“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2: 8-14
How could anyone have slept through that? Everyone did just that, except for the lowly shepherd boys. Where were the Jews? Where was her own family and friends? Many would have known that Mary was divinely pregnant. What was their excuse?
The Jewish people were oppressed at the time of Jesus’ birth by the Romans. They knew, through the prophet Isaiah, that a time was coming when peace would be restored by a new king. So, they were looking for the conquering king, not a baby.
Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Again, this can easily go sideways when we do not take all of Scripture into account.
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and, the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
The rabbi’s and the Jews wanted the conquering king on a white horse, not the suffering servant.
Should they have known about the Messiah coming first as a baby? Yes! The Bible is full of prophesies about the Messiah…about 333 of them.
In Genesis 17 God made it abundantly clear to Abraham, the first Jew, that through him a baby will be born, the son of God!
When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, Genesis 17:6-8 “I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you, throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojourning, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”
Galatians 3:16 “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.
The Messiah to come from the seed of a woman. Genesis 3:15 Fulfillment: In the fullness of time, God sent his Son, born of a woman…Galatians 4:4
The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem Prophecy Micah 5:2 700 years BC 750 Fulfillment: “Jesus was born in Bethlehem” Matthew 2:1–6;
The Messiah would be a descendant of David. Prophecy 2 Samuel 7:12–16. Fulfillment: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Matthew 1:1,
The Messiah would be called a Nazarene. Prophecy Isaiah 11:1 Fulfillment: “And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene. Matthew 2:23
Messiah to be born of a virgin. Isaiah 7:14 Fulfillment: …the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. Luke 1:26-27
The birth of God’s only son who would grow up to become the perfect sacrifice to God, his Father, so that you and I can, by believing in Jesus our Lord, have eternal life God in Heaven. Imagine, in the midst of this world of pain and suffering, God has prepared a place where there is no more death, pain or suffering for ever and ever.
O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!