Tag Archives: END OF THE WORLD

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Finding the End of the World, Uncategorized

God’s Names & Attributes

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Father of lights. Father of spirits. Creator, daddy, healer, and provider. All label and describe the One who was, is, and is to come. And, as He is, God cares for His children as no other. What follows is a sampling of God’s many attributes, starting with His name.

  • God’s name. Hebrew YHVH is His formal name, usually pronounced as Jehovah or Yahweh. Conversely, the Bible mentions ‘in the name’ of God or Christ. Just ending a prayer “In Jesus’ name!” is not what this means—it’s their power, character, and authority by which followers must operate.
  • Creator & Father. “This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven.” (Genesis 2:4)
  • Daddy. One of the coolest names of God is Abba, which means ‘daddy’ or ‘papa:’ “And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me …” (Mark 14:36)
  • King/Lord. “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.” (Acts 17:24)
  • Shepherd (YHVH Rohi). Psalm 23:1-3 reflects this attribute: “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes … He leads … He restores … He guides …”
  • Healer (YHVH Rapha). Exodus 15:26 states “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer.”
  • Provider (YHVH Jireh). God gives so many things, including food, shelter, money, transportation, and salvation.
  • Savior. We see the saving hand of YHVH through His Son, whom we call Jesus, who obediently came to earth, lived as a human, died a horrible death, and was raised by the Father to be the first of many who would be raised on the last day: “We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” (1John 4:14)
  • Judge. YHVH’s Son will judge everyone at the end of this age. Some will then enter eternal life. Others will experience eternal destruction (2 Corinthians 5:10; Matthew 25:31-46): “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)

Summary. God can be Father, Daddy, Creator, Healer, Provider, and Savior. Is He yours? Next time, we’ll dive into the complex topic of divorce. Meanwhile, remember the Father of Spirits and honor Him appropriately.

God’s blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

discipleship, Finding the End of the World, Uncategorized

No King but YHVH

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“We have no king but Caesar!” the Jewish high priests exclaimed to Pontius Pilate, who would send Jesus to be crucified. Conversely, we experienced a flurry of ‘No Kings!’ protests on June 14, 2025, in opposition to President Donald Trump’s authoritative measures. Have a king; don’t have a king … Which is it? Like it or not, the Creator of the universe is king and owns everything, whether people demand a human king or defy any kingly rule.

The Jewish people understood the Creator’s name to be represented by the four Hebrew consonants YHVH. We who have been adopted into His family pronounce it Yehovah or Yahweh, depending on how you consider the V. The apostle Paul explained nearly 2,000 years ago that YHVH made everything and is King over all in His realm and our created world (Acts 17:24). So, the heavens and the earth are His throne (Matthew 5:34). YHVH owns everything and was recognized by the Jews as their King until about 1,000 BCE.

Selfishly, we generally want what others have. Such was the case with the 10th-century BCE Jews, who decided to be governed by a human king like other nations: “Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations … Give us a king to judge us.” The LORD said to Samuel, ‘… they have rejected Me from being king over them.’” (1 Samuel 8:5-7) The Jewish people would eventually have a puppet king under the Roman leaders and then … none.

Yet, YHVH was, is, and will be King, whether humans recognize His sovereignty. Old Testament king David expressed this in Psalm 47:2 & 7: “For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth” and “For God is the King of all the earth … God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne.” Similarly, New Testament Paul wrote this about YHVH, the one true King, in 1 Timothy 6:15: “… He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.”

So, what about the future? YHVH will eventually tire of our nonsense and immoralities and redo everything. Then, His realm and ours will become one again as was the case in Eden, as we find in Revelation 22:3-5: “There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it … And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.”

Summary. Like it or not, you have a King that is above all and rules over everything, including you and even Trump! Soon, I’ll contrast what that King loves against what He hates: What He loves, first. Meanwhile, choose your king well!

God’s blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Uncategorized

Airtight Alibi

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Traveling back to North Dakota after attending a Lute Society of America seminar decades ago, I encountered a young lady carrying healing tuning forks and crystals. I asked, “Why do you believe in this stuff?” Her response was, “I dunno—it just seems right.” God-fearing Christ-followers have a different approach and airtight alibi: we know what and in whom we believe and why.

Many things lend credibility to what we know to be true, from eyewitness accounts and personal experiences to fulfilled prophecies. They help us to have a defense for the “hope that is within us,” according to the apostle Peter, who shared his knowledge and experiences-fueled alibi with excellent results.

During the first Pentecost after Jesus’ ascension, God’s Spirit enabled the apostles to preach the Gospel in their languages. Peter taught about “Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst,” who “God raised … up again.” Peter’s preaching touched the hearts of the listeners who believed and asked, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent …” (Acts 2:22-24, 32-33, and 37-38). The apostle Paul was also a rockstar with an airtight alibi.

Besides the thousands he shared his Christian alibi with, Paul mentored Timothy, a young Greek. In 2 Timothy 1:8-12, Paul reminds him that Jesus has “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light.” Paul is so sure of all Jesus has enabled that he writes, “for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him.” Paul’s alibi in Athens is the stuff of legend!

On trial for preaching a foreign God, Paul connected with his accusers and others by acknowledging their religious nature and mapping their ‘unknown god’ to the one true God. Read Acts 17:19-31, and you’ll find this golden nugget: “God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

Here’s a final arrow for your airtight alibi quiver: an unbreakable chain of custody and eyewitness accounts. Church father Irenaeus was a disciple of Polycarp, who was a disciple of the apostle John, who was a disciple of Jesus. And Jesus fulfilled hundreds of ancient prophecies, was killed, resurrected, and then appeared to hundreds of people, including the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:6-8).

Summary. We who believe in and follow Jesus have plenty to develop an airtight alibi. Having and living by one is essential to a healthy marriage-like relationship with God and effective evangelism, proving He is King, the only rightful one. No King but YHVH seems like a great topic, so let’s go there next time! Meanwhile, learn well, behave well, and live.

God’s blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Finding the End of the World, Uncategorized

Jesus in the Underworld

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Jesus died in the flesh after Roman crucifixion and was resurrected three days later. Upon that, most Christians will agree. But what happened before the resurrection? Where was Jesus during that time, and what did He do while He was there? I’ve heard things like, “Jesus went to the grave, preached to all the dead people, and got ‘em saved!” Let’s discover the truth, starting with a foresight into Jesus’s subterranean visit.

Where: The prophecy. “… Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He [Jesus] answered and said to them, “. . . no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

So, where was Jesus after His crucifixion? In the “heart of the earth,” where disobedient spiritual beings await their final end-of-the-age disposition. What did He do during that time? Let’s search for the answer with what He did NOT do.

What: Fake news. The idea that Jesus preached to dead people to ‘get ‘em saved’ is nonsense. First,the Bible teaches there’s no middle ground, do-overs, or second chances where God is concerned. We live as we choose until we die and then are judged accordingly (e.g., Hebrews 9:27). Second, the apostle Peter taught that Jesus’ ‘preaching’ in the underworld was to doomed angelic beings—the Watchers who corrupted humankind, prompting the great flood (not the spirits of dead people). Now, more on that truth.

What: The truth. Read 1 Peter 3:18-20, and you’ll find thatJesus’ proclamation was to imprisoned disobedient spirits. What disobedience? Why did God imprison them? The Book of Enoch provides much information on the subject, but you can read a summary in Genesis, chapter six. But, basically, it was because they taught humans things they shouldn’t know and had sexual relations with them, corrupting God’s creation. They’ve been imprisoned in the underworld since and await God’s great judgment and wrath at the end of this age (see Jude 1:6).

What did Jesus proclaim to them? That their fate had been sealed with Christ’s triumph over death. They’d lost; Christ had won, and wrath is coming for all who oppose the Creator. In case you’re now wondering, “What about all those people who died before Jesus could ‘save’ them?” This will all be fleshed out in God’s great end-of-the-world judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-15).

Summary. In the underworld between crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus proclaimed His triumph in fulfilled prophecy to spiritual prisoners, the angels who corrupted humans post-Eden (not the spirits of dead people!). What’s next?  From uncaused first cause to nature, we’ll discover that there’s no excuse for denying God. Meanwhile, remember there are no do-overs where God is concerned: choose well, stay there, and live.

God’s blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Finding the End of the World, Uncategorized

When Love Grows Cold …

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In my last article, I taught that real, unconditional, godly love is “doing the right thing no matter how we ‘feel.’” It doesn’t come and go with an emotional or sexual wind; it’s constant and actionable. That’s God’s love for us, as proved by Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection from the dead to pay our debt to the Creator and give us hope. Similarly, we do real, unconditional love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19). How can we summarize and do real love?

True love seeks the highest good in others. It is always actionable and even translated occasionally as ‘charity.’ For instance, the apostle Paul mentions these actions (or lack of certain actions) in a not-all-inclusive true love list (1 Corinthians 13:4-6): “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.”

Furthermore, Jesus gave the following examples when teaching about last-days judgment in Matthew 25:31-40: “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in … Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’” In other words, do love and live.

Still, Jesus said true love will ‘grow cold’ in the last days: “At that time many will fall away … Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” (Matthew 24:10-13) What does that mean? What would, or does, cold love look like?

If true love = action, cold love is the opposite: diminishing charity, patience, self-control, truth, etc. Look around, and this is the predominant posture in America, which has earned the title of “the most self-centered nation in the world.” What will be the end for the loveless? “Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ These will go away into eternal punishment …” (Matthew 25:45-46)

Summary. True love seeks the highest good in others through actions like charity and self-control. Cold love deceives, deprives, and hurts others. What’s next? Let’s explore evangelism in “What’s Your Story?” In the meantime, don’t be lukewarm in your zeal for God and don’t let your love run cold! The results could be devastating!

God’s blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Finding the End of the World, Uncategorized

Apocalyptic Poster Children

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I’m an ‘end times’ dude. Not an imperious date-setting soul, but someone interested in teaching people easy-to-understand truths about the end of this age and all it comprises. I published “Finding the End of the World” to do just that in 2011. Here, I’d like to clear up confusion about Revelation’s letters to seven churches to address real people with real problems.

Clearing the fog. Some teach that biblical history is divided into eras (dispensations) representing God’s interaction with people. Furthermore, historical dispensationalists insist that the seven churches of Revelation (chapters two and three) represent particular church ages from the apostles to Christ’s return. Don’t buy into it. The letters contain admonishments and praises to existing churches—nothing more, nothing less, although we can learn from them. Let’s begin our journey by introducing John’s Revelation and the letters.

Introduction to the Revelation. In about 95 CE, Emporer Domitian exiled John (and his scribe Prochorus) to Patmos. They penned the Revelation within two years until Emporer Nerva freed them. What was unveiled? Last-day events from increasing false Christs, war, famine, and earthquakes to great judgment and the new age. Chapter one introduces the Revelation, chapters two and three contain instructions to seven of John’s Asia Minor churches, chapters 4 and 5 prepare to unveil the future, and chapters 6:1 through 22:5 detail a future hinted at by Jesus 70 years beforehand (e.g., Matthew 24-25). Now, the letters.

The Letters.

  • Ephesus. This ‘great’ city had an assembly that refused to follow heretics but whose love for God, Christ, and each other had grown cold.
  • Smyrna. This ‘loveliest’ city was home to prideful Christian-persecuting Jews (‘Synagogue of Satan’). Saints would have to persevere through a short tribulation to inherit God’s Kingdom.
  • Pergamum. Called “Satan’s throne,” it was the pagan worship center of Asia. Heresies and immorality abounded, as did self-indulgence. Jesus said, “Change!”
  • Thyatira. True Christians refusing paganism and immoralities couldn’t buy and sell in the marketplace, although prophetess Jezebel misled some to compromise. Others standing fast would avoid God’s future wrath.
  • Sardis. A legendarily wealthy and degenerate city with a dead church (except for a few). Overcome or be erased from the Book of Life!
  • Philadelphia. City of brotherly love, city of earthquakes … and another Synagogue of Satan against the Church. Believers would face tribulation but be empowered by Jesus to persevere.
  • Laodicea. “Lukewarm Laodicea” existed between hot and cold springs, producing undesirable lukewarm water. It was wealthy, self-centered, indifferent, and lukewarm in faith. Jesus to Laodicean Christians: “Overcome and rule with Me!”

Summary. God gave Jesus warnings and commendations to send to overseers of seven Asia Minor churches. They were contained in seven letters (Revelation chapters three and four). The immoral would suffer God’s wrath, while overcomers would inherit God’s Kingdom. Read and heed! What’s next? Let’s explore godly superstars on the fringe. In the meantime, be like the assemblies of Smyrna or Philadelphia or suffer the consequences.

God’s blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Uncategorized

Unify to Magnify – Part One!

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God loves a unified creation. He equips us for that purpose. When we move as one Body, we uplift God and proclaim His greatness. The spiritual hands, feet, eyes, and ears are to work as one to point to the Creator. But that’s not the reality today: theological segregation, human traditions, and pride have fractured the Church.

One denomination revels in study and programs but remands the Holy Spirit to the first century and chastises charismatics. Another focuses on supernatural signs and speaks and acts unbiblically. Others staunchly plant the stake of “we’re the only way to heaven” into the soil of biblical ignorance. Human-born mysticism and legalism have corrupted the once-simple practices of communion and baptism, causing even further division. However, this is not what God desires, nor has this always been the case. Here, we’ll explore Godly unity in a three-parter that defines it, shows our departure, and attempts to make unity a priority again. First things first: an overview.

Unity is a bond, a oneness, that joins individuals into a single entity, as in the Body of Christ. In that context, we are unified by Father, Son, and Spirit, and our unity magnifies (honors) God. Here are some biblical examples:

  • We are unified by one Father, Son, and Spirit for peace and God’s ministry of reconciling creation (Ephesians chapter four): “There is one body and one Spirit … one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. . . . for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith.”
  • The world should see our unity (John 17:23): “I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” But it sees brokenness instead of unity.
  • The parts of the Church only work when unified (1 Corinthians chapter twelve): “For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. … If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? … Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.”

Summary. The Church only functions effectively when everyone works together as one Body, sharing spiritual gifts and resources as God permits. This is not the case today. Next? Let’s look deeper into how the lack of unification crippled Christ’s Body and made God’s Kingdom an ugly thing to many people. Meanwhile, consider how you, as a spiritual eye or ear, can help the Body see and hear.

Blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Finding the End of the World, Uncategorized

Know Your Enemy: Part One

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If you belong to God, you war against principalities from another dimension. The apostle Paul wrote about this in Ephesians 6:12: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Evil spiritual forces move people to oppose God. How did this happen? What is the genealogy of their evil and leader?

Background. God and other disembodied spirits called Elohim were part of a divine council before our time (Job 38:4-7; Genesis 1:26). The one we’d eventually call Satan rebelled, taking others with him (e.g., Ezekiel 28:12-16). Then, angelic watchers, sent to oversee humanity after their exile from Eden, also rebelled (Genesis 3:22-23; 6:1-2 & 4). After the Great Flood, meant to eliminate their offspring, God disinherited all the nations except Israel.

Those Elohim in charge of the disinherited nations have caused people (especially rulers) to rebel against God ever since. Think of them as other-worldly puppets. Their puppet master and ruler of this world is called in Hebrew Ha Satan—The Adversary. He’s your main enemy—don’t underestimate him, as he and his minions search diligently for the spiritually weak and isolated (1 Peter 5:8)! Let’s consider these things in more detail.

The Course of Evil: Until the Watchers. Initially, God and others comprised an innumerable council of spiritual Elohim. There was no apparent rebellion until one Elohim became an adversary. He fell from grace and tricked humans into revolting, too. Their disobedience caused their expulsion from Eden (Genesis 3:22-24). Other Elohim sent to watch over them afterward also disobeyed. Then, the Great Flood came, after which God distanced Himself from most of creation.

The Course of Evil: Disinheritance, Influence, and the End. Read Deuteronomy 32:8-9 and Psalm 82, and you’ll learn that God temporarily gave control of nearly the entire world to other Elohim. He kept what would become Israel, though. Evil persists because those spirits are now in authority (e.g., Psalm 82). For instance, in Daniel 10:13, we read of the spiritual principalities manipulating Persian rulers in Daniel’s time. And we read that Satan will empower the Beast—Antichrist in Revelation 13:3-4. Finally, 1 John 5:19 reminds us that the world lies in Satan’s authority for now.

The good news is that The Enemy won’t prevail, as we see in Revelation 20:10: “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

Summary. Evil exists because of free will gone wrong when Elohim rebelled and the one we call Satan became God’s adversary. Next? I’ll equip you to resist your spiritual enemy! Meanwhile, pray that God will protect you from that evil one as you resist him.

Blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Finding the End of the World, Uncategorized

When Two Kingdoms Collide

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Initially, God’s world and ours intersected and cohabitated. This was Eden until humankind rebelled and broke its relationship with the Creator. Now, the two separate realms (kingdoms) have two kings: God and Satan. Because we’re made of mammal fleshiness and God-made spirit, we feel the draw of this appealing-to-the-flesh earth ruled by Satan and heaven ruled by God. We can’t serve two masters and must choose one. And not choosing God’s Kingdom will put you in the other by default. Let’s learn more about each to help you choose well. By the way, I published “The Supernatural God: Rebellion & Disinheritance!” in May 2023. You might want to revisit it for more background.

Satan’s Kingdom. After the dispersion at Babel, God disinherited most of the earth and its people (except for Israel), giving them to others in His council (Deuteronomy 32:7-12; Psalm 82). Those other spiritual beings have managed most of humanity ever since. Satan is their ruler; he has authority over the earth and anyone who isn’t God’s. He couldn’t have offered Jesus his earthly kingdom in Matthew 4:8-10 otherwise! Other biblical examples of Satan’s rulership: “Satan, the ruler of this world . . .” (John 12:31) and “Jesus said, ‘The ruler of this world approaches . . .’” (John 14:30). Jesus also confirms “My kingdom is not of this realm” in John 18:36 and “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19) But, this won’t always be the case!

God’s (YHVH’s) Kingdom. Despite Satan’s temporary rulership of this earth, God’s Kingdom has been attainable since Jesus gave His life to satisfy our debt to the Creator. Why did He do that? To return us to our Maker (1 Peter 3:18). For now, His Kingdom is ‘already, but not yet’ because it is available through Jesus but isn’t physically among us. One day, the two kingdoms will engage in a final conflict, and the ruler of this world will be ousted and destroyed. God’s realm and ours will intersect again as they did in Eden. When? We don’t know for sure, but here are reminders of the certainty:

  • “Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.’” (Revelation 11:15)
  • “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come . . .” (Revelation 12:10)

To summarize, the Devil runs things on earth for now, establishing lots of wickedness inside and outside the churches. However, God will one day reclaim what’s His and recombine His realm and ours in a new world. Where should we go next? Let me share my Orthodox Lent journey with you in an enlightening multi-parter. Meanwhile, choose your king and kingdom wisely and stay!

Blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Uncategorized

Christmas, the Retold Story!

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Published initially in December, 2021

Christmas is full of traditions, including the story depicting Jesus’ birth. Some renderings sport sheep, camels, and donkeys with costume-clad humans for effect. The event makes us feel good and can be a great time of fun and family. But is there more to the story—perhaps stuff behind the scenes that would make it more meaningful if known? Let’s see.

First, the Son of God, born a son of man, has been around since the creation of our universe (John 1:1-4).

Second, this Son of God had to live and die as a human for a reason: to restore the relationship between Creator and creation by paying the penalty for the first humans’ rebellion and crushing evil (e.g., Genesis 3:15). Why? Paying the price could only be done by someone who had never rebelled against God. He began sending clues about this coming perfect Savior through various prophets like Isaiah: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

This Prince would be born in about 4 BC and eventually crucified, as shown to the prophet Daniel 500 years before Jesus came to earth (Daniel 9:25-26). His birth brings God’s peace to the people with whom He is pleased (Luke 2:14), but it prompted the wrath of a man, Herod (Matthew 2:1-12). For Jesus’ safety, an angel told Joseph and Mary to escape to Egypt until Herod’s death (Matthew 2:13-15). How would the journey be possible? After all, travel and daily life were costly, just as they are now. Allow me to introduce the wise men.

To fully appreciate their contribution, we must return to Persia 500 years earlier when Daniel earned great respect and treasure. He was also well-trained in Babylonian arts, including astronomy. He knew when Jesus would be born and would’ve been familiar with Micah’s prophecy about Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). 

So, Daniel, the Jew who spent his life in Persia, had treasure, knew how to chart star movements, and knew where Jesus would be born and the timeframe. Therefore, we shouldn’t be surprised that Persian magi (wise men) knew that Jesus fulfilled prophecies, and the alignment of the stars at the time and place of His birth. Daniel’s great wealth was likely the resource that funded Jesus’ trip to Egypt until Herod’s death. Our God is the master orchestrator who crafts everything according to His pleasure! “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

God and our Christian traditions can bring great blessings, peace, and joy! Next, let’s revisit my New Year 2022 article on new and renewed beginnings.  Meanwhile, give what God desires: charity justice, mercy, and pure heart.

Blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.