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Luke 2:4
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth
in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of
David, because he belonged to the house and line
of David.
Micah 5:2
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are
small among the clans of Judah, out of you will
come for me one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old, from ancient
times. "
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December
2
The Census
It is the census of the entire Roman world that
creates the setting for the miraculous birth of
Jesus. He would not be born in the
comfortable surroundings of home, nor attended
by a physician. Instead the census causes
Mary and Joseph to be traveling when it was time
for Jesus to be born.
Of course all of this was according to God's
plan. Bethlehem was predicted to be the
place of Jesus' birth in Micah 5:2. Jesus
would be born at just the place where God had
intended all along.
From this story, we learn a bit about how God
works. God may have prompted Caesar
Augustus to take a census of the entire Roman
world. Or Caesar may have decided on his
own to do this and God used this decision to
suit His own plans.
No matter what, God's plans will succeed.
God's will will be done regardless whether
people work with God or not. God can use
good situations or bad situations to accomplish
His will.
In the story of Jesus' birth, Mary and Joseph
were right where they were supposed to be and
all was according to God's plan. Even the
greatest kings of earth cannot foil what God has
determined to do. |
