Hark the herald angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King.
--Charles Wesley, Hymn: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, 1739.
Angels rejoiced and sang for joy when this beautiful world was created, and man was formed to be its king. "The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." (Job 38:7)
But their songs of joy were soon changed to mourning when they saw that earth had lost its king, and the blight of sin had come over the fair world.
How glad, then, they must have been to bear to earth, to the sons of men, the good tidings of the coming King, through whom the curse should be taken away from the whole earth, and of whose kingdom, "there should be no end." (Isaiah 9:7)
This was the message, you remember, sent to Mary by the angel Gabriel. Mary was then living at Nazareth, but the Word of God had said that the King, the Shepherd and Ruler of His people, should come forth out of Bethlehem.
So when the time for the royal birth drew near, the Emperor of Rome sent out a decree that all the world should be taxed, and this made it necessary for Joseph and Mary to go to Bethlehem. And while they were there, in fulfillment of the prophecy, "[Mary] brought forth her firstborn Son; and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:7)
Cold on His cradle the dewdrops are shining,
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall
Angels adore Him, in slumber reclining.
Maker and Monarch, and Saviour of all!
--Reginald Heber, Hymn: Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning, 1811.
What a sight for the angels to see,--their Maker and Monarch, their Creator and King, a tiny helpless babe "wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger!" (Luke 2:12)
And did they honor Him any less, or cease to worship Him, when they saw His helpless human form? No! listen to the words of their glad song of praise: "Glory to God in the highest!" (Luke 2:14)
That little baby lying in the Bethlehem stable with the beasts of the stall was "God in the Highest,"--the Most High--to whom the angels of God were offering deeper love and adoration than ever before. For when God brought the Firstbegotten into the world He said: "Let all the angels of God worship Him!" (Hebrews 1:6)
We sometimes sing:
Lo, He laid His glory by,
Born that man no more may die;
--Charles Wesley, Hymn: Hark the Herald Angels Sing, 1739.
But this is not true. He cannot lay aside His glory, for it is the beauty and power of His own life and kingly character. Those who lived with Him on the earth said of Him: "We beheld His glory ... full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
He did not "lay His glory by," but He veiled its bright shining in our weak, human flesh, so that He might come near to bless and save us. But this very veiling only made His true glory, His grace and truth, even more plainly seen.
When He became a little human child, and lived and died on this earth for our sakes, He was showing to angels and to men the depths of shame and sorrow to which He, the Creator and King of all, will go, so that He may help and save any of His creatures who are in trouble, even through their own folly and sin.
So even the angels knew Him better than before when they saw the baby lying in the manger. They saw more of His glory, and sang with deeper gladness songs of praise to God in the highest, to whom belongs "the kingdom and the power and the glory," (Matthew 6:13) because He is the Saviour of all. But, "Earth asleep unconscious lies,"-- James Thomson, A Hymn. while all the angels of God are worshiping the babe "with joy unspeakable and full of glory." (1 Peter 1:8)
How they must have longed to give the message of salvation and to share their joy with those for whose sake the King of Glory had become a poor babe, that they through His poverty might be rich. But the children of men are wrapped in slumber. Yet not all: "There were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night." (Luke 2:8)
And to these was given the high honor of being the first to hear and carry the good tidings. "And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: You shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even to Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord has made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this Child." (Luke 2:9-17)
This glad tidings, this beautiful Gospel message which the angel said should "be to all people" is for each one of you, dear children. "Unto you is born this day ... a Saviour which is Christ the Lord," (Luke 2:11)--"Christ in you," (Colossians 1:27) to be your King, to save from sin, and to make you pure and holy. Are you not glad, as the shepherds were when they heard this good news, and will you not, like them, carry the joyful tidings to others, and make known what God has made known to you about His Holy Child Jesus?--Present Truth, December 21, 1899--Timeline: I-2 (The Announcement to the Shepherds)--Luke 2:7-17.