The Cast of Christmas

Part 4 of 5

William Shakespeare penned these words in his play, As You Like It, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances…”

For His Christmas cast God the Father signed on and coordinated the innocent and the majestic, the humble and the proud, the unlearned and the scholarly, the good and the evil in widely diverse characters for roles in that first great Christmas drama. God’s choice of players includes:

THE MAGI: Wise men, astronomers, priests from the east, perhaps Persia. Avid students of ancient writings, they have probably read Balaam’s words in Numbers 24:17 “…a star shall come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel…”  This ancient prophecy has linked a “star” with the King of the Jews.  Now, they have seen “His star” and have traveled a great and perilous distance to find and worship this newborn King. Stopping in Jerusalem to speak with King Herod, they find that the new King of the Jews is to be born in Bethlehem. Going there, these obviously wealthy and prestigious men now bow in worship before this special Baby, recognizing Him as their King. After seeing the Savior and presenting Him their precious gifts, they are warned by God in a dream not to tell Herod where they have found the Babe so they return to their country another way.  

HEROD, THE GREAT: The “bad-guy” in this drama, the current so-called “King of the Jews.” He is greatly disturbed by the Magi’s questions, since the birth of a new king would mean his reign is nearly at an end. He is a tyrant of the worst kind. He has already had many of his own family murdered so that they cannot threaten his throne.  Herod is a secular Jew that follows their strict dietary laws including never eating pork.  A commentator of his time stated, “I would rather be Herod’s pig than Herod’s son!”  Herod deceives and lies to the Magi, asking them to return to him after they have found the baby so that he, too, “may go and worship him.” When the Magi do not return to him, he puts his satanically inspired plan to kill the Christ child into effect. Without knowing the exact location or age of the Baby, he orders the death of all Jewish male children under age two.

To be continued next week...