The media frenzy surrounding the pregnancy of the Duchess of Cambridge came to a height on Monday with the news that she had been taken to St Mary's Hospital in labour. The press reporters who had been encamped outside the hospital for the last week were finally rewarded with the news that the Duchess had delivered a baby boy at 16:24pm. Understandably the nation's, and indeed the world's attention has been focused on this happy occasion and we would also congratulate the royal couple at this time, but it also causes our thoughts to turn to another birth spoken of in the Bible; that of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In contrast with the birth of William and Catherine's child, there was no media frenzy surrounding the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ over 2000 years ago. It did not take place in the plush surroundings of a private hospital, but in a stable. The visitors to the new mother were but a small group of shepherds and a number of wise men. It was a humble birth, not noticed by the vast majority in Israel at that time. Yet in due time the significance of that birth would become evident.
Like the child born to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the life of the Lord Jesus Christ was already predetermined. William and Catherine's son has a plan laid out for his life; he will be raised as a future heir to the throne, that is his destiny, that one day he will take the throne of the United Kingdom. In a far greater sense the purpose of Christ's life on earth was already foreordained; He was born King of Kings, the heir to the throne of David. His life had one sure divine purpose, to redeem his people, for 'the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost'. The Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth, born miraculously of a virgin, that He would one day die as a sacrifice for the sins of man.
What a purpose that is, yet how sad that so many reject Christ and have no thought of his birth, nor his death. We would do well to be as interested in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ as we are in the birth of this new royal baby. 'For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace'. Let us rejoice in the birth of this new son for William and Catherine, yet let us also rejoice in the birth and the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, and seek him as our Saviour.
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