(4) The Shepherds.
The narrator, back home in Hebron now, Winter of 5-4 BC, and is telling his neighbors the story .....
How amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Yes, Samuel – you know the shepherd here in Hebron – he was there! He saw it all! Remember Elizabeth’s cousin Mary who was here last Spring helping them out when baby John was born? She is the mother! Samuel saw her, her husband Joseph, and the Baby! We were coming on the road home from the census and ran into Samuel and he told us the whole story! Ok, yes, yes, I’ll start from the beginning.
Samuel was with about a dozen shepherds and one of them, Elijah, had been with his flock earlier in the day when he said Mary – very much expecting! – and Joseph, her husband, came along the road. Elijah let their donkey pasture and got fresh milk from his ewes for Mary. When he learned they were going to Bethlehem for the census, he told them how crowded it was. But in case they can’t find shelter, he told them about the caves used as stables.
So then that night when the shepherds were chatting in their shed before going to sleep – that’s when the angels came. Samuel says it was Levi – the young shepherd, only 12 years old. He suddenly got up and went outside – walking really oddly, like in a daze – and then suddenly shouted, “Oh!” Samuel admitted he said, “What’s the matter with that fool?!” But they all came outside and Levi pointed up, “There, above the trees! Look at the light that is coming! Look, it’s coming nearer! How beautiful!” Samuel says they saw the light, and it seemed to get brighter and brighter when Levi exclaimed, “It’s an angel! Get down! He’s coming nearer. Down! On your knees before the angel of God!” All were on their faces – except for Levi, gazing in awe on the angel.
The angel then said, “Do not be 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 baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” Suddenly, Simon says, the sky was filled with angels singing, “Glory to God in the highest! And on earth, peace among people of good will!” (Cf., Luke 2:8-15.)
Samuel said that Elijah told Mary what the angels had said about her Baby being Christ the Lord, the Savior, and that they came to adore him.
Ahhhhh, yes! Can you imagine! Yes! The Messiah is here! God has visited His people!
Dibby Allan Green