The Unexpected Birth of Jesus: Heaven’s Announcement

Jesus: The Unexpected Birth

When our children are born we joyously announce it to everyone. Our children are precious gifts but none were as precious as the birth of our Savior. The birth of Jesus was announced by angels to shepherds who then hurried to worship this holy child. His birth was the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy.

He was the long awaited Messiah, the holy One, set apart for a mission. But everything about His birth was unexpected. To understand just how unexpected Jesus' birth was, it helps to compare it with how kings were normally welcomed into the world.

How Kings Were Welcomed in the Ancient World

In Roman times, when a new heir to the throne was born, certain steps were made to announce their birth. The new child, crowned as Caesar, was announced as such publicly, often with great fanfare as the child was presented to crowds. But heaven’s announcement of Jesus’ birth unfolded in a very different way (Luke 2:8-20).

Heaven Announces a Different Kind of King

When Jesus was born, an angel appeared to shepherds to announce his birth. Shepherds, although important economically, were not considered socially acceptable people in Jewish culture because they could not always follow the rules. Sometimes their duties caused them to have to do things during the sabbath that violated Jewish law. Allowing ordinary shepherds, not the elite, to witness the moment salvation entered the world was startling.

The angel appeared to them first as a sign that this king would be for all people, not just the rich, not just the powerful. Scripture says the shepherds were afraid. Is that how you would have felt, alone with a flock of sheep in the middle of the night?

The angel gave Jesus titles: Savior, Messiah, and the Lord (Luke 2:11). In Greek the word for Savior means deliverer or one who saves, Messiah means the anointed one, and Lord, which is explained well in an article in Decision Magazine,

"In the New Testament, the writers typically used the word God to describe God the Father; and the word Lord to describe God the Son—ascribing to both the qualities of divinity, or God-ness. Since Jesus is Lord, He is the source of all things, the sustainer of all reality, and the ruler of all that exists in Heaven or Earth."

As Philippians 2:9-11 reminds us, Jesus has been given "the name above all names." These titles were clear from the beginning. This child was no mere mortal king. This was the King of Kings!

The Glory That Surrounded His Birth

The angel that announced this news to the Shepherds brought God's glory. Luke 2:9 explains that at his appearance "the glory of the Lord shone around them." What did this mean? In the Old Testament, God's glory often appeared as a cloud, fire such as in the burning bush, or intense light. Jesus is the hope of glory. That such glory appeared to such lowly men was one more astonishing reversal in God’s plan.

God's glory shown on them as a way to show the people His actual presence among them. And now, along with the shepherds, we can understand that Jesus was God's literal physical presence in the world. The light that shone on the shepherds was there so they would recognize His power and holiness among them. This wasn't just the birth of a king, this was the birth of the King.

Joyful News

The angel explained that the news he brings is good news, joyful news and it is to "all people", not just the Jews. This news didn't bring condemnation to man. This news brought salvation and deliverance from slavery to sin. As Moses was the deliverer of his people from Egyptian slavery, much greater will be the deliverance of the Messiah. For this reason, people everywhere will receive the news with gladness. When we become a Christian, we can understand this joy and live our lives with it.

The prophecy of Micah 5:2 promises that the future Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. Called "little among the thousands," it was well known as being the birthplace of Israel's most famous king, David. Though Bethlehem was the prophesied birthplace, its insignificance reminds us that God often uses the small to display His glory. Imagine a small, unimportant town near you hosting the birth of a king. How surprised would you be?

But from this little village just a few miles from Jerusalem, Micah explained, the "One to be Ruler in Israel" who is everlasting will come from here. Yes, David had been a great king, but this King would far surpass him. This fulfillment of prophecy extended even to the humble circumstances of His birth.

A Humble Sign for a Heavenly King

Then the angels told the shepherds something unexpected, "And this will be the sign to you: you will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger" (Luke 2:12). Many children were probably born that night but how many would be found in a feed trough? And why would the Savior of the world be found in such a place? No royal visitor would expect to find a king in a trough.

The richness of the significance of this is stunning. Jesus is our meek and lowly King. A humble servant King, unlike any before. His birth wouldn't come in a royal palace surrounded by attendants, no, his birth would be in the most humble of places. And what was a manger actually used for?

A manger was a food trough for the animals. Here the hay would be placed for the cows, sheep, and other creatures. And here would lay this Child who would become the "Bread of Life" for the world (John 6:35). This Child would provide the spiritual food for a starving world. Some scholars suggest there is even a prophetic element to His birth in a manger and the shepherds, although Scripture does not specifically mention this.

Certain lambs were raised by "temple shepherds" for sacrifice in the temple. These special lambs were wrapped in cloth and placed in a special trough to keep them free from blemishes and flaws. For these shepherds there would have been special meaning that this Child was the "Lamb of God" who would become the final sacrifice for sin. He is the One who can wash us whiter than snow. This Christmas we can have a truly white Christmas because of Him. No human king was ever associated with sacrificial images like this.

The Multitudes Praise God

In case there was still any doubt in the minds of the shepherds as to who this Child really was there appeared to them a "heavenly host" of angels. Host is actually a word that refers to God's armies of angels that serve him. God is known as the Lord of Hosts, the literal commander of this great army. Remarkably, God’s army arrives not for battle but to announce peace. When they appear they are praising God,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14

This was Heaven's very public announcement to them that glory was to be given God for this marvelous birth. This birth would bring peace between God and men. Because Christ has reconciled the world to God by taking our sin on Himself we can wrap ourselves in His righteousness. Because of this we can approach God's throne boldly.

Additionally, in this praise we see a model for how we are to approach the throne of God. The angels praise God for His unequalled holiness and His sovereignty over all that exists. The birth of Jesus, God with us, fulfills the eternal plan of salvation for the world. Just as the angels eternally praise God, so we too will, for our praise will continue in Heaven. Everything about this story calls us to see again the surprising grace of God in the unexpected birth of Jesus.

This was no earthly celebration, this was Heaven come down to earth to proclaim the wonderous news. In 1747, Charles Wesley penned the hymn, "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling." While not a Christmas hymn, in many ways it captures the essence of this moment.

Love divine, all loves excelling,

Joy of Heav'n to Earth come down,

Fix in us thy humble dwelling,

All thy faithful mercies crown;

Jesus, thou art all compassion,

Pure, unbounded love thou art;

Visit us with thy salvation,

Enter ev'ry trembling heart.

An Excelling Love

All of this calls for a response not just from shepherds long ago, but from our own hearts today. Do our hearts tremble this holy Christmas season with the salvation of Christ living in us? Jesus is our Christmas blessing. If not, if this seems foreign to you, picture yourself as a shepherd and all the incredible events that began that day. Jesus came into the world and it has never been the same. His love does excel above all! Let it enter your heart today.