Days 9-12: Shepherds and Angels

We focused on the announcement of Christ's birth by the angels to the nameless shepherds. We discovered a few things often misunderstood about these people and the beings who visited them. The shepherds were not in "fields" per se, but were literally staying out "in the open" or outdoors. The region around Bethlehem is mountainous, not grassy flatlands. 
This and a few other discoveries may demand changes in Christmas cards and Christian art!

First, angels are not often described in detail in Scripture, but when they are it is never as a fat baby with wings too tiny to produce flight. They are never described in ways that are cute, adorable, or warm and fuzzy. They are not sexually charged cupids either.
They are usually described as frightening to behold. They can even be described in terms that are alien, if not hideous, to our sensibilities.

There are many descriptions in the Bible, but one repetitive theme appears to be that angels shine with the glory of God around them and have weapons or look like warriors. On some level they must be difficult to describe and there appears to be various forms of them, but our story in Luke 2:1-14 focuses on a few facts.

Luke 2:9-10 - The angel appeared to the shepherds and the "glory of the Lord shone around them." God's glory is like light that has substance and weight. The shepherds felt fear, not comfort. Being in God's holiness and glory is frightening for us as sinful humans. Our sin cannot abide in God's presence and we literally fear destruction. But that is the point, through Christ, that fear can be relieved. When we trust that His spilt blood on the cross paid the penalty for our sins as He took the justice we deserve, then we have forgiveness for our sins and we can be in the presence of God.

Luke 2:10-12 - The "good news" the angels brought was for all "the people" and not simply for "all people." In the context, the good news was for Israel, the people of God. Jesus' birth was not what universalists want it to be. Also, the angel said to the shepherds "unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Christ was "born unto" shepherds. He was not born unto Caesar Augustus or Rome. He was not born unto king Herod. He was born unto nameless shepherds. The point is that Jesus is born for God's people, regardless of social status, but they must be God's people and God, not us, defines who His people are. 

Luke 2:13-14 - The angel suddenly has company, a "multitude of the heavenly host." The word host means "army." The Gospel of Matthew relays that Herod sent soldiers to Bethlehem to kill the Christ child. God sent His soldiers first to announce the Christ! These heavenly soldiers have their hands on swords, not harps. They are saying, not singing, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased." 

The Greek here does NOT say "peace on earth and good will toward men." (Sorry Charlie Brown.) It means God's peace will be experienced on earth among those with whom His favor rests. Again, this good news is not a universalist message. It is for God's people and that doesn't include everyone. Why? Because God shared what it means to be one of His people, namely repenting of our sins and believing in the forgiveness of sins through Christ Jesus. If someone rejects this, they are not one of God's people, and that is by their choice. We cannot experience what we reject, and that includes God's love and forgiveness.

Luke 2:15-20 - The first thing these shepherds did was to seek out the Christ. Once they found him, the second thing they did was tell others and give glory and praise to God. Unfortunately, many people never do the first. Worse though, are those who do the first but not the second. Most Christians fail to tell others of what God has done in their lives and they do not give Him the glory with their lives, neither in word nor deed. Our challenge was to change this in our home.