“The Lord has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of the Lord.” Isaiah 52:10
Though God had revealed to Abraham that in him “…all the families of the earth shall be blessed,” and though in the writings of the prophets, in particular Isaiah, we see this “everlasting salvation” being destined, not only to the Jewish nation of Israel, but to the whole world, we have difficulty at times believing God for the reaching of the world for Christ. And yet, when Christ was born in Bethlehem, we find in the announcement of Christ’s birth to shepherds in the fields a declaration so simple, and yet, so powerful, that we must take not only take note of it but never forget it. The angel said to the shepherds: “…behold, I bring YOU good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For unto YOU is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) It was soon afterwards that the aged Simeon, a devout worshiper and servant of God would pray to God when he saw the child Jesus, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation.” (v.29,30) He would go on to say, this child was “a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles (Nations), and the glory of Your people, Israel.” (v.32) The great, yet quiet and monumental truth, began to rise from the testimony of angels, shepherds, aged men and women, that this child of Bethlehem, destined for the rise and fall of many in Israel, was indeed, not only the Savior of the Jews, but of the whole world. God’s view, though He chose Israel to manifest His glory to the world, and this supremely in the Lord Jesus, born a Jew, and yet beyond being Jewish, was the eternal, sole Salvation, for mankind. So quietly He came into this world, and quietly He departed after the cry, “It is finished,” but all who would henceforth behold and believe on Him, would know certainly forgiveness of sins, being made just before God the Father by the righteousness of the Son given to them. It is because the cross knows no “religion,” or race, no status in life, and no condition, that the call goes forth over the whole earth by the lips of the Sole Redeemer of ALL men: “If ANYONE thirsts, let him come to ME and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37)
It is very possible that on the night when Christ was born, and the angel revealed the event of His birth, and significance, to the shepherds, that they did not understand fully the meaning of such a declaration. Certainly these were men who believed in God, worshipers of the true and living God. And certainly they were enabled to grasp something of the meaning of a Savior who is Christ the Lord. But it is probably certain that they did not think of the worldwide implications of such an announcement, though marvelously declared. So, what did it mean for the angel to declare: “…for UNTO YOU is born this day…a Savior?” If we look in Isaiah’s book, we read a similar passage where Holy Scripture declares: “For UNTO US a child is born, unto US a Son is given.” (9:6) It is here, as well as later, that the horizon expands and is enlarged in the eyes of all men, that the perfect day of Christ’s coming into this sinful world to save us all, is declared most emphatically. This Child was no ordinary child, though appearance would tell us otherwise. For He was the One, who before the foundation of the world, was destined to come and dwell among us, pay the debt of our sins, and grant to ALL of us power to repent, believe, and live eternally.
Dear Father, Grant us Your fulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.