A night like no other – What the shepherds saw
The night that Jesus was born was a night like no other. This week, Salvos Online is running a series entitled ‘Key players tell their side of the Christmas story’. Our writers are playing the roles of Mary, Joseph, the angels, the shepherds, and the wise men, and imagining the Christmas story from their perspectives.
BY FAYE MICHELSON
This little hill just outside Bethlehem is like sacred ground to me because of what happened all those years ago.
It was a night like tonight: clear and cold, with a bitter breeze chilling the bones and making the small fire flicker and sputter. Looking down, I can see the light gradually darkening as the townspeople settle down to sleep. But on that other night, that wonderful night, lights had been dotted all over Bethlehem until late as travellers arrived for the census.
A group of us had been on this very hill that night. Only two of us are left now, the others have died or moved on, replaced by younger shepherds. I look across the fire at him, my old friend, and meet his eyes. He, too, is remembering. it is more than a memory, though, it lives in my spirit like it is happening still. I feel goosebumps on the back of my neck as that night, that magnificent night, plays again in my mind …
“Bethlehem is crowded, thanks to Caesar,” one of the men remarked, looking down at the town lights. “I’m glad to be up here with the sheep away from it all.”
As the clear, cold night wore on, we watched the lights go out as the townspeople slept. it was quiet, apart from the occasional sheep calling out.
“That’s some bright star over there,” yawned one of the men, pointing to the town.
SUPERNATURAL LIGHT
I grunted, not bothering to look. I’d seen plenty of stars after years of guarding sheep at night. I pulled my headscarf more tightly across my face to shield against the wind and gazed into the red and yellow flames.
The flames suddenly became gigantic, their intense colour surrounding us with blazing light. Instinctively, we sprang to our feet and saw the brilliant light was not from the fire. A huge, shining celestial being – an angel – seemed to rise from behind the hill, so dazzling we had to shield our eyes. it was the most terrifying, and the most glorious, thing I had ever seen.
“Don’t be afraid. I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! The Saviour – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem. How will you recognise him? You will find a baby wrapped in a blanket lying in a manger!”
At that, the sky became even more brilliant as a multitude of angels filled the sky. God’s glory blazed around us as they sang, “Glory to God in the highest heaven and peace on earth to all those who please him.” *
Their exquisite praise echoed around us; surely, the whole world had heard it.
We fell to the ground.
They were gone.
THE FACE OF GOD
For a moment, we were speechless, but not for long. We left our sheep and ran to Bethlehem. it seemed as if we had wings on our feet, running, running to find this babe the angel had told us about.
We found him, wrapped in a blanket, lying in a manger, just as the angel had said. We told his young parents what we had witnessed, how we knew about their baby from an angelic messenger. Then we left them, buzzing with intense joy and gratitude to God. We told anyone who would listen to us what had happened.
I know my life changed that night. Gazing in awe at the tiny face of that babe, I knew what I had seen – the face of God. I looked over at my old friend. I could see the glorious memories reflected in his face, too, and we smiled.
*Luke chapter 2: 8 -14 (The Living Bible)
