Mary and Joseph lived in the small town of Nazareth. This is where the angel came to each of them to announce the coming of Jesus. Nazareth is a small town up in the northern part in Israel, near the sea of Galilee. The prophet Isaiah prophesied the coming of the King.
"In Galilee of the Gentiles,
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light...
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given..."
Isaiah 9:2, 6
What? In Nazareth? "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"John 1:46 Isn't Jesus supposed to be born in Bethlehem as the song goes? "O Little Town of Bethlehem"?
"But you, Bethlehem, though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth for Me The One to be Ruler in Israel,
whose goings forth are from old,
From everlasting." Micah 5:2
How is it then that Jesus was born in Bethlehem? Interestingly enough, It was through a decree from the Roman Emperor Augustus that brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem for a census. Ironically it was through Augustus that Micah's prophesied was fulfilled.
"At that time the Roman Emperor Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire... All returned to their ancestral towns to register for the census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there... with... Mary, his fiancee, who was now obviously pregnant. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them." Luke 2:1-7 NLT
Let earth receive Her King.
Let every heart prepare Him room."
Let every heart prepare Him room."
There was no room for them in the Inn. So He, the King of all heaven and earth was born in a stable with animals to simple peasants. Through the ages since His Coming, millions have prepared room for Him in their hearts across the face of the earth.
Joy pierced through the darkness of sin and entered the world as a baby, beginning the gathering of heaven and earth into one and the reconciliation of God and man. Though the Creator came unto His own creation, most did not recognize Him. But that did not keep heaven from rejoicing and those in whom His light has shown from from worshiping the infant King.
"But you, Bethlehem, Ephratha,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose going forth are from old,
From everlasting.
Micah 5:2
He is the King promised to David, one from His own lineage who shall reign over his kingdom forever!
Advent is a time for us to slow down and ponder the fullness of God coming into this world as a baby, an infant King!
Joy to you this Christmas Season, our Lord IS come.
I pray you have opportunity
to empty your heart of business to prepare Him room
and receive your great King.
I pray you have opportunity
to empty your heart of business to prepare Him room
and receive your great King.
2 comments:
Precious pictures Sheri!!!
Prophecies foretold the Messiah would be born from the lineage of King David and in David's City, Bethlehem. So amazing that God would work through a pagan power, the Romans, to cause the symbolism and prophecies surrounding the birth of the King of kings to be fulfilled.
Fr. Jim Nesbit, who is a scholar of ancient Jewish customs, told us that the Inns in those days were large rooms where you could rent floor space tightly packed in by many other people. Hardly affording the privacy Mary would require to give birth. So while it seems devastating news that the inns had no room for them, it was actually the wonderful provision of God at work. A compassionate innkeeper offers Joseph and Mary the use of his stable. And in the privacy of this humble animal shelter, Jesus was born.
God with us. From the moment of His birth experiencing the struggles the poor of the world endure...
Yes, amazing how God weaves red threads of redemption and gold threads of the coming King through prophecy. These prophecies and their amazing fulfillment in Jesus tells the story of His great love, expressed in His plan of redemption and the complete restoration of the world and reconciliation of us to Him we look forward to. Yes, a king was born that night in Bethlehem, just as foretold, thanks to Caesar a pagan king. :) Now it is in looking ahead, that we will one day see all things gathered into one, reconciled to God; where Christ will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, His glory to exceed every earthly king combined.
Very interesting about the Jewish inns and the provision of God that Mary could give birth to Jesus in privacy. It probably worked better, too for the visitors God would bring.
Post a Comment