And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 I love the nativity scenes displayed in various places in people's homes, front yards, and even barns. They are vivid reminders of that night…that place…when silence was broken.
A manger is, as you probably know, a feeding trough used for cattle, sheep, donkeys, or horses and may have been in a cave stable or other shelter. But what you may not know is mangers were also used by shepherds to place the best lambs (the unblemished ones) reserved for sacrifice. Shepherds would typically swaddle their newborn sheep in strips of linen—sometimes provided to them by the priests—so that the lambs would remain calm and unhurt. The most common usage for thee lambs that were born in Bethlehem was that they were destined to become Passover lambs. Is it simply coincidence that Jesus was born in a place used for birthing sacrificial lambs and wrapped in a swaddling cloth or was Someone Greater sovereignly in control from since before the creation of the world? The unblemished Lamb of God, the Son of Favor, from the line of David, born in Bethlehem, in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Thirty-three years later on the night he was betrayed he would remove his outer garment and wrap the servant’s towel around his waist—humbly and lovingly washing the disciples feet. The next day Joseph of Aramethea would wrap him in a linen burial cloth. But on the third day Peter would run to the tomb and find the cloth folded up—the work complete! But it gets even better! Have you seen what John saw and described in detail from the Revelation? He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. Revelation 19:13-14 As we ponder that night and that place over the next few days perhaps we can see beyond the images frozen in time. Perhaps we can see that in that moment all of time coming together. It is the point on which the ancient past and prophecies was fulfilled…it is the point where all the hopes of our distant (or not so distant) future is anchored.
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