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
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