Day 5
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.
Luke 2:15-16
God could have sent the news of his newborn son to a palace or the temple, but he chose the least likely location and the least likely people. Shepherds hurried from the fields to be the first witnesses of Jesus’ birth.
This will be the sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
Luke 2:12
Wrapping babies in cloths or blankets, called swaddling, was a common practice in ancient times and is still today. It is comforting to the child, and at the time was a visual cue they properly cared for the child. Some women embroidered swaddling cloths with the symbols of the infant’s ancestry during their pregnancy. Because Jesus was being born into the tribe of Judah, Mary may have embroidered symbols such as a lion, a lamb, or branch.
Wood and trees were scarce in Israel and saved for important projects such as roof timbers and doors, but stones of all sizes were abundant and found everywhere. Mangers were carved out of stone, with a 6-8” deep well in the middle to hold feed, water, or newborn animals. After Jesus was swaddled, it is likely Mary carefully placed him in the middle of a stone manger.
Consider
- Like the shepherds, you have been invited to come to Jesus. What does this look like in your life?