Theophany – feast of manifestation of the Divine nature of the Lord/ Manifestation of the Holy Trinity.

 

 Generally, There are three worldview about creator/God – those who say there is world without God like atheism; those who says there is only god and we are part of it [Pantheism] and there is theism. Scientifically, once can come to the conclusion of God’s existence using scientific method of exploring the law of cause and effect, the argument of fine tune, the argument from morality and historical fact.

 

The main reason about uniqueness and beautify of Christianity is that unlike any other religion, It is about revelation of God. Like the other religions of the world, the God of Christian is not hidden, obscure or unknown.

 

God spoke to mankind through nature [the material Universe] - by using reason, people can comprehend the obvious order, beauty and power of the material world. From this order, we can conclude there is an all powerful, divine being [God] responsible for the Universe.

“Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made.” [Romans 1:20]

 

God has revealed Himself through the Natural Law - The laws written in our Heart. The natural law is man’s intellectual recognition of the demands of the eternal laws. Throughout history , virtually all men have agreed that certain actions are right [telling truth, e.t.c], while others are wrong [cheating, killing..].

They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.[Romans 2:15]

 

God has revealed Himself through public revelation. Public revelation include all God’s direct communication through inspired Holy people. It comes in two forms.

1. Sacred Scripture

2. Holy Tradition

 

Finally  God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds Heb 1:2. The Christian God has revealed Himself in historical person, public ministry, teaching, death and resurrection of our Lord savior Jesus Christ.

 

Matthew 3; 16-17 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’

 

In the Old Testament, the doctrine of Holy trinity was not explicitly mentioned though God has shown His triune Godhead to Abraham [Gen 18] and Isaiah [Is. 6]. One this day, after the baptism of the Lord, the revelation become explicit. We believe In one God with three distinct Persons – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity was clearly revealed to everyone; the Father in heaven saying, “This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased” and the Son standing in the river Jordan River and the Holy Spirit descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. The doctrine of Trinity arise from God’s own revelation about himself; God being God, all our knowledge of Him comes by divine revelation, for it is impossible to know God without His willingness to be known. The glory of the Lord Christ was also manifested for he didn’t reveal Himself in the pervious thirty years until He revealed Himself to the people of Israel. This is why we call it Epiphany /Revelation of God/.

 

 

Theophany is one of the ninth major feast of our Lord. On this day we commemorate the baptism of Jesus Christ in the river of Jordan by John the Baptist [Matt 3:13]. As a remembrance to our Lord journey from Galilea to Jordan to John for baptism,  Tabot [Arc-of-the covenant] from each respective church goes to a near river. There are many reasons why the Lord baptize in the river of Jordan

1. To show humility. While He is God, He didn’t command St. John to come and baptize him. Though St. John the Baptist tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by  You, and are you coming to me?”. Jesus showed His humility and answered to St. John, “Let it be so now, it is proper to do this to fulfill all righteousness [3:15].

2. To erase /torn the bill of indictments. After our first parents fall, the devil made them sign to be a slave on two tables. The Devil put one of the tablet in the river Jordan and the other in hell. Our Lord came to “abolish the things of the old, TORN IN PIECES THE BILL OF INDICTMENT of Adam and Eve and set them free” [WEDDASIE MARIAM ON MONDAY] though baptism in the river Jordan. This is the main reason why St. Paul in Ephesians 2: 15 said  the Lord Jesus Christ abolished the laws of commandment [written by the devil and signed by the first parents] and established peace. St. Paul further explain how the Lord Jesus Christ with His baptism “canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decree agains us [Humanity] {Col 2:14].

3. To set an example and established with baptism the sacrament of Holy Baptism. The sacrament of Baptism is the first of the church  sacraments and entry door to the kingdom of God, “ He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned."[ Mark 16 ¸ 16]. This all reminds that one should believe in Him, Lord the Savior and be baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19). Our lord and Savior Jesus Christ not only thought the disciples to go baptize the whole world, but showed them practically what is expected of us all. However, the Baptism in this vary day is not a kind of `second baptism' since there is only `one baptism' (Ephesians 4:5). It is a practical commemoration of the baptism of our Savior in the hands of his servant `John the Baptist'.

 

 

St. John the Baptist asked the Lord, you are God, the name of the Father is in you, and the Holy Spirit is also with You, By what name can I baptize you? The Lord answered and said, you can baptize me saying, “The Son of the Blessed, revealer of the Light , Have mercy. You are the High priest forever in the order of Melchizedek”.