In the realm of reading, this last year was very much like previous years* for me.
It turns out that I even completed the exact same number of books (64) as I had in 2023. I continued to mine similar quarries and read in the same veins–authors, genres, subjects. I actually re-read about a dozen books from previous years, some for the fifth time!
All the same, I never felt like I was spinning my wheels in a rut. The “more of the same” is simply just more of the same blessing. It felt like forward progress. I’m still regaining some of the ground I had lost from more productive pre-pandemic years gone by and maintaining what I had attained through my restorative sabbatical. My reading goals have been more modest and right-sized so I feel good about what I’ve accomplished.
In 2024, I was exposed to some pretty terrific books!
This book was the happiest surprise of 2024. As I said in my incandescent review, “I have been searching for a book like More to the Story for a very long time. As a Christian pastor, I want the young people I care for to have really good answers to the difficult questions they are all asking about sexuality these days. And to be really good answers for today’s teens, they have to be realistic, biblical, confident, joyful, hopeful, comprehensive, concise, and readable. That’s a tall order!
How pleasant it was for me to discover that one of my EFCA friends had written such a book.”
Fred Sanders’ latest book is the one I most needed in 2024. He introduced me to Someone I already know intimately but often don’t understand. It is chock-ful of “aha” paragraphs. As you might expect from his previous work, Fred hasn’t just written a book about One Person of the Trinity but the entire Trinity in relation to the Third Person of the Trinity. The appendix with “27 Rules for Thinking Well About the Holy Spirit” distills the whole book and is worth the proverbial price of it.
Sanders’ writing is robust, rich, deep, and erudite and yet, at the same time, concise, clear, and even playful. It’s the not most hardest theological book I read in 2024, but the best. I will be re-reading The Holy Spirit: An Introduction again very soon.
Most people (not just Christians) have heard of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien because of the tremendous reach of The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. But many people do not know that these two Oxford-scholars-turned-popular-authors were close friends or how their fellowship spurred on the creation and publication of their fantastical stories.
In The Mythmakers, New York Times bestselling, award-winning creator John Hendrix has beautifully crafted a unique way of spreading the story of their collaborative friendship. I knew the outline of the story and had even gotten to visit some of the key locations where it all happened during our sabbatical in 2023 (The Kilns, Addison’s Walk, The Eagle and Child), but I still learned a lot, especially how all of the different parts were connected, and I thoroughly enjoyed how Hendrix wove his tale with both words and images. There is nothing quite like it.
Ed Welch has the gift of saying just the thing (and everything!) you need to hear in just a few well-chosen words.
Ed’s book speaks light in a way that someone experiencing the stubborn darkness can actually hear. Depressed people often can’t read more than a few words at a time. These thirty-one short readings are apples of gold in settings of silver for those who are under the heavy weight of depression (Proverbs 25:11).
Depression: Finding Christ in the Darkness is a good book to read if you love people who live with depression, even if you don’t experience it yourself. Ed knows how to talk about it without mixing in shame while at the same time illuminating a new path that sinner/sufferer/saints are called to walk.
Here is another extremely timely book. When I recommended it in The Family Table, our weekly newsletter for parents at Lanse Free Church, I said, “Every Christian parent with young children should read this book right away. Parenting Without Panic in an LGBT-Affirming World should be required reading for raising a little kid in today’s culture. Given her own story, Rachel Gilson is a perfect person to write it. Her earlier memoir Born Again This Way was one of my top books of 2020, and I’m very glad that she’s now giving out this practical, well-written, insightful, realistic, and biblically balanced advice. I wish it was written earlier! I especially appreciate how Gilson counters all the big fears we all feel. These fears are not baseless, but they should not define or drive us. Read this, soak in the principles, prepare your kids, and fear not!”
It turns out that I read several books on this and related subjects this year in addition to Kvamme and Gilson which were really good. Purposeful Sexuality by Ed Shaw explains what sex is actually for in a few concise and pages. In the same series, Andrew Bunt’s Finding Your Best Identity, helpfully explores the question of who or what gets to define who you are. In Does the Bible Affirm Same-Sex Relationships?, Rebecca McLaughlin responds to the ten strongest arguments from those who claim the Bible affirms (or doesn't teach about) same-sex romantic/sexual relationships. Written by a woman herself who experiences persistent same-sex attraction. McLaughlin is a treasure, well-read, and an excellent communicator. In 2024, I also read her No Greater Love which covers the concept of biblical friendship.
I am very grateful for the blessing of having so many great books in my life.
***
* This is my eleventh time sharing a list like this! (I didn't get one out in 2019.)
As I’ve said for over a decade [2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023], this list is not necessarily the best books that were published that particular year or the most enjoyable either. I intend it to be a list of the fairly new Christian nonfiction books I read:
- that had the most personal impact on me, my thinking, my heart. - that I was the most consistently enthusiastic about. - that I kept coming back to again and again. - that I couldn't help recommending to others (and recommend without reservations and significant caveats).
62. The Letters of Dorothy L. Sayers (1951-1957) edited by Barbara Reynolds
63. Karla’s Choice by Nick Harkaway
64. The Christian Standard Bible, M’Cheyne Reading Plan
--
* This is the 20th year I have published a list of the books I have read!
As I've said for the last two decades, these are books I finished reading this year, not the ones I started or the ones I didn't get done. That list would be a lot longer (and kind of depressing)! I read a bunch of them for escapist fun, a few for/with my family, and a lot of them just to learn and grow. They aren't listed (perfectly) in the order I read them. Some of them I am reading for a second or third time (or more!).
And as I also say each and every year--I'm not endorsing these books just because they are listed here. Some of them are really good and some are really bad. Most are somewhere in between. Read with discernment.
Our first message in this series went almost back to the very beginning of the Bible, the Law of Moses, Numbers chapter 24.
Our second message was drawn from the highpoint middle of the Bible, the Gospel accounts. Matthew chapter 2.
This last message comes from the culmination, the very end of the Bible. The Revelation of Jesus Christ written down by the Apostle John, John the Revelator. Listen now to Revelation chapter 22, verse 16.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
Who is the “I” in verse 16?
In Numbers 24, the “I” of “I see Him, but not yet” was Balaam a pagan prophet who, under the surprising inspiration of the Holy Spirit, squinted down the corridors of time and saw a Star rising out of Jacob.
In Matthew chapter 2, it had “we.” “We have seen his star.” That “we” was the Magi, those mystery men who wisely followed a star of wonder and delight westward leading until it proceeded to take them to see and bow before the youngster Jesus.
Who is the “I” in Revelation 22:16? It’s Jesus Himself!
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches.”
Many decades later, John has continued to believe in and follow Jesus, and it has gotten him into trouble. “In this world, you will have trouble...” (John 16:33) Well, that was true for John!
In fact, John has been imprisoned on the Island of Patmos in the Mediterranean. Kind of like an Alcatraz situation. He’s stuck there because John has been testifying to the truth of Jesus.
And while John was there in exile on this little rock (just 32 square miles) out in the sea off the coast of Turkey, Jesus gave John a revelation. Jesus sent an angel to John who showed John all kinds of amazing things! I’m sure you’ve read it. It’s called the “Revelation of Jesus Christ.” Or the “Apocalypse” or “Unveiling of Jesus Christ.” (See Revelation 1:1-2.)
It’s a book of wonders and mystery and prophecy and worship. I read it every December as part of my annual Bible reading plan, and it often makes me shake my head in confusion and bow my head in humility and worship.
You know that phrase we learned last week, “I don’t know, and that’s okay.”? I have to use that a lot when I read Revelation. “I don’t know, and that’s okay.”
But there is a lot that is clear, as well. And one thing that’s clear in verse 16 is that it’s Jesus who is speaking.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches.”
Jesus speaks several times in this last section of Revelation (22:6-21), and His main message is, “I am coming soon.” He says it in verse 7 and verse 12 and one last time in verse 20.
“I am coming soon.”
And we need to be ready! What a good reminder as we finish up another calendar year? We are all that much closer to the glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus has sent His angel (notice that the angel belongs to Jesus!) with this revelation, this testimony, to share with all the churches. And what does He reveal in verse 16?
He reveals His identity. He tells us Who He is. And He uses the same Greek words that He used again and again in the Gospel of John, “ego eimi.” “I am.” How many times in the last year and a half have we talked about His “I Am” statements?
We just did on Tuesday night, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).
Well, Who He does claim to be in verse 16? “I am...”
“I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."
There it is! I guess we don’t have to wonder anymore if Numbers 24:17 was about Jesus! I think He pretty much says it right here.
At least, He’s the culmination of the fulfillment of Numbers 24:17. Again, I think the first fulfillment was King David. Remember the prophecy? Balaam said, “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city” (Numbers 24:17-19).
We said that was King David to a T. He was the original star beating in the foreheads of Moab and conquering Edom. But verse 16 shows us that Jesus is from David and that David is from Jesus. Did you catch that in verse 16?
“I am the Root and the Offspring of David.” The “root” and the “shoot.”
The idea is that the Messiah was going to come from King David, so He would be David’s Son. But He was also going to be the root of David. The source of David. He comes from David, but David comes from Him.
How is that possible? How can He be both before and after David? It’s only possible if the Son of David is also the Son of God! So that He is Great David’s Greatest Son (see 2 Samuel 7). Even greater than David Himself (see Psalm 110)!
So that whatever was fulfilled in King David as a messiah, an anointed king of Israel, would be fulfilled even more in Great David’s Greatest Son, THE Messiah. Filled to overflowing as far as the curse is found. David was the “under star.” But Jesus is the Root and the Offspring of David, and the “bright morning star.”
Wow! It takes some chutzpah to say that, doesn’t it?
“I am the bright morning star!"
If I start talking like that about myself, call the people with the white jackets with the special sleeves for your arms.
“I am so bright! I am so luminous. I am so shiny. I am so splendid. I am worth looking at. I am worth admiring. I am worth your attention and your worship. I am the bright morning star.”
You better be if you’re going to talk that way.
Do you believe that about Jesus?
I have four very brief points of application for this verse before we celebrate Janell’s baptism, and the first one is simply to decide.
#1. DECIDE.
Decide if you believe that Jesus is what John says the angel says that Jesus says He is. I know that’s a lot of “says.” But that’s what verse 16 says. Jesus sends an angel to tell John to tell the churches that Jesus is the bright morning star. Do you believe that?
Interestingly, the “you” in verse 16 is plural. It’s “you all.” “Y’all.” It’s “y’inz” in Western PA lingo.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give [y’inz] this testimony for the churches.”
Do you believe this testimony? Janell Creek has come to believe it. And that’s what she’s telling the world today with her baptism.
What about you? Do you believe that, or do you think it’s just noise? Do you think it’s just egotism or narcissism or arrogance that Jesus says that He is “The Star?” The Star of stars! Do you believe that this is His true identity? Do you believe that Jesus commands angels? Do you believe that He is Son and the Source of King David? Do you believe that He died for your sins and came back to life to give you life? Do you believe that He is the Bright Star?! You have to decide.
And, if you decide that He is, then you have to repent.
Verse 14 talks about that. “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” (Rev. 22:14)
And verse 15 talks about those who refuse to repent. “Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”(Rev. 22:15). The unrepentant.
I know which one I want to be. I want to be inside the eternal city.
The next verse, verse 17, invites you and me to come to Him and receive salvation.
“Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life” (Rev. 22:17). It’s free. Completely free because Jesus paid it all when He said, “It is finished.” But you have to decide. You can’t hang around in indecision trying to the sit on the fence. There is no fence. You’re either in or out. Do you believe this testimony?
What does He mean by “morning” star?
I think that “bright” is pretty obvious.
But why “morning?” Balaam didn’t say anything about “morning” in his prophecy. Is Revelation 22 actually alluding to Numbers 24? I think so. Like many things in apocalyptic writing, there are ambiguities and layers of meanings. But I think the two are definitely connected in deep ways.
What does He mean by “morning star?” I know He’s not claiming to be a Christian bookstore in State College, though that old bookstore was probably named for this verse!
I went into this week assuming that He meant the sun. Because that’s the star of the morning, right?
And Jesus is like the Sun. Remember the prophecy of Zechariah about his son John who would become The Baptist? And what Zech said about what John would do? It’s in Luke chapter 1.
Zechariah prophesied, “ And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace” (Luke 1:76-79).
Jesus is the rising sun (see also Revelation 21:22 and 22:5)!
We’re about to sing it again in just a minute:
“Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!”
- Charles Wesley
But I learned this week that the sun was not thought of as a “star” by most of the ancient people. Some Greek astronomers had suggested that idea, but it wasn’t widely known as it is now that the sun is a star. The sun was the sun.
The heavenly body that they used to call “the morning star” is one that we often still call “the morning star” and that’s the planet we often call “Venus.” Second planet from the Sun.
After the Sun and the Moon, it’s the brightest natural thing in the sky.
It’s going to happen again this March. When you see Venus in the sky, it means that morning is nigh. It’s the harbinger of the dawn. Sunrise is coming. A new day is coming.
And in this case, it’s the “Day of the Lord.” Does that make sense?
Jesus is like that morning star in that He is bright and He ushers in a new day.
Which leads us to application point number two which is simply to:
#2. YEARN.
To long for the new day to come.
I’ve had the privilege of seeing a number of beautiful sunrises over the last month. My morning walk and the sunrise have coincided a great number of times in the last few weeks, and I’ve felt the sun on my face and seen it go up the trees of Lanse and show off their beauty and herald a new day coming.
Most of the time, we love it when the dawn comes. We can hardly wait. Especially if we expect it’s going to be a good new day.
Like a child going to bed on Christmas Eve yearning for the morning to come.
We have to wait. We have to wait for the Return of Jesus. We have to wait for the Second Advent, when Jesus comes again. But we know that He’s coming. We can see the first rays of light coming over the horizon.
And there’s the bright Morning Star telling us that the new day is sure to come and soon!
That’s why the very next verse is the prayer of our hearts. V.17
“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ [The bride is the Church!] And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’” (Rev. 22:17).
If you hear verse 16, your heart should leap, “Yes! Come! Come, Bright Morning Star! Come! We’re ready for you. Come!”
Isaiah prophesied of that new day. He said in chapter 60, “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).
Is that the prayer of your heart?
“Let him who hears say, ‘Come!’”
It’s dark right now. We all feel it. “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jn. 16:33).
“I am the bright morning star.” “Behold! I am coming soon.”
A new day is coming. Do you long for that day? Are you living your life today in light of that day? Or have you gotten too comfortable with today and stopped thinking about living for that day? Because Jesus is the bright morning star, we need to be living for the new day coming.
Our eyes on the star! We need to get our eyes up and on that bright star.
And we need to tell others. We need to get other people’s eyes up on that Star.
And that’s point number three.
#3. TESTIFY.
Once we decide that we believe that Jesus is all of this, we need to start telling others. Like John did to the church in verse 16.
In verse 10, the angel from Jesus told John to not seal up the words of this prophecy because the time was near. He wasn’t supposed to keep quiet, but to shout it from the mountaintops of that little island in the Mediterranean.
And that’s what Janell is doing this morning by giving her testimony. She’s standing before this church and saying that she believes. That she has crossed over from death to life through faith in Jesus (John 5:24). And we all need to do the same out there. Who could you tell this week?
Because we not only believe that Jesus is the Bright Morning Star, but we have actually have Him in our hearts.
This is not the first time the Morning Star is mentioned in the Book of Revelation. It’s actually mentioned in chapter 2 in the letter to the church at Thyatira. Some day, Lord-willing, we’ll study all seven of the letters to the churches in chapters 2 and 3.
In each one, the Lord promises to give all kinds of blessings on those who “overcome.” Same root word as what Jesus says He did in John 16:33. But the emphasis here is that they overcame unbelief and persevered in faith. They believed and they continued to believe. And they continued to testify to that belief.
And listen to what the Lord promised to those all those who would overcome in Revelation 2:28.
“I will also give him the morning star.”
You and I–if we have true faith in Jesus–we get the Morning Star Himself as our gift. And we get to enjoy Him forever.
That’s our last point for this morning. Point number four.
#4. BASK.
We get to bask in the light of this Star forever.
He will shine forever, and we always get to enjoy His light.
Earlier in this chapter (verse 5), John reports that the New Heavens and the New Earth, the darkness of evil will be totally gone. He says, “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever”(Rev. 22:5-6).
We sang it this morning already:
“Behold our God shall live with us
and be our steadfast light
and we shall ere His people be.
All Glory be to Christ!”
- Dustin Kensrue
We will forever bask in His bright light.
Right now, we have to wait. But the dawn is coming and coming soon. I think that’s what the Apostle Peter was alluding to in his second letter when he told us to pay attention to the Old Testament (like the book of Numbers?) while we wait for the dawn.
Peter said, “And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19).
And then we will enjoy Him forever!
Jesus Himself says so.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
“Advent” means “coming.” Christmas is coming in just a few hours. Jesus Christ has come and is coming again very soon.
This year for the Advent Season, we have been lighting candles to reflect on the beautiful breathktaking claim of Jesus when He said, “I am the light of the world.”
That’s in the Gospel According to John chapter 8, verse 12.
As a church family, we just recently completed a study of the entire Gospel of John over the last year and a half. What a glorious book! We’re going to be starting to study something new real soon, and we’d love to have you join us Sundays at 10:00 for the next thing. This coming Sunday, we have a baptism planned!
This year, when we got to John 8:12, we memorized it together. I have it up here on the screen behind me. Would you read it with me? Because this is big!
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
What an crazy thing to say! Is He out of His mind?! What an astonishing thing to say! Because He means this. Jesus sure has a big view of Himself, doesn’t He? This is no small claim.
Jesus doesn’t just say, “I sure am bright! I am such a light in the world.” Which even that could be arrogant and egotistical if some people said it.
But that’s not what He says. Jesus doesn’t just claim to be a bright light in the world. One of several.
He claims to be THE light of the world!
The “world” here is, “kosmos,” humanity united in sin and darkness. And Jesus says that He has slipped into the darkness of this kosmos, the darkness of the world, and turned on the lights and is, in fact, the light of that world Himself.
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Jesus has a way of making everything about Himself. And that might be because He was a narcissist. Or it might be because everything is actually about Him.
Which do you think it is?
Jesus says if you do not have Him, then you have darkness. But if you do have Him, then you have light. And more than just light, you have life!
Every morning, I get up before the sun does, and I put on my heavy coat and my reflective “high viz” vest, and my heated gloves, and my boots with cleats strapped to them, and I grab my flashlight. And I head out on my walk. We just came through darkest night of the year. If I don’t take my flashlight, then I often can be stumbling around on my morning hike. Maybe take a nose-dive on Viaduct Road, especially on the ice last week. I almost fell this morning.
I need a light, or I walk in darkness.
Jesus says that we if we follow Him in life, we will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.
What does He mean?
Well, it’s hard to capture, isn’t it? Light is such a perfect and powerful metaphor because of how many different things light can mean! The same is true about darkness, just in reverse.
Let’s start by thinking about darkness. What is darkness like?
Many of us who live in Lanse got a taste of the darkness last night when the power went out. Somebody ran clean through a telephone pole yesterday in the center of “town,” and they had to turn off our power so that they could replace the light pole.
Darkness in the winter in Pennsylvania. What could go wrong? Glad it wasn’t the day before when it was only 5 degrees out there.
Darkness means coldness.
Darkness symbolizes emptiness.
Darkness symbolizes danger and depression and despair.
[LIGHT FIRST CANDLE AGAIN.]
On the first Sunday of Advent, Curtis and Stephanie and their sweet three girls lit our first candle, and said that it was a candle of hope.
When you are dwelling in darkness, you can feel like there is no hope. Some of you are feeling like that right because of how your year has gone. Some of you are grieving because you’ve lost someone dear to you recently. Some of you are scared about the future. The future of your job, your health, your family, your country, your world. It all seems so dark. Do you feel the darkness closing in?
Hear this. The darkness will not win. The darkness will not last. Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, Isaiah prophesied of His coming, “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." (See Isaiah 9:2 and Matthew 4:16!)
And that was the coming of Jesus. Hope shines forth. Jesus is the Light of the World. He’s going to change everything. He’s the dawn of a bright new day. We say, “Where there’s life, there’s hope.” We could say, “Where there’s light, there’s hope.”
Another thing that darkness often symbolizes is evil itself. Sin. The Gospel of John also says, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world [Jesus], but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil" (See John 3:19).
Evil thrives in the darkness. And we find that the darkness is not just out there, but in here. You look inside yourself and you find darkness.
[LIGHT SECOND CANDLE AGAIN.]
But when Jesus looked inside of Himself, He didn’t find any darkness at all.
On the second Sunday of Advent, Casey & Emigh and Emmory lit our second candle, and said that it was a candle of purity.
Like the song we’re about to sing and Jenni put on the front of our bulletin, Jesus is the “Son of God, love's pure light.”
Jesus is perfectly pure, and He came to sacrifice Himself to make us pure, too. God's Word promises that, "[I]f we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." (See 1 John 1:7.) There is no darkness in Jesus, and, one day soon, there will be no darkness in those of us who follow Him.
Jesus is the Light of the World.
Can you imagine what it will be like to have no darkness inside of us? No evil darkness to threaten us from outside and no evil darkness to threaten from inside?! I can’t wait.
What else is darkness like?
Darkness is confusing. It makes you feel lost.
Which way did we come?
Which way are we pointed?
Which way are we supposed to go?
What’s in our way?
If you are completely in the dark, you stumble and wander and become lost.
[LIGHT THIRD CANDLE AGAIN.]
On the third Sunday of Advent, Jeff and Becky lit our third candle and called it a candle of guidance.
They read Isaiah 42:16 to us where God promised to send His Servant to take hold of His people and guide them to salvation. He said, “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” (See Isaiah 42:16.)
Jesus is the Light of the World, and He came to show us which way to go.
How does that make you feel? Darkness can make us feel so depressed. How many of us struggle with being down this time of year because there’s not enough light? I didn’t used to understand why people went south in the winter, but now I do.
[LIGHT FOURTH CANDLE AGAIN.]
We need light!
This last Sunday, Holly, Natalie, and Jon lit our fourth candle and said that it was a candle of joy.
When you light a candle, there’s this little thrill of happiness. It lifts the heart. How much more will Jesus bring true and lasting joy!
What did Treiton read to us that the angels said to the shepherds?
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (See Luke 2:10-11.)
Jesus is the Light of the World.
And He’s going to bring Joy to the World!
When the wisemen saw the star marking the place where Jesus was, they were overjoyed. Overjoyed. I love that word! It’s like joy times 10,000! Overjoyed!
We could go on, you know?
Because light is such a perfect prism metaphor with an incredible amount of beautiful meanings to reflect and refract!
Light speaks of presence. Where there’s a light on, you know somebody’s home. Light speaks of power. Light speaks of knowledge. Darkness is ignorance. But we say, “Aha. The light has come on” when somebody understand something. We could go on and on. Because light is such a powerful picture of what God is like.
God is light!
And Jesus is God’s Son. “Eternally begotten of the Father, God of God, Light from Light, true God from true God.” (See the Nicene Creed, 381.)
But we’ll stop with this one tonight because it’s the one that Jesus emphasized in John 8:12.
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
[LIGHT THE CHRIST CANDLE.]
Darkness stands for death. Light stands for life.
And in fact, life comes from this light. Just like life on this planet is dependent on the light of the Sun, our eternal life comes from the Son of God.
Jesus said, “Here I am. I am the light that you need to have life. All you have to do is believe in Me.”
And many people said, “No thanks. That’s too much to ask. I like the darkness better. I’m used it. I’m comfortable there. I don’t get this ‘light’ stuff. I’ll stick with the darkness.”
Don’t let that be you! Don’t stick with the despair, the sin, lostness, the emptiness, and fear. Don’t stick with the death. Don’t reject Jesus. Choose Him!
Those are the only two options, and the differences could not be more stark. Think about what Jesus is saying up there in John 8:12. Let me turn it around and say it the other way around.
Jesus could have said it this way, “Whoever rejects me will always walk in darkness and will have the darkness of death.”
But that doesn’t have to be you and me. Jesus came that first advent bring us light of life.
Here’s what it took for us to have that life. Do you know what it took? He had to take on our darkness. Jesus had to take on our sin. He absorbed it and took it to the Cross.
And on the Cross, it looked like the darkness won. The Light of the World was consumed by the darkness. The light went out of His eyes. When Jesus was dying, the sun stopped shining (Luke 23:45). A great darkness came over the land for three hours.
But the darkness did not win and will not win. Jesus is the Light of the World, and He came back to life!!!
Jesus has a way of making everything about Himself because everything is actually about Him. He actually is the Light of the World.
That’s not an empty claim. That’s not arrogance or egotism. It’s the glorious truth. Do you believe it?
The application here is obvious. Follow Him. Put your faith and trust in Jesus and live like this is true. Because it is!
We can have hope.
We can have purity.
We can have guidance.
We can have joy.
We can have power, knowledge, and beauty.
And we can have life.
Because Jesus is the light of the world. He promises that “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Balaam said, “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.”
And we said that that star and that scepter were symbols of a king who was to come. And we said that, in the first instance, that king was probably named David. Balaam saw the coming of King David. That’s one of the reasons, I think, why the symbol on the flag of the nation of Israel is called “The Star of David.” David was the Star. He came, he conquered, he ruled. He shined. He fulfilled the ancient prophecy.
But! We also said that King David’s kingdom came to an end. King David’s enemies were subdued but not ultimately destroyed. King David himself did not shine for long.
So we wondered together with the ancient Israelites and with Christians throughout the centuries if there wasn’t still something more to come, someone more to come to fill up that prophecy to the brim and then overflow as “far as the curse is found.”
We know that King David was “a type” of Christ. King David was a pattern, an illustration, a pictorial shadow of the King of Kings to come. Everything that King David did that was good was a foretaste of the Messiah to come. And even most things that happened to King David were also a foretaste of what the Messiah would experience, even in his betrayal and suffering.
You can’t read 1 and 2 Samuel or David’s Psalms without getting glimpses of the Christ to come. Great David’s Greatest Son was still to come. And He would take up and fulfill all of what David was supposed to be and do. Including being born in the birth-town of King David himself. A little place called Bethlehem. You may have heard of it. You may have sung about it this morning. A sleepy little village about 6 miles south of Jerusalem.
That’s where the first star was born. I got a message from Bonnie this week that called David the “Under-Star.” I love that. That’s exactly right, Bonnie. The Under-Star was born in Bethlehem. Where do you think the Upper Star, the Star of Stars, would be born?
And how do you think His birth would be marked? It would only be fitting for the birth of this Star to be heralded by a star-star, up in the heavens. And that’s exactly what happened. Let’s look at Matthew chapter 2, starting in verse 1.
And some time (we’re not sure exactly how long but some time has elapsed) since the events of Matthew chapter 1 which the kids acted out for us this morning. Matthew chapter 2, verse 1.
“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him’” (vv.1-2).
I lifted the title for this message from verse two, “We Saw His Star.”
Who is the “We” in verse 2? Last week, we had the word “I.” “I see him, but not yet.” That “I” was Balaam a pagan prophet, magi-ician, soothsayer from the East, perhaps Persia or Babylon. Somewhere out towards the Euphrates River.
Who is the “We” in verse 2? It’s these people called the “Magi.” The King James calls them, “wise men.” And we just don’t know that much about them. These strange men come onto the scene here in Matthew 2 and then go off of the scene in Matthew 2, and they are never heard from ever again! Who were these mystery men?
We don’t really know. A couple of centuries earlier, there were a group of Medes who were priests called “the Magi,” and they apparently claimed some ability to interpret dreams and that sort of thing. We would have called them “magicians.” The Greek word “magus” is used of a sorcerer in the book of Acts. And, in fact, we get our English word “magic” from the word “Magi” here. I tend to think that they were from Babylon (perhaps like Balaam) and were related to the magicians and astrologers mentioned in the book of Daniel. The Greek Translation of the Old Testament uses the word “magi” there.
And they may have been royalty or connected to royalty because, as we’ll soon see, they bring expensive royal gifts with them. But that’s getting ahead of the story. It’s possible that they were kings or coming on behalf of kings. We don’t know.
There’s a lot we don’t know in this story! In fact, I’ve got only two points this morning, and our ignorance is a major part of the first one.
His star is:
#1. A STAR OF WONDER.
Meaning both a mystery and a miracle.
What kind of a star was this? We don’t know! There have been so many attempts to explain this star in history. Some people think it’s a conjunction of stars. Some people think it’s a supernova. I read a bunch of theories this week, and I don’t know that much about astronomy to evaluate their claims.
I don’t know. And I don’t know how these guys knew that this star belonged to the king of the Jews! Look at verse 2 again.
“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
How did they know that this was his star?
I don’t know. I don’t know who these guys are. I don’t know what exactly they saw. And I don’t know why they knew it pointed to the King of Jews. All I know is that it happened. And that it makes all of the difference for you and me.
That’s mystery for you. How well do you do with mystery? How do you handle not knowing something that you wished that you knew? Mystery can be very unsatisfying. Wanting to know something is like an itch. And you want it to be scratched.
But there are many things in the Bible and in life that we do not know.
And we are not going to know, in this life. And that just has to be okay. We just have to live with the itch. The Bible says, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law” (Deut. 29:29).
The key is know which is which. Which things are we supposed to know and to follow and which things are secret, mysteries, just for God to know, and for us to trust? What do you wish you knew right now and you just have to hand it over to Him again? And wonder.
It’s okay to wonder. I love how the Snack and Yack kids are encouraged to “wonder” things each Sunday. What do you wonder? It’s okay to wonder. But it’s not okay to demand to know things that God has not revealed.
My best guess is that these men had heard about Numbers chapter 24, verse 17. Perhaps 600 years before this event, during the Babylonian exile, the Prophet Daniel and his friends had told the “wise men of Babylon” about Balaam seeing the star.
“A star will come out of Jacob!”
And when a mysterious star arose that they could make neither heads nor tails of, they headed West to see if this star was that star.
Who knows? Not me! Perhaps the Lord told them directly what it meant. I don’t know. Any way about it, they were right. They had seen HIS STAR.
A star of wonder. And not just wondrous mystery but wondrous miracle. Only God can make this happen! Only God is powerful enough to move the heavens to declare the birth of this King. This star makes us marvel! Because even the Magi know that the point of this star is not the star itself but that the point of this star is what the star is pointing at. The king of the Jews.
These pagans, these Gentiles have traveled far following this star to see the real Star of Bethlehem.
They came to Jerusalem, and asked King Herod, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?”
Now, who is this Herod person? He calls himself “The King of the Jews,” but he is not a descendent of David. He is actually a descendent, get this, of Esau, of Edom. He is an Idumean king who has been put in charge by the Roman Empire.
And he is evil. He’s like Pharaoh-level-bad. He’s called “Herod the Great,” but not because he was great, but because he was the Herod that all of the other Herods came from. He did great building programs like fixing up the temple. But he was truly evil. Greatly evil. He killed his wife and some of his children when they crossed or threatened him.
Herod would do anything to hold onto power. But the Magi don’t know that yet. So they come with their question, and Herod is very upset by their questions. Look at verse 3.
“When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.”
I never made this connection until this week, but as a descendent of Edom, he might of should have been worried about Numbers chapter 24, verse 18. The very next verse in Balaam’s prophecy. Remember that from last week?
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city” (Num. 24:17-19).
Now, if you belong to Moab and you are Ruth, you are safe and welcomed into the covenant community. But if you are a part of Edom and fighting against the people of God or oppressing the people of God? I would watch out for that scepter that is coming to conquer Edom! I would watch out for that ruler to come out of Jacob. I would look over my shoulder if I heard that that a star had risen out of Jacob.
“When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.”
“A king? I’m the king. Ain’t nobody else gonna be the king.”
But he’s no dummy. He needs better intel. So he calls in the Jewish religious leaders for intelligence briefing. Verse 4.
“When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.”
What’s the answer to that one? Everybody should have known the answer to that one. It was much clearer than the star question. Bethlehem. How do you know? Just because David was? Yes, and also because of Micah chapter 5. Look at our verse 5.
“‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written: 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'”
“Out of you will come a ruler.” A scepter, a star, from Bethlehem.
And then He sent a star to lead the Magi there. So, Herod now knows that there is a star and that the Messiah (the Christ, the Upper Star) was supposed to be born in Bethlehem.
What does he do? More conspiracy. Verse 7.
“Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared [He’s going to do some math.]. He sent them [the Magi] to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him’” (vv.7-8).
Which is, of course, a bald-faced lie. But they don’t know that yet either.
It’s interesting that he doesn’t go himself or send some soldiers. He wants to gather more intel on the threat first before sending in his incursion. But he senses what’s at stake.
“After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.”
And to me that’s just amazing, too. It shows up again? And it goes ahead of them? And it stops? Who ever heard of a star that stops?!
The astronomers I read about this week have explanations of how that could be a comet, and they might be right. I’m not smart enough to tell. But I just shake my head in wonder. It sounds like a miracle to me. Like the pillar of fire in the book of Exodus.
Of course, it’s just as wondrous if the Lord arranges it all to happen this way right to point out where Jesus lay. Any way about it, it’s wondrous!
Mysterious and miraculous, heavenly GPS. “Here! Right here! Look here! Drop a pin. You have arrived at your destination.” Verse 10.
“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.”
They were deliriously happy! They were crying and jumping up and down and dancing. This. Was. It! The point of the star was the Star the star was pointing at. And here He is. Verse 11.
“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.”
Number two. His star was...
#2. A STAR OF WORSHIP.
These men bow down. These men worship the little one.
Now, we don’t know if that was worship as in, they knew that He was the Son of God and God the Son. Probably they didn’t. They just knew He was special special special. He was a Star! And they responded accordingly.
Many people have noted that it says, “to the house” so this may have been some time after Jesus’ birth, up to two years later. They are no longer in the stable. They’ve moved into a house of some kind. But He’s still very young, and He’s with His Mom. And He’s being worshiped. Not just with faces to the ground, but with expensive gifts.
“Gold, incense, myrrh.”
This is probably where some people got the idea that there were three Magi. Because there are three gifts. But we don’t know how many Magi brought these three gifts. Could have been two. Could have been two hundred. We don’t know. Another thing we don’t know.
And where the star went. We don’t know! The star is done with its job in verse 10. And it doesn’t get mentioned again in Matthew. And it’s not in Mark, Luke, or John. And this star doesn’t get mentioned again in the rest of the Bible. It doesn’t matter! It’s done its job. The star was not the point!
The point of the star was the Star the star was pointing at.
And that’s Jesus.
And He is worthy of worship.
He’s worthy of this gold. All the gold. He’s worthy of all of the gold.
He’s worthy of the incense. Not just a treasure but used at the altar of sacrifice.
He’s worthy of myrrh. I think we just read about myrrh and aloes, 75 pounds of it which they anointed His body with about 30 years later. We said that it was worthy of a king.
Jesus is worthy.
In Psalm 72, King Solomon predicts how the Messiah will be recognized. He says, “The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts. All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him” (Ps. 72:10-11).
Because He’s not just going to be the King of Jews but the King of the Gentiles, too. The King of the Whole Wide World!
This star revealed more than just the geo-location of Jesus. It also revealed what was going on in people’s hearts. It revealed that these Magi could value Jesus’ worth. It also revealed what was in Herod’s heart, which was great hate of Jesus and love for himself. Look at verse 12
“And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”
They are let into the secret that we all know. Herod cannot be trusted. He’s out to kill Jesus. The rest of the chapter tells the story how an angel told Joseph to take His family and escape to Egypt. They will be refugees there until Herod dies. Herod figures out that the Magi aren’t coming back, and so he decides its time to act. He sends a kill-team to Bethlehem and puts his star-math to work. He has them kill all the boys in that area that are two years old and under. How many boys here are two years old or younger? It’s ugly. It’s evil.
Herod is so much like Pharaoh, killing innocent little Jewish boys. A star had risen in the heavens and led to Jesus, and Herod’s response was not worship of Jesus! But worship of Herod’s self at any cost. Instead of bowing down and giving up his crown, Herod sent assassins to cut the Star down. And he failed.
And then He’ll come back to life to give us “the light of life.” Because He is the Light of the World. Worthy of all of worship. And revealing whether or not we worship Him.
You know, the people I wonder about the most in this story are not the Magi or King Herod, as interesting as they are. I keep wondering about all of the other people in Jerusalem who heard about all of this and didn’t go to see for themselves. They didn’t care. They were apathetic.
Verse 3 says that the whole city of Jerusalem was “disturbed” with Herod. They were all stirred up.
Now, maybe they didn’t hear the whole story. Maybe they were upset Herod was upset. And when Herod gets upset, bad things happen. But the Magi had ridden into town (I don’t know if they had donkeys or camels or what, it doesn’t say), and they had asked around.
“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
And everybody else just yawns.
How about you and me? Where are our hearts today? Are we worshiping the One who had His own star?
You might say, “Well, I’m not running around murdering kids!”
Good. But are you bowing before the Lord? Are you giving yourself over to wonder at and worship of the Lord Jesus? Because there is no “being on the fence” with this One. He doesn’t allow it. You are either with Him or against Him.
Are you bowing down?
Are you giving to Him in offering?
Do you value Him above your earthly treasures?
Do you follow Him and do what He says?
Do you believe that He is everything that He claimed to be?
I do!
I believe that Jesus is the beautiful Bright Star of Bethlehem.
“Advent” means “coming.” Christmas is coming. Jesus has come and is coming again.
This year, as we light each Advent Candle, we are reflecting together on the many beautiful ways that Jesus is “The Light of the World.” In John chapter 8, verse 12, we read:
[READ JOHN 8:12.]
Our first candle was a candle of hope.
[LIGHT FIRST CANDLE AGAIN.]
Jesus stepped into the dark despair of our world and proclaimed that the shadow would not last. Because Jesus has come, hope has arrived.
[LIGHT SECOND CANDLE AGAIN.]
Our second candle was a candle of purity. As “Love's pure light,” Jesus had no darkness in Him and gave Himself up for us so that we, too, can walk in the light of holiness.
[LIGHT THIRD CANDLE AGAIN.]
Our third candle was a candle of guidance. God has not left His people to stumble and become lost forever. Jesus came to clearly light our way.
[LIGHT FOURTH CANDLE.]
Our fourth candle is a candle of joyful worship. Whenever a light shines in the darkness, there comes a thrill of happiness. Fear, despair, emptiness, and evil must flee. The light of a candle dances with beauty and power lifting the heart. Light is faithful, joyful, and triumphant.
May this candle shine to remind us that the coming of Jesus is “good news of great joy” for all of God’s people. (See Luke 2:10-11.)
If I were tell you that, today, we’re going to read a story in the Bible about a star, a donkey, a pagan magi-ician from the East, the Angel of the Lord appearing, a king in Israel, and the pronouncement of an ancient prophecy, where in the Bible would you expect us to be?
One of the Gospels, right?
If you were taking John’s class on “Where Are You in the Bible,” you might expect to be in the Gospel of Luke chapter two or the Gospel of Matthew chapter 2.
And we’ll get there. Lord-willing, next week. But today, we’re going to go way back in our Bibles to the Book of Numbers chapter 24.
Historically, this time of year for the last decade or so, we like to dig back into our Old Testament and see how it anticipated the coming of the Messiah. Last year, we were in Deuteronomy, for example. But this week, we’re going even further back to Numbers. I’ve been threatening to preach this particular passage for many years, and it seemed like this was finally the year. Our Prayer Meeting group is studying the Book of Numbers right now. We’ve made it up to chapter 7, and you’re welcome to join us for chapter 8 this coming Wednesday. We’d love to have you.
This passage in Numbers has the first reference in the whole Bible to a single star. The stars have been mentioned already, all of them. They were created and Abraham was told that he’s going to have as many offspring as the stars, but this is the first time that one single star is singled out.
It’s in the fourth oracle of the pagan prophet Balaam. Let me just read one verse to you, and then we’ll try to understand who and where it comes from and what it means. It’s chapter 24, verse 17.
Balaam says, “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.”
Okay. Exciting and mysterious, right?
The first thing we need to understand is who is the “I” in verse 17. Who is this guy named “Balaam?” And how does he come to be talking about this star?
Well, it’s long and crazy story. If you want to get the whole thing, you’ll have to come and join us for prayer meeting or read it all on your own, maybe this afternoon before caroling, under a blanket while you watch the snow fall outside your window. [I taught through it previously in 2007: "Balaam and the Blessing of Israel" Part One and Part Two.]
The story starts with a king named Balak. Balak is the king of Moab, and he hates and is terrified of the nation of Israel. Israel has been rescued from Egypt by the LORD (that’s the previous book of Exodus) and has been mustered to march into the Promised Land. And they have marched through the desert and, on the way, have defeated Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan. And Balak is worried that he and Moab are next on Israel’s conquer list.
Israel is camped across the Jordan from Jericho in the Promised Land on “the plains of Moab,” and Balak of king of Moab is shaking in his boots. So, Balak decides to hire a pagan prophet from Mesopotamia to put a curse on Israel.
I know that’s weird. We don’t tend to do that sort of thing today (though we’re all looking for “an edge,”) but they did. Balak was worried that his army couldn’t defeat Israel on it’s own, so he needed a secret weapon. He need magic. He needed power. And this guy named “Balaam” was famous for being powerful. Balaam appears in historical texts outside of the Bible, as well. He was a famous diviner. And he lived 400 miles away in the East. So Balak sends guys with money to go hire this guy to curse Israel.
How do you think that’s going to go?
Well, it’s a crazy story! In fact, it’s very funny. It’s totally a comedy. These two guys, Balak and Balaam, are ridiculous. They are trying so hard to curse Israel, and they are just thwarted at every turn. It’s like the bumbling criminals trying to break into the house in “Home Alone.”
Balak hates Israel, and Balaam loves money. So Balak tries to hire Balaam, and Balaam wants to earn the money. But he knows something about the LORD, Yahweh, the God of Israel. He knows that he can’t curse Israel without the LORD’s authorization. And the LORD says to Balaam, “No. You can’t curse Israel. I have blessed them (read Genesis 12, buddy!).”
So, the first time, he sends Balak’s guys back to him. The answer is “no can do.”
But Balak thinks it’s just a negotiating tactic, and Balaam just wants more money. So he sends them back with more money. And Balaam does want the more money, so he tells them that he is going to come. And the LORD does tell him that he can go, but also that he can only say what the LORD tells him to say. All this is in chapter 22 if you want to study it.
Balaam gets on his donkey and rides towards Israel with, apparently now, the intent to curse them. And the LORD sends His angel to stand in the way.
I wonder if it’s the same angel that says to the shepherds, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Lk. 2:10-11).
I don’t know. And Balaam doesn’t know either. He can’t even see the angel! Only his donkey can! Do you know this story?
Donkeys are not known for being really smart, right? Well, Balaam is dumber than his donkey. The donkey stops because he can see the angel of the LORD. He’s blocking the way! And Balaam starts beating his poor donkey, trying to get him to keep going.
And, here’s a miracle, the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she speaks to Balaam! She says, “What have I done to deserve this?”
And Balaam doesn’t blink. He just talks back to the donkey! Like they always have these conversations. “You’ve made a fool of me [Donkey!]. If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you” (23:29).
And then the LORD opened this pagan prophet’s eyes, to see that there was a sword there, it was in the angel’s hand. The donkey had saved Balaam life! And Balaam is humbled. He offers to go back, but the LORD says, “Go ahead. But you can only say what I tell you to.”
Crazy story, isn’t it?
Well, in chapter 23, Balak and Balaam do all of these sacrifices to get things ready for Balaam to curse Israel. Like three times in three different locations. Different vantage points to try to get the magical upper hand over Israel. And all the time, Balaam can only say what the LORD puts in his mouth. Which is blessing. Balak is paying for cursing. But Balaam can only do blessing.
It’s so funny! The LORD’s having fun with these guys!
One time, Balaam starts to speak, and he says, “How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced? From the rocky peaks I see them, from the heights I view them. I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my end by like theirs!” (23:8-10).
Isn’t that beautiful?! He learned that from a donkey!
And it sure drove Balak mad! Balak drags him to all of these different places to curse Israel, and everything that comes out of Balaam’s mouth is blessing. One last time, Balak takes Balaam up to a place called “Peor” which apparently you can see over this vast wasteland and probably a major portion of the people of Israel camped on the plains of Moab.
Balak just doesn’t know when to stop! But Balaam does. Look at the beginning of chapter 24, because this is the context of his prophecy of the star. Verse 1.
“Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as at other times, but turned his face toward the desert. When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him and he uttered his oracle: "The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
‘How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! ‘Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. ‘Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted.
‘God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them. Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness–who dares to rouse them?
‘May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!’
Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, ‘I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the LORD has kept you from being rewarded.’
Balaam answered Balak, ‘Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, 'Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD–and I must say only what the LORD says'? Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.’
Then he uttered his oracle [the key one for our purposes today]: ‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
‘I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.’” (Numbers 24:1-19).
So, that’s who Balaam is.
What or Who is this star?
Is it a star like up in the heavens or is it a person, a man? I think maybe the answer to that is, “Yes.”
It’s clearly a person. Verse 17 says, “He,” and verse 19 says, “A ruler.”
A “star” in the Ancient Near East could be a way of talking about a king, especially one who is seen to be special in some way, divine, a gift from the gods or a god himself. He is a “star.”
We use that word for special people, too, don’t we? Celebrities. The top people in any society are “the stars.” We have “Dancing with the Stars!”
In the parallelism of verse 17, He is not just a “star;” he is “a scepter.” “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.” Same person. Star and ruler.
And Balaam could see him! The Spirit of God had come upon this pagan prophet and given him insight into the future (24:2). And in the future, according to Balaam, was a Star.
I’ve got four points this morning about verse 17, and they are all very simple and very important for our lives today. Here’s number one.
#1. THE STAR WILL COME.
Balaam can see it.
It’s very hazy to him. In my mind, he’s kind of like squinting. Looking down the corridors of time. “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near.”
“He’s not here yet. We’re not even close. But he’s coming. This star, this scepter is going to come out of Jacob. He’s going to be a king from and over Israel. I can see him. I can’t quite make out his face or tell you his name, but he is special.”
Who do you think he is?
I think his name is...David. I think Balaam was looking about three or four hundred years down the timeline and predicting the coming of King David. You see what he says about him in verses 17, 18, and 19?
“He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”
Check out 2 Samuel 8 and 1 Kings 11 and 1 Chronicles 18 to read how David defeated Moab and Edom and Seir.
Balaam could see King David conquering. The star will come.
But most of you didn’t say, “David” when I asked. Because you think of someone else when you read verse 17, don’t you? You think about the Messiah. You think about the Christ. And while David was A messiah (an anointed one), he wasn’t THE Messiah, was he? No, he was not.
And, interestingly, many of the Jews didn’t think David was the fullest fulfilment of verse 17, either. They could see how he started filling up this verse, but they expected someone more as well. The Dead Sea Scrolls indicate that many of the Jews in the Old Testament period interpreted verse 17 as a prophecy of the Messiah. “Around 100 B.C., the Hasmonean king Alexander Janneus had the star imprinted upon some of the royal coins, thereby implicating him as the conquering star of Numbers 24:17” (R. Dennis Cole, NAC Commentary in Numbers, pg. 426).
Even some Jews long after Jesus (133 AD) called one of their leaders Simon Bar Kokhba “Son of the Star” thinking that he was their messiah!
Balaam may have seen much further down the time line. “I see him, but not now. I behold him, but not near.” Maybe 1,500 years?
Balaam might have actually been seeing the first Christmas. I wouldn’t put it past God to do something like that.
Old Testament prophecy is a funny thing, isn’t it?
Remember what Peter said about it in his first letter? He wrote, “Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things” (1 Pet. 1:10-12).
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob...”
What difference does that make for us today? Well, for one thing, it reminds us to be patient. God has promised a lot of things, but He didn’t promise that they would all come quickly.
Which promises of God are you waiting on these days? They will come true! God always keeps His promises. You can see that here. Even his promises that come through a pagan magician who did not even belong to the LORD! How much more will God keep His precious promises to His people? But not necessarily right away. Not on our time table. The theology of Advent tells us to wait and wait patiently.
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near.” We have to wait. But we’re waiting for Him to win.
#2. THE STAR WILL WIN.
When this Star comes, He’s going to start beating heads in. Look again at verse 17.
“A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.”
He is not a loser. He is a winner. And He defeats all of the enemies around Him.
This is not glorying in the violence; it’s glorying in the victory.
For David, that meant beating the Philistines and all of the surrounding nations so that there was, for a time, peace in his kingdom. But, of course, those enemies aren’t the worst enemies that God’s people will face, and I think that verse 17 hints, at least, that this Star will defeat ALL of God’s enemies once and for all.
“The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’ The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies. Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth. The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.’ The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. He will drink from a brook beside the way; therefore he will lift up his head” (Psalm 110:1-7).
And what a day that will be?! Every one of His enemies will be crushed?! Every one of His people’s enemies will be defeated forever.
Do you have enemies? You sure do. The world, the flesh, and the devil. The external, the internal, and the infernal enemies.
Let me tell you something, one day the Star will defeat all of those enemies forever and ever.
He started it at the Cross. Right? He defeated His enemies there in a way that we would never have imagined. He defeated them by dying. Not just by His strength but by His weakness. And in rising again, He overcame the world. And that gives us hope, and that gives us peace.
Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (Jn. 16:33).
The Star has won! And the Star will win. Good news! I’ve read the end of this book, and Jesus wins!
Don’t be scared. Don’t live in fear. What are you facing right now? Is it scary? I believe it is. But Jesus has overcome the world. Jesus has won, is winning, and will win forever. And if we are His people, we are winning forever, too.
That’s the whole point of this whole section of the book of Numbers. God’s people cannot ultimately lose. They cannot ultimately be cursed. They can only be blessed in the long run. No matter what powerful weapons our enemies throw at us. Even death.
The question is not if the Star will win for God’s people, but are you and I part of God’s people?
Balaam was not. At one point, he actually wished he was. But he loved money too much. When you read about Balaam in the rest of the Bible, it’s not what an amazing prophet he was, but how the love of money was his downfall and how he led others into sin.
Balaam was blessed to see the Star, but he never put his faith and trust in the Star. He never repented and came to be one of the people of the Star.
Don’t be like Balaam! Repent and believe in Jesus. Come into His kingdom and be One of His citizens. Jesus died and rose again so that we could stop being His enemies and become His friends, even become His very people. The Star will win, and all of His people will enjoy His light forever.
But if you and I are not His people, ours will be among the skulls that are crushed.
As I was writing this message, my head and heart kept filling up with the Hallelujah Chorus of Handel’s Messiah.
“Hallelujah! The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever! Hallelujah!”
#3. THE STAR WILL REIGN.
He’s not just going to win. He’s going to reign. Look at again at what verse 17 says: “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.”
He’s not just star; He’s a scepter. He’s a ruler. He is royal! He’s a king, with a kingdom. And it’s the kingdom that Balaam hasn’t been able to stop predicting for three whole chapters! That beautiful picture of Israel safe, and happy, and blessed.
Like verse 5. “How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted” (vv.5-7).
And that’s just for starters. Think about all of what Jesus has promised that His kingdom will be like! The blessing of David’s kingdom was just foretaste. In the Kingdom of the Star and Scepter, there will be no evil.
There will be no darkness.
There will be only light!
Everything will be set right again.
Everything will be the way it should be. Should have been.
Everything broken will be fixed.
The curse will be reversed.
“No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found!” (“Joy to the World” by Isaac Watts)
It is possible that Balaam was actually seeing 3,500 years down the timeline or even further? When the kingdom comes?! And that gives us all of the hope in the world, and all of the joy.
#4. THE STAR WILL SHINE.
Jesus came and said that He is “The Light of the World.” We memorized that this year in John 8:12, and it’s our theme for Advent, too. And it’s true! He shines in all of His bright glory and He deserves all of our praise.
Yes, I think this Star is a Person.
But might it be a star-star, as well?
Maybe so. There is evidence that the Magi, those mysterious people, like Balaam, from the East, read Numbers 24:17 when they saw that other mysterious star appear in the heavens.
It makes sense that if Jesus is a Star that a star might mark His arrival. So, next week, we’ll think some more about that in Matthew chapter 2 with the Bright Star of Bethlehem.
But right now, we must sing because this truth is too good to just nod our heads and silently agree. We must lift up our voices to sing with patient hope, and abiding peace, and unending joy that the Star has come, has won, will reign and shine forever!
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