Glory to Whom Glory is Due

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.(Luke 2:13-14); And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God: Revelation 19:1

From eternity past God in his divine wisdom and determination knew that he would send himself, his son the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth. He would be born as a human being, the God man. The Bible tells us in Galatians chapter 4, verse four that when the time was just right God sent Jesus into the world. God had determined that the announcement of the birth would not be to the rich, the politicians, or the popular. God chose to give the first announcement of the child being born to some lonely shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. God would use his Herald Angels to bring this message Of Good News.

The Bible tells us that the angels came and appeared, frightfully so, to the shepherds. The announcement had been made. The shepherds had been told of this great thing that had come to pass. At first, there was just one angel, the herald angel, who brought the glorious message of the birth of the Messiah but then suddenly the heavens were filled with an uncountable number of angels and the whole multitude of angels burst forth into glorifying praise and honor to the God of heaven and the creator of all things, Glory to God in the highest.

 As the shepherds stood looking into the infinite depths of space, seeing the beauty and light of the angels of heaven, their hearts were filled with wonder and awe and they cried out, “we’ve got to go see this thing that has come to pass.” Surely, they thought, the whole countryside must have heard the angelic announcement and they were not going to wait. There was no questioning. There was no doubting. The shepherds heard and saw the glorification and picked up and went. After they had seen the Christ, confirming the things they had been told was true, they left praising God and giving glory to the one who made such a wonderful thing come to pass.

When the angels shouted Glory their first praise was to God. He is the one that is worthy of all praise, and honor and power. No one else, nothing else, is worthy to receive the praise that belongs solely to our God. Too often we have the tendency to praise the individual for a job well done and we glorify the popular one, a singer or actor, as if he or she were worthy of all praise. But, there is coming a day when all mankind and all creation will burst for in heavenly praise, “Glory to God in the highest; Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God: The Bible also says that whether mankind wants to or not, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus ids Lord.

God who gave us Himself, His Son, to save us, to heal us and to keep us for eternity. That’s what Christmas is all about. Sing and shout your praises to God Almighty and to his son the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.                SDW