Aaron, Ben and Caleb go to Bethlehem.

Aaron, Ben and Caleb were sheltering behind a rock on their bare hill. There, the night wind could not invade and chill their bodies.

‘Eh Ben!’ called Aaron. ‘You still thinking of moving to Crete?’

Ben nodded. ‘They treat shepherds better there. And no night work. They think sheep can manage on their own, mostly.’

Aaron shook his head. ‘Have you heard from Jerry and the other Ben? It’s months since they left. It might not be so cushdy in Crete.’

‘No news is good news,’ asserted Ben. ‘If it was terrible there, they’d have been back by now.’

‘It’s all about you isn’t it?’ fired Caleb. ‘What about Israel, what about God, don’t you care?’

Aaron and Ben knew it was best to keep quiet when Caleb had one on him.

‘We’re not watching these sheep just for ourselves! We’re watching them for the Temple. People need to make perfect sacrifices, you know the Law. What will happen to our people if we can’t worship as we should?’

Aaron did know the Law: lambs brought to the Temple had to be without spot or blemish. He had a feeling that the original idea had been not to fob God off with damaged goods, lambs that would not fetch a decent price at the market. But now it was much more. The Temple lambs had to be perfect, no marks at all. So they had to be watched over, day and night. It wasn’t easy, but he did feel they were doing something important.

‘That’s their problem.’ Ben countered. ‘And you don’t think the priests and the traders think about themselves? “O Mr Davidson, we do appreciate all your wonderful work. It would be lovely to be able to pay you more. But the overheads here! Just look at this place.” Huh! Just look at their mark up. I couldn’t afford to sacrifice one of my own lambs when they’re selling it.’

‘Yeah it doesn’t seem fair…’ added Aaron before Caleb could fire back. The priests had to certify that the lambs were perfect and the only lambs they would certify were those sold in the Temple by the traders, who just happened to be relatives of the priests! And shepherds weren’t allowed to sell their sheep themselves, they moved around too much: ‘no fixed abode’ so they must be suspicious. They couldn’t be trusted not to sell a stolen animal. And they couldn’t stop working one day a week, they couldn’t keep the Sabbath. Shepherds were sinners, all of them. So said the Temple people. And they said the shepherds stank…

‘It’s not going to last!’ shouted Caleb. ‘The Temple corruption will be burnt out. The Great King, the true son of King David, is coming. He will cleanse the Temple with a terrible fire. We have to stay here. We can’t abandon our nation, abandon God, even if it’s tough. Who said it would be easy? Those who stay true will be rewarded. Not those who run away thinking only of themselves!’ Caleb stared at Ben.

Ben just stared back with a hint of mockery. He didn’t think Caleb thought enough of the real world. Sometimes Aaron also doubted the prophecies. Mostly, he liked to imagine life when the Great King, the Great Shepherd, will come to take charge. No more cruel callous Romans bossing about. No more scraping by. Then the grass will grow thick every year, not only in the valleys, but on top of every hill. He could see his sheep waddling through the deep green sea of grass. On balance he thought it was worth waiting for.

‘Oh piss off, Ben.’ fired Caleb. ‘Go and be a pig farmer in Crete!’

Ben jumped up. ‘You religious nutcase!’

‘Hey!’ shouted Aaron. ‘What’s that?’ He pointed to the sky, towards the East. A bright light was speeding towards them, growing bigger. In a couple of seconds the light was almost at their hill, too bright to look at. A great blazing flying living creature, half eagle, half human. They gaped, and looked away. Gold specks flickered everywhere, in the air, on the ground, on the sheep. ‘What on earth?’ They moved close together, terrified, hardly able to breathe.

‘Don’t be afraid,’ said the light. The command jolted them upright and yet the authority was gentle. ‘You’ve not seen an angel before have you?’ it continued. ‘Don’t be afraid! I’m bringing good news for you. It’s for everyone, news that will make everyone celebrate. This very day, in the town of the great David, a boy was born for you. He is the Rescuer, the Great King, God’s Anointed One. Here’s a sign for you to look for: You will see a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in an animal feed box.’

Aaron, Ben and Caleb didn’t have time to take the words in. Suddenly the sky was full of angels. Golden light blazed everywhere. The gold specks became dancing diamonds. A great song filled the air: ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven! And on earth peace and good will to everyone!’ Each note, each sound, sent rainbows arching from the angels and bouncing across the hills. The hills looked lush green. They heard a waterfall and 10,000 different voices and a peace as though they were under water. Then the angel lights sped away leaving echoes around the hill and in their heads and hearts.

‘Wow!’ What?’ ‘Eh’ Aaron, Ben and Caleb looked at each other, almost speechless.

‘Um…’ stuttered Aaron. ‘We’d better go and look.’

‘Yeah..’ drawled Ben. ‘We have to look for the baby sign in Bethlehem. A baby in a feed box? Why would anyone do that?’

‘We’ll probably hear the poor thing crying!’ said Caleb. ‘Just a few hours to sunrise. Then the sheep can be left safely.’

‘You’re not thinking we just stay here after all that?’ blurted Aaron. ‘Don’t you think that was from God?’ he shouted. ‘We have to see what he told us, now.’

‘All right, all right,’ soothed Caleb. ‘Keep your hair on Aaron. Off we go then!’

They ran down the hill and hurried to Bethlehem. They went round the back of the houses, to where the animal feed boxes would be. It seemed so weird to be looking for this baby here, and yet they felt so happy. The angel had said this was for them. This was to be their baby somehow.

After half an hour they saw a man standing outside a sort of shed at the back of one house. He looked at them puzzled, but not afraid.

‘Has a boy been born today?’ asked Aaron.

‘Wrapped in strips of cloth?’ added Caleb

‘Lying in a feed box?’ completed Ben.

‘Come in!’ The man pushed aside a rough curtain and they all went inside the small smelly shelter. ‘I’m Joseph and this is my wife Mary. And this is our son, born today.’

A baby was lying on box of hay, wriggling and whimpering, uncomfortable on the dry grass full of hard stalks. He was wrapped in strips of cloth. It reminded Aaron of one of his lambs tied up, waiting, in the Temple.

‘That’s him,’ said Ben. All the shepherds started talking at once.

‘He’s a sign. An angel told us. So bright, never seen anything like it. Just appeared. Said a boy had just been born. Here in the town of David. Born for us. For everyone. The Great King. The Deliverer. The Anointed One. He gave us a sign. The strips of cloth. The hay, lying in a feed box. Then there were hundreds of them. Thousands. All bright. Singing. Amazing sound. Glory to God. In the highest heaven. And peace on earth. And good will to all. Then they went. And we said we’d come.’ The shepherds drew breath.

‘He’s the sign!’ said Aaron as seriously as he could. ‘The sign of the King.’

‘Yes,’ said Mary simply. ‘Yes. He is.’ She smiled and nodded. ‘He is.’

‘He’s the sign,’ said Ben. ‘

He’s the King,’ said Caleb.

‘He’s the son of the Most High,’ said Mary.

‘Oh my goodness!’ said Aaron.

‘And aren’t angels amazing?’ said Mary.

‘You too?’ asked Aaron. ‘

‘Oh yes,’ said Mary, putting her finger to her lips.

As the morning sky glowed orange, and the baby cried for milk, Aaron Ben and Caleb headed back up their hill, to their sheep.

‘God, you are amazing!’ shouted Aaron. ‘You are so good!’ ‘

What a sight!’ bellowed Caleb, ‘We have seen the heavens full of his glory.’ ‘

What a message!’ asserted Ben. ‘We saw exactly what we were told! Glory to God indeed.’

‘And a new peace on earth,’ enthused Aaron.