When my Sarah was born the nurse showed me how to "swaddle" her. This made her feel safe as if she were still in the womb making her content. Luke 2: 12, " And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
Swaddling clothes are cloths and bands used to swaddle. The angel prophesied a baby, a Savior, would be born, wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger. Luke 2: 7, "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger." Why would they include swaddling cloths?
Micah 4: 8, "As for you, watchtower of the flock, stronghold of Daughter Zion, the former dominion will be restored to you; kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem." In the lower portion of the watchtower is where the birthing of the future sacrificial lambs took place. The shepherd would wrap the newborn lamb in swaddling clothes to protect the lambs body because scripture required a perfect lamb without blemish. This lamb would be laid in a manger lined with soft hay while it settled down from the birthing process. When it settled down the shepherd would remove the swaddling clothes and give the lamb to its mother. The lamb would receive special care because it would grow to become the lamb sacrificed for the sins of the people.
So, on that first Christmas Eve, the priestly shepherds in their fields near Bethlehem knew where to find the newborn. He would be found where the angel had told them, wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger. They would find our Savior, Jesus Christ, wrapped like they wrapped their own precious lambs meant for sacrifice. This Jesus would be sacrificed to take away the sin of the world. To them it was a sign of the coming Messiah who would one day free the people from their sins.
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