Luk 2:9-14 | KingComments | STEP | In Matthew 2, in connection with the birth of the Lord Jesus, we meet the great men of the world (Herod) and the religious men in high regard (scribes). However, there is total ignorance among them about the born Christ. They hear of it through wise men from the east, from far beyond the people of Israel. Luke shows us that the shepherds are the first to hear the news of the birth of Christ. Shepherds were not highly regarded at that time. Especially the night watchmen were often illiterate people. But it is precisely to them that an angel appears to make known to them the great event of the birth of Christ. Shepherds are people who do work that the Lord Jesus also does. He is the good Shepherd. They are busy with the flock and watch over it. Thus the Lord Jesus is busy with His flock, His people. For the third time in these first chapters an angel appears to people with the message about the coming of the Lord Jesus. Just like Zacharias, the shepherds are frightened. Angels always make a big impression. They are not sweet appearances. He appeared with Zacharias, he entered with Mary, here he stands with them. The angel is suddenly there. Now there is something more present. There is also the glory of the Lord Himself that shines around them. It is the glory of God in the cloud. God’s glory can come to people because the glory of God is present in the born Child. Therefore John, the evangelist, can say about the Lord Jesus Whom he and the other disciples saw when He was with them: “We saw His glory” ( ). The glory of God has come to His people. In the dark night, the wonderful light of the presence of Yahweh shines. He appears to His people in glorious grace and not to consume them. The angel reassures them. They need not be afraid, because he comes with a message of great joy. That joy is not only for them, but for all the people. It must have been a great joy also for the angel to proclaim this message. Happiness is also a characteristic of this Gospel. We heard about it twice in the beginning ( ) and we will hear it more often. Luke also ends with it ( ). The coming of a God Who so gracefully comes to man, can only cause great joy. Not that all people share in it, but they can all get a share it. The offer goes to all, to all the people. The cause of joy is that “today”, at this moment, “a Savior”, a Redeemer is born, not a judge or legislator. Nor is it a general announcement of the Savior’s birth, but the angel says He is born “for you”. This major event is personal to them. They may know that they are the objects of God’s grace, and every man may know that. In this Savior the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men ( ), whether young or old, rich or poor, sick or healthy, strong or weak. For all He has made the Savior to be born. The Savior is none other than “Christ”, which means “Anointed”, Who at the same time is the “Lord”, that is Yahweh , the God of the covenant. The angel also mentions the place of birth. However, he does not say “Bethlehem”, but “the city of David”. That means He is the promised Son of David, the born King. In all these names mentioned by the angel, there is a fullness of glory of Him Who is born. The angel gives them a sign by which they will know that he is speaking the truth. People who have expected a Messiah Who is a mighty warrior hero, beautifully dressed and sitting down on a throne, will be embarrassed. In that way He will certainly come back again. That will be to their horror. He has also given a sign for this. That sign will come, namely when He appears for the second time, then in majesty ( ). The sign the angel gives here unfolds the spirit in which He now comes to His people and to people in general. The sign is that they will find the mighty Person, just described by the angel, in a Child Who is in the poorest conditions: wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger, a feeding trough.

‏ Luke 2:9-14

Great Joy for the Shepherds

In Matthew 2, in connection with the birth of the Lord Jesus, we meet the great men of the world (Herod) and the religious men in high regard (scribes). However, there is total ignorance among them about the born Christ. They hear of it through wise men from the east, from far beyond the people of Israel. Luke shows us that the shepherds are the first to hear the news of the birth of Christ.

Shepherds were not highly regarded at that time. Especially the night watchmen were often illiterate people. But it is precisely to them that an angel appears to make known to them the great event of the birth of Christ. Shepherds are people who do work that the Lord Jesus also does. He is the good Shepherd. They are busy with the flock and watch over it. Thus the Lord Jesus is busy with His flock, His people.

For the third time in these first chapters an angel appears to people with the message about the coming of the Lord Jesus. Just like Zacharias, the shepherds are frightened. Angels always make a big impression. They are not sweet appearances. He appeared with Zacharias, he entered with Mary, here he stands with them. The angel is suddenly there.

Now there is something more present. There is also the glory of the Lord Himself that shines around them. It is the glory of God in the cloud. God’s glory can come to people because the glory of God is present in the born Child. Therefore John, the evangelist, can say about the Lord Jesus Whom he and the other disciples saw when He was with them: “We saw His glory” (Jn 1:14). The glory of God has come to His people. In the dark night, the wonderful light of the presence of Yahweh shines. He appears to His people in glorious grace and not to consume them.

The angel reassures them. They need not be afraid, because he comes with a message of great joy. That joy is not only for them, but for all the people. It must have been a great joy also for the angel to proclaim this message. Happiness is also a characteristic of this Gospel. We heard about it twice in the beginning (Lk 1:14 ; 47) and we will hear it more often. Luke also ends with it (Lk 24:52). The coming of a God Who so gracefully comes to man, can only cause great joy. Not that all people share in it, but they can all get a share it. The offer goes to all, to all the people.

The cause of joy is that “today”, at this moment, “a Savior”, a Redeemer is born, not a judge or legislator. Nor is it a general announcement of the Savior’s birth, but the angel says He is born “for you”. This major event is personal to them. They may know that they are the objects of God’s grace, and every man may know that. In this Savior the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men (Tit 2:11), whether young or old, rich or poor, sick or healthy, strong or weak. For all He has made the Savior to be born.

The Savior is none other than “Christ”, which means “Anointed”, Who at the same time is the “Lord”, that is Yahweh, the God of the covenant. The angel also mentions the place of birth. However, he does not say “Bethlehem”, but “the city of David”. That means He is the promised Son of David, the born King. In all these names mentioned by the angel, there is a fullness of glory of Him Who is born.

The angel gives them a sign by which they will know that he is speaking the truth. People who have expected a Messiah Who is a mighty warrior hero, beautifully dressed and sitting down on a throne, will be embarrassed. In that way He will certainly come back again. That will be to their horror. He has also given a sign for this. That sign will come, namely when He appears for the second time, then in majesty (Mt 24:30). The sign the angel gives here unfolds the spirit in which He now comes to His people and to people in general. The sign is that they will find the mighty Person, just described by the angel, in a Child Who is in the poorest conditions: wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger, a feeding trough.

Glory, Peace, Pleasure

When the angel speaks about his Creator and the wonder He has become Man and the circumstances in which this happens, a crowd of angels joins him. Heaven bursts open, as it were, because it cannot remain silent when it sees such a great glory. God is revealed in the flesh and is seen here by the angels who now see their Creator for the first time (1Tim 3:16). They have a deep interest in this. They are like the cherubim on the ark who also, to symbolize that deep interest, look down with their faces toward the mercy seat (Exo 25:20).

All angels praise God. The angels are occupied with this event, on which the fate of the universe and the fulfillment of God’s counsels depends. For He has chosen the weak to shame the strong. By sending a crowd of angels to this despised, small group of night watchmen, God shows that He passes by all the high-ranking persons in Jerusalem.

With the coming of the Lord Jesus, three things become visible. First of all, it brings glory to God in the highest. God’s honor is set in the full light. In Christ’s coming, the love, wisdom and power of God are revealed. It is the proof of a power that rises above sin and of a love that manifests itself in the midst of sin. It is God’s wisdom to fulfill His eternal counsel in this way. This is an exaltation of good over evil that can only be found in God and that glorifies Him. He overcomes evil, sin, through the good, the Lord Jesus.

The second consequence of the presence of Him Who reveals God on earth is that there will be peace on earth. That is the purpose of His coming, however much He, because He will be rejected, will also be a cause of division and struggle. These heavenly praisers of God are not concerned with the latter. They are busy with the fact of His presence and its consequences as they will once be fully realized in the realm of peace. He Who will work that, is the Person Who is now present.

The third consequence of His presence on earth is the pleasure, the affection of God with men. The fact that the Lord Jesus became Man proves God’s pleasure with people. He did not take hold of angels, but He takes hold of the descendants of Abraham (Heb 2:16, Darby Translation). People are the objects of God’s infinite love and grace. The life revealed in Christ is the light of and for men (Jn 1:4). It is wonderful to see how these holy beings praise the exaltation of a creature other than them to this exalted place, through the incarnation of the Word, without jealousy. It is about the glory of God and that is enough for them.