Bethlehem

It's Christmas time as I am writing this entry. Most people know the Christmas story, but to me, it represents some of the most incredible movings of our Father to fulfill His will and Word on the earth. Without going into all the amazing details of the Christmas story, there are just a few thoughts on which I would like to focus.
The prophetic promise of a coming Messiah, the Savior, is spread throughout the Old Testament. For example, Isaiah prophecies that a Son, a Child, would be born, but this child would not be ordinary, but would be God, Himself. "His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace..."  (Isa. 9:6). Isaiah also tells us prophetically that a virgin shall bring for a child named Immanuel, which means "God with us" (Isa. 7:14). These prophesies regarding the birth of the Savior were recorded 750 years before Jesus was born. There are many powerful prophecies like the ones in Isaiah concerning His birth. It is the greatest event in the plan, will and purpose of our heavenly Father.
As Jesus is about to be conceived and born, both Mary and Joseph have received angelic visitation, making clear that the moment has come when God is about to fulfill His prophetic promise of a Savior. There can be no doubt that both knew that the One to be born was conceived supernaturally, was holy, and mighty. In Mt.1:20-21, an angel tells Joseph in a dream that "that which is conceived in her (Mary) is of the Holy Spirit." and "...you shall call His name Jesus (meaning in Greek, salvation of God), for He will save His people from their sins." In Lk. 1:31-33, Mary is told by the angel, Gabriel, that "...you...shall call His name Jesus...He will be great...Son of the Highest...". There can be no doubt of Who is about to be born!
Another prophetic promise regarding the birth of the Messiah that I would like to focus upon, is found in Micah 5:2. Here the prophetic promise states that Bethlehem will be the place out of which this everlasting Ruler will come. In Hebrew, the word Bethlehem means "house of bread".  Jesus told His disciples that He is the Bread that comes down from heaven, the Bread of Life. Interestingly, the root word of "bread" in Hebrew has to do with warfare, a fierce warrior, prevailing in warfare. This place and this birth was indeed the  moment in time when the enemy of mankind and God was overcome and defeated, and the Word and will of God prevailed in victory.
The Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2, tells us that Mary and Joseph are now married, and living in northern Israel, in the town of Nazareth, in the area of Galilee. Mary is very heavy with child, and it certainly is not in their plans to make a long, arduous trip anywhere. But, according to the Word of God, this special child will be born in Bethlehem, not in Nazareth. How is that to happen? THIS will be one of the miraculous workings of God.
Thousands of miles away in the city of Rome, the Emperor of the known world, Caesar Augustus, would make a decree. Israel is part of the Roman Empire, as is all of the Middle East region, and is subject to all decrees of the Emperor. This Emperor decides that "all the world should be registered." This means that all people under the rule of the Roman Empire must go back to the cities/countries of their origins to be listed, and accounted for. In order to fulfill the imperial decree, thousands will be uprooted from where they are, and will be traveling to their home cities. The whole world will be shuffled to various locations to be registered. There is only one family in the whole earth that God desires to move, however - a family, who, under their circumstances, would never have moved but by this royal decree. Joseph had to get his very pregnant wife down to Bethlehem in Judea in southern Israel, because Joseph is a descendant of King David, who's birth city a thousand years earlier was little Bethlehem. Joseph and his family must return there, although he now lives a long distance away in Nazareth.
It is not a coincidence that the Emperor issued this decree. It is a sovereign work of God. God's Word assures us that He can impart His will on any king in the earth, at any time: "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water, He turns it wherever He wishes." Proverbs 21:1. Psalm 2 leaves us in not doubt that regardless of what the nations and rulers plan to do, and want to do, the LORD will have them do as He wishes. There are many instances in scripture where God imposes His will upon a king.
Caesar Augustus, the first and most powerful of all the Caesars that would follow him, did not know God, did not serve God, and was firmly convinced of his own absolute power. But God moved on the will of this king, and had him to issue this very odd decree that shuffled the whole world around.Why? Because God needed to move a seemingly insignificant family in a small country from Nazareth to Bethlehem in time for the most important event in human history - the birth of His precious Son, Jesus, in order to fulfill His promise to us to send us a Savior and King.

Our Father is "Bethlehem", the House of Bread.


"Unto Us a Child is Born"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN5BaOGTmGs

"Come O Come Emmanuel"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xtpJ4Q_Q-4