THE KING’S BUSINESS
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Satan-governed world ever heard. It was a strange place to be sent to seek a king, a barn, and it was a strange sign to mark “a Savior which is Christ the Lord”—“A babe in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” The world receives this wonderful procla mation to this day with indifference, but the heavenly army received it with exultant shouts of praise to God. Well they might. The word “suddenly” shows that they could hardly restrain themselves until the message was fully delivered. They all but inter rupted their spokesman’s proclamation with their glad chorus. There was to be a two fold result of the Savior’s birth—“Glory to God in the highest,” “On earth peace among men of his good pleasure.” As to whom the men of his good pleasure are, see Heb. 11:6; John 6:29; Rom. 5:1; Eph. 1:6, 7. In what senses Jesus brings peace, is told in Col. 1:20; 2 Cor. 5:18, 19; Rom. 5:10; John 14:27; Phil. 4:6, 7. Monday, September 27. Luke 2 :15-16. The shepherds, though humble and illit erate, were wise men; they proved this by believing God’s Word, and coming to see for themselves the glorious truth that had been proclaimed to them. Of the truth of what had been told them, they had not a doubt; they spoke of it as “This thing (or word) which is come to pass." Happy the man who, when God tells him anything, counts it done (Luke 1:45; John 20:29). They knew it was so because the Lord had made it known. That is faith, simply tak ing God at his word (Heb. 2:1, R. V., see context). They did not “go” to test the truth of the word of God, but to “see” what they already fully believed. When God makes any great fact or truth known to us, we should at once believe it, and then “go to see this word which the Lord hath made known to us,” that is, enter into it experi mentally, Note the eagerness and whole heartedness of these shepherd saints, “they came with haste.” Surely they will rise up in the judgment against our cold-hearted slowness in appropriating the fullness of blessing that God makes known to us. “They
prophesied that He that was “to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting” was to come out of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Note how many decrees and edicts of men, all unconscious of God’s purpose and prophecy, worked to gether to fulfill God’s word, and carry out His eternal plan The Saviour of the world, the Christ, the Lord, began in a stable the life that He was to close upon the cross. There was “no room” for Him in the inn, and there is “no room” for Him today in the hearts of most men, and in the home, in business, in society, and in politics. Sunday, September 26; Luke 2 :8-14. The announcement of the advent of the king was made to shepherds. The shep herds proved their fitness to receive the announcement (v. 15). They were men of faith, with a deep appreciation of spirit ual truth in spite of their lowly position. They seemed to have been waiting, longing, looking for the coming of the Christ (v. 16). They were faithfully attending to their lowly duties when the revelation came. It was not pleasant work, but it was their work, and while at it the angels met them (cf. Ex. 3:1, 2; Judges 6:11, 12; 1 Kings 19:19; Luke 1:8, 11). The glory that shone round about them was the ancient Shekinah that betokened God’s presence. At a later day the disciples were to behold the glory of God in the person of Jesus Himself (Jno. 1:14; 2 Cor. 3:18; 4:6). The shep herds were sore afraid when they beheld this glory. The supernatural, by bringing God near, always fills the heart of sinful men with fear (Rev. 1:17; Luke 5:8; Isa. 6:5). But the angelic messengers at once dispelled all fear. They came to announce salvation, not judgment. They began with one of God’s most frequent messages to man, “Fear not.” But the angels not only bade them fear not, but brought forward the only real cure for fear, the Gospel; they brought “good tidings of great joy,” The coming of Jesus the Savior, Christ the Lord, is the best news this old sin-cursed and
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