The Angel’s Song
“God sent His birth announcement, not to the king in Jerusalem. Not to the religious priests in the Temple. Not to the Emperor in Rome. No, God sent His message to the lowest of the low.” – Tony Walliser
Read Luke 2:8-14
The Angel’s Song
Robin Hood and His Merry Men…
Merry Christmas…
Merry
During a Matt Maher Christmas concert a number of years ago, Maher explained that the original, Old English definition of the word “Merry” was “Mighty and Powerful.”
Though I have never fully researched the definition (Old English & Anglo-Saxon definitions are hard to find), I do trust the source.
Merry = Mighty and Powerful?
Kind of changes things a bit, doesn’t it?
Robin Hood and His Mighty & Powerful Men – though they may have been modern day merry at times, they did take from the rich and give to the poor. So, it does sound like a better description.
And how about this – Mighty and Powerful Christmas.
Now, with that in mind, think about our perception of angels. Sweet, angelic little lovable cupid types floating around on their snow-white wings singing songs, etc. and so on. But that’s not biblical. You see, the angels we see in the Bible are glorious; mighty and powerful warriors.
Kind of changes things a bit, doesn’t it?
Is it any wonder that any time we see an angel in the Word one of the first things they say is, “Do not be afraid?” Is it any wonder that the quaking person falls to his knees and bows in fearful respect?
Many of us have been in a field, a tree stand, or a duck blind in the early, pre-dawn hours waiting in the silence. Eyes peeled on our surroundings. Ears listening for rustling and movement in the darkness. Relaxed, yet on guard. The night illuminated by the moon and the stars. Silently waiting for the sun to rise.
Now, let’s go to that night in the field with the shepherds. The night that Christ was born. The night that a host of angels appeared above them and told them of Jesus’ birth. These were not fluttering little angels singing a heavenly harmony. Though they might have been singing and it may have been beautiful, these were thousands upon thousands of mighty and powerful warrior angels – MERRY if you would – announcing the birth of the Savior of the world, God’s only Son.
Kind of changes things a bit, doesn’t it?
As we begin to prepare our hearts and minds for Christmas, let’s stop for a moment and remember the birth announcement of the Child born to be Savior of the World. The Child who became a man, but not any ordinary man. A man that lived a holy, sinless life. A man that is Son of God and Son of man. A man who lived and died and lived again so that we might have life, might be forgiven, might one day be with Him in heaven. A Child like no other child who grew to be a man like no other man. Jesus, the One who saves His people from their sin. Emmanuel, God with us.
“And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.’” – Luke 2:13-14 NASB