Glory to God in the highest, 
and on earth peace, good will toward men. 
Luke 2:14 

 I can’t help wondering if God’s plan to send messengers to earth proclaiming the birth of Jesus had every angel wing lifted with shouts of, “Pick me! Pick me!”  

One was indeed chosen to give the initial message to the shepherds:

…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.
Luke 2:10b-11 

So much prophesy fulfilled in that initial message: 

• The Savior has come. Jesus is the fulfillment of the first gospel (“proto evangelism”) found in Genesis 3:15 where God prophesied to the evil one, “… he will crush your head.” 
• The Savior was for all people – not just the Jewish people. God had told Abraham in Genesis 12:3, “..all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 
• The Savior came from the town of David, Bethlehem: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2)
  

One angel delivered the introductory message to the startled—and terrified—shepherds. And then the multitude joined in proclaiming (I believe it was a singing telegram): 

Glory to God in the highest, 
and on earth peace, good will toward men. 
Luke 2:14 

The coming of Jesus brought great glory to God. The fulfillment of His prophesy was the next step in Christ’s journey to the cross and resurrection that would bring complete victory over sin and death. That babe in the manger would indeed become our Savior on the cross.

God wins.

Satan loses.  

And that which brought glory to God simultaneously brought peace to us. Our sin puts us at war with our holy God. But through Jesus, our Prince of Peace, we can have peace with God.

Just consider it: we can now have a relationship with our Heavenly Father, and spend eternity with Him.  

As you celebrate Christmas and check everything off your list—buy that last gift, bake that last batch of cookies, get that last package delivered—please take some time, make some time, to revel in the truth that God became man. That heaven came to earth. That in the person of Jesus, God is glorified and man is redeemed.  

Let’s all join with the chorus of angels to proclaim and rejoice:

Glory to God! Peace to Men!  
Thank you, Jesus. 

Merry Christmas to all of you, from all of us here at A Reason For Homeschool. 

Feature Painting:  The Adoration of the Shepherds by Gerrit van Honthorst, c. 1622