Christmastime! That pinnacle time of year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer. Out come the Christmas decorations and nearly everyone is in a merrier mood. Amid the hubbub of festivities, we are reminded of the Christmas story and how it was so long ago that God’s promise of Emmanuel, God with Us, was fulfilled.
The Christmas story was 4,000 years in the making before the birth of Jesus. During those millennia God made and kept promises to His people which pointed to the coming of the Savior of mankind. Malachi, the last of the prophets in the Old Testament, prophesied Christ’s coming over 400 years before Jesus was born. During that last 400 years generations passed without any new prophecy. Had our Great God forgotten His promise?
Suddenly, angels began to appear heralding the coming of Christ’s birth. Those ancient scriptures foretelling the birth of Jesus had literally come to life. Here are the glad tidings of great joy the angels brought to us in the Bible.
The Angel Gabriel and Zacharias
First to appear was the angel Gabriel to Zacharias announcing the birth of John the Baptist who would prepare the people for the coming of Jesus Christ.
Luke 1:11: “And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.”
Luke 1:12: “And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.”
Luke 1:13: “But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.”
Luke 1:14: “And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.”
Luke 1:15: “For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.”
Luke 1:16: “And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.”
Luke 1:17: “And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
On the eighth day after John’s birth, Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost and said of his son:
Luke 1:76: “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;”
Luke 1:77: “To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,”
Luke 1:78: “Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,”
Luke 1:79: “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
The Angel Gabriel and Mary
Secondly, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus. As a testament to her character, Mary, already betrothed to Joseph, obediently accepts God’s will for her life despite the great risk of public shame and rejection by Joseph. Mary trusted God who allowed her to see beyond her circumstance to do a great work.
Luke 1:28: “And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”
Luke 1:29: “And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.”
Luke 1:30: “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.”
Luke 1:31: “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.”
Luke 1:32: “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:”
Luke 1:33: “And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
Allow God to use us for his glorious work. Just as Mary submitted to God so should we put our faith and trust in Him to lead us according to His will.
The Angel of the Lord and Joseph
Joseph was a man who was faithful to the law. He contemplated to secretly divorce Mary. In a dream, an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph telling him to trust Mary, that she would have a virgin birth and to name the child Jesus.
Matthew 1:18: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”
Matthew 1:19: “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.”
Matthew 1:20: “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”
Matthew 1:21: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
We do not know too much about Joseph except that he is of the bloodline of David and his involvement with Jesus’ birth, flight to Egypt, return to Galilee, and being present at the Temple where young Jesus taught. Nevertheless, the accounts we read in scripture is that Joseph always obeyed the Lord without question. If that is all we know of his character, then he is a good example for us, being obedient to the Lord without question.
Angels and Shepherds
What may be considered as the most momentous angelic appearance of the Christmas story was when one and then a multitude of angels appeared by night to shepherds in the field. It was a quiet peaceful night when an angel from Heaven burst on the scene to bring the greatest news in the history of mankind!
Luke 2:8: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.”
Luke 2:9: “And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.”
Luke 2:10: “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
Luke 2:11: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:12: “And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:13: “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,”
Luke 2:14: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Luke 2:15: “And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
Luke 2:16: “And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
Luke 2:17: “And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
Luke 2:18: “And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
Luke 2:19: “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
Luke 2:20: “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
Worth noting according to an article is that these may not have been ordinary shepherds but instead, priests who were fulfilling Temple duties according to Mishnah regulations. Their job was to make sure the lambs were without blemish and completely unharmed for sacrifice. These sheep were kept in the field while all other sheep were regulated to live in the wilderness. The Mishnah also says that the Messiah would be revealed from the Midgal Eder, the “tower over the flock,” and it was a priest’s duty to man the tower so that he was “watching ‘over’ their flock by night.”
The article goes on to say, that the angel appeared to the shepheard priests announcing that sacrifice was no longer necessary because the Savior of the world had finally been born. They “ran with haste” to find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. No ordinary swaddling, these were the same as used by the shepherd priests to keep the lambs clean for sacrifice. Perhaps Mary got them as a gift while visiting Elizabeth and Zacharias the priest. It is fitting that Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God wrapped in swaddling used for sacrificial lambs, and who is the great High Priest, would one day be sacrificed for the sins of mankind. No wonder those shepherd priests were proclaiming the joy they had witnessed.
Joseph’s Dream and Egypt
Three wise men came to visit Jesus when he was a small child. After they departed, an angel appeared in Joseph’s dream telling him to take Jesus and Mary into Egypt to escape the wrath of King Herod. They were to remain there until after Herod’s death.
Matthew 2:13: “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
Matthew 2:14: “When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:”
Matthew 2:15: “And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.”
The Joy of Christmas
The glad tidings of great joy that the angels brought transcend the gleefulness and merriment of the Christmas season. It is a joy on a much deeper level, a level known in the hearts of those who put their trust and faith in Jesus Christ. Just as the angels could not contain the thrill of hope with the birth of the Savior and burst into heavenly praise, so must we share the good tidings with others so they too may know the true joy of Christmas.
And just to inspire your Christmas with heavenly joy, we present to you this grand performance of the timeless hymn Angels We Have Heard on High presented by over 1,000 people.
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==> Also read “A Heart Filled With Thanksgiving.”
==> And read “Love Conquers All.”