The Epiphany of all epiphanies

 

Today marks the Christian feast day of Epiphany, commemorating the manifestation (or revelation) of Jesus Christ to the gentiles [1]. In the Bible, we learn that Jesus, the Son of God, was first manifested in human flesh to gentiles known as magi or “wise men” who, by the leading of a star, traveled to Bethlehem to worship the baby Jesus (Matthew 2:1-2). The manifesting of God’s only Son to the peoples of the earth marked God’s promise of hope and deliverance.

You may have heard someone say, “and all of the sudden, it just hit me…” Or, perhaps you’ve used the phrase, “It just dawned on me…” This is what it means to have a personal epiphany, “a moment in which you suddenly see or understand something in a new or very clear way” [2]. These moments can happen while driving, while out for a walk, talking with a friend, or while lying in bed awake at night. In essence, an epiphany is a revelation. So how does the Epiphany of Christ and having a personal epiphany relate?

In 2022, the most important epiphany you and I could ever receive is when we come to a place of recognising our need for Jesus, who is our only hope in both life and death. By God’s amazing grace, I personally experienced this kind of epiphany years ago. It was as if a veil had been pulled back from my face allowing me to not only see the reality how I have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), but also to see the reality of the riches of God’s grace, mercy, and love made visible in Jesus Christ.  

[1] A “feast day” is a periodic religious observance to honour someone or something. The word “gentile” is a term used for non-Jewish people.

[2] See www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epiphany.