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, goodwill toward men!”
Luke 2:14
When the angel announced to the shepherds in the field that the Lord Jesus was born in Bethlehem, we read that other angels joined him in praising God. One angel brought the news, but a host of angels responded to this glorious announcement. Their theme was twofold: glory to God and peace on earth. This multitude of the heavenly host ascribed glory to God in the highest—that is, in heaven. And on earth, at the other end of the spectrum, they proclaimed peace among men.
Let’s consider the first of these two themes—glory to God.
The birth of the Lord Jesus brought glory to God because it pointed forward to a life that would glorify a holy and righteous God. When sin entered the world through one man’s disobedience, death and sin spread to all mankind, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 5:12; 3:23). Sin of any kind is an affront to the holiness and glory of God; His eyes are too pure “to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness” (Habakkuk 1:13).
Yet in the heart of God—before time began—there was already a plan to deal with the problem of sin. When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son (Galatians 4:4) for this very purpose. At the age of twelve, the Lord Jesus could say, “Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49). At the well of Sychar, He told His disciples, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (John 4:34). In John 5:30 we hear Him say, “I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me,” and again in John 6:38, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”
Then, in John 17:4, just before the Cross, our Lord declared, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” And while upon the Cross, He triumphantly proclaimed, “It is finished” (John 19:30)!
By coming into this world, by living a perfect life, and by dying a perfect death, He brought glory to God in the highest. “God is glorified in Him” (John 13:31)! No wonder praise filled the heavens at the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Anchor For Today:
In the midst of the busyness of life, we should pause and offer praise to God for sending His Son into the world to redeem us and to bring us to Himself.