Artist unknown
Shh. Listen…
It was a still moonlit night
Stars sparkling in the grand expanse, Wisemen see the light…
Traveling to find the promised God-man…
There in the stillness I looked and saw
What seemed to be human but he wasn’t at all…
His voice was like thunder, clothes so bright, I had to shield my eyes…
Light encompassed the darkness; I’d never seen such a sight…
Do not be afraid, lowly shepherds for I’ve come to bring you good news…
Heaven’s king has come to earth, to bring,
Great joy and peace to mankind this night…
You’ll find him wrapped in strips of cloth, a sign given By God’s own design, lying in an animals trough… Messiah, the promised lamb of God…
Catching my breath, I listened to what this jubilant being had to say. Then I watched as he went away, taking flight…into the sky, on this starry night.
Rushing to Bethlehem with fellow shepherd’s we saw everything the being had described…
Excited beyond words we were lowly shepherds tending our herd…
With full delight, we ran to tell all our fellow towns people what we’d seen, then we went back to celebrate the new birth…
Truly this is a Holy Night, filled with peace and joy not fright…
The Holy-babe-of-heaven was born on this hallowed glorious night.
Within this tiny barn, we witness, the promise of God’s new life!
~Marla Shaw O’Neill December 4, 2019
Isaiah 9:6-7 New King James Version (NKJV)
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Luke 2:10-11 The Passion Translation (TPT)
10 But the angel reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid. For I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! 11 For today in Bethlehem[a] a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah.[b] 12 You will recognize him by this miracle sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough!”[c]
Footnotes:
-
Luke 2:11 The Greek text says, “the city of David.”
- Luke 2:11 Translated literally from the Aramaic text. This is one of the most amazing statements found in the Gospels declaring the deity of Jesus Christ.
- Luke 2:11 A baby lying in a feeding trough where animals were kept nearby, wrapped in strips of cloths, became a sign of the Man-Savior’s life on earth. He entered the world as a lowly baby, and though he is the mighty God, he lived his life on earth in gentleness before all. The shepherds that night were possibly near Bethlehem at Migdal Eder, “the [watch] tower of the flock.” This would fulfill both the prophecies of Mic. 5:2 and Mic. 4:8, which say, “to you it [he] will come, your dominion [kingdom] from old will arrive.” It was at the lower floor of the watchtower (Migdal Eder) that the birthing of the Passover lambs would take place. Selected ewes that were about to give birth would be brought there. After the birth of the lambs, the priestly shepherds would wrap the lambs in cloth and lay them in a manger lined with soft hay to prevent them from hurting themselves, for Passover lambs must be unblemished with no bruise or broken bone. The miracle sign for these priestly shepherds would be a baby boy lying where the Passover lamb should be—in a manger, wrapped in strips of cloth. It was at the cradle of Jesus Christ that the kingdom from ancient times arrived on earth.
