Day 19, Read Luke 2:1-7

History is “HIS-STORY.”  Or as Pres. James A. Garfield said: “History is the unrolled scroll of prophecy.”  The birth of the Christ must be in Bethlehem for that was the prophecy (Micah 5:2).  As always, God was watching over His word to perform it (Jer. 1:12).  So it was no mere coincidence that at the very time Mary was to give birth to the Savior, that Joseph was required to go to his hometown, Bethlehem, to register for a census.  

The year was no earlier than 6BC and no later than 4BC.  Caesar Augustus was the first emperor of Rome, ruling 40 years, from 27BC to 14AD.  For military and tax purposes a “registration” was decreed every 14 years.  There was one known to have occurred in 6AD; this one may have been initiated in 8BC, taking several years to complete.  Quirinius was governor of Syria/Phoenecia, what was at the time the northern part of Palestine.  So Joseph went to Bethlehem with Mary who, while not required to register, likely wanted to be with her husband at the time of the birth.

Bethlehem, meaning “house of bread,” was about 6 miles south of Jerusalem.  It was a village very connected with the Messianic line.  It was ancient, known by it’s earlier name “Ephrath” or “Ephrata” as the place near where Rachel died and was buried (Gen. 35:16,19).  It was in the tribal area of Judah.  Naomi was from there and thus the story of Ruth was played out there, Ruth and Boaz being in the Messianic line (Ruth 1-4).  It was David’s hometown (1 Sam. 17:12) and the place where Samuel went to anoint him as king (1 Sam. 16:1-13).  It was the prophet Micah through whom God revealed, not only that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, but that the Messiah would be God Himself (Micah 5:2).

The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was about 70 miles.  For Mary, Warren Wiersbe is probably right: The journey must have been very trying for her, but she rejoiced in doing the will of God, and she was no doubt glad to get away from the wagging tongues in Nazareth (from the online Bible Exposition Commentary).  The birth itself seems to have been normal, but certainly not the surroundings.  Everything from the “swaddling cloths” (strips of cloth normally used as wrappings for a corpse), to the “manger” (either a feeding trough or the enclosure for animals), to “the inn’, points to poverty and humility.  But then again He did become poor so that we might be rich (2 Cor. 8:9).  When Philippians says Jesus humbled Himself, it is not just that He left heaven.  It means too that He became the lowliest of men, even dying on a cross.

This paragraph is one of the most well-known in all of Scripture.  Even those who are not believers will often be familiar with the picture.  Ask the Lord to refresh your heart with this passage.  It has a great message of God’s sovereign faithfulness as well as of His love.  Even in His birth our Lord is telling us what is truly important.  Look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!