Heaven and earth are no wider apart today than when shepherds

listened to the angels’ song. Humanity is still as much the object of

heaven’s solicitude as when common men of common occupations

met angels at noonday, and talked with the heavenly messengers

in the vineyards and the fields. To us in the common walks of life,

heaven may be very near. Angels from the courts above will attend

the steps of those who come and go at God’s command.

The story of Bethlehem is an exhaustless theme. In it is hidden

“the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.”

Romans 11:33. We marvel at the Saviour’s sacrifice in exchanging

the throne of heaven for the manger, and the companionship of

adoring angels for the beasts of the stall. Human pride and selfsufficiency

stand rebuked in His presence. Yet this was but the

beginning of His wonderful condescension. It would have been an

almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man’s nature,

even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted

humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years

of sin. Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the

working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is

shown in the history of His earthly ancestors. He came with such

a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the

example of a sinless life.

Satan in heaven had hated Christ for His position in the courts of

God. He hated Him the more when he himself was dethroned. He

hated Him who pledged Himself to redeem a race of sinners. Yet

into the world where Satan claimed dominion God permitted His

Son to come, a helpless babe, subject to the weakness of humanity.

He permitted Him to meet life’s peril in common with every human

soul, to fight the battle as every child of humanity must fight it, at

the risk of failure and eternal loss.

The heart of the human father yearns over his son. He looks into

the face of his little child, and trembles at the thought of life’s peril.

He longs to shield his dear one from Satan’s power, to hold him back

from temptation and conflict. To meet a bitterer conflict and a more

fearful risk, God gave His only-begotten Son, that the path of life

might be made sure for our little ones. “Herein is love.” Wonder, O

heavens! and be astonished, O earth!