Swaddled
Notes
Transcript
Truly the Christmas story is filled with Paradoxes -
Like the Heavenly king being swaddled in strips of cloth.... but this morning I want you to understand the depth of what those strips of cloth meant.
Last week, we focused on the manger and it reminding us that the baby in that manger is the Bread of Life. The mention of the manger three times showed a significant importance to it, but in addition to the manger being mentioned, two of the times it was mentioned that the babe would be wrapped in swaddling cloths.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.
7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.
9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified,
10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.
17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished,
Many have assumed the swaddling cloths were to demonstrate the humility and servanthood of Christ in coming to earth, but the significance of it all is far deeper and far greater.
The baby in that manger, wrapped in those swaddling cloths was a statement to the Shepherds that night that THIS WAS THE LAMB OF GOD - the PASSOVER LAMB come to SAVE MAN FROM THEIR SINS!!!
Bethlehem was the region where Passover lambs were raised and these were not your average Shepherds, they were Levitical Shepherds!
This region, where David tended his flock, is where tending the flocks of lambs that would be used in Passover celebration were raised. Every passover some 250,000 lambs would be sacrificed.
The Passover lamb was an innocent animal offered to remove the sins of the Israelites. It symbolized their being delivered out of bondage from Egypt and those under its blood (behind the door) being set free from sin.
When John the Baptist saw Jesus he declared ...
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Clearly, there is significance in the Shepherds coming to WORSHIP THE NEWBORN KING - because he was more than a King - HE WAS A REDEEMER… a SACRIFICE who would remove their sin!! They were told the SAVIOR would be born!!!
1. Examined
1. Examined
It is important to note that in this place where Christ was born was a tower called Migdal Eder - or Tower of the Flock - it was a perfect vantage point to watch over the flocks from this high place
8 And you, O tower of the flock, The stronghold of the daughter of Zion, To you shall it come, Even the former dominion shall come, The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.”
It was built at the place where Jacob’s wife Rachel died and was buried.
In this place, the first born lamb of every sheep would be inspected to be the atoning sacrifice - they all had to be spotless and perfect. Each family would bring their own sheep - thus the estimated 250k a year for this purpose.
the area was a natural rock formation, cave like, with a manger in of stone in the middle. When the lambs were born they were swaddled in temple cloths to protect the lambs from injury and they were laid in the manger to await their inspection. Only the first born male without blemish would be chosen.
It is said that the shepherds knew just where to go because they understood where they swaddling cloths were kept!
In many ways, the Shepherds coming to greet Jesus was symbolic of his examination to be deemed the Passover lamb to be sacrificed on behalf of all mankind!!!
Those swaddling cloths, that protected Jesus, the manger where he awaited their visit.
It was not the Wise Men who were given this instruction, but the Shepherds who examined the flocks for sacrifice!!!!
2. Executed
2. Executed
Like all passover lambs once examined - they were set apart and sent to Jerusalem to be used for sacrifice.
This baby in the manger wrapped in swaddling cloths was prepared for execution on our behalf. Not because of HIS GUILT, but because of OURS!!!
36 As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!”
This was His purpose, His DESTINY from the moment of HIS ARRIVAL...
13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
This is the importance of the VIRGIN BIRTH - a sinless man, a second Adam from above, born to give us second birth as the songwriter wrote.
Just as the sheep these shepherds tended were born to die as sacrifice for our guilt, so Christ was born to die for ours.
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.
7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.
8 Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.
9 He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.
The swaddling cloths were a simple but profound reminder of HIS REASON for COMING!!!
3. Exalted
3. Exalted
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.
3 The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies until the woman in labor gives birth. Then at last his fellow countrymen will return from exile to their own land.
4 And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord’s strength, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. Then his people will live there undisturbed, for he will be highly honored around the world.
5 And he will be the source of peace. When the Assyrians invade our land and break through our defenses, we will appoint seven rulers to watch over us, eight princes to lead us.
His story does not end with His execution!!! The promise to the baby born in Bethlehem was that He would reign forever!
Interestingly, Bethlehem being the place where Rachel died has some powerful significance as well.
Rachel means “EWE” or Lamb!
She died giving birth to a son she named Ben Oni - or son of my sorrow!
The tower of Midgal Eder was erected by Jacob to remember her...
However, Jacob changed the name of Ben Oni to Benjamin which means Son who sits at my right hand...
TO Mary, Jesus would be the son of her sorrow, I am sure when we are told that after they departed Mary pondered these things in her heart, she was looking at the significance and meaning of what this child’s life would behold...
Just 8 days later this prophetic word would be spoken to Mary...
34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him.
35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”
Like Rachel - her little lamb would bring sorrow upon her life - Ben Oni
However, Jesus Heavenly Father recognized the future REIGN of this child...
God the Father knew that Christ would sit at His right hand again!
34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
Today, Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of the Father...
The place where Christ was born, Rachel’s and Jacob (Israel) changed the name of a son from son of sorrows to son of exaltation...
This place became a place where lambs were born to die, including the Lamb of God, but after His mother’s sorrow, would be His Father’s joy when He was exalted to His right side!
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
SO, we conclude today with the reality that in this place, very probable that the Christ child was born at Migdal Eder - the Tower erected to honor Rachel - EWE - and was swaddled in cloth and laid in a manger like the Passover lambs were swaddled and laid to rest
He was EXAMINED to be the Passover Lamb
He was EXECUTED as the Passover Lamb
He is EXALTED as the RISEN SAVIOR
I guess the old saying,”Clothes do make the Man” has some validity in this situation!
Those swaddling cloths foretold HIS MISSION!
