Almost 2000 years ago, on a quiet night, a night exactly like most other nights, but yet, totally not like any other night took place.
The darkness enveloped the earth, as God's creation prepared for another night,
but yet in heaven, the angels were preparing for one of their biggest nights ever!
That a night, like every other night, but so unlike any other night was about to burst forth with the most glorious news ever given!
There in that small town of Bethlehem just about five miles south of Jerusalem, in a barn like stall a woman was about to give birth not just to any baby, but to the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Instructions had already been given that the child should be named Jesus because he was going to save His people from their sins.
This small child was the Son of God in the flesh.
It is quite possible that upon the birth of the child, the child's scream as it pulled in its first breath of air, pierced the night sky, just like any other babe. The mother and father of the child beaming with joy!
He, the Savior of the world was finally here!
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Nearby in the fields, caretakers of sheep, shepherds as they were called, tended to their flocks. Possibly a small fire had been lit to provide warmth and light to the gathering of nomads.
With the smell of sheep in the air, the ever-vigilant protectors constantly watching for predators or thieves had their ears tuned to any strange noises that might emerge from the darkness around them.
Then all of a sudden the sky burst forth with the brightest light that they had ever witnessed! There in the midst of the light stood one lone figure, almost potentially some type of apparition or ghost they may have thought. In fear they fall to the ground to hide their faces, and yet suddenly stop as they hear the being speak, "Fear not!"
"Fear not?" They might quickly sense. "Fear not?" How could they not "Fear not?"
All of their physical senses had already been attuned to the night air, their eyes dilated to the light, their ears listening for danger, and now to have all of that as if scrambled caused them such physical chaos, how could they not "fear"!
And yet, the being, although speaking with great authority, also offered great comfort.
"Fear not! For behold I bring you great tidings of great joy which shall be for all people."
Had the shepherds immediately known that this was an angel sent from God, they may have been even more afraid, but the angel's words calmed them so that they could at least listen and understand the message that was being sent to them.
"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
What wonderful news this was that the shepherds were receiving...but did they understand what was being told them?
And then before they even had a chance to discuss it among themselves, they were suddenly surrounded by hundreds of angels, thousands, so many they couldn't count, but later exclaimed, "A multitude of angels" came and began to praise God together and say, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
Oh it may have been only a few moments, but for those frightened, and confused shepherds it may have felt like an eternity before those angels disappeared back into the night sky, and their eyes adjusted back to the dark.
Finally, one of the shepherds spoke, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."
So together they went with haste and found the nativity stall with Joseph, and Mary and the small baby boy, wrapped in the swaddling clothes and lying in the manger, just had been told them.
Finally, the long wait of the Jewish nation was over. The long awaited one, the Messiah, in the flesh, the Immanuel, God with us, the Prince of Peace was finally there...
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