Anchor My Faith

A Multitude of Angels

Scripture: Luke 2:12-14

That day a child was born in the city of David; a savior, who is Christ the Lord. Jesus was born as fully man, but he was also fully God in the flesh. The shepherds will be instructed to go see him, and what will they find? “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:12 ESV). The Shepherds know that the child that was born that they are to find was born in Bethlehem, but where in Bethlehem? The angel gives further direction, expressed as a sign: “you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” The shepherds were directed to go to where travelers would stay and go to where the travelers have left their animals and there you will find the baby. As a crib for the child, it is most likely that a section of the feeding trough was used; a place where feed is placed for animals to eat.

The ways of God may seem strange at times. Why would he allow his Son to enter human life with such a lowliness of birth? Why would the Father who sent his Son to the world, who is Christ the Lord to be our savior not have his birth occur in a way that many would experience it, not just a few shepherds? We will have many questions like this as we continue on our journey with Jesus through the gospels. Possibly God does this to hide or protect that which is precious from those who do not believe. The shepherds were instructed to search for and find and so are we. Are we willing to search for eternal treasures in humble settings? If we are we will find them. That is a promise from God.

As the shepherds were thinking about what was happening and what the angel was saying, there was more action: “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”” (Luke 2:13 – 14 ESV). Just as suddenly as the angel appeared, a multitude of the heavenly host appeared. That multitude may have been thousands of angels who came praising God because of the importance of this birth.

The praise of the heavenly host contained an important message; a message about Jesus. Through this birth the eternal, omnipotent Son of God has just taken the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men: “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being” (Philippians 2:6 – 7 NLT). Paul speaks of this in Galatians 4:4 – 5 (ESV): “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

People cannot have inner peace when guilty of sin and when guilty of sin they cannot have peace with God, but those who believe, “those with whom he is pleased,” their sins are covered by the blood of Jesus and their sins are forgiven and they have peace. This baby will grow to become our savior, who has the gift of eternal life and peace with God for us.

Prayer

Father, how willing are we to look in humble places and identify with humble things to find things that are precious? I don’t think we are very willing because we want the praise of others, not their ridicule. Going to a dirty manger where animals are kept is not where most would be willing to go to find the Son of God, our savior and giver of eternal life. But my thoughts are not your thoughts and neither are your ways my ways (Isaiah 55:8) and so we have much to learn as we take this journey.