Micah 4:8 “And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.”

While thinking about the angel’s message to the shepherds, it is very interesting to discover that there is a strong prophetic correlation between the manger scene and the future ministry of Christ on the Cross. It is a correlation that the shepherds would have recognized immediately on that night.

The connection between Luke 2 and the above verse is amazing. Micah 5:2 revealed that Christ was to be born in Bethlehem. He would be much more than a man – but He would “be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” He would be God Himself!

Bethlehem was known to be the town where the sheep were raised for the Temple sacrifices. The shepherds were specially trained to identify and protect lambs that would Biblically qualify for sacrifices. They would also know the Scriptures.

In Micah 4:8, there is mention of “tower of the flock,” which – although its location is currently unknown – was believed to have been nearer to Jerusalem than to Bethlehem. It was from this tower that shepherds could watch over the sheep and protect them from harm.

The “tower” – also known as “Migdal Eder” – may have been part of the remains of a fortress in David’s time. Part of it had a stable were sheep giving birth would be taken. After birth, they would be swaddled and laid in a manger – carved out of stone in the ground – not wood.

The sheep would also be evaluated by these temple shepherds to ensure that they qualified to be a sacrifice. The swaddling helped to ensure that they did not harm themselves and remained “without blemish” for sacrifice.

When Jesus was born, Mary wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and then laid Him in the manger. When the shepherds were told by the angels that they would find Him wrapped in swaddling clothes and in a manger – they knew exactly where to go.

They also knew what the symbolism meant – that the One laid in the manger would one day be the perfect “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,” introduced later by John, according to John 1:29. It also meant that He would be the Final Sacrifice – no other animal or other type of sacrifice would ever be accepted by God after that point.

Since Christ has fulfilled all the Scriptures required for sacrifices, and since He has been offered by God’s perfect plan for our sins – have you accepted His only Sacrifice for sins – or do you plan on paying for them yourself? Because of Jesus payment for sin on the Cross and subsequent resurrection, be aware that “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

If you would like to learn more about salvation, please follow the link.

Right after Jesus was born, angelic messengers were sent to make the first announcement of His birth to lowly shepherds out in the field. Shepherds were among the poorest people – and considered to be some of the lowest people on the rungs of society. They were often dirty, most likely did not smell very good, and were uneducated.

In spite of their clothes and rank in Jewish society, they were the first to hear the long awaited glad tidings of the heavenly messengers. The fact that God chose to make such an important announcement to seemingly insignificant shepherds sends a strong message to all. Their position in society did not matter and they would shortly be stepping into the presence of the King of kings.

These shepherds feared God and had a healthy respect for Him. When they saw the angel they were “sore afraid.” Because of this, the single angel’s first words were “Fear not.”

His glad tidings brought the announcement that the long awaited King had come – 700 years after Isaiah’s prophecy. The angel knew very well Who this Child was, and he called Him the Savior – and “Christ the Lord.”

The place where Christ lay – “lying in a manger“ – was a place that would likely make the shepherds feel right at home. Immediately after saying this, “a multitude of the heavenly host praising God,” appeared and gave praise to God.

Upon hearing the news, it thrilled their hearts that God was inviting them to see the One Who would one day rule over Israel – forever. It had been over 400 years since the last message was heard from Heaven – and to think – it was sent to lowly shepherds! After they saw the Babe in the manger, they went and spread the news to everyone that they could.

The message behind this event is that Christ did not come just to call the rich or famous. He did not even come to call the religious people. He also did not care whether they were dressed well, were educated, or had a good reputation. To “Christ the Lord,” it did not matter if they were looking like shepherds who often slept in the fields watching sheep.

Because “Christ the Lord” is much more than just a Babe in a manger, it is important to remember that He came to die for our sins. As the Savior, He desires that people come to Him as they are – with their sin. He is not interested in people getting polished in their own righteousness and changing their sinful habits first. He is the Healer of souls, and as such He once said: “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17).

The Lord Jesus Christ invites all people to come to Him and be freed from sin, from the guilt of sin, and from the penalty of sin. It is a complete salvation. All anyone needs to do – no matter who they are or what they have done – is to call on the Lord Jesus Christ, tell Him that you need Him to become your only Savior and tell Him you want to serve Him – not yourself (“repentance”). Salvation is God’s Christmas present to mankind – but you must personally receive it.