Good News of Great Joy
Dearly beloved of God, Caesar Augustus instituted a registration throughout his empire for the purpose of officially documenting his subjects’ political allegiance to him. It was Tishri 1, 3 B.C. [September 11, our time], New Year’s day according to the Hebrew calendar.
Luke 2:1-5
1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
2 This census [registration] first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.
3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
Joseph and Mary were both from the tribe of Judah and were descendants of David. That is why they registered in Bethlehem.
Mary was now in the ninth month of her pregnancy and ready to deliver when they reached Bethlehem. The stage was set for the pivot point of man’s history.
6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
According to Eastern culture, when the son of a king was born, he was salted and “wrapped in swaddling clothes.” The newborn baby was washed in water containing salt. This represented that as king he would be a man of his word. His words were salted.
After the babe was salted, he was “wrapped in swaddling clothes.” The swaddling clothes consisted of many feet of fine linen cloth. This cloth was about two or so inches wide. The baby was wound round and round with strips of cloth from the bottom of his feet to the top of his head in an erect position leaving only his breathing passages exposed. This symbolized that his parents would raise their son to be upright and free from crookedness.
The ceremony was brief, lasting only long enough for the parents to pray and make their vows to raise their son to be upright before God and man. The parents considered raising the future king as a sacred trust.
Mary and Joseph demonstrated that they believed that Jesus was the royal heir to King David’s throne and God’s only begotten Son by salting and swaddling him.
The inn or lodging house was full when Mary and Joseph arrived. Typically, these houses were four sided surrounding an inner courtyard. The animals were stabled in the rear, in stalls connected to the back wall. Each stall contained a manger or feeding trough containing straw for the animals.
God’s Son and King David’s heir to the throne was born in a stable, and placed in an animal’s feeding trough in the city of David. Even so, his parents salted and swaddled him, believing him to be who God said he was. I’m sure there were not many kings born that night who were salted and had a swaddling ceremony in a stable.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of town….
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
“The angel of the Lord”, suddenly appeared to them. He stood by them surrounded by “the glory of the Lord”. The evening suddenly went from dark to stunning, brilliant light from the glory of the Lord, and God’s personal messenger, the angel of the Lord, stood before them; no wonder “they were sore afraid.”
These humble shepherds went from watching their sheep manure the fields to receiving an invitation by the angel of the Lord to attend the swaddling ceremony of the King of kings!
The Savior, Christ the Lord was born in Bethlehem, the city of David. He was the King of kings; the Lord, both of the living and the dead. God, His Father, gave him the power and the authority to save men from the reign of sin and death.
Suddenly, a multitude of angels appeared with the angel of the Lord, praising God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” This was indeed good news that brought great joy!
The promised seed, the Prince of Peace, God’s only begotten Son was born. The birth of the Christ glorified God and God’s good will was done on earth.
What was the unmistakable sign that the angel gave these men? They would find the babe in Bethlehem, in a manger during the swaddling ceremony of a king.
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
God invited these shepherds to be His guests at the swaddling ceremony of His only begotten Son because they believed His Word and looked for the coming of their Messiah.
These humble men immediately acted on the words of God’s messenger; they went to Bethlehem and arrived during the brief swaddling ceremony only moments after Jesus’ birth.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
Jesus’ birth went unnoticed by the world, but it made no difference; God was accomplishing the purpose of the ages that He purposed in His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.