Karl and I were talking about the Christmas story last night. Specifically, we were discussing the angel’s appearance to the shepherds and the wonder of a battalion of angels singing overhead. He asked a question neither of us had thought of before. ‘Do you suppose the angels knew? Did they have access to God’s full, entire plan?’
We pondered that for a while. The heavenly host are warriors fighting unseen above us and all around us. These battle-hardened soldiers had seen the worst that humanity offered and the strength that Satan’s forces were gaining as evil thrived. On the night of Jesus’ birth, they’d already been fighting a long time. Ugly battles: wars and threats to Israel and God’s people from within and without, plagues, heresies. Did they know the full plan?
Or, did the messenger’s announcement to the shepherds come as such a welcome surprise that they spontaneously formed a heavenly choir to sing Alleluia for the shepherds and the vast night sky and welcome God’s decision to move? Did they think that their fight in the heavenly realms was about to be over? Did they expect this precious, perfect child to grow up and lead a final, decisive battle to end the war once and for all? Or, just thirty-three years later, did they watch in agony as their own Hope was nailed to a cross? Did the heavenly host that horrid day stand with their fists clenched and their swords at the ready, aching to step in and fight despite their orders to stand down?
We don’t know. Worldly logic tells me that foot soldiers are rarely made aware of the ultimate battle plan. Jesus Himself told us that no one, not even Himself, knows the time of the Second Coming. It makes sense that they didn’t know about the first, either. That knowledge and choice is God’s and God’s only. So, maybe the angels didn’t know. Maybe they, like us, don’t know what tomorrow will bring. But what is true, is that whether they did or not, on that night, that Christmas night so long ago, perhaps weary and tired of fighting, a huge host arrived to praise their Commander and sing, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Can we do any less?
