Last week we looked at the Old Testament prophecy that said the angels would worship the coming Messiah. This week we will look at a prophecy related to the shepherds to whom the angels came to announce the Good News of the birth of Jesus. In Psalm 72 we read:
May desert tribes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust! [Psalms 72:9]
Other translations render “desert tribes” as “they that dwell in the wilderness” and “desert nomads.” This is a description of shepherds. So, this Psalm can rightly be interpreted to prophecy that shepherds would worship the Messiah.
Luke recounts what happened the night when the angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds outside of Jerusalem:
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 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 among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” [Luke 2:8-15]
As with many of the prophecies we have looked at thus far, this prophecy was not one over which Jesus had any control. The number of prophecies included in the Old Testament which were fulfilled in the life of Jesus and recorded in the New Testament is astounding. We are week #12, and we’re just getting started. Next week we will look at the prophecy related to Herod’s reaction to the birth of Jesus.
Return to the Monday Morning Prophecy index page.
Image courtesy of Abby Reed