
The Baby - Worshipped
“When [the wise men] saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”
Matthew 2:10-11 ESV
Scripture indicates that the infant King of the World was truly worshipped when He entered the world!
The
sang songs of praise!
Luke 2:13-14 ESV
“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!’”
The magi -
- showered him with gifts!
See Matthew 2:1-2; 9-11 ESV
The
gathered around Him in amazement!
See Luke 2:8-12; 15-20 ESV
The Mishnah, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on what we call the Old Testament, suggests that the shepherds in the fields of Ephrathah were looking after the sheep destined for the temple sacrifice.
In this context, the Mishnah mentions Migdal Eder, a name we also find in Micah 4:8 – “And you, Tower of Flocks (or “Migdal Eder”), your time will come.”
The idea is that the shepherds had a tower from which they watched over their sheep.
Here, Micah prophecies the very event we find in today’s verse. The time of the Tower of Flocks had come!
As caretakers of the sacrificial lambs, Bethlehem’s shepherds represented the old system of atonement by way of offerings in the temple.
Imagine that your entire working life has revolved around nurturing animals assigned to be slaughtered in God’s temple in Jerusalem to atone for the people’s sins.
All you knew is that God asked for perfect lambs—and it was your task to provide them. A serious and responsible job!
And here comes the angel, announcing to you the birth of the Messiah, implying that animal offerings would become obsolete
Wouldn’t Isaiah 53:6,7 have come to their minds?
“We had all wandered away like sheep. We had gone our own way. And yet the Lord put all our guilt on him. He was treated badly, but he never protested. He said nothing, like a lamb being led away to be killed. He was like a sheep that makes no sound as its wool is being cut off. He never opened his mouth to defend himself.”
Roughly two decades later, John the Baptist would point to Jesus, saying:
“Look, the Lamb of God. He takes away the sins of the world!”
This happened at the start of Jesus’ ministry, which would culminate in His death on the cross.
He, “the pure and perfect sacrificial Lamb” (1 Peter 1:19 ERV), saved us from the wrath of God once and for all.
Have you entered the place of peace where Jesus has invited you to come?
It’s time to bow with a humbled spirit with a desire to worship our one and only king, Jesus, the Messiah.