT FOR EVER WILL THIS EARTH BE WRAPPED IN DARKNESS AND SIN. OUR WORLD IS EAGERLY AWAITING ITS KING, WHO WILL COME TO MAKE ALL THINGS NEW. MB For further reading Israel, My Chosen People by M. Basilea Schlink (144 pages) Where is the King of the Jews? by S. Joela Krüger (16 pages) The Cross in the Crossfire by S. Joela Krüger (24 pages) Scripture quotations from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. Revelation 22:16 taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Photo: Yevgeny Khaldei, Jewish couple in Budapest, winter 1944/45 Copyright 2014, Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary P.O.B. 13 01 29, 64241 Darmstadt, Germany All rights reserved Australia: Evang. Sisters of Mary, P.O.B. 430, Camden, NSW 2570 Canada: Evang. Sisters of Mary, R.R.1, Millet, Alberta, T0C 1Z0 UK : Evang. Sisters of Mary, Radlett, Herts. WD7 8DE USA : Evang. Sisters of Mary, P.O.B. 30022, Phoenix, AZ 85046-0022 www.kanaan.org (SJ 16 e)