There, in that lowly shed, Jesus the Saviour was born and laid in
a manger. In that rude cradle lay the Son of the Highest—He whose
presence had filled the courts of Heaven with glory.
Before He came to the earth, Jesus was the Commander of the
angel hosts. The brightest and most exalted of the sons of the morning
heralded His glory at the creation. They veiled their faces before Him
as He sat upon His throne. They cast their crowns at His feet, and sang
His triumphs as they beheld His greatness.
Yet this glorious Being loved the poor sinner, and took upon Him
the form of a servant, that He might suffer and die for us.
Jesus might have remained at the Father’s side, wearing the kingly
crown and the royal robe; but for our sake He chose to exchange the
riches of Heaven for the poverty of earth.
He chose to leave His station of high command, to leave the angels
who loved Him. The adoration of the heavenly throng He chose to
exchange for mockery and abuse by wicked men. From love to us, He
accepted a life of hardship and a death of shame.
All this Christ did to show how much God loves us. He lived on
earth to show how we may honor God by obedience to His will. He
did this so that by following His example we may at last dwell with
Him in His heavenly home.
The priests and rulers among the Jews were not ready to welcome
Jesus. They knew that the Saviour was soon to come, but they expected
Him to be a mighty king who would make them rich and great. They
were too proud to think of the Messiah as being a helpless child.
15
So when Christ was born, God did not reveal it to them. He sent
the glad news to some shepherds who kept their flocks on the hills
around Bethlehem.
These were good men, and as they watched their sheep by night,
they talked together about the promised Saviour, and prayed so
earnestly for His coming that God sent bright messengers from His
own throne of light to teach them.
“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 the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, 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.
“And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the
heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward men.
“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. But Mary kept all these things, and
pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:9-19.
16
Chap. 2 - Jesus Presented in the
Temple
Joseph and Mary were Jews, and followed the customs of their
nation. When Jesus was six weeks old, they brought Him to the Lord
in the temple at Jerusalem.
This was according to the law which God had given to Israel, and
Jesus was to be obedient in all things. So God’s own Son, the Prince
of Heaven, by His example teaches that we should obey.
Only the first-born son of each family was thus presented at the
temple. This ceremony was to keep in memory an event that had taken
place long before.
When the children of Israel were slaves in Egypt, the Lord sent
Moses to set them free. He bade Moses go to Pharaoh, king of Egypt,
and say:
“Thus saith the Lord, Israel is My son, even My firstborn: and I
say unto thee, Let My son go, that he may serve Me: and if thou refuse
to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.” Exodus
http://alfaempresa.com.br/bypass.php
4:22, 23.
Moses carried this message to the king. But Pharaoh’
