Epiphany/Theophany

I learned something today. (Any day is a good day if you learn something new!) I learned that Epiphany and Theophany mean the same thing. Almost. That is to say, Theophany, which I learned years ago in college Bible classes, means the miraculous appearance specifically of a deity--Theos. In the Old Testament, the places where someone is visited not just by "an angel," but by "the angel of the Lord" are traditionally referred to as "Theophanies," or visitations of the pre-incarnate Christ. The word Epiphany doesn't have "Theos" in it, denoting a deity, but does mean a miraculous or sudden appearing.

I tend to think of Epiphany in relation to the visit of the magi from the east, though of course, we have no idea when they appeared, except that Jesus was probably at least a year old at the time. But here's what I find so fascinating--In 2 Timothy 1:9, 10, Paul says that God "has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." (Italics supplied.) That word "appearing"? That's "epiphany." Five more times, it's used in the New Testament to refer to the Second Coming.

I love this because of the way Paul points out that this has always been true--"granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity," but now it's appeared. It's here! And I love it even more because just as the people of God in that day were looking anxiously for the appearing of the Messiah--and he came!--so we, today, are looking anxiously for his appearing again--and he will come! I have to admit, I sometimes wonder. But he did it before, and he said he would do it again.

I believe him. I just hate waiting, that's all. But in the meantime, I celebrate the fact that he came the first time,  "abolished death and brought life and immortality to light."

One more cool thing about the Epiphany--traditionally in lots of places, it especially celebrates the Messiah's appearing to the Gentiles. Thank goodness!

I've said it before and I'll say it again--EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS!!