A Royal Nativity; Angels And Shepherds.

A ROYAL NATIVITY; ANGELS AND SHEPHERDS.

Luke 2:1-20.

1. A ROYAL NATIVITY (Luke 2:1-7).

When Jacob blessed his sons, he prophesied that the sceptre would not pass from Judah “UNTIL He comes whose right it is” (Genesis 49:10). Even the hireling prophet Balaam recognised that a king was still to arise out of the stock of Jacob, though not yet (Numbers 24:17). There may have been a long interregnum when the dynasty of David was carried away into captivity in Babylon, but the promise remained.

There had to be a fullness of time (Galatians 4:4-5). There was to be a right time both for the birth, and for the death of Jesus (Romans 5:6). Our times are in God’s hand (Psalm 31:15), and even mighty Augustus Caesar, the first Roman Emperor, is but putty in the hands of the One who has always been working ALL things together for the good of His own people (Romans 8:28).

In fact Luke the evangelist is at pains to tell us who ruled where before getting on with his narrative (Luke 2:1-2). The writer does the same thing when he talks about the ministry of the forerunner (Luke 3:1-2). All these powerful potentates are subservient, whether they know it or not, to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Augustus’ decree that the entire world should be taxed seemed to illustrate just how much Judah was under the yoke of Rome. It seemed that the sceptre had been falling out of Judah’s hands for centuries. Yet the Jews still had sufficient self-determination three decades later to VOLUNTEER the final surrender of their sovereignty (John 19:15), rather than yield to their own promised Messiah.

It was this decree which brought Joseph and his espoused to Bethlehem (Luke 2:4). This was the right place at the right time as the Virgin Mary was about to give birth to her firstborn son, Jesus (Luke 2:6-7), in fulfilment of another prophecy (Micah 5:2). The king of glory was not born in a palace, but in a manger because there was no room for Him anywhere else.

A manger, a long trough for feeding horses or cattle was hardly the ideal place to lay a new-born child. Yet this was the measure of what God was doing when He thus manifested Himself in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16): the LORD of glory made Himself of no reputation, and humbled Himself (Philippians 2:6-8), in order to accomplish our salvation. Let us anew make room in our hearts for Him.

2. ANGELS AND SHEPHERDS (Luke 2:8-20).

To be a shepherd was not necessarily considered to be one of the higher occupations in the Judean province. This is surprising, since some of Israel's great leaders had been shepherds. Abraham had his flocks, as had Isaac. Jacob kept the flocks of his father-in-law, as did Moses of his. David, the author of the well-known and much loved shepherd's hymn, Psalm 23, was drawn out of the fields of Bethlehem and anointed King!

Somehow Judean shepherds came to be known as the lowest of the low, vagabonds, outcasts, thieving rascals. They may have brought that stigma upon themselves. However, it is typical of society – any society – to do-down their rural cousins.

Tinkers and Romani people, circus-folk and travellers have all historically been treated as outcasts. The Christian world conveniently forgets that John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim's Progress, was a tinker himself. One of the world's largest democracies has a whole cast of people known as untouchables, yet I have been in a building of these people filled with love and beautiful Christian song.

Whatever reputation they may have had amongst men, it was to humble shepherds watching their flocks by night that the angel of the Lord appeared (Luke 2:8-9). There is nobody so low that the Lord cannot reach down into their situation, and raise them up. There is nobody so far from God that He cannot draw them to Himself with cords of everlasting love.

The sudden appearance of the angel at first struck fear in the hearts of these hardy country men. The original Greek text of Luke 2:9 tells us that “they feared fear great.” The dynamic of this idiomatic expression is captured in such English translations as “they were sore afraid” (K.J.V.) “they were greatly afraid” (N.K.J.V.)

People who have time to share scary stories by night might be susceptible to suggestion by the smallest incident, so that the appearance of just one angel has a negative effect upon his reception. It is therefore better not to scare ourselves with silly stories at all. The imperative “fear not” of Luke 2:10 should shake us awake from such folly, and in the shepherds' case alerted them to the gospel message which followed.

The gospel is “good tidings of great joy” to vanquish all fear. Why can't people understand that? It is not a list of rules and regulations, but “only believe” for “by faith alone” we are made “right with God by the Lord Jesus Christ.” Israel's redeemer has come, which is good news to be shared with all people.