“Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.”
(Luke 2:10)
With the birth of Jesus, God first chose to announce the event to the shepherds in the field tending to their sheep during that night. When the angel of God appeared to them and the glory of God enveloped them, a great fear came upon them. But the angel is reassuring:”Then the angel said to them, ‘I bring you good tidings of great joy …’”
Jesus’ coming to earth is truly the ultimate expression of God’s goodwill towards mankind. It is no surprise that the angels could not contain their wonder, raising mighty voices to praise God, a song cosmically radiating his glory: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14).
Goodwill toward men … The angels had never before seen God (Col 1:15; 2:19; 1 Pet 1:12) – in Jesus God became visible to them for the first time! It’s no wonder they couldn’t contain themselves! The Greek word for goodwill have the following words at its root – “choice, good will, kindly intent, benevolence, delight, pleasure, satisfaction, desire”, which points to God’s absolute compassion toward our species. According to Prov 8:31 God was delighted in man even before the creation of the earth – “Rejoicing in His inhabited world, and my delight was with the sons of men.”
This core characteristic of God’s goodness – “You are good, and do good; teach me Your statutes” – are demonstrated in various instances but culminated in the gift of Jesus to humanity, who had rejected God’s goodwill (Hosea 8:3; Ps 81:10-11). Despite our familiarity with John 3:16-17 we forget – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” He was indeed given as a ransom for us all (1 Tim 2:6), “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Christ Jesus was the GREATEST possible demonstration of God’s goodness and the GREATEST possible gift that God could offer, according to Rom 8:32 – “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” This is indeed the good tidings of great joy, and we can testify with Ps 33:5 (GNB): “His constant love fills the earth”, and Ps 145:9: “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”
- Sela: Join the angels in praising God for his goodness toward you and all other created beings.
- Read: 2 Chr 21; Job 19; Isa 1
- Memorise: Job 19:25 (and sing: I know my Redeemer lives …)
- For a deeper understanding: Read chapter 11 in Arthur W. Pink’s booklet The attributes of God.
