Month: December 2021

The Magi, King-makers, and Christian Conservatives

“Journey of the Magi” c. 1894, by James Jacques Joseph Tissot

Erroneously called kings, the Magi who followed the star to baby Jesus were king-makers. This little-known authority has important implications for Christian conservatives in America today. Are we abrogating our responsibility–our authority–as king-makers? Let’s dive into that supposition.

Much misinformation and speculation has surrounded the account of the apostle Matthew regarding the distant Parthian visitors to Bethlehem. The traditional depiction of three crowned kings kneeling at the manger is at odds with the Bible and secular history. All those Christmas cards and nativity sets are reflective of a 6th century baseless legend that has the kings of Arabia, Persia, and India being the gift bearers. What King James’s Bible translators called the “wise men” (no number given) was from the Greek word, “Magoi” (English: Magi), meaning astrologers, sorcerers, or magicians. Furthermore, following the star they noticed at the time of Jesus’ birth was a journey of many months before they arrived at Bethlehem. The Bible says they came to the “house” where Jesus was, not to an animal stall. Jesus was a toddler by then. Finally, it is very doubtful there were just three. Men of their importance would have been accompanied by an entourage of assistants and protectors. After all, they were Parthians entering the unfriendly territory of the Roman Empire.

These Magi can be traced back to the Chaldean culture that predates Abraham. They practiced pagan conjuring and predicted the future by the stars. Later in Babylon, God’s prophet, Daniel, an exiled Hebrew, ascended to a high office in the Babylonian Empire which included chief of the Magi. No doubt Daniel taught them to acknowledge the One True God, Yahweh, as creating and controlling the universe. By the time the Persian Empire ruled most of the civilized world in the 5th century BC, the Magi were a priestly sect that heavily influenced the entire population. They became both priests and politicians forming the Council of Magistrates (note: Magi-strates) which eventually selected the kings of Persia and the successor kingdom, Parthia, for centuries. At the time of Jesus’ birth, these Magi were the “king-makers” in the vast Parthian Empire far to the east of Judea. Their knowledge of signs of the Messiah’s birth had been propagated over the five centuries since Daniel’s prophecies. What an example of God’s overarching strategy! No wonder Judea’s King Herod panicked when the men he knew to be king-makers came looking for a new king of the Jews.

God’s ultimate plan was for the Magi to be king-makers. His purpose for them was to effect His plan for the empires and nations of their day by choosing particular leaders. Our unchanging God expects no less of His people today. He has given Americans the greatest nation in history. We are a nation built on Christian principles with freedoms and prosperity never before experienced by mankind. I strongly believe God expects us Christians to determine who leads this nation. He expects us to elect candidates from the president to the county judge who will lead according to His Word and His ways. The sad and shameful fact is we are failing miserably in that regard. Some studies show as few as 25% of Christians even bother to vote. Other studies indicate that, if all Christ followers voted in every election, they would determine the outcome of every election. The mess we are in as a nation today can be laid at the feet of Christians who don’t take interest in their government and don’t vote their faith.

America is teetering on the brink of socialism and moral collapse. The votes of Christian conservatives next November, and in 2024 will determine the future of our nation. Many will disagree and take offense at this, but I believe God has commissioned His people to be His king-makers.

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Are We Ready for the Next Pearl Harbor?

Pearl Harbor Attack

On December 7, we will pause to remember Japan’s shocking and deadly attack 80 years ago. A reluctant America was drawn into World War II with super-powerful enemies in two geographical theaters. The next four years saw our nation courageously resolved to victory over both Japan and the Axis Powers. Over 16 million brave American combatants answered the call to relentless battle with over 400,000 sacrificing their lives before the enemies surrendered. We will face the likes of the Pearl Harbor attack again. Would America’s present culture support the same response as in 1941? Doubtful. Let’s look at how we are poised for another Pearl Harbor and why we aren’t as ready for it as we were 80 years ago.

Eerily similar circumstances are gathering on the horizon today. Just seven years ago, Russia got a pass for invading and annexing the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. The U.S. and the rest of the Western World yelled and screamed, then placed a few sanctions on the super power invader. That was all. Now that Russia has tested the water and found the opposition weak, it is building forces near the border of Ukraine with prospects of invading that sovereign country soon.

Then China has its tentacles extending throughout the Pacific Rim with credible indications it will invade America’s ally, Taiwan, at some point in the near future.

The U.S. has stated its commitment to defending both Ukraine and Taiwan, and that the consequences would be severe if the super powers acted on their threats to those nations. This standoff is exacerbated by recent evidence that Russia and China are pursuing closer ties with each other. They appear to be partnering in mutually beneficial efforts in African countries, in Afghanistan, and in Iran. There is an ominous similarity in modern day Russia and China’s relationship compared to that of Germany and Japan in the 1940s.

Even more worrisome is the lack of will, moral courage, and patriotism that I see today in most Americans that wasn’t an impediment at the onset of World War II. Most adults in the 1940s still had acute memories of the very difficult but successful efforts of World War I. They knew what they were facing, they understood sacrifice, and they loved their country and its freedoms. They were, as Tom Brokaw labeled them, “the greatest generation.” In contrast, today’s generation, with few exceptions, is not experienced in international battle for survival, they don’t know sacrifice for others, and they have been on a slippery slope toward socialism and Marxism for years. Most don’t even see Russia and China as enemies of the U.S.

American debased culture has largely been framed by its leadership. We haven’t had a president in a long while with the leadership ability of Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Donald Trump gave us a short period of pride and patriotism, but was a lightning rod for liberal attacks. Barack Obama and Joe Biden–what can I say? Political division, racial unrest, moral decay, social experimentation, and the pandemic have shifted our focus off the potential of an all-consuming international conflict.

If, by God’s mercy, we are granted a delay in another two-front war long enough to seat new leadership and reestablish an American culture reflective of a Pearl Harbor response, we may survive a Russia-China domination. If we don’t turn this nation around to a patriotic, freedom-loving, God-fearing culture with compatible leadership in the next few years, we will not survive as a nation. We must turn hearts back to God and unconditional love for our fellow Americans. Otherwise, the next Pearl Harbor will have a different outcome.

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