December 8. 2013
“…And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flocks by night. And an Angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them…and it came about, when the angel had gone away...the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go…and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us…and when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds…and the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God…” (Luke 2: 8-9a, 15a, c, 17-18, 20a)
Apart from using them as props in our annual plays, we often completely overlook the shepherds in the Christmas story. I have been thinking about them the last few days, however. What exactly do we know about them from the text? Well, that they were faithful, self-sacrificing men; sleeping in the cold, open air to care for their defenseless flocks. They were favored men; chosen by God to be the very first ones, in all of history, to hear the good news of our Savior’s birth. Their actions proved they were men of faith; quickly responding to the Word of the Lord told them by the Angel. They were also the world’s first evangelists; who could not contain the wonderful, joyous news they had been entrusted with and which they themselves had found to be true. Finally, they were worshipers; the kind the Scriptures tell us God eagerly seeks, ‘…who worship in Spirit and in Truth” (John 4:23), In short, apart from the Holy parents, they were the very first Christians. And so, it must follow that, after these things, life was ‘lived happily ever after’ by them, once they became Christians, right? Oh-- wait a minute...is that what the Bible says? Let’s continue on and see what happened…
“…Then when Herod, saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children in Bethlehem and in its environs, from two years old and under…’a voice was heard…weeping and great mourning…refus(ing) to be comforted because (the children) were no more….” (Matthew 2: 16a, 18b)
These men-- these faithful, Godly, and trusting men, had their most beloved little boys, the sheep of their very bosoms, ALL slaughtered by Herod; merely because the Savior had favored them by being born in their midst… This horrific, holocaustic event is known in Church history as “The Slaughter of the Innocents”. HOW could this God of Glory, who had just revealed to them the truth that their new King and Savior had finally come into the world—had come to THEM!—how could He have allowed such an unspeakable abomination to take place? How could He tell them one day of His love and care, and shortly thereafter let all Hell break loose upon them? Their grief had to be absolutely paralyzing…Yet, I wonder--once they regained their senses---did they seek out their new King to inquire of Him and his parents the one blazing question every parent would want to SHOUT at them,“WHY-- MY GOD—WHY”??? If they had done so, they would have surely gotten yet another great shock--Their King was GONE!! He had vanished as quickly as He had come. Had He abandoned them in the hour they needed Him most? Had it all been just a bad dream? Were they losing their minds? Surely they would have struggled with these doubts….And what about us? Surely we must wonder—how could God consider it ‘just’ to spare His own Son, while allowing everyone else’s to be killed by Herod? These are some of the things I have been thinking about as I pondered the Christmas story this year…
It is true…God did indeed spare his own Son…hid Him away, safely sheltered in Egypt, while his earthly relatives’ hearts were breaking. It is true, He did indeed allow this slaughter to take place—against the very ones who had responded so joyfully to the Gospel message—against the most innocent of them—the children of the covenant...
I was unable to find any evidence that Jesus ever returned to Bethlehem. I thought about this, and wondered why God had instead, sent Him to Nazareth to live. Think about it. Jesus was the only boy left from that generation from that entire home town region. He would have always stood out as a painful, daily, reminder to the other mothers and fathers around him, of the terror of that day. There would probably have been great jealousy towards his parents that their son had somehow miraculously survived the attack—and they probably would have blamed them for the murders, knowing he must have been the one that Herod had been searching for. Also, however, had he gone back to Bethlehem, He never would have been able to have the normal, quiet, childhood that the Scriptures (from their silence regarding his youth) seem to indicate He had. He would have been the talk of the region. The laying of the foundation of His young life, however, was far too important for God to allow anything to interfere with His Plan for Jesus. So, on to Nazareth they went: a quiet Jewish upbringing in the Law, in the carpenter’s trade-- all the while on a hillside somewhere in Israel, a Tree was growing that also was planned for a Purpose…
Yes, God had indeed spared his only Son that day in Bethlehem, but only for a future, more horrific slaughter: The Slaughter of the One and Only Truly ‘Innocent’ the world has ever known. God the Father preserved Jesus that day, only for Him to later be slaughtered by the same government which had slaughtered the sons of Bethlehem. He had been spared that day, however, because He had something which had to be accomplished first: He had to live the only Perfect Life of obedience toward God which has ever been lived; something that is required of all of us, but which we have been unable to do because of our sinful nature. Only THEN would this One, Pure, Unblemished Sheep be ready to be slaughtered— in our place –as our Passover Lamb. To be our scapegoat; bearing away the guilt of all our sins—for all eternity. This is why the Apostle Paul tells us later in Scripture: God “…did NOT spare his own Son, but offered Him up for us all…” (Romans 8:32)
Paul further goes on to speak of those who have received the Son of God into their hearts to be born within them, who are the faithful , chosen, worshippers and evangelists of the King of the Universe—those known as Christians: “…For Thy sake we are…considered as sheep to be slaughtered…” (Romans 8:36) We are all ‘His brothers from Bethlehem’…completely in His wise, loving and nail-scarred hands; to be disposed of at His bidding, and for His greater Glory. Because, like his little cousins, “…we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture...” (Psalm 100:3c) You see, there was another Shepherd ‘keeping watch over his flock by night’ on that hillside in Bethlehem. “The Lord is our Shepherd’, ‘…the Good Shepherd, (who) lays down His life for His sheep…” (Ps 23:1; John 10:11)
In this story, we are taught some important truths:
1) Herod showed a small measure of the depths of depravity to which the human heart has fallen since Eden—depravity which resides in each of us, to one degree or another. (Cain slew Abel, his brother; Herod however, slaughtered the children of the ‘brothers’ of our Lord.)
2) It is an awesome, fearful thing for God Himself to draw near to us—to be called His own; yet, it is a privilege beyond all measure, and one we should gladly sacrifice our lives for; if called upon to do so.
3) The devil sets his face against all who would receive the Savior, allowing Him into ‘their midst’. As a type of AntiChrist, Herod warns us that we should know our lives are expendable as God sees fit.
4) Finally, and most importantly: though terrible, painful things sometimes do happen to even the best and most faithful of men, God has NOT abandoned us, but is “Emmanuel’—i.e ‘God with us’. Like the Good Shepherd He is, He has gone before us, into whatever tragedy He may ask us to bear for his own wise reasons-- which we may not understand--, and will tenderly care for us in our trial, as we turn to Him.
There IS a PLAN. It IS good, All SHALL be well. Our Savior has already defeated the greatest ‘AntiChrist’, and won’t be surprised or out-done by his lesser minions….
We can rest, even in our trials knowing Jesus IS Lord, and REIGNS SUPREME in all the Universe. Hallelujah!
Merry Christmas,
Come Lord Jesus, your Second Advent is longed for by all who love you!
This past year or so has thrown me a lot of curveballs. I returned from Texas in July 2012, after deciding, with my family’s blessing, that Texas just was not the place for me, at least at this time in my life. I continued working and saving towards the home I hoped to buy and settle down in, in CT. I finally found it and moved in July 19, 2013. On Sept 19, 2013, just as I was leaving for vacation (to go back to Texas and give Pat a break) I was terminated from my job for reasons I dispute, but won’t go into here, as the story is too long. I have, thankfully, been able to obtain and receive unemployment during this time, and can testify that all my bills are paid in full at this writing. However, I have found that the job market for LPNs in my region has shifted to now being mainly an ‘RN only’ environment –and the local hospital just last week went out on strike --releasing hundreds of RNs into the marketplace for me to compete for jobs with. I have, so far, only been able to find a ‘per diem’ position, supplemented by unemployment. But God is faithful……I do, however, covet your prayers for a stable and Good position (that pays enough for all my bills) to open up for me before my unemployment benefits run out. (Late April at this point)—or for God to do whatever else He plans, to provide for my needs.
The Herods in our lives, have tremendous authority and power over us, and can do tremendous damage to what we hold dearest, if the Lord releases them to do so as part of His mysterious Will. But I take solace in the knowledge that, though I am not one of the ‘innocent’, I am His sheep, at His disposal, not 'Herod’s', my ex-boss's or the devil's; myself, and all I am, belong to God. If He wants me to lose the house, my car, my reputation: it is all in His hands. If He wants me to be in the unemployment line as His hands and His feet, ‘Here I am Lord’. What the future holds, in this world, I do not know. But I am HIS. I, therefore, know where eternity will be spent: In HIS house, in HIS chariot, praising HIS reputation!!
Let the devil do his worst—Jesus is VICTOR!
Love, Joann
