This is a meditation for our Christmas Eve Service.
I am indebted to my friend, Will Varner, for some of the ideas expressed in this message, particularly his chapter, "A Not so Silent Night," in his _Anticipating the Advent: Looking for Messiah in All the Right Places_. Dr. Varner and I studied Greek together beginning in 1965, and he was a groomsman in my wedding.
'Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!"' (Luke 2:13-14, NET Bible).
Dr. Varner comments: 'In the Garden, He acknowledged that He had a spiritual army ready to be called to active duty: "Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matt 26:53). In other words, Satan had his legions and Jesus had His legions. Is it a stretch to think that the legions of angels ready to do the bidding of their Commander in Matthew 26 are identical to the legions of the heavenly host (_stratia_) that evening outside Bethlehem? To borrow a modern expression, I think that the song sung to the shepherds the night of Jesus' birth was the celestial version of "Hail to the Chief." In other words, that so-called "Silent Night" was the beginning of war!' (William Varner, _Anticipating the Advent_ (Dallas, TX: Fontes Press), pp. 63-64.) |