and Magi from the East

I thought it might be helpful to explain that both this poem and the previous one are part of a set in my mind. They were all written quite independantly, months apart, but they are similar in both style and and theme. They deal with election, and the forshadowing of the ingathering of the Gentiles. In both case, God went seemingly out of His way to bring in Gentiles from other lands, all the way to Israel to become a part of His plan.


They came
such a long way—
for a star.
It was none of their concern,
the birth of another nation’s king,
but the same Spirit who
moved over the waters
compelled them,
and they made the journey,
brought gifts to an unknown child.
No one in the homeland
saw the star
studied Scripture
went seeking a Bethlehem son with gold.
That’s why the frightened old man who
huddled in Jerusalem
was not prepared for the news—
“Where is He who’s born the King of the Jews?”
He himself was
no child of prophecy.
He thought he could kill
the Savior’s birthright, but
the King got His gifts,
as if tribute from
nations not yet beneath His heel.

No one knows
what the Magi returned to
when they returned by another way,
but it’s certain now that they came
because He had been promised to them, too.

1999