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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 2
heavens. The brightness and glory from the heavenly host illuminate
and glorify the entire plain. While the shepherds are terrified at the
glory of God, the leading angel of the throng quiets their fears by
revealing himself to them, saying, “Fear not; for behold I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is
born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you: ye shall find the babe wrapped in
swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with
the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good-will toward
men.”
As their fears are dispelled, joy takes the place of astonishment
and terror. They could not, at first, bear the radiance of glory, which
attended the whole heavenly host, to break upon them suddenly. One
angel only appears to the gaze of the watching shepherds to dissipate
their fears, and make known their mission. As the light of the angel
encircles them, the glory rests upon them, and they are strengthened
to endure the greater light and glory attending the myriads of heavenly
angels. “And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them
into Heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even
unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the
Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found
Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger, And when they
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had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them
concerning this child. And all they that heard it, wondered at those
things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these
things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and
seen, as it was told unto them.”
The shepherds are filled with joy, and as the bright glory disappears,
and the angels return to Heaven, they are all aglow with the glad tidings,
and hasten in search of the Saviour. They find the infant Redeemer, as
the celestial messengers had testified, wrapped in swaddling clothes,
and lying in the narrow confines of a manger.
The events which had but just transpired, have made indelible
impressions upon their minds and hearts, and they are filled with
amazement, love, and gratitude for the great condescension of God
to man in sending his Son into the world. The shepherds spread the