“Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,”
Luke 2:13
Into the Text
What the shepherds saw must have been truly awesome. This was not the Roman army they knew and dreaded with its shimmering armor, shields, spears, and swords. This was God’s vast heavenly army, an army larger, brighter, and more glorious than anything they had ever seen.
Yet, this was an army not sent to fight against God’s rebellious subjects but to announce the news of a Savior. The angels not only proclaimed Jesus’ birth but they were so filled with joy that they burst into song, praising God together. Have you ever wondered why the angels were singing? After all, it wasn’t for them that Jesus was born. What filled them with such praise?
Since their creation, angels, as God’s messengers, have seen God’s face and been deeply interested in everything He does. They love what God loves and hate what He hates. They know very well that man’s sin brought terrible suffering on the whole creation. They saw Adam and Eve disobey their Creator and lose fellowship with Him. And they heard God’s merciful promise to send a Redeemer, but they did not know how He was going to do it. God had not revealed His plan, even to the angels.
It must have been so astonishing to them when they saw the plan, this old mystery, unfold before their eyes. The second person of the Trinity, God the Son, becomes a human being. How was it possible for two natures so infinitely different, the divine and human, to be united in one person? How could the eternal God become a servant under the law and obey it perfectly on behalf of humans? How could a divine person suffer pain and death? How could Jesus, who is infinitely loved by the Father, come under His judgment?
The angels praised God for this amazing plan of salvation. They knew what a privilege it was for God to give to humans by opening the door into heaven for them. They were rejoicing that Jesus would rescue many people from an eternity in hell. As Jesus says in Luke 15, angels rejoice over even one person who repents and turns to God. If angels rejoice over this, how much more should we, for whom the Savior was sent.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to daily rejoice over your plan of salvation in my life and the life of others as the angels did at the birth of Jesus. Amen.