Here is a wrinkle on the Christmas message that you may
not have yet tied together, the part played by the prophet Daniel in securing
the safety of the Holy Family, and ensurung that the prophesies were all
fulfilled. It is in my Christmas Poems book
Daniel’s Blessing
A Christmas Story
Daniel was a wise man, he lived in Babylon city
Watered by the Euphrates with hanging gardens pretty.
And ruled by the most powerful kings, whom God had raised to show
His chosen people, Israel, what they should do and know.
Those kings within their royal courts had councilors who knew
The meaning of the heavenly lights and ancient writings too.
And it was Daniel who was saved by God in the lions’ den
Who rose to be the leader of all the king’s wise men.
He added to their catalogue the Jewish Scriptural lore
So they could see the proof in the prophesies before.
Subsequent generations of scholars would retain
An expectation of fulfilment of predictions that remain
Now, they had known for many years a new King would arise,
They knew that there would be a sign before He lived and died.
Jeremiah prophesied that seventy years would pass
Before the exiles could return back to Judea at last.
From those ranks of scholars we were marked to bring
Royal gifts and homage to God’s incarnate King,
And we remained in readiness to reach across the sand
Bringing praise to the arrival in that far off land.
People call me Gaspar tradition lends this name
Same for Melchior and Balthazar but these we do not claim,
We traveled all together from what was Babylon,
And it was to Judea that we had come and gone.
It was by Daniel’s haptids that we could tell the date,
And so we crossed seven hundred miles to reach Jerusalem’s gate.
The Angel Gabriel brought the message that gave that prophet his ken,
Sent by the God of Jacob above all gods of men.
So when we saw the heavenly sign shine brightly in the sky
We prepared to journey forth my Magi brothers and I.
From our mountain sanctuary where books and treasure were stored
We gathered up the gifts to take as homage to the Lord.
Our road was clear before us although we traveled far
For constantly above us we saw the guiding star.
And after many weeks of trials from whence we sallied forth
We passed through the Damascus gate, entering from the north.
There we enquired of all we met “Where is the new born king?”
And we were quite astonished none could tell us a thing.
So we went to Herod’s palace envisioning he would know,
But our questions caused great anguish and pacing to and fro.
Herod summoned up his own wise men and asked them to explain,
Then they remembered Micah quoting Bethlehem by name.
Before we ventured on our way Herod asked us privately,
“To go and find the child and then bring back the news to me!”
Going on we saw the star that drew us, and as we went
In a dream God warned us of King Herod’s fell intent.
We traveled with great haste and joy and gratitude untold,
Bearing presents fit for a king, myrrh, frankincense and gold.
It seemed as if the heavenly light drew us to the site
Hovering just above their home guiding us that night.
Humbly and with wonder we bowed on entering
Reverently we stooped in worship to the new born King.
Finally after centuries the prophesies were fulfilled
With all the signs and wonders just as God had willed
With their Davidic heritage and here the virgin birth
We had the confirmation that Messiah had come to earth
Carefully we each untied the packages we bore
Preparing to surrender the treasures in our store,
Before the holy infant we each knelt and gave a gift,
Then we left another way leaving Herod short shrift.
Daniel’s prophetic blessing informed us when to ride,
To come and pay our homage and for their needs provide,
And guided by an angel they packed and fled that night,
We too departed breaking ranks, slipping off and out of sight.
To the south went Joseph with Mary and the babe
Crossing through the desert, thus King Herod’s plan evade.
So the prophesy was fulfilled “Out of Egypt I call my son”,
The humble family was preserved, our blessed work was done.
Amen
Other books by Neil Stewart McLeod
