Greetings!
The Scripture says that in His incarnation the Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:8) “emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and [was] made in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:7). All the adjectives and exclamations in language could never say enough about that reality. Yet, paradoxically, history’s most notable birth happened under the most obscure, nondescript, humble circumstances imaginable—Jesus was born in the place where the animals of those staying in a public shelter were kept. No one in the sleepy little village of Bethlehem realized the significance of what had happened, except, to a certain degree, the Child’s parents. But that was about to change; the silence regarding the Savior’s birth would be broken in a most supernaturally dramatic way.
I pray you will be challenged, convicted, encouraged, and blessed by today's devotional to the glory of God.
FOR TODAY, UNTO YOU IS BORN A SAVIOR
Part 2
The announcement of the birth of Jesus Christ heralds the greatest good news that the world has ever heard. From the narrative of that announcement and its aftermath, five truths about the good news emerge: (1) the proclamation of the good news, (2) the pervasiveness of the good news, (3) the person of the good news, (4) the purpose of the good news, and (5) the picture of the good news.
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOOD NEWS
Luke 2:8-10a (NASB)
In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy."
The good news of the Savior’s birth came first to a most unlikely group of people. Shepherds were near the bottom of the social ladder. They were uneducated and unskilled, increasingly viewed in the post-New Testament era as dishonest, unreliable, unsavory characters, so much so that they were not allowed to testify in court. Because sheep required care seven days a week, shepherds were unable to fully comply with the man-made Sabbath regulations developed by the Pharisees. As a result, they were viewed as being in continual violation of the religious laws, and hence ceremonially unclean.
That is not to say, however, that being a shepherd was an illegitimate or disreputable occupation. Two of the greatest figures in Israel’s history, Moses (Ex. 3:1) and David (1 Sam. 16:11-13), were shepherds at some point in their lives. Moreover, the Old Testament refers metaphorically to God as the “Shepherd of Israel” (Ps. 80:1; cf. Ps. 23:1; Isa. 40:11), while Jesus described Himself as the “good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14; cf. Heb. 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; 5:4). Shepherds were, however, lowly, humble people; they certainly were not the ones who would be expected to receive the most significant announcement in human history. That they were singled out to receive this great honor suggests that these shepherds were devout men, who believed in the true and living God. Such people are later described as those who were “looking for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25) and the “redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).
God’s choice of shepherds to receive the announcement of His Son’s birth is in keeping with Old Testament prophecy concerning Messiah’s ministry. Isaiah 61:1 prophetically put these words in the mouth of the Messiah:
- Isaiah 61:1 (NASB)
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The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;
After reading that passage in the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus declared, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). The Messiah’s ministry would not be to the self-righteous (Luke 5:32)—especially the religious leaders (John 7:48), or the self-sufficient wealthy (Luke 18:24). Instead, He would seek out the poor, the lowly, the afflicted, the outcasts of society (cf. Luke 1:52; 1 Cor. 1:26). Throughout His ministry Jesus attracted such people (cf. Matt. 9:10-13; 11:19; Luke 15:1-2), who were broken over their sin and humbled themselves in repentance (cf. Luke 7:37-38; 18:13-14).
These particular shepherds were watching their sheep in the region around Bethlehem, about six miles south of Jerusalem. They were staying out in the fields with their flocks, something typically done in Israel from April to November. That does not mean, however, that Jesus could not have been born in the winter, since winters in Israel are often mild. Further, as one commentator notes, "the rabbinic writings speak of sheep being pastured between Jerusalem and Bethlehem in February." According to rabbinic law, sheep were to be kept in the wilderness, and any animal found between Jerusalem and the vicinity of Bethlehem was subject to being used as a sacrifice in the temple. It may be, then, that the sheep these shepherds were caring for were destined for that very purpose.
Sheep were kept out in the fields during the day. In the evening they were moved into sheepfolds, where the shepherds could take turns "keeping watch over their flock [during the] night." Inside the fold the sheep could more easily be guarded from predators and thieves.
But the tranquil normalcy of the shepherds’ nightly routine was abruptly shattered in a most amazing, dramatic, unexpected way. While they were doing what they normally did during the long hours spent watching their flock "an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them." The angel is not identified, but in light of his earlier appearances to Zacharias and Mary, it may have been Gabriel. Adding immeasurably to the shepherds’ shock and terror at the angel’s unexpected appearance, "the glory of the Lord" blazed forth out of the darkness and "shone around them."
Throughout Scripture, God’s glorious presence was manifested in brilliant light (e.g., Ex. 33:22-34:5; Deut. 5:24; 2 Chron. 7:1-3; Ezek. 43:2; cf. Ex. 34:29, 35; Ps. 104:1-2; Hab. 3:3-4).
- Exodus 24:17 (NASB)
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And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.
- Ezekiel 1:27-28 (NASB)
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Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. 28 As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.
- Luke 9:28-32 (NASB)
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Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. 30 And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, 31 who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.
- Revelation 21:23 (NASB)
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And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
The glory of God first appeared in the garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve had intimate fellowship with God and enjoyed His presence. But after they sinned, God banished them forever from the garden and posted an angel with a flaming sword at the en trance to keep them out. God’s glory manifested itself to Israel in the wilderness (Ex. 24:16-17), especially at the dedication of the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34-35), as it would later appear at the dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8:10-11).
But after centuries of sin and rebellion, the glory of God left the temple (Ezek. 9:3; 10:4, 18, 19; 11:22-23), symbolizing its withdrawal from Israel. It would not appear again until this very night, where it signified that God’s presence had once again entered the world through the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Later in His life Jesus would reveal His divine glory to Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration.
- Matthew 17:1-2 (NASB)
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Six days later Jesus *took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.
The next visible manifestation of God’s glory to the world will be at the second coming, when,
- Matthew 24:30 (NASB)
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"The sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.
Heaven will be lit by the all-pervasive glory of God throughout eternity (Rev. 21:10-11, 23).
- Revelation 21:10-11 (NASB)
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And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.
- Revelation 21:23 (NASB)
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And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
The shepherds understandably "were terribly frightened" by the appearing of the angel and the manifestation of God’s glory. Fear was the normal response whenever anyone in Scripture either encountered an angel (cf. Dan. 8:15-18; 10:7-9, 16-17; Matt. 28:2-4; Luke 1:12, 26-30) or saw the glory of God manifest (Isa. 6:1-5; Ezek. 1:28; 3:23; Matt. 17:5-6; Mark 4:41; 5:33; Acts 9:4; Rev. 1:17). Those who experience the presence of the holy God are acutely aware of their sinfulness. Isaiah cried out,
- Isaiah 6:5 (NASB)
- "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."
And Peter exclaimed after witnessing a miracle performed by the Lord,
- Luke 5:8 (NASB)
- "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!"
Seeing the shepherds’ obvious terror, "the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid.'” The sequence of events in the angel’s appearance to the shepherds is the same as in Gabriel’s appearances to Zacharias and Mary: the angel appeared, those to whom he appeared were frightened, the angel spoke words of comfort, delivered his message, and promised a sign.
There is a sense in which it is right to fear God; the Bible declares that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10; cf. 1:7; 15:33; Job 28:28; Ps. 111:10; Mic. 6:9), and godly men are marked by reverence for Him (Gen. 22:12; 42:18; Ex. 18:21; Neh. 7:2; Job 1:9; Ps. 66:16; Eccl. 5:7; 8:12; 12:13; Matt. 10:28; 1 Peter 2:17). But the redeemed need not be terrified of God. Paul reminded the Romans,
- Romans 8:15 (NASB)
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For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"
Compare:
- Galatians 4:6-7 (NASB)
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Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
God says to His people, as He did to Abraham, “Do not fear.”
- Genesis 26:24 (NASB)
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The LORD appeared to him the same night and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham; Do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you, and multiply your descendants, For the sake of My servant Abraham."
Compare:
- Isaiah 43:1 (NASB)
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But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!
- Lamentations 3:57 (NASB)
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You drew near when I called on You; You said, "Do not fear!"
- Daniel 10:19 (NASB)
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He said, "O man of high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace be with you; take courage and be courageous!" Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, "May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me."
- Matthew 14:27 (NASB)
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But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."
- Matthew 17:7 (NASB)
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And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, "Get up, and do not be afraid."
- Luke 5:10 (NASB)
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and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men."
- Luke 12:32 (NASB)
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"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom."
- Revelation 1:17-18 (NASB)
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When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last,18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
The shepherds did not need to fear, for the angel had come bearing "good news." His message was not one of judgment, but rather that “the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). Euangelizō (“to proclaim "good news") is one of Luke’s favorite terms; he used it more than any other New Testament writer (cf. Luke 1:19; 3:18; 4:18, 43; 7:22; 8:1; 9:6; 16:16; 20:1; Acts 5:42; 8:4, 12, 25, 35, 40; 10:36; 11:20; 13:32; 14:7, 15, 21; 15:35; 16:10; 17:18).
Heavenly Father,
Thank you so much for the good news of the gospel,
that You sent Your beloved Son,
the Savior of the world,
to redeem sinners.
Thank You Father,
For Your good news that produces great inexpressible and full joy
in us, joy that is reserved for those of us whose past, present,
and future sins have been forgiven, through our
believing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Savior of the world.
Amen.
Proverbs 22:19 (NASB)
So that your trust may be in the LORD, I have taught you today, even you.
Amen.
