In C. S. Lewis’s The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, that crabby little modernist, Eustace, seeks to inform Ramandu, a retired star, of what a star is in his world. “In our world,” says Eustace, “a star is a huge ball of flaming gas.” Ramandu replies, “Even in your world, my son, that is not what a star is, but only what it is made of.”
So it is in the story of Scripture. Stars aren’t merely balls of flaming gas that dot the black sky. Stars are rulers and authorities. This is their function from the fourth day of creation. God says that the greater light–the sun–will rule the day and lesser light–the moon and stars–will rule the night (Gen 1:14-18). These lights will judge for the earth, determining festival times and seasons. From this point forward, the lights in the heavens not only ruled these particular times, but they were also symbols of all rulers and authorities in the earth.
When God promised Abraham that his seed would be as the stars in heaven, he not only spoke of their number but also of their function: Abraham’s seed would rule the world. Jacob and his family understood this very well. When young Joseph told his family about his dream of the sun, moon, and eleven stars (or constellations) bowing down to his star, Jacob replied, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” (Gen 37.10) So, when we see in Isaiah 13 the prophecy against Babylon, we read, “For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light.” (Isa 13:10) Rulers and governments being displaced and destroyed are spoken of as the “lights of the heavens” being put out. Stars certainly provide beautiful scenery in the heavens on a clear, dark night, but they are much more than mere points of light on that black canvas.
So, it is significant that God leads the Gentile Magi by a star to the place where Jesus resides. He is the Star of stars; he is the Ruler of rulers; he is the one whose government will increase forevermore. The epiphany of his star–and it is specifically called his star in Matthew 2–is a portent to the wicked rulers of the earth that their time of rule is coming to an end. The Herods and Caesars of the world who occupy the firmament-heaven, ruling over the earth in fear and by fear are given notice: their time is up. Their stars must bow to his or entirely fall from the heavens. For those who rule justly and seek to submit their authority to his, this is a time of exceedingly great joy.
The Magi were dignitaries, literally, “from the rising” (that is, “of the sun,” the east). They were lights in the east who recognized the Messiah’s star and came to pledge their allegiance to him. They yielded all of their glory and honor to the Star of stars. Because they did so, they will continue to shine with him. Indeed, their stars will shine all the brighter.
The Epiphany of Jesus as the Christ still speaks this word to all the world’s rulers and must be proclaimed in word and deed by those of us who bear his light in the world. Where rulers rule unjustly, the church must declare that they are answerable to the Ruler of rulers whether they acknowledge it or not. The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.
Epiphany is not a private enlightenment in which individuals realize some private truth that changes their inner disposition. The truth of Epiphany certainly has that aspect to it as people come and submit to Jesus as Lord. But that is not its only effect. Epiphany is a historical, public event in which God declares to the world that his Son is Lord of the world. All are called to bow the knee and worship this Star.
Epiphany is also concerned with those of us who are in Christ. In and with him we sit in heavenly places (Eph 2:6). We are stars situated in the firmament-heaven, ruling the earth. As we live and move in the earth, we are epiphanies of the Star of stars. Our light is to shine so that men will see our good works and glorify our Father, who is in heaven. This means that the way we rule is to reflect the way he rules: through giving himself for the sake of the ruled. We rule the world through intercessory prayer and other acts of service. As we exercise our authority this way, the Epiphany of Christ continues to be an everyday reality.
