Angels We Have Heard on HighExemplo

She was an unwed teenager from the podunk town of Nazareth. By her own account, she was a real nobody. Yet the angel Gabriel had news to share that would say otherwise. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary would conceive and bring forth a Son, the Messiah, and he would sit on David’s throne, reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom would have no end. This news was earth-shattering and revealed a new kingdom’s inauguration. But for a young virgin in Nazareth, the most shocking detail of the angel’s message was that she, a virgin, would conceive the Messiah.

Mary asked how this could be. Her question was borne out of wonder and not disbelief, so the angel did not rebuke her like Zechariah. He answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:35).

Luke, the writer of this account, was also a physician and must have marveled at this miraculous conception. The word for overshadow in Greek is episkiazo and means an enveloping haze of brilliant light. It’s the same word used to describe the glory of the Lord that covered and filled the tent of meeting in the wilderness (Ex 40:34) and the cloud that overshadowed Jesus when he was transfigured before his disciples (Luke 9:34). This same word describes God’s sheltering care over his children, like a mother bird with her young. “He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler” (Psalm 91:4). In the overshadowing, the brilliance of God’s glory met with darkness and revealed his presence and power.

While Mary had every reason to panic over this announcement, she instead praised God. A new kingdom was coming, and God was upending earthly thrones and exalting those of humble estate, beginning with her, a lowly handmaiden.

Does the world’s definition of Christmas overshadow its true meaning in your heart and home? Are you more excited about gift-giving, light displays, and cozy family gatherings than the wonder of the incarnation? While we can enjoy those aspects of Christmas, our hearts should marvel at the overshadowing which brought forth a virgin-born, unstained by sin, Savior of the world! What wonder, mystery, and grace that God would choose to enter our sinful world this way!

Don’t let the busyness of the season overshadow this glorious truth! “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.”