Now there was in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold the angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be for all people. For today in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, laying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God on the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward man.” Luke 2:8-14 It is so easy to get distracted by details and speculations and miss the true significance of an event. For example, I was taught as a child and young adult, that the shepherds were the social outcast in society and God chose to announce the glorious birth of His Son to them to represent the gospel is for all people even for those who society looks down on, and isn’t wonderful that God did not exclude anyone based on economics or social status. Even though I agree that the Gospel is for all people, God chose shepherds on many occasions to lead His people, in fact, David referred to the Lord as his Shepherd in Psalm 23. I believe this foreshadowed the part the shepherds would play in God’s redemptive story of salvation. The Bible mentions a significant tower, Migdal Eder, that stood on the road between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, which are six miles apart. Migdal means tower and Eder means flock and it is mentioned by name in both Genesis 35:21 and Micah 4:8. It was the tower that overlooked the flocks of lambs that were breed and raised to be the sacrificial lambs for the temple, especially for Passover. It was a two-story structure that allowed the Chief Shepherd to overlook the surrounding areas, enabling them to see for miles, to protect the flock for predators. The lambs were so important in the sacrificial sacrifices that the ewes would be brought into the tower when it was near the time for them to give birth to help protect the lambs. History teaches that the shepherds were so skilled at their job, that they would even help deliver the baby lambs, by reaching into the mother’s womb and pulling the newborn lambs out. They would wrap the baby lamb in swaddling cloths and lay them in a manger until the lamb calmed down then they cloths were removed and the lamb was released to go to its mother to feed. The shepherds were very familiar with this process and knew where to go and find the “Baby wrapped in swaddling cloths laying in a manger.” Since all the sacrificial temple lambs were born in Migdal Eder, it would be very fitting that The Lamb, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world would also be born in the tower of the flock. Once a person understands the history of the Tower of the Flock, it is easy to understand why the shepherds were the perfect choice to share the good tidings of great joy with. Ever since the rebellion of Adam and the deception of Eve, mankind has been looking for a Savior, someone to restore fallen mankind to a right relationship with God. God pronounced judgement on the serpent in Genesis 3:16 “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed, He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heel.” God promised that through her Seed, redemption would come. Josephus, a Jewish historian wrote about the despair and depression of Adam and Eve after they were banned form the Garden of Eden and could no longer walk daily in the presence of God. He tells that with each son born to Eve, she wondered if this would be the child of promise, that would bruise the head of the deceiving serpent. Even after Eve died, women wondered if they would give birth to the Messiah, then Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name, Immanuel.” Immanuel is translated as God with us! Mankind was promised the restoration of our relationship with God, that He would once again come down and be with us! Not only was mankind looking for the Savior, Romans 8:19-22 tells us “For even the whole creation (all nature) wait expectantly and longs earnestly for God’s sons to be made known. For the creation (nature) was subjected to frailty (to futility, condemned to frustration). Not because of some intentional fault. That nature (creation) itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and corruption and gain an entrance into the glorious freedom of God’s children. We know that the whole creation (of irrational creatures) has been moaning together in the pains of labor until now.” Not only did mankind suffer from the effects of sin, willful disobedience, all of creation suffered because of the rebellion of mankind. Psalm 96:1 {O sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.” Verses 11-13 “Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar and all its fullness, let the field be joyful and all that is in it. The trees of the woods will rejoice, before the Lord. For He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness.” All of creation was subject to the curse of sin and it was waiting to celebrate the coming of the Lord! Can you imagine the excitement and buzz throughout all creation as the coming birth of Jesus was announced as Gabriel shared the news with Mary?
The time had come and Mary was ready to bring the new Messiah into this earth, and mankind would once again have peace with God. I wonder if all of the angels in heaven came to hear the angel announce the birth of Jesus to the shepherds the night Jesus was born. Perhaps there was quiet a commotion and excitement in heaven as the angel was given the instructions to go and share the news of great joy with the shepherds, who I believe had longed for the birth of the Messiah. Maybe the angels decide this was too big of an event to miss and they all showed up to hear the announcement and to see the reaction of the shepherds. The glory of the Lord that accompanied the angel lit up the night sky, His glory always dispels darkness and reveals truth. When the good news was finally announced and they were told to find the Babe lying in a manger, the angels that came to witness the event could not keep silent anymore. Their excitement and the joy they had at the birth of Jesus could not be contained. Praise erupted in the heavenlies and a new song was sung! They could not contain their praise to God and give Him glory. Luke 2:13 “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, “Glory to God on the highest, and on earth peace goodwill toward men.” The birth of Jesus, Imanuel brought joy to many people, Zachariah, Elizabeth and her unborn son, the shepherds and the wisemen. Matthew quoted Isaih in hie writing in Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son and call His name Immanuel,” which is translated” God with Us.” Knowing God chose to come and dwell with us and in us should bring you great joy! Psalm 16:11 “You have made known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fulness of joy and at your right hand are pleasurers for evermore.” Habakkuk 3:18 “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” If you have gone through a difficult season, I pray this Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, that you will find a new joy in Him. As you welcome God into your life in a fresh new way, may the joy that comes from being in His presence, Psalms 5:11 “But let all who take refuge in You rejoice, let them ever sing for joy.”
Cathy Nesmith