Luke 2:7 Berean Bible
…6While they were there, the time came for her Child to be born. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Have you ever stopped to think that the Christmas story was planned even before man was created on the earth. Before anything was created God in his foreknowledge realized that if He gave man and woman His ultimate creation, His glowing masterpiece a free will that this man and woman would choose to reject Him. Of all Gods, creation whether it be the trees of the forest or the waters of the ocean or the uncounted stars of heaven they all would be subject to His authority. The seas would calm at His word, the winds would blow at His command the earth would shake at His voice and swallow up those who would stand against Him. But man who was created in His likeness was given the ability to turn away from God’s commands and reject His compassion, His mercy and His love. The question that stands out and demands an answer is why create something that would hate its own creator. Why would man hate the very source of his existence and turn his back on the one who gave him life. Who gave him a planet to govern over and food to eat, a sunrise to greet him in the morning and the soft winds to soothe him during the heat of the day. How could mankind rebel against so much given with no investment on their own part. I have never seen the garden of Eden where man was placed. Where sickness was not heard of and life had no end. In God’s foreknowledge He knew that man would rebel and because of that rebellion He saw a wooden cross where He Himself would die to purchase back what man had squandered away through selfish rebellion.
I think that the answer to this question is seen in the book of the Song of Solomon. Now this is a book that you really want to read if you’re a romantic. It’s a love story. The story is about king Solomon, the richest and most powerful king to ever live. There was nothing that he could not have from material wealth to relationships. The Bible says he received 25 tons a year of pure gold for each of the years he reigned. Which was forty years. That alone by today’s standards would be worth forty billion dollars a year. His net value was determined to be by today’s values about 2.2 trillion dollars. It is mentioned that he had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines. Solomon sought unrestrained satisfaction as seen in the following verse.
Ecclesiastes 2:10 King James Version
Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor.
Let me ask you a question: do you think that this brought happiness to Solomon, did it bring him a satisfied and happy life? According to his own words it did not.
Ecclesiastes 1: 1-2
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
The value in man’s life is not solely based on what he possesses, it is built on the true relationships that develop through compassion and caring throughout life’s experiences.
Even though Solomon had the praise and respect of every nation on earth and more friends than he could number and wealth that goes beyond measure, he remained an unhappy man. People loved him for what they could receive from him. No one seemed to love him simply for the man he was. So Solomon developed a plan by which he would disguise himself as a shepherd. He removes his royal robes and slips away from his royal palace and lives a life as a shepherd. To make a long story short Solomon was looking for someone to love him for who he was and not for just the power and wealth that he possessed. It’s a love story that can cause the most romantic of individuals to blush in its descriptive nature.
That my friend is why God created man, knowing that he would go astray. That is also one of the reasons for the incarnation. God robed himself in a body and disguised His deity to win himself a bride that would love Him not just for what He was but because they just flatley loved Him for who He was. Yes there are those who still love God for the many perks that He gives but there are those who love Him just for who He is in a very personal and intimate way. Yes Solomon found himself a bride that loved him even though she thought he was a shepherd. What a surprise she had when the royal chariot arrived to pick them up that day and she was brought back to the palace. I can hear her shocked words as she speaks out “the shepherd is the king”. In like manner thousands of years later people are falling in love with the shepherd king. Yes that’s right I said the shepherd king for that is what Christ refers to himself as.
John 10 New International Version
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
For Jesus was not only the good shepherd but also the King of KIngs.
Revelation 17:14 King James Version
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
So when we look at God’s role in the life and redemption of mankind He plays many roles. Not only was He the babe in a manger, He also was the King of Kings. Not only was He the good shepherd but He also was the Lamb of God. But even more than that to me as well as many others He has become “a friend that sticks closer than a brother”, He has become the comforter to my troubled soul, my redeemer, my healer, my hope and advocate. I still walk with Him as Adam and Eve did and share my thoughts as we talk together. Soon the trumpet of God shall sound and I will see Him in all His glory, as the Almighty God and be taken from this earth to a place prepared for the bride He has found and not only me but all those like myself who have fallen in love with Him and are waiting for His appearance. Oh I am sure when that day comes I will be like the young girl in the book of the Song of Solomon, my eyes will grow big and my speech and countenance will change when I see Him for who He truly is. However let me assure you it’s not the pomp and circumstance that I long for, it’s my love for this good shepherd who loves me in the way that He does. I hope that you as well our developing that personal and intimate relationship that comes from being away from the clamour rushing through daily responsibilities and is developed in the garden of life’s intimate moments where words that are so intimate are shared between two individuals who love each other regardless of each other’s position or possessions of life.