6 For God, who commanded the light
to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in
earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. (2 Cor
4:6-7)
4 But when the fulness of the time
was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under
the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God
hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a
servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Gal 4:4-7)
My favorite Carol of Epiphany is “We Three Kings,” however, there was a
devotion on that hymn-carol last year; so, I will proceed to write about my
second favorite – “From the Eastern Mountains.” Perhaps you will find,
as I find, that our favorites need to be more expansive in nature and not
strictly the old familiar provincial songs of our youth. Practically all of the
classic old hymns have different hues and beams of light to shed on the meaning
of our worship experience. The Epiphany hymn under current consideration is no
exception.
This is the Day of Epiphany celebrated by Reformed churches around the globe.
The term, Epiphany, derives from the Koine Greek, ἐπιφάνεια, epiphaneia, meaning
manifestation, or brilliant appearance. In the ancient Greek, the term is ‘Theophany’
(Θεοφάνεια’). Theophany means to see God,
or image of God. Epiphany is the Christian feast day that celebrates the
revelation of the only Begotten Son of God as Jesus Christ who is the Word
Incarnate. In the Western Church, the feast commemorates principally the visit
of the Magi to the Christ child, and thus Jesus' physical manifestation to the
Gentiles. In the early Church of England, the eve of Epiphany was celebrated as
the Twelfth Night (of Christmas) also known as Plough Day (don’t ask me why).
‘From the Eastern Mountains’ was composed by Godfrey Thring in
1873 as a processional for the Epiphany. Certainly the mood of the
lyrics, and even the tune, suggest movement toward Christ just as does a
genuine processional for worship service. The tune was composed by Arthur Henry
Mann in 1889 entitled Valour. (British spelling, of course)
From the Eastern Mountains
From the eastern mountains,
pressing on, they come,
wise men in their wisdom, to his
humble home;
stirred by deep devotion, hasting
from afar,
ever journeying onward, guided by
a star.
There their Lord and Savior meek
and lowly lay,
wondrous Light that led them
onward on their way,
ever now to lighten nations from
afar,
as they journey homeward by that
guiding star.
Thou who in a manger once hast
lowly lain,
who dost now in glory o'er all
kingdoms reign,
gather in the heathen who in
lands afar
ne'er have seen the brightness of
thy guiding star.
Onward through the darkness of
the lonely night,
shining still before them with
thy kindly light.
Guide them, Jew and Gentile,
homeward from afar,
young and old together, by thy
guiding Star.
Until every nation, whether bond
or free,
'neath thy starlit banner, Jesus,
follows thee.
O'er the distant mountains to
that heavenly home,
where nor sin nor sorrow evermore
shall come.
From the eastern mountains,
pressing on, they come, wise men in their wisdom, to his humble home; stirred
by deep devotion, hasting from afar, ever journeying onward, guided by a star. This opening stanza is
descriptive of the journey that the Wise Men took in leaving their mountainous
home in the East (possibly just beyond the Zagros Range of mountains in west
central Persia – origin of the Zoroastrian religion whose priests are called, Magi.
These were learned and refined men of the East, and they were not given to
shunning difficult obstacles or challenges. They had studied the ancient texts
and prophecies of the Hebrews, and they had studied the source of those
prophecies as well – the high Heavens. When they discovered the unusual Star of
Brilliance, they hesitated not to follow immediately without delay. When the
Light of Christ first dawned in our own hearts, it is hoped that we, too,
followed with a similar vigor. Why did these men abandon the comfortable and
commodious circumstances of their station in the East to follow that Star? As
the hymn rightly points out, it was owing to a heavenly wisdom, deep devotion,
and a persevering nature. The journey was no simple weekend trek. They were
forced to cross the heights of snow clad mountains (Zagros), burning sands of
the desert, and cross gullies and rivers in the way. They encountered many
dangers of travel on the way, and met many strangers whose language may have
been strange to them – yet they traveled on with a tenacity of spirit born out
of the kind of super-human devotion that only the Holy Spirit can impart.
There their Lord and Savior meek and lowly lay, wondrous Light that led
them onward on their way,
ever now to lighten nations from afar, as they
journey homeward by that guiding star. These men were not casual believers – humility of
circumstance did not deter them from the more majestic circumstances of
character and nature. It is a credit of distinction that they cared little for
the dignity and opulence of the palace compared to the mild and meager
accommodations of where the Christ Child laid. The man-made lights of the
palace yet has corners and crevices that are darkened; but the Baby Jesus was a
Light unto Himself. In Him there is no darkness, nor in His Presence. The Light
of the Star prefigured the Light that was Christ! In order to see and know the
Star, these men studied the higher things of Scripture and of the skies. When
they saw that Light, they followed. As Christians, we must study the Light of
Christ and every text that relates to Him in Scripture. Here is a mystery, if
you haven’t heard or read: All Scripture points to Christ. He is the Whole Word
and nothing less. Once we have studied His identifying ways and marks, we must
follow Him just as did the Wise Men those many years ago. The Light appeared to
Gentile Wise Men at the same instant it appeared to the shepherds over
Bethlehem. It took them perhaps as long as two years to follow it to their
destination – the Christ Child. They followed it to Christ, but in finding
Christ, they also found their home in Heaven.
Thou who in a manger once hast
lowly lain, who dost now in glory o'er all kingdoms reign, gather in the
heathen who in lands afar ne'er have seen the brightness of thy guiding star. We are, by nature, a proud
race, we humans! We are offended if the Maitre d’ does not recognize us, or our
names are misspelled in some periodical or church bulletin. We strive to
maneuver to the front rows in church meetings, and believe that we are
entitled, by either our labors or our titles, to be accounted privileged among
others. What a disparity of character is Jesus from this manner of thinking! He
deigned to be born in a lowly stable, laid in a barren and rough-hewn manger,
and subjected to the elements of bitter cold and other deprivations at His
birth. He left the pristine and crystalline mansions of Heaven to humble
Himself – not just to OUR level, but below that level – in order that we might
know God, and that He might redeem us from our wanton sins. The Star led the
way to an even greater Star! 19 We have also a more sure word of
prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth
in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts. (2
Peter 1:19) The
Star of Bethlehem arose in the skies over the men of the Eats and they
followed. Has that Day Star arisen in our own hearts, and have we followed on
regardless the perceived dangers and hardships?
Onward through the darkness of
the lonely night, shining still before them with thy kindly light.
Guide them,
Jew and Gentile, homeward from afar, young and old together, by thy guiding
Star. It might be supposed that the
Wise Men were elders of their people because of their wisdom and tenacity, but
some who came to the Baby Jesus were young men and, perhaps, even boys! David
was a young child when he served as his father’s shepherd on the hills
overlooking Bethlehem. It is most likely that some of those shepherds, keeping
watch over their flocks, that great and beautiful night of the appearing of the
Angel of the Lord in those skies, were merely boys of tender age. Young and old
alike are drawn to the Light of Christ – “the Bright and Morning Star!” (Revelations
22:16) The darkness of the night leads to a
greater loneliness for the despondent, but the Light of Christ is a singular
Light that overcomes the most pervasive of darkness that night can offer.
Christ is not only the brightest Light in our Heavens, but He is also a ‘Kindly
Light’ that guides us home. I love that classic old hymn, ‘Lead Kindly Light,’
that is so illustrative of the Light that is Christ:
Lead, kindly Light, amid
th'encircling gloom,
lead thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far
from home;
lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask
to see
the distant scene; one step
enough for me.
Until every nation, whether bond
or free, 'neath thy starlit banner, Jesus, follows thee. O'er the distant
mountains to that heavenly home, where nor sin nor sorrow evermore shall come. If we have the character of those ancient Wise Men to follow
the Light of the Star of Christ all of the way to where HE Abides, we shall
find that He takes His abode in our hearts. After finding Him, and surrendering
to Him, and following Him, we shall discover that in our long days of sorrow
and aged blindness, if we turn about on our Roads to Emmaus, we will find that
He also is following close by to us. He will never leave nor forsake us. He
will remain with us always, even unto the end of the world. We do not have to
have any diplomatic or immigration papers to become part of His Kingdom. In Christ,
men of all tribes and nations are free-born at last. Christ leads, but He also
follows. He leads us in the way, and follows to pick us up when we straggle
behind. Those distant mountains to which the song refers is the Mountain of
God. The same at which Moses saw the Burning Bush, and the same to which we
look for our daily inspiration. 1 I will lift up mine eyes unto
the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD,
which made heaven and earth. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be
moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel
shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD
is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by
day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD shall preserve thee
from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve
thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. (Psalms
121:1-8)
If you know the Lord Jesus Christ, you need not wonder what
Heaven will be like. You need only remember that you will be with Him, and He
does all things right.
May your Epiphany Feast be filled with Light and wonder of
Love.
