The Shepherd’s Story

The Shepherd’s Story
By
Gene Ilten
December 2009

My name is Gedalya bin Menachem. I am of the tribe of Judah of the nation Israel. I am a shepherd as have been my fathers before me. I am old, now, but many have asked me to tell again the story of my youth. I was tending the flocks of my father.
It was a night like no other.

It was clear, crisp, with thousands of stars shining brightly.
The sheep were quietly grazing; we had gathered around a small fire. All was complete peace and silence.
Then it happened.

The heavens seemed to split, blinding light shining everywhere.
And there he was, an angel. His countenance so bright one could hardly gaze upon him. Yet there was a joy on his face as he kindly looked upon us.

We were terrified, so frightened we could not move. Transfixed, we stood before this heavenly messenger.
The angel, almost laughing, spoke, “Do not be afraid! I am Gabriel, messenger of the most high God, and I bring you good news! Joyful news! This news is not just for you, but for all people and nations. For unto you this day has been born in the city of David, yes, in Bethlehem, your Savior, Christ, your Messiah. This will be the sign that what I tell you is true: you will find Him in a manger wrapped in strips of cloth.”

As suddenly as the angel had appeared, he was joined by thousands and thousands of other angels, and proclaiming in words almost too beautiful to repeat, “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth, peace, good will to men!”
Over Bethlehem appeared a star that had not been in the sky before. All was silence again. But we were changed. Joy filled our hearts as we said to each other, “We must go to Bethlehem to see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. Think of it! Our Messiah is born!” We could not contain our happiness that such a thing, that was prophesied years before, could happen in our lifetimes. All we had hoped for had been fulfilled in this one night.

We found the Child just as the angel had said, though we could not understand why this precious child, our Savior had been born in a manger. I was puzzled. Joseph, who we thought to be the child’s father, spoke to me, “Friend, what troubles you?”
“I do not understand why would Messiah be born in a stable? Why in such poor circumstances?”

Joseph replied, “There are many things I don’t understand either.” Joseph went on to tell of all the amazing almost unbelievable things that had happened: How an angel had appeared to his betrothed, Mary and told her she would be with child; How Joseph had almost put her aside, but an angel told him to go through with their marriage, but to leave her untouched until after the birth of the child. “And he said we were to name Him Yeshua”

(You who follow Him today call him Jesus)

“So He is to be called Yeshua bin Joseph?” I asked.

“No friend,” Joseph replied, “As I said, I am not the child’s father. He was conceived by an act of God Himself. His name is Yeshua bin YAHWEH, Son of the Most High God.”

This all confirmed what the angel had told us. We could not contain our excitement. We ran to tell everyone we could find of this great miracle. Christ is come!

Within days things returned back to normal. We found that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus had returned to their home in Nazareth after His presentation in the temple.

Many years passed. I never forgot that night. Many times while in the fields, I found myself wondering what had become of the Child and His family. We had heard of a prophet preaching in Galilee. I wondered if it was the child I had seen so long ago. Then one day I was in Jerusalem. I had just delivered lambs to the temple for use in sacrifices. Everyone seemed excited people were running to and fro. I asked one of the townspeople what was happening to cause such a ruckus. “Yeshua of Galilee is coming! We think He is the Messiah!”

So it was true, He was the child. I had to see Him. I had heard that He spent time in a garden just outside the gates of the city. He was there, surrounded by 12 of His followers. As I approached, one of them said, “You can’t see the Master. He is tired and needs peace.”

“Let him be, Peter,” Yeshua said. “Come, you are welcome here. What do you seek?”
“I seek a child I saw in a Manger whose birth was told to me by an angel many years ago.”
“I AM he. Friend shepherd, come, walk with Me.”

Yeshua took me aside from the others and looked at me through eyes that pierced to my heart. “Do you know why you shepherds were told of Me before anyone else?”

“No,” I replied.

“Shepherds are special to Me,” He continued, “For I am the Great Shepherd, and soon I will lay down my life for My sheep.”

“But You do not herd sheep, sir.”

He laughed, “Mankind is My heard. All who are lost in the depths of sin. I will lay down my life for all who believe in Me. I will be the final sacrifice for sin. I will be killed and rise again. And you, friend shepherd, will herd souls from now on”

I never left Jerusalem. As you know, what Jesus said was true. Shortly after I spoke with Him, He was arrested and later crucified cruelly on a cross. But I tell you good news; as He said He rose from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion. He now intercedes before God the Father for you and me. I have spent my life after that meeting with Him telling others of the great gift Jesus brought; forgiveness of sins and eternal life in Him. And you can have that gift today if you choose to follow Him.

Merry Christmas to everyone!!!

Gene