Animals, Stars and Shepherds

Have you ever wondered what happened at Bethlehem on that sacred, prophetic night in which God made His entrance into the world? Did you ever ask yourself why God allowed this momentous event to come and go with so little fanfare? Did the participants in the story know the magnitude of the things they were witnessing? We are given a few clues in the scriptural narrative, but we all know that there is a latent story that begs to be told.

The animals. Let’s quietly slip up to the stable and peer through the window. You may have to stifle a sneeze because of the dust from the freshly stirred straw. If you’re not used to the aromatic fragrance of barnyards, you may have to pinch your nose a bit. There, just below your chin, two little lambs crowd up against their mother. The three of them stand still, except for the woolly skin twitching nervously. Opposite them a donkey slowly swings his head down to a pile of hay, then up again, quietly chewing and gazing at the occupant of what normally serves as his feeding trough. Just behind him a big brown cow lies on the straw, having just yielded a pail of milk to her master, and now trying to get settled for the night. Her eyes smile approvingly at the baby. Sticking his nose out from under a bale of straw, a little dog is transfixed at what he sees. He whines and yips, until Joseph looks sternly at him. He backs up and, reverently, lies down, although he never manages to keep his tail still.

No one has thought to introduce Jesus to the animals, but it doesn’t matter. They know who he is. The moment he was brought forth in this makeshift delivery room, they recognized him. The first cry from his mouth, infantile though it may have been, sounded an awesome note in their minds. They couldn’t read the scripture, but they instinctively knew what was written. Genesis 1:24-25 says. “And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”

To the stable animals, Christmas marked the entry into the world of the one that gave them life in the first place. They sensed the authority of the Child that cried and cooed in their presence. They knew the voice of the one who said, “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.” Psalm 50:10-11. Their owner was on the premises.

Furthermore, the cow knew that God wasn’t a cow, or even a golden calf. The sheep knew that God wasn’t a big sheep in the sky. The donkey knew that God wasn’t a long-eared donkey that lived up in some magic mountain. The little dog never did think that God was that big St. Bernard that lived up on the hill.

Contrast that with man himself. Some men think God is a cow, a sheep, a dog or a donkey. Romans 1:21-25 says, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”

Worse yet, modern man believes that God is a man, or that man is God. Secular humanism deifies man and humanizes God. But if man really is God, then god may be a donkey after all!

The star. What was that first Christmas to the star that shone down on the scene, flooding Bethlehem with a light so magnificent and powerful that it drew wise men from afar? I know that stars can’t talk and all stars are millions of light years away, but this particular heavenly body was especially created for this historic purpose. Surely we can discover something about this star.

We don’t have to look far. The star paid homage to his creator as well. Colossians 1:15-19 says, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

No, the star didn’t owe his existence to a big bang. He wasn’t the chance result of a meaningless, random act. He knew, if he knows anything, that the meticulous hand of an exacting God charted his course from the beginning.

The star knew that his creative God wasn’t another star, breaking apart and giving birth to a celestial offspring. If that were the case, then the Word of God would have it wrong. But the Bible says in Genesis 1:16 , “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.” Also, we read that man is not to make any graven image in Deuteronomy. Why? Because in Deuteronomy 4:19 it says, “And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.”

The shepherds. What was the first Christmas to the shepherds? Luke 2:8-18 tells us, “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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 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 unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath 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. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.”

Who were they? They were common people, minding their own business, out trying to make a living. They were men of simple faith, with no official connections to the religious structure. They had no money to bring, no power to use, no influence to wield, yet they were the only invited guests on God’s list. No mayors, no governors, no kings or priests were found in the stable that night. Evidently, God wanted the shepherds there!

I believe He wanted the shepherds there because they represent the poor, the weak, the powerless, and the common man who must utterly rely on God for everything in life. The Psalmist said in Psalm 69:29-33, “But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high. I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God. For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.”

The shepherds were there to worship. They knew they had no hope without Christ.  They were willing to make Jesus the light of their lives, their reason for living.  The shepherds represent you and me.  We have nothing to give but worship and faith.

Mary and Joseph. We know why Mary and Joseph were there. They were there in Bethlehem to pay their taxes, and they were in the stable because there was no room in the inn. Mary had to give birth to Jesus somewhere, and the stable was all that was available. Right? No. They were there because the hand of God guided them according to Bible prophecy. They went to Bethlehem as prophesied in Micah 5:2 “But thou, Bethlehem Ephrata, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Mary was chosen because of the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” The lineage of Christ was predetermined according to Numbers 24:17 “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel …”

The mighty wheel of prophecy was turning.  Nothing could stop it.  Augustus Caesar couldn’t stop it.  Herod couldn’t stop it.  The innkeeper couldn’t stop it.  The entire Satanic host couldn’t stop the anointed Word from its march to fulfillment.  Mary, Joseph and the humanity of Jesus were vital parts of the plan of redemption that the Almighty God set in motion the day Adam sinned. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Galatians 4:4-5

God himself. Finally, I want you to see that the greatest presence at the first Christmas was the Almighty God.

Isaiah 9:6-7 says “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

If Jesus is not God, He can be no savior.  If Jesus is not God, He wrongfully accepted worship.  If Jesus is not God, He was a curious sideshow.  If Jesus is not God, He was the greatest imposter of all time.  But, lying in the manger that blessed night was the focal point of all history, the Mt. Everest of redemption’s story, the incarnate God. Jesus is …

• Advocate
• Anointed Prophet
• Arm of the Lord
• Branch of David
• Bread of Life
• Burden-Bearer
• Captain of our Salvation
• Conqueror of Death
• Chief Cornerstone
• Creator
• Daysman
• Deliverer
• Divine Teacher
• Eternal Spirit
• Everlasting Father
• Firstborn From the Dead
• Forgiver of Sins
• Good Shepherd
• High Priest
• Immanuel
• King of Kings
• Kinsman-Redeemer
• Lamb of God
• Lily of the Valley
• Living Water
• Lion of Judah
• Lord of Lords
• Master
• Messiah
• Morning Star
• Prince of Peace
• Prophet of God
• Resurrection
• Rock of Ages
• Rose of Sharon
• Shiloh
• Sinner’s Friend
• Son of God
• Son of Man
• Zion ’s Lamb

And so, what did God see in Bethlehem than night? After all, it is His opinion that means more than all the others put together. John says it best:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not..

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-14