"He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of the religious law and asked, "Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?" "In Bethlehem in Judea," they said, "For this is what the prophet wrote: 'And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel." (Matthew 2:4-6 NLT)
It’s interesting, astounding, really, that the leading priests and teachers were well-acquainted with messianic prophecy. Yet, they didn’t have a priest camped out in Bethlehem, keeping watch for divine activity. I suppose four hundred years is a long stretch of silence and the anticipation had waned rather than gathered.
That said, they could not have missed those wise men rolling into town. They came from afar. Most scholars believer they hailed from Persia (modern day Iran) – a thousand or more miles from Jerusalem. You can’t tell me that a caravan of camels and exotic men rolling into town wouldn’t have created a fuss. They looked different, spoke different, asked unusual questions and claimed to follow a star. The wise men would have surely captivated the imagination of the locals.
When we visited the Church of the Nativity in 2019, they explained how it was the singular church to survive the Persian invasion of 614 AD. They had intended to level it like the others, but when the Persians stepped into the sanctuary, they recognized the costuming of their ancestors in the mosaic nativity told in stone. They let the church stand. The wise men were uniquely adorned and stood out against the grain of Romans and Jews.
Which brings me to my next question: what didn’t the priests and teachers investigate the Messianic speculation themselves? Bethlehem was a mere five miles down the road, a morning walk at most. Why were they content to stay int their ivory towers when Herod and the wise men came inquiring? Why didn’t they have a smidge more concern for the infant their enemies were investigating?
I can only come up with one answer and it’s not very flattering. Acclimation. The priests and teachers had adjusted to the moral and political climate they were living in. They had made due long enough to know their roles and fulfill them flawlessly. Renewed interest in ancient prophecies and messianic predictions would certainly have rocked the boat. These folks had somehow figured out how to stay afloat in the thunderous current of Caesar’s empire. They were unwilling to test the waters.
We can criticize them or we can recognize our own quiet trend toward acclimation. I’ve watched the temperature change in this country these past few years. Many believers have adapted to a more agreeable gospel for the sake of blending in. Those that hold to the authority of scripture have been labeled hateful or intolerant. It seems very few of us are still watching the sky, waiting on a trumpet call and the rapture of the church, living with divine accountability in mind.
In the modern spectacle of Christmas, we’ve lost sight of advent. Advent is really the opposite of acclimation. Advent is this annual reminder of Jesus’ first coming and renewed anticipation of His second coming. We must fight the acclimation and apathy that seeps in under atheistic leadership. There is far more to this sacred season than survival. God still measures success by obedience. We cannot afford to forget that our true King is coming back. In fact, the further we get from the ascension, the more convinced we should become of Christ’s return. The passage of time only reinforces the eminence nature of His second coming! We are closer than we’ve ever been!
"You must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected." (Like 12:40 NLT)
Lord, please forgive us for our tendency toward acclimation. Our desire to save our own skin is a constant interference for our obedience. How readily we acquiesce to our environment! Remind and recreate us with Your Spirit: the power within is greater than the pressure without. When apathy attempts to breach our borders, alert us. Wake us up. Tug our eyes toward the sky as we await Your return. May Your first coming convince us all the more of Your second coming. Amen.