Tag: census

God Often Calls Us to Do Difficult Things

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Remember from our discussions about Joseph’s character, he was a law abiding man who sought to do the right thing. It is natural that he would feel compelled to go to Bethlehem for the census as it was required by the governing law of the land, and they were under Roman rule. Why they had to go to their ancestral home had to do with families, tribes, or clans. David was of the tribe of Judah. 1 Samuel tells us Samuel went to Jesse’s father as directed by God to anoint one of his sons the next king after rejecting Saul. The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” Here we see Jesse, David’s father, was from Bethlehem which was considered David’s home town. Here our story continues in Luke 2:1-5.

Luke 2:1-5  “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 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. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.“

God is a god of details and all prophesies about Messiah were fulfilled exactly as He said. Micah 5:2 reveled several hundred years before that the coming Savior would be born in Bethlehem. “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” God orchestrated the moving of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem at this exact time to fulfill this prophesy. Jesus was of the line of David and was to be born in Bethlehem just as scripture said. 

Was this easy? No, I would say that traveling by donkey when 9 months pregnant was very uncomfortable and difficult. Sometimes God asks us to to hard things for Him. Traveling by donkey or walking would have been a challenge but God was with them. Mary did not have the child until they arrived in Bethlehem and even then as we will see a place was made for them to stay. God provided exactly what they needed. We can take heart in this too. God will not call us to do something and then leave us alone. He has promised to be with us 24/7 and we can claim that promise. 

I love Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” The them for the Israelites were the enemies they would face as they sought to take possession of the land God had promised. The them for Mary and Joseph was the hard journey and problems with accommodations. They undoubtedly suffered from the heat, weariness, being physically uncomfortable and fear of robbers along the way. The them for us can be any problem we face that seems overwhelming and beyond what we can deal with. God promises to be with us and never leave us nor forsake us. He did it for David when he met Goliath, for the Israelites when entering the new land of Canaan, for Mary and Joseph on their journey to Bethlehem and He will do it for you and me. Step out in faith today and claim this promises. God always keeps His promises.

Linda

God of the Unexpected

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 Today’s passage shows us courage and determination in both Mary and Joseph. Mary was 9 months pregnant and had to endure a journey of about 90 miles going by the safest route in their day. It would have taken days. Joseph’s concern for his pregnant wife, the hazards of travel by foot/donkey and possible dangers on the road undoubtedly filled his mind as he sought to obey the law of the land and go to Bethlehem for the required census. Unlike in our day where we fill out a paper and mail it in, they had to appear in the town to be physically counted by the government. It was not an option to not go. So they went.

Luke 2:1-5 “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 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. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.”

Even though this was an unexpected turn of events for this family, they endured and persisted to accomplish what was required. I’m sure they must have wondered, why Lord? Why do we have to go at this time in our life? In a few months this would be easier, right? However, maybe they knew the child was to be born in Bethlehem as foretold by the prophets. Scripture is silent on this and as we have seen in previous passages, both Mary and Joseph were good Jews and sought to follow the Law. They were devoted and sought to be obedient to the Lord.

What about you? When things don’t go as you planned or unexpected road blocks appear, what is your response? Do you try to blame someone or even God? Or is your response one of diligent persistence and prayer? We can look back now at this story and see why they had to endure this hardship of travel. Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem. They needed to travel to this unexpected place for this blessed event to occur. What blessing does God have for you as you seek to follow through with His plans? He is the God of the unexpected and when you look back on your trials you will see His hand protecting, providing and guiding you all the way. You will see, perhaps, why the detour was needed. Following God requires faith and trust in His Sovereignty. He knows the way. We just need to follow and go just as Mary and Joseph did long ago.

Linda

Advent…a journey of Faith

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At this point in our Advent story, John has been born to Zechariah and Elizabeth who was to be the forerunner of Jesus, the Messiah. The angel has appeared to both Joseph and Mary with his heavenly news, and they are now married and awaiting the birth of Mary’s Son by the Holy Spirit. Enter, the real world of politics and domination by both Jewish and Roman leaders upon their lives. Luke 2:1-5 gives the circumstances in which Mary and Joseph are caught, by no fault of their own. See how God uses worldly demands and decrees to further His purpose and fulfill His promises!

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

What an amazing God we serve! He used the Roman authorities to move Mary and Joseph from Nazareth where they lived to Bethlehem where prophesies foretold God’s Son would be born. Micah 5:2 written hundreds of years before spoke of the coming King who would be born in Bethlehem. “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.” Joseph would not have knowingly put Mary in harms way by undertaking the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem when she was heavily pregnant. They were required to go by the law and could not refuse. But this seemingly hard and unusual task was one of God’s design so that His Son would be born in Bethlehem just as He promised. God went with them and protected them so that no harm would come to them.

This is a lesson for each of us. God is with us in the hard times. When things seem impossible, we need to lean into Him and depend upon His strength. I’m sure that the journey on foot and by donkey was arduous for both Mary and Joseph. But God, provided for their safety and carried them to where they needed to be at just the right time. God is good and God is sovereign overall things that happen in our lives. As I said yesterday about Joseph’s walk of obedient faith, God’s got this.

We too need to walk in trust knowing God is good and has good things planned for our future and His glory. Let the faith walk of Mary and Joseph speak to your heart today and give you courage to keep on keeping on no matter how things appear. God’s providential care is greater than anything man has planned or tries to throw at us. Having fortitude, determination and will for the journey of life requires us to put our trust in Him and step out each day in Faith. Be of good cheer- you can do this with Him! Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

Linda