Saturday-December 10
Once again we will visit the question "Where is He coming"? Let's go to the gospel of Luke and find out the location.
Luke 2:1–5 (KJV 1900)
1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Beth-lehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
The decree from Caesar initiated the journey of Joseph and Mary. They would be traveling south from the city of Nazareth into Bethlehem. The journey was between seventy to eighty miles. It would have taken about four days under normal circumstances to make the trip but with the pregnant Mary who was close to her time of delivery the pace would have been slower. Tradition says that she rode a donkey but the text does not state that fact. Even if she had ridden a donkey the journey would have taken six to seven days in her condition.
Luke says that they went up to Bethlehem. This was not that they were traveling north but that the elevation of Bethlehem was higher. Bethlehem was only five miles from Jerusalem. In fact, you would have thought they were going to Jerusalem. Why? Because Jerusalem was called the city of David in the 1 Chronicles 11:4-5. But Bethlehem was also known as the "city of David" as stated in Micah 5:2.
Why Bethlehem and not Jerusalem? Because the promise of God to David was that one would rein on his throne who would be his descent and the kingdom would be an everlasting kingdom (Isaiah 9:6-9). Jerusalem was the city that David and his men conquered that became the location of the throne of the kingdom and the home of the temple (2 Samuel 5:6-10). It's importance cannot be minimized yet it is not connected to David's birth as is Bethlehem. Joseph as a decent of David (Matthew 1:1-16) was also born in Bethlehem and the instruction from the pagan Caesar had ordered all individuals to travel back to their birthplace for the census and taxation. Once again God used the ignorance of man to fulfill His prophecy by Caesar charging Joseph to go back to Bethlehem with his pregnant mate. The baby that would be born of her in Bethlehem would be identified with David by the linage of His step father Joseph and the location of the child's birth (Acts 13:22-23; Revelation 22:16).
In the prophecy of Micah (5:2), the description given of Bethlehem is that "though thou be little among the thousands of Judah." This description points out to us that the size of Bethlehem is "little.". It was not a great metropolis as Jerusalem but is only a village. The phrase "among the thousands of Judah" paints the portraits of it being a place that is unnoticeable, indiscernible even irrelevant from the many cities and villages of Judah.
The name Bethlehem means "house of bread, fruitfulness". This gives a different view of what Bethlehem looked like at the time. Though it had existed for centuries, it was never grown in size to become a daughter city of Jerusalem. It was in the hill country of Judah. This would be important for Jehovah had always been known as a god of the hills (Psalms 121:1-8; 1 Kings 20:28). The one who was coming was the God of Israel Jehovah. For the name of Jesus means "Jehovah saves."
Who would have dreamed that so unimportant place would breed the greatest King of the Old Testament David or the one who would become King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus the Son of David (Revelation 19:16; 22;16; Matthew 1:1)!
We are confronted again with the thought that God thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not are ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). Most of us would have looked at Jerusalem and chose it as the premo place to bring into the world the Messiah! It was the seat of power and finance for Israel. It size made it the head and shoulders above all other cities in Israel. It was the home of the spiritual heart of Israel the temple! But God chooses an indistinguishable village Bethlehem to become the breeding grounds for the great kings of Israel! God summons the men of His choice, David and Jesus, from Bethlehem, a so insignificant a source!
One of the principles of God is that little become much when submitted to the Lord! The small lunch of the lad becomes a meal for five thousand men not counting women and children (John 6:1-15). Stones become guided missiles (1 Samuel 17:1-58)! When He could have chosen the symbol of power, a horse, for His ride, He decides upon the littlest of the most common, the colt of a donkey's to become the ride of the greatest of Kings (Matthew 21:1-16)!
God chooses a nobody to become a somebody! Why? So no flesh can glory in His presence! He receives all the glory when the weak are used and become a power weapon of victory over the enemies of God (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)!
Your Response:
Take time to slowly read and meditate on the scriptures below. Examine yourself. Do you fight against negative thoughts concerning your families position, your failure of the past or your seeming lack of talent? Replace those thoughts with the thoughts of faith concerning God's laws of making the oak tree's out of acorns! Memorize a scripture such as Philippians 4:13 that builds your faith and quote it to yourself throughout the day!
If you know, someone who struggles with these same thoughts share with them what you are doing to help yourself through God's word!
Micah 5:2 (KJV)
2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Isaiah 55:8–11 (KJV 1900)
8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.
10For as the rain cometh down, And the snow from heaven, And returneth not thither, But watereth the earth, And maketh it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: It shall not return unto me void, But it shall accomplish that which I please, And it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
1 Corinthians 1:26–31 (KJV 1900)
26For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
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