The Angels view of Christmas: Named by God

Last week, we spent with the shepherds who had first one angel and then a host of angels appear to them.  The shepherds then made their way to Bethlehem to see the child they were told about.

Mary believed all the angel told her

The child was now a little over a week old and the time had come to circumcise him.  The Law, since the time of Moses, was that a child be circumcised.

When a child was circumcised he was named.  {If you remember Zacharias confirmed his son’s name at this time and his tongue was loosened.}

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.   {Luke 2:21}

“Our Lord Jesus was not born in sin, and did not need that mortification of a corrupt nature, or that renewal unto holiness, which were signified by circumcision. This ordinance was, in his case, a pledge of his future perfect obedience to the whole law, in the midst of sufferings and temptations, even unto death for us.”  {Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary}

The joy of a new born baby. This is even greater, this is God’s son that has been born.

We are reminded that the angel had given his name.

When the angel appeared to Mary to tell her she would conceive, the angel Gabriel told her to name him Jesus.  {Luke 1:31}

But, it was not only to Mary that his name was given.  When the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to take Mary as his wife, he was also told to name the child Jesus.  {Matthew 1:21}

Matthew goes on to tell us that this was to fulfill the prophecy told by the prophets that he would be called Immanuel, which means God with us.  {Matthew 1:23}

Do you obey when God directs you to do something?

**Photos courtesy of FreeBibleImages.org