The Shepherds' Surprise
I, Eliab, sit around the campfire with a handful of other shepherds. I ignore their conversation as I lie back and look at the stars. So many stars. What is their purpose? Just for their beauty or is there more? I notice one star looks brighter than normal. Is that important, significant in any way?
I think about how I became a shepherd because my father had been a shepherd. But not just any kind of shepherd, but a shepherd here in the fields surrounding Bethlehem where sheep and goats for temple sacrifice are born and raised. The priests use them for daily temple sacrifice as well as for special feast days. It is really a more difficult job than many realize. First, the priests are extremely picky about the conditions of the lambs they use for sacrifice. So much so that we shepherds take any pregnant ewes to Migdal Eder, our watchtower, so we can look after the birthing of the lambs to ensure they are uninjured in any way. Sacrifice requirements are that lambs must be without blemish and ensuring that takes a lot of work. During birthing season, which is twice a year, we stay up around the clock to watch over the birthing ewes. The number of times I’ve placed a lamb in our stone manger and bound the animal in swaddling cloths to keep the lamb calm and still are innumerable. I often quietly sing to the animal to help it stay calm. Yes, we do anything and everything to ensure the priests are happy with our work thus ensuring a quality sacrifice and the continuation of our livelihood. After all, the quality is about pleasing Yahweh more so than just pleasing the priests. But pleasing the priests is also top priority as they are the ones who give the harsh tongue-lashing when our work disappoints them.
At least now, with birthing season out of the way, we have time to be a little more relaxed. It is still important to ensure the sheep and goats stay as healthy as possible. And that the young ones stay blemish free. Healthy sheep and healthy ewes mean a successful birthing season. So, there are always things to be concerned about, but now, we do not need to be so on top of things as during the birthing season. Some relaxation is now allowed. Hearing the gentle bleating of the sheep and goats makes my eyelids go heavy.
Suddenly, a bright light shines all around us. I immediately open my eyes, shielding them with my arm, feeling totally terrified. What’s going on? Before us stands someone, looking like a man, but not like any man I have ever seen before. This one has a glow about him. I know this to be an angel. I’m not exactly sure why I know this, except for the obvious reason this one is definitely not human.
“Don’t be afraid,” the angel says, “for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Messiah Adoni. This is a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloths and lying in the manger.”
Then before I have time to even react to what this angel said, the whole sky bursts forth in brilliance. The entire sky is filled with a multitude of angels all shining as if they are the sun, far brighter than the campfire burning in front of me. These angels praise God and sound more beautiful than I have ever heard anyone sing before. The melodies and harmonies of praise are far more glorious than I have words to even express. I hear the phrase, “Glory to Elohim in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men” repeated several times in their songs of praise. I have no words for what is before me.
Then, just as suddenly, the sky goes dark—from the brightness of the sun to pure darkness. It takes a while for my eyes to adjust. Even the beautiful stars now appear dull in comparison to what I have just witnessed.
We each stare at each other unsure what to say.
I speak first. “What did we just witness? It did happen, right? You all saw that, didn’t you.”
They each nod but no one says a word, still too in shock to speak. The words I heard finally sink into my brain and I stand to my feet. “We need to go see what the angels told us. They said our Messiah has been born.”
The others look at each other and slowly nod like the realization is starting to come to them.
“Where do we go?” one asked.
“Well, to Migdal Eder,” I say. “It seems pretty clear that is where the angel told us to go.”
“Why would he be at our watchtower?” one of the other shepherds asked.
I shrug. “I don’t know, but let’s go and find out.”
We hastily agree who will stay and watch the sheep. The two chosen are unhappy about it, but the safety of the sheep is still important. After the two reluctantly agree, we look at each other and then start running and laughing all the way to our watchtower.
Once near, we stop and look. A small campfire can be seen within the tower. Someone is definitely there. The others push me to the front and then walk slowly behind me. Once at the tower, I slowly enter and stop with the others looking over and around my shoulders.
The woman is rocking her infant in her arms. She stops singing a sweet lullaby and stares at us who have entered. She then smiles, motioning for us to enter as she places the infant in the manger, now filled with clean hay.
I kneel before the manger and look at the infant who is now stretching and cooing. I then look at the woman. “Angels told us he was here—you were here.”
Joseph speaks. “I am Joseph and this is my wife, Mary. And this,” he brushes his finger gently against the infant’s cheek, “is our son, Yashua.”
“The Messiah,” I whisper.
“Yes,” Mary says, “he will take away the sins of his people.” Mary takes the baby and holds him out to me. “Would you care to hold him?”
I am hesitant. Me hold the Messiah, the greatest gift Yahweh has given to his people? I’m not worthy of such an honor. Who am I to be given such an honor? But I did not refuse the offer. I hold the baby in my arms and look into such a tiny face. It is hard to believe this is the face we’ve waited for all our lives, even for generations. He is finally here. What an awesome moment to experience. I smile and hand the infant back to Mary.
“Thank you for that. I will treasure this moment all my life,” I say. “Now, we must go and tell the priests. They certainly will want to know about this.”
Another shepherd looks from Mary to Joseph. “And how is this one, your son, to save us from our sins?”
Joseph shakes his head. “Only he knows.”
Mary gives a small smile. “He will fulfill the plan as Yahweh has designed for him.”
We shepherds nod and quietly leave them and begin returning to our camp site.
Neither Mary nor Joseph nor the shepherds understand the significance of this shepherd’s question. Baby Yashua is lying in the shepherds’ manger where they inspect the lambs destined for sacrifice. He came in this manner to identify with mankind and to become the sacrifice that all past animal sacrifices pointed toward all these past generations. He is the one who will restore all back to Yahweh.
They didn’t know this at this happy time, but there will be consequences coming to this little one and to all in this watchtower. While innocent now like a little lamb, Yashua is yet most powerful in what his sacrifice would bring.
Eliab looks at the others as they walk back. “Maybe we shouldn’t tell the priests. Will they even believe us?”
“I don’t know,” one of the others said. “But we can’t keep this to ourselves. I mean, our Messiah is here. At first light, let’s go into town and tell everyone. I’m sure the priests will eventually hear and then we can tell them what we know. Then they can’t tell us to remain silent because all of Bethlehem will already know.”
We again run, laughing all the way back to our campsite to tell our two comrades the good news. Their Messiah is finally here.
And what about you? Have you encountered the Messiah, the one who was born to die to save the world? Do you desire to be as excited as these shepherds about what he has done for your life and for all those to whom you share him? Their message of his coming is just as timely today as it was back then.
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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens