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A Great Company of Angels


“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Galatians 4:4-6).

The first Christmas happened so that we might receive the full right of sons. Thank God.

We talk about the shepherds and the wise men. They were the first human witnesses of this event “when the time had fully come.”

There were other witnesses of the birth of the Son of God:

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests’” (Luke 2:13-14).

 

This was not a select choral group of twenty-four angels singing four-part harmony. This was a great company of the Heavenly Host. My guess is ten thousand times ten thousand, or one hundred million. They were not singing; they were saying.

One angel announced Christ’s conception to Mary. One angel announced to Joseph. A few angels came to Jesus in His temptation. One angel came to Him in the garden, two angels showed up at His resurrection, and two angels at His ascension. No angels at His crucifixion. And in Revelation 5:11-12, “thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand” angels were singing about Christ’s crucifixion.

 

The big events from the angels’ viewpoint were the birth of Christ and the death of Christ. Those two events drew the crowd. They were the miracles.

 

“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

 

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:1-2).

Glory to God in the Highest!


This post coordinates with today's reading in the Same Page Summer Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

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