Shepherds See The Light
- Jenny Crum
- Dec 15, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 25
Levi lay awake, feeling the dew soak in through his tunic. He had been watching the temple service sheep since he was a young boy. This was just another night filled with bleats and snorts. He felt a soft nudge on his calf. As he reached down to stroke the dirty wool, he scanned the horizon for predators. It was so dark he could barely make out the terrain. He knew most of his flock favored the gentle sloping hill to the right and decided to do a walking check.
One by one, he started calling names. Each one came trotting in his direction. They knew his voice and responded with blind trust. Bleating out through the blackness, searching for Levi. They wanted the presence of their shepherd.
Levi knew the destiny of each of his sheep would be as a sacrifice in the Temple in Jerusalem. He thought of how he wanted them to be treated with the special respect they deserved. Each one living a life for the service of YHWH.
Levi called to his friend, Benjamin, for a count of his flock. He heard Benjamin’s voice in the distance from the plain on his left. By the sound of his voice, Benjamin was walking towards him. Before he could call back, movement straight above him caught his attention. Searching the sky, he noticed the brightness of the stars, then a pain pierced his eyes, and he felt like he was looking at the sun. Instinctively, Levi crouched down, pulling the nearest sheep to his side. He shielded his face and worked up the courage to open his eyes toward the sky again.
The most indescribable sight Levi had ever seen shot fear straight to his stomach. An angel hovered right above him. Wings and eyes, light bursting from an angel, confused Levi, not knowing where or even how to look at it. Levi glanced over. Benjamin and the others were on the ground as well, blocking their eyes with their forearms.
“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."" Luke 2:10-12 ESV
A savior! We have waited so long! The Maccabees had tried to save them from Rome, but Rome was so big. Did he say, “For all the people?” He did! A savior for all people, even the Romans? I wonder what he saves them from.
In swaddling cloths. Levi knew what that meant. It was the chosen messiah; each perfect lamb found for the temple sacrifice would be swaddled. Would the messiah be a sacrifice? The angel said it was a sign. Lost in his thoughts, Levi hadn’t noticed how long he had been staring up at the Angel, mesmerized. Then suddenly, there were more, so
many more. Levi tried to take it all in. God’s glory shining around each one. Levi’s breath caught in his throat. He blinked quickly. It was so thunderous Levi jumped back. A host of voices spoke as one, like the sound of roaring rivers.
““Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!””
Luke 2:14 ESV
As quickly as the messenger had come, he had left. And the host with him. Levi was left mouth agape. He glanced down at his knees, bouncing involuntarily. He stood up slowly, feeling his heart still racing. “Benjamin! Did you see that?!” He could hear the trembling in his voice. Benjamin came running over with two of the younger shepherds on his tail.
“Do you know what this means, Levi?”
“We have to go see him!”
“Come on!”
Benjamin rounded the corner first, stopping short Levi almost ran into him. Levi stretched to see over Benjamin’s shoulder. He saw a young girl gazing into a manger. She crouched down next to her husband, who was playing with the infant's fingers. Uncurling the tiny hands with his pointer finger, then brushing his palm with the back of his fingers. The mother looked up at the sudden group of guests. Levi could tell she had been crying. She looked sweaty and exhausted. She managed a knowing smile and her husband invited them in.
There he was, swaddled tightly, just like a Passover lamb. Tiny and helpless, yet having just witnessed the sky full of angels, Levi could feel he wasn’t. All of heaven was watching. And soon, the world would be, too.
The light of the world had come. For years, it had been so dark, so overwhelmingly desperate. Levi looked into the tiny face, and all at once, he could see. Everything was light, Hope filled his heart. Benjamin was already down on his knees when Levi shifted to kneel. It was exactly as the angel said. Levi wasn't sure how long he had been kneeling to worship. He was lost in thought and possibilities.
Levi searched Benjamin's face to see if he knew the gravity of the moment. He did. A wide smile slowly grew on Benjamin’s face, “I’m going to tell everyone !” He whispered. "Everyone!" Levi repeated. Both shepherds gave a nod of gratitude toward the baby’s parents and jumped up from the ground. Dodging the other shepherds who were just walking in to see, Benjamin and Levi bolted out of the stable, yelling to the others, “We’re telling everyone!”
***
READ the following Scriptures. In a journal write down all the times when Jesus is called the Light.
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.”
Isaiah 9:2 ESV
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”
John 1:1-18 ESV
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8: 12
“Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.””
Matthew 4:12-17 ESV
And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
Revelation 22:5
Questions:
Can you find other scriptures with the theme of Jesus being the Light of the world?
Put yourself in the position of a shepherd that night. How do you think the shepherds experienced the Light of the world?
How do you experience the Light of the World?
As you observe Advent and anticipate the coming of Christ, how has the Light of the World spoken to you this month?
