While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground,
The angel of the Lord came down, and glory shone around,
And glory shone around.
Isn’t it interesting that God sent the angels to proclaim the birth of the newborn King to lonely shepherds on a hillside?
In a city filled to the brim with people, God choose to reveal His plan to lowly shepherds. Not kings, not the wealthy, not the influential, not the priests,
but shepherds.
“Fear not!” said he; for mighty dread
had seized their troubled mind,
“Glad tidings of great joy I bring to you and all mankind.
To you and all mankind.”
Sheep herders.
Was it the heart of God that choose them? His own shepherd heart knowing that they care for their sheep, protecting them, staying with them when the hired hands flee (Jn. 10:13).
Was it that these men, dirty from resting on the ground, are the trusted voice the sheep would follow?
Did God feel a certain kinship?
“To you, in David’s town this day, is born of David’s line,
The Savior who is Christ the Lord, And this shall be the sign:
And this shall be the sign.”
He called out to the shepherds to come and meet their Shepherd.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11
Were these men “good shepherds”? Did they know the hardship and sacrifice it takes to lead a dumb flock?
“The heav’nly Babe you there shall find,
To human view displayed,
All meanly wrapped in swathing bands, and in a manger laid;
And in a manger laid.”
Did He proclaim to them because they would understand when others would not?
Certainly with the multitude of angels (Lk. 2:13) and the glory of the Lord shining around them (Lk. 2:9), they knew this Christ baby was true.
“All glory be to God on high, And to the earth be peace:
Good will henceforth from heav’n to men,
Begin and never cease, begin and never cease.”
They would marvel while others slept.
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