December
21

“In the Days of Herod the King”

And Jesus being born in Bethlehem of Judaea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came Magi from the east into Jerusalem, saying, Where is He who is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him. (Matthew 2:1‒2)

Heavenly delight is not the delight of greatness and preeminence, but is the delight of humiliation and of the affection of serving others; thus of desiring to be least, and not greatest; as the Lord teaches in Luke 9:48: “Whosoever is least among you all, the same shall be great.” (Arcana Coelestia 3417.2)

In the Lord’s kingdom or heaven they who are the greatest (that is, they who are inmost) are servants more than others, because they are in the greatest obedience, and in deeper humiliation than the rest; for these are they who are meant by the “least that shall be greatest,” and by the “last that shall be first” (Matt. 19:30; 20:16; Mark 10:31; Luke 13:30). (Arcana Coelestia 5164.2)

There is a love of ruling arising from love of the neighbor, and a love of ruling arising from love of self. Those who are in the love of ruling from love of the neighbor seek dominion to the end that they may perform uses to the public and to individuals; and to such, therefore, dominion is entrusted in the heavens. Emperors, kings, and noblemen, who have been born and brought up to positions of authority, if they humble themselves before God … [can be in that love]. (True Christian Religion 405.1‒2)

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