Monday Read: Epiphany's Light and Hidden Glory

Tomorrow, the church celebrates Epiphany - the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles through the magi's visit. These weren't Jewish scholars steeped in messianic prophecy; they were foreign astrologers who followed a star to find a king. The irony is stunning: Jerusalem's religious experts, living miles from Bethlehem with Scripture memorized, missed the Messiah entirely. Meanwhile, pagan stargazers traveled hundreds of miles to worship him.

Matthew records that when Herod heard about the magi's search, "he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him" (Matthew 2:3). The city that should have been celebrating was troubled instead. Herod's anxiety was self-serving - he feared losing power. But Jerusalem's disturbance reveals something deeper: they'd grown comfortable with their expectations of how the Messiah would appear, and a baby born in Bethlehem to unknown parents didn't match their script.

The magi brought expensive gifts - gold, frankincense, and myrrh - to a toddler living in poverty. They offered royal worship to someone with no palace, no army, no political power. They recognized glory hidden in humility, majesty wrapped in ordinariness. The religious establishment couldn't see it because they were looking for the wrong thing in the wrong place.

This pattern repeats throughout Jesus's life. He revealed himself most clearly to those society dismissed - Samaritan women, tax collectors, prostitutes, children. Meanwhile, those who prided themselves on spiritual insight often missed him entirely. "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children" (Matthew 11:25).

Paul later wrote that God "chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong" (1 Corinthians 1:27). This isn't divine perversity - it's strategic revelation. When God displays glory through obvious channels, people assume it's natural power. When he works through weakness, humility, and hiddenness, no one can claim credit but him.

As this year unfolds, where are you looking for God's work? Are you scanning for the obvious, impressive, dramatic - burning bushes and parted seas? Or are you watching for whispers, nudges, and small obediences that don't trend on social media? The magi's story warns us: the biggest moves of God often look unimpressive to those expecting conventional glory.

Epiphany means "revelation" or "manifestation" - God making himself known. But the way he reveals himself often conceals him from those looking for the wrong thing. A baby in a manger. A carpenter from Nazareth. A crucified criminal. Glory hidden in humility. Power perfected in weakness. The kingdom coming not with observation but within. Are your eyes adjusted to see this kind of light?