An Unexpected King
Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem? We know the miraculous reasons, and we can see the sovereignty of God clearly at work, but in a physical sense, what brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem?Mary and Joseph were from Nazareth, a city about 70 miles north of Jerusalem. Given this was their family home, it would make sense that Jesus should have been born in Nazareth. But He wasn’t. He was born in Bethlehem.We have to turn to the book of Luke for the reason. In one of the most beloved passages of Scripture found in the Bible, Dr. Luke begins telling us about the birth of Jesus with the words, “In those days a decree went out…”
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem for the census. Bethlehem was the ancestral home of David, and all those who descended from him were required to travel to Bethlehem to register.Stop and think for a moment about the inconvenience this would have caused for Mary and Joseph. Most couples today would never travel out of state around the due date of their baby. They would stay close to home, close to their doctors and support network. Yet, Mary and Joseph had to travel 70 miles away from home as Mary’s due date approached.Travel was difficult in Bible times. A healthy man could travel roughly 20 miles a day on foot. Mary was very pregnant, and she likely didn’t walk the journey. The Bible doesn’t tell us specifically, but tradition often pictures Mary riding a donkey. This makes sense given the options that were available. She could have rode a camel, but camel’s were the luxury vehicles of the day. It’s unlikely Joseph could afford a camel. A donkey makes sense, but it is still difficult to picture a very pregnant woman riding a donkey for several miles a day. Perhaps more likely would have been a cart pulled by a donkey, with Joseph walking beside the donkey.Regardless, it was a long trip—taking a week or more—and it was an uncomfortable trip for a pregnant woman. As one preacher once observed, “even though Mary had to ride on a donkey, it was better than a Ford, amen?”Sometimes our familiarity with a Bible narrative like the Christmas story causes us to brush past the details without fully appreciating the trial this must have been for Mary & Joseph.We can do the same thing when it comes to the celebration of Christmas. We allow our busyness and rush towards Christmas Day to often crowd out our appreciation for the meaning of Christmas. Take a few moments and reflect on all you have to be thankful for this Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior.–Chris EllerThis Week’s Core VirtueJoy (John 15:11): I have inner contentment and purpose in spite of my circumstances.
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An Unexpected Dream
There are times in life when we can see trials approaching like a storm in the distance. Other times, we are plunged without notice into the deepest, darkest oceans of pain and suffering. This is what Joseph experienced.The months of betrothal are when two strangers develop the deep bonds of love that will carry them through the long years of life ahead. It is not only the man and woman who are shaped and molded together during the betrothal, but their families as well.For Joseph, the suddenness of this dark night enveloped him in the span of time it takes to say three words—“I am pregnant.” Suddenly, without warning, all of Joseph’s dreams and plans for his family were shattered. He loved Mary. How could this happen?The pain of Joseph’s dark night was quickly equaled by an overwhelming sense of shame. Everyone knew that Joseph and Mary were to be husband and wife. Their families had celebrated their engagement in the synagogue, and Joseph now looked to Mary’s mother and father as his own mother and father. They were family.Joseph found himself in a difficult spot. As a righteous man, he knew the Law, and the Law was clear—the punishment for adultery was public shame and even death by stoning. Joseph couldn’t bear the thought of his beloved Mary being shamed and then stoned to death. In spite of her great sin, he loved her, too much to see her die.The other option was to quietly dissolve their marriage agreement. While less public, it would still be painful. Joseph didn’t know what to do. He knew what the Law said. He new what his heart was saying to him. There was no easy way out.Since hearing the words from Mary that she was pregnant, Joseph had not slept well. One night, however, Joseph fell into a deep sleep. While he was sleeping, Joseph had an amazing dream. An angel of the Lord appeared before him and said,
“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
When Joseph awoke, he wasn’t sure if he could believe the dream or not, but it was so real. And it made sense. Mary had insisted she had done nothing wrong, that the child within her was from God, and she, too, had a miraculous vision of an angel describing a Mighty King who would be born from her and who would reign on his father David’s throne forever.When Mary told this to Joseph, he scoffed at her. How incredible! Did she actually expect him to believe this. A child, born to a virgin?But now, for some unknown reason, he believed Mary, and he believed what the angel had told him in the dream. Suddenly, he remembered the words Mary had told him as she recounted what the angel had said to her: “For nothing will be impossible with God.”Without hesitation, Joseph immediately obeyed what the angel had commanded. He took Mary as his wife, but he did not know her. Joseph remembered an old rabbi once saying, “hope burns brightest in the midst of the darkest night.”This Week’s Core BeliefJesus Christ (John 1:12): We believe in Jesus Christ, His deity, virgin birth, sinless life, vicarious death, burial and bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father and His personal future return in power and glory. We are significant only because of our position as children of God.
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