Lk. 2:8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
This one statement tells us nothing about the time of the year. So far we have only pinpointed the year of Yeshua’s birth as being probably 4 B.C.E. This verse is often used as an argument against the month of December as being the time of Yeshua’s birth. Although the Lord was not born in December (see below), the reasoning used here is flawed. We are told there were shepherds and sheep out there, and since you don’t have shepherds and sheep out there in December, Yeshua could not have been born in December. The truth is that there are sheep all over the place around Bethlehem in December, just as there are the rest of the year. Sheep have to graze in order to eat. The shepherds couldn’t run down to his local Purina dealer to buy processed feed to tide them over in the winter.
At the time of Yochanan haMatbil’s birth (April), Miriam was three months pregnant. Going forward six months places the birth of Yeshua in late September or early October, the time of Sukkoth. Josephus records that Herod’s death came in the fall. Since he was alive at the time of Yeshua’s birth and died shortly thereafter, this also confirms the approximate time of the year.
Lk. 2:9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
Lk. 2:10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.”
The glory of the Lord is the Shekhinah Glory, and this is the first appearance since the days of Ezekiel. Ezekiel the prophet records how the Shekhinah Glory departed from the Temple in Israel in four successive and reluctant stages, hoping for the people of Israel to repent. But, Israel did not repent, and so the Shekhinah disappeared from Jewish history. Here the Shekhinah is used to announce the birth of a Jewish King to Jewish shepherds. It should also be noted that there is another term in Hebrew that is used synonymously with Shekhinah Glory, and that is Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit).
Lk. 2:11 “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Redeemer, who is the Messiah of the Lord.”
Messiah means the “Anointed One.” According to Jewish thought of those days, He was to be a charismatically endowed descendant of King David, who the Jews of the Roman period believed would be raised up by God to break the yoke of the heathen and reign over a restored kingdom of Israel to which all Jews would return. This thought is very prevalent in Zacharias’ prophecy.
Lk. 2:12 And this will be a sign to you: You will find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
Such a momentous event required a sign. The sign was that the Babe would be wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. One would expect a King to be lying in luxurious garments in a palace. This King laid aside His glory (Phil. 2:7). The fact that He is lying in a manger tells us that he is in a stable. In those days, stables were not normally made of wood and straw, but were actually caves. The exception is that this time of year, the people were actually required to build small booths (shelters or sukkas) for the celebration of Sukkoth, (which is also called the Feast of Booths, or Tabernacles). Another clue is that He is wrapped in swaddling clothes. Swaddling clothes here means “burial clothes.” They are not normal baby clothes. Probably they had to make do with what they could on such short notice and borrowed these from a nearby tomb. With the wrappings of swaddling or burial clothes, we are told the reason for the Baby’s birth. He is born to die and even will be buried in a borrowed tomb.
Source: Philippians 2:7
Lk. 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying,
Lk. 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
It is important to grasp the incredible change in Israel’s relationship with God that was taking place here. And it is also important to understand that Israel had not done anything or changed anything to deserve this. This is strictly because of the incredible grace and mercy of God. During Israel’s history, angels had appeared to only a select few individuals. For the last 400 years Israel had not even heard from God. Suddenly, He is now speaking profusely to men and women in Israel. This in itself is a sign that something incredible was about to happen.
Lk. 2:15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go into Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”
Lk. 2:16 And they came with haste and found Miriam and Joseph and the Babe lying in a manger.
Caught up in the excitement of the hour, the shepherds rush to see the Miracle Child. They find everything to be as the angel had said.
Lk. 2:17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told to them concerning this child.
Lk. 2:18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
Lk. 2:19 But Miriam kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Miriam pondered upon these things, but kept them inside. Years later, she would reveal them to the Gospel writer, Luke.
Lk. 2:20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told to them.
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