This is a strange set.
Made of lead it reminds us that our culture and even our own souls are toxic, deadly. Left to our own devices, we are drawn to, revel in and are held captive by sin. Sin, while enjoyable for a time, leaves us under God’s wrath and judgement. Without Jesus, we can not escape it.
Another thing that strikes me about this set is that one of the Magi (wise men), is missing his head covering or crown. This reminds us that we can willingly lay down our crowns before Jesus now, or we will be forced to later. Either way, everyone we end up worshiping the King of Kings.
He is worthy of all praise – perfect, holy and majestic. But in the physical, as this set shows, there was nothing beautiful about Him.
But His real essence? God in flesh!!
Amazing that this God-man, perfect in every way, would be willing to be rejected, hated, tortured, killed and operated from His Father to pay for *our* sins!
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
nothing to attract us to him.
He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
Isaiah 53:2-5 (NLT)
