Gospel for God’s Children by Linda Shields:
"Swaddling Clothes for Lambs"
When I was little, I remember reading in the book of Luke 2:7, "And she brought forth her first born son and wrapped him in 'swaddling clothes' and laid him in a manger because there was no room for him in the inn."
I remember wondering "what are swaddling clothes?"
The shepherds knew what swaddling clothes were. They also knew where to go look for the baby whose arrival was announced by the angels that night because of the term 'swaddling clothes.' The shepherds were Levitical Shepherds, meaning their job was to raise the spotless and unblemished lambs used for sacrifice in the temple in Jerusalem. There was only one place where the mother sheep about to lamb were taken to birth their babies, "Migdal Eder," the tower of the flock, It is spoken about in the book of Micah 4: 8, "And thou, O tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, into thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem."
This cave was prepared and cleaned for the arrival of the newborn lambs. The lamb was immediately wrapped in clean swaddling clothes, (cloths tied together by bandage like strips) to protect them from blemish and danger.
The Bible says, "And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger." Luke 2: 16
How amazing, that God's plan was to send his perfect, spotless, and unblemished sacrificial lamb, Jesus, to us in such a way as this. He came into this world with the sole purpose to be a sacrifice for us, to bear our sins, to suffer and die on the cross in our place, because he couldn't bear to be separated from us. What Love and what a Gift we have been given.
This Christmas Season, let us be joyful and thankful for God's wonderful gift of his son Jesus.
Dear Heavenly Father, what a truly wonderful gift you have given us in your son, Jesus As we read and understand your word, let our hearts be touched, our minds be amazed, and our mouths confess our belief and praise. In Jesus name , Amen.
God Bless