m2t on Dec 18, 2017

Peter spoke of "things the angels desire to look into." One would have thought that they already had enough things to look into—managing and directing all God's vast empires in space! But no! Their attention has been caught, and no wonder! God the Son vacated heaven for earth; and, as soon as He came back, God the Holy Spirit did the same.

This desire among the angels is no passing whim. The word the Holy Spirit uses for "desire" means "to desire earnestly." The words "look into" suggest stooping down in order to do so. The angels thus desire to stoop down from the dizzy heights where they dwell to look into the great mysteries of our faith. There are at least five such marvels that fascinate those sinless sons of light.

First, they desired to look into the cradle in the hay. Imagine what a stir there was on high when word was passed around that the Son of God was going down to planet Earth to become the Son of Man. One moment heaven was ablaze with light. The next moment that light was shining on a cattle shed where a virgin was giving birth and a new star shone in the sky. Up in heaven they spread the news:

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head;
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

This they must look into! And so they did! Down they came from the high halls of bliss and surrounded the nearby Judean hills, desiring earnestly to look into what was transpiring on the earth. And what do you think astonished them most? Nobody seemed to care. They raised their voices and awoke the slumbering echoes of the hills and plains. "Unto you is born this day in the city of David," they cried, "a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord...Glory to God in the highest" (Luke 2:11,14). And nobody cared. A few shepherds looked timidly around, but that was all.

The angels ceased their songs. They gazed in awe and wonder at the infant Christ, God's incarnate Son, their mighty Maker, reduced to the size of a human babe, wrapped in baby clothes, cradled in a manger in a cattle shed. Back they went to glory to proclaim the news on high.

Watch them as they arrive back on heaven's shore. The other angels gather around. "And what of the sons of men?" they ask. "What of Adam's race? They must be thrilled to know that their captive planet has been invaded at last, and by no less a one than our Beloved. Fallen Lucifer's doom is sure. How did sinners take the news? By now the tidings must be heard in all Judea, in Jerusalem, in Athens, and in Rome! There must be a stampede under way. Surely Herod has abdicated the throne by now. Surely Augustus must be bringing his legions to bow at His feet. The road to Bethlehem must be packed with people eager to look into these things."

"Interested? A stampede? No indeed! They couldn't care less. Indeed, there was no room for Him in the local inn, so they gave Him a cattle barn in which to be born, a cave, no less, with manure on the floor, and cobwebs, and a food trough for His bed. Strange folk, these humans. How sad! How strong is the stranglehold of sin!"

And so it was. And so it is. The Son of God has come, and only a handful seem to care.