Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:1-6 ESV)
The above passage is familiar to all who know the full Christmas story! As we look at this amazing event – the Birth of the Savior (and He was actually born closer to the Feast of Tabernacles around September 30 rather than December 25), we are discovering different nuggets and jewels from the Kingdom of God!
It has long been known that history repeats itself. The oft quoted quip of Santayana has been stated in many ways since, but it still stands that “Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.” The things of the past are our tutors. We lean and trust on those with silver crowns because its by their wisdom and experience that we learn the lessons of life and good decision making. We also learn from histories how nations stand and how they fall by searching out their strengths and weaknesses—what their leaders stood for and what they stood against. Those who fail to do so throw caution to the wind and their leadership is marked out by the fickleness of emotionalism, narcissism, the lusts of the flesh, and a thirst for success and power rather than the discipline of the soul; moreover, whether in their day or in the days that follow destruction eventually ensues.