“Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself…..”
Philippians 2:6-8 (RSV)
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name….”
Philippians 2:9 (RSV)
As the Israelites travelled through the wilderness to the promised land, they took with them a tabernacle, which was a mobile tent, highly revered and used for worship. It was filled with holy relics, golden candlesticks and temple items according to all the instructions given to Moses by God.
Inside the tabernacle, there was a bronze altar with embroidered linens that were made especially to lay over the holy altar. Incense burned, filling the tent with the smoke of a scent made from a special blend of scented powders.
When Moses entered the tabernacle to speak with God, the presence of a glory cloud would overshadow it. When the people saw the cloud, they bowed in worship. The presence of God brought reverence and awe surrounding that tabernacle, which was taken with them in their journey to the promised land.
Fast forward now to the birth of Jesus. He was conceived when the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary’s womb, and yet in His birth, He was introduced to the world in a common stable. He was given a name above all names and the same holy Presence of God that dwelled in the tabernacle with Moses, dwelt in the Jesus, in a Bethlehem stable. There was an invisible glory cloud that surrounded the infant Jesus, as all of heaven rejoiced to see their Lord appearing in human flesh.
There was no scent of incense in that stable, only the scent of barn animals. He was wrapped in common cotton swaddling cloths, instead of beautifully embroidered altar linens. His bed was not a bronze coated altar, but a manger filled with straw. There were no golden candlesticks to light up the dark stable, but the baby who slept there, is the light of the world.
Jesus left His kingdom and all His glory in heaven, to be born as an unknown helpless infant. He did it for us, illustrating what true humility is. This world was not His true home, but He resided in it for a brief thirty three years. He was not received by everyone with wonder and awe. Only a few bowed to worship Him while He lived among men.
Being given a name above all names, He still knew what it was to be scorned, disrespected, falsely accused and continuously criticized for befriending sinners and teaching from the heart of the Mosaic law.
He taught that those who humble themselves shall be exalted, and He led by example.
Although He had the power to call down a myriad of angels to punish His persecutors, His mission was to save the world, and not to judge it. He felt out of place at times, and He reminds us that we are not part of this world either. We are all resident aliens, because our true citizenship is in heaven. Whenever we feel out of place, He is sharing His lessons of humility with us, as we journey through our own wilderness.
His church is made up of every ethnic group, and prayers come to Him in every language in the world. Jesus invited us to pray in His name, which is above all names, and our prayers arrive, filling a heavenly tabernacle with the fragrant blend of scented incense. We still celebrate His arrival into our world, in the form of a human baby, and since He did it for us, we joyfully share in His lessons of humility and exalt His name forever.
Lord, as you humbled yourself for us, help us to embrace every lesson of humility in our lives, and show us how we can become a tabernacle of humility for you in the world today. Amen
