Joy to the World: How Christ’s Coming Changed Everything (and Still Does) by Scott Hahn

Author:Scott Hahn [Inconnu(e)]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9780804141130
Publisher: Image
Published: 2014-10-21T06:00:00+00:00

And thus it continues. This quality—the constancy of angelic presence—is evident in the accounts of both Matthew and Luke.

When Joseph was troubled by the knowledge of Mary’s pregnancy, “an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit’ ” (Matthew 1:20). The angel revealed to Joseph that the baby was the Savior of Israel. And Joseph did as the angel instructed (Matthew 1:24).

When the time arrived for the baby’s birth, angels announced the occasion—not to the mighty, but to the humblest of people.

And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8–12)

Yet, again, the angels didn’t just carry out an earthly task. They worshipped, too. “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!’ ” (Luke 2:13–14). The angels gave glory and praise to God—in Bethlehem.

In Bethlehem! What the Old Testament prophets had seen happening in heaven was now taking place on earth. What the angels once did in the holy of holies in the Temple, they now were doing in a little town some distance from the holy city.

A gathering of angels is a clear and unmistakable sign of God’s presence and his favor. For both Matthew and Luke, the angels of Christmas are a sign that God is present among his people in Jesus Christ. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23).

As the Christmas story played out, angels continued to play important roles. They were involved in the naming of the baby (Luke 2:21). They informed Joseph of Herod’s plot to kill Jesus (Matthew 2:13). They instructed the Holy Family to flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13–14). And they instructed them on when they could safely return from Egypt (Matthew 2:19–21).

The Gospels tell the Christmas story in historical terms. The book of Revelation tells it in symbols. But neither the Gospels nor the Apocalypse can tell the story truthfully without angels. It is angels who sing the Gloria. It is angels who announce the joy.

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