Swaddling Clothes?
If you are like me, you have read and/or heard the account of Christ’s birth every Christmas for many years. Yet I never fully understood the detail of baby Jesus being wrapped in “swaddling clothes” until now.
I assumed it was because Mary and Joseph were poor and didn’t have money for a proper wrapping.
But one of my minister’s sermons – along with other sources - shed a very important light on this seemingly insignificant detail.
In biblical times, every firstborn lamb was taken to the priest to be examined. If found without blemish, it would be accepted and wrapped in consecrated clothes, laid in a manger, and used in the temple sacrifices.
With all the foreshadowing of Jesus as Savior throughout Scripture, I never realized it was foretold at his birth. Wrapped in the same cloths sacrificial lambs were wrapped in was a sign he would one day be the sacrifice Himself.
The perfect sacrifice without stain or blemish that would take away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Bound for Us
His first “binding” was one of love by his mother. His next binding by those who would lead Him to His death.
His mother would set Him free from His binding to run and play. Jesus set us free from the bonds of sin and death to live the abundant life He died to give us (John 10:10).
So we cannot think of the birth of Christ without thinking about His death. How He loved each of us so much He chose to be born in the humblest of conditions to save you and me from eternal death, eternal separation from God.
This Christmas, as we look at the lights and decorations, may it remind us who truly is the Light of the world and why we celebrate.
God loves our celebrating. After all, He created it! May we celebrate with our Savior King in mind!
“Amazing love how can it be? That You my King would die for me?
Amazing love I know it’s true. It’s my joy to honor You.”
Merry Christmas!
For more encouragement and inspiration check out these other posts:
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