As I ponder the advent of our Savior, which we celebrate at this time of year, I thought of how His coming was announced to various people and groups of people - seeing it as instructive for knowing how I am blessed by such wondrous announcements, receiving my own witness.
First, I review the announcement to Mary. I love the Bible video of the church showing Mary's gentle and humble response to that amazing visitation of the angel Gabriel: "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee:blessed art thou among women. ... And the angel ... said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Luke 1:28, 35 Of course Mary's visit was of necessity a personal, physical visitation. Nothing else would have been appropriate. Her role in the coming of our Savior is beyond comprehension.
Next we have the announcement made to Joseph, but for him it was as an angel appearing to him in a dream: "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost and she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." Matth 1:20-21 Joseph would have the responsibility for the care of his wife and son and would give him his name. The appropriate way chosen by God to reveal this to him was by an angel through a dream.
At the time of Christ's birth, the people in the Americas received the announcement directly by way of a new and brilliant star in the heavens. Everyone there saw the announcement. This was foretold to them five years earlier by the prophet Samuel, who proclaimed this announcement upon the walls of Zarahemla. That announcement was not received well. At the birth of Jesus, the star appeared to everyone, whether they wanted to acknowledge it or not. Some believed, but most did not, even with such a powerful announcement and fulfillment of prophecy.
In the holy land at the birth of the Savior, it is not recorded that anyone saw this special star. Instead, the announcement of the Savior's birth was especially focused towards a humble and lowly group of people: the shepherds in the hills near Bethlehem. To them the angel of the Lord appeared, to their utter amazement, and announced: "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." Luke 2:10-12. Along with this announcement, they were blessed to hear the heavenly choirs singing, praising the Lord and declaring peace. What an amazing announcement! And then they were blessed to come and see the baby Jesus, the night He was born.
Next, after the baby Jesus was eight days old, as He was taken to the temple for the sacrifice to be made at the time of circumcision, two blessed people also announced the coming of our Savior. Simeon received a promise that he would see the Redeemer before he died and received the announcement through the Holy Ghost when and where this promise was to be fulfilled. He proclaimed: "For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." Luke 2:30-32 Anna, identified as a prophetess came to the Holy family and "gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." Luke 2:38 Nothing specific is said about her knowing about the coming of the Savior, but she, a prophetess, came "in that instant," which can be assumed also came to her as a glorious announcement by the Spirit of God.
The wise men saw the star, presumably the same star that was seen in the Americas at the time of Christ's birth. They said that they saw it "in the East." I imagine that these wise men traveled very far indeed and journeyed probably for the space of about two years from the east after seeing the star. When they inquired at Herod's court, the appearance of the star was unknown to those at Jerusalem as they had to ask how long ago it was that these wise men had seen the star in the east. This miraculous star did once again appear to the wise men at this time, after leaving Jerusalem heading towards Bethlehem as instructed, leading them to where Mary and Joseph and the child Jesus lived in their house and they presented their gifts to the Holy Child. These men had received the wondrous announcement twice, each by the new star, once at the time of Jesus' birth and again about two years later after they arrived at Jerusalem. There is no written word stating that any others saw this star the second time in the Holy Land.
The fact that Herod chose to kill all male children two years and younger leads me to believe that the appearance of these wise men in Jerusalem came at about the time Jesus was two years old. After the visit of the Wise men to see the Savior, they were visited in a dream, and instructed to avoid Herod in their return to their homeland.
The coming birth of the Savior into the world was to bring about the great atoning sacrifice - desperately needed by this fallen world. This was prophesied to many prophets many years before His appearance in the flesh. One such announcement was made to the prophet and king Benjamin about 124 years before the birth of Christ, in the Americas. He also received this announcement by way of an angel, who proclaimed: "Awake, and hear the words which I shall tell thee; for behold, I am come to declare unto you the glad tidings of great joy. ... For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, ... And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary." Mosiah 3:3, 5, 8 This is an example of God announcing to His prophets (and prophetesses), preparing the world to receive their Savior.
How can I appreciate the grand announcement of my Savior? It is by reading the wondrous words of the scriptures accompanied by the witness of the Holy Ghost. The scriptures quoted in this writing are an example, and lead one to learn what the coming of Jesus into the world really means. It is up to me - up to everyone - especially at this season of celebrating the coming of the Savior, to apply the meaning of the wondrous announcements God has given us, leading us to our blessed Redeemer and the peace announced by the angels of old: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:14
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