God sent His greeting through angels to the shepherds while they were tending their sheep at night. This greeting provides evidence that God does not discriminate when addressing humanity as He introduces His peace to the world. “Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people” (Luke 2:10). He made it evident that even from the lowliest person, what was being proclaimed to them would be proclaimed through them, and would reach the farthest parts of the earth. His glory would descend from the Heaven of heavens and reach the ends of the earth. The suddenness of the proclamation was without forewarning. The time would come when the angel would make his announcement and the heavenly host would burst forth into praise; (14) “Glory to God in the highest.”  The highest degree of glory for the highest good for mankind. His promise would be fulfilled as was declared, “but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord” (Num 14:21).

Good tidings are proclaimed with excitement and enthusiasm. God wanted to deliver His good news of the Gospel more than the people were eager to receive it. It was the proclamation of peace, the peace of God and peace with God. Not only had God devised the plan, but the set time had come for His plan to be revealed. The Gospel message contains good tidings of great joy. Tidings expressing the good will of God, through His eternal purpose and intent for mankind, transcend the separation caused by his rebellion for the good of others in the end. (Deut 8:16b) He would not allow the sentence of death to be the end of what His love was capable of accomplishing, but the good news of the Gospel was that His mercy extended beyond the darkened conscience caused by overt rebellion. It was the violation of the Word that caused death, and now, the Word became flesh to validate the Truth of the Word. The Man Jesus Christ, revealed as the last Adam, succeeded where the first Adam had failed and a new and a living way was being blazed for us to return as individual men to the Father. 

The earth once existed without form and meaning. After God created the order for His creation, he established man to tend the earth and rule over His creation. Sin had invited meaninglessness to return while every manner of confusion was given permission to dominate what God had created. The god of this present age has caused man to redefine and recategorize what has been clearly made evident. “The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace” (Isa 59:8). Christ came to provide us a choice. We are no longer condemned to the solitary confinement of the world’s way, but now the way to life has come! He came to bring peace on the earth and good will towards men. We can now sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord has come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room. And Heaven and nature sing. Let Heaven and nature sing. Let Heaven, let Heaven and nature sing!