It’s Christmastime and many people are celebrating a baby being placed in a manger. A baby, whose mother (according to one Christmas carol) went through labor “silently” and gave birth to a baby that didn’t cry! But these sentimentalized, popular ideas about the birth of Jesus completely miss the force of the Gospel accounts.
What was the setting and significance of that event according to the scriptures? Some background information is in order:
“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” 1 John 5:19
“. . . The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8
“Since therefore the children [of God] share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” (Hebrews 2:14–15)
Folks, we live in enemy occupied territory! Why did Jesus take on flesh and blood? Because
the whole world is under the power of the evil one, and He came to destroy the devil and his works, and to deliver us from his bondage.Jesus was born as “the king” (Matt. 1:2) and when He was anointed by the Holy Spirit at the baptism of John He began preaching: “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The king has come to establish his rightful reign over this world and the hearts of men and women, and to vanquish once and for all the devil who has held us in bondage.
We can see this clearly throughout the Gospels. In one instance, Jesus’ opponents (whom Jesus says were of their father the devil!) try to explain away the significance of the miracles that Jesus has been doing. They claimed that it was through the prince of demons that He had been casting out demons. (Demons, you will remember are the henchmen of the devil.) In his reply, Jesus said:
“But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22but when one stronger than he attacks him and conquers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. Luke 11:20–22
Notice the underlined words: “kingdom of God,” “fully-armed,” “guards,” “attacks,” “conquers,” “armor,” and “spoils”. These are military terms. Jesus is describing Himself as the Warrior King attacking the stronghold of the enemy. And just for the record, Jesus’ human enemies also are unwittingly on the side of the devil in this conflict. Jesus tells them:
“You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. . . .” (John 8:44)
So with this perspective, let’s go back to the baby in the manger in Bethlehem. Immediately after Jesus’ birth the scene switches to some local shepherds who are keeping watch over their flocks at night:
“. . .And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:9–14)
In the scriptures, an angel was a terrifying being. On one occasion in the Old Testament, a single angel killed a 165,000 man army. No wonder the angel here has to say, “Fear not.” And then “a multitude of the heavenly host” appear . The Greek word translated “host” is “stratias”. We get our English word “strategic” from it. It means an army. A great army of angel warriors appear to the shepherds. And they are not singing, they are “saying” ‘Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth among those with whom He is pleased!’ We can picture the angel warriors raising a shout: “Glory to God in the highest.” Why? Because the king has just entered the field! A shout goes up from the huge army of angel-warriors. At last Jesus has come as the Warrior King to destroy the devil and his works and to set the captives free. No wonder they are shouting the glory of God. The King has been born who will establish the kingdom of God, and Who will take back God’s creation from the hands of the devil and his angels.
That’s what began in Bethlehem. “Glory to God in the highest!”