Christmas: Nothing to Hide
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day. Proverbs 4:18 niv
Then he took the testimony and put it into the ark, and attached the poles to the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark. He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up a veil for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Exodus 40:20-21 nasbu
The Bethlehem star did not just point the way, but also illuminated the object of the magi's adoration. For now God would be revealed to man. No longer would access be restricted to just "holy" men, and no longer would Jehovah God be only for Jews. The incarnation of God in a lowly stable of Bethlehem meant that now man--any man, woman or child of any race--would have direct access to his Maker and Lord. From now on God would not only be more available, but He would be more visible, more explained. He was now dwelling, for a while, on earth. He would dwell in flesh, and thus be touchable. His words would be audible to anyone within hailing distance. He could be embraced, and like the earthy breath of his place of birth, he would have about Him the smell of men. The illuminating star was God's first way of declaring that in Christ there would be a new and wondrous access to Him. Light removes the shadows; it removes the mystery that so intimidates and repels. Light describes something that was previously cloaked in darkness. Jesus describes the invisible God. More than that, since Jesus is Light, the heavenly light of the star reveals its kin:And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness." John 12:44-46 nasbu
The Bethlehem star was God saying to man, "Come unto Me. Look upon Me. For I have nothing to hide."