Scripture: “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)” – Luke 2:4
Observation: Caesar Augustus proclaimed a census upon all the people in his empire for several reasons. The three primary reasons were to determine the number of taxable individuals, identify citizens for military service, and demonstrate Roman control over all regions of the empire regardless of their distances from Rome. To conduct the census, people were required to return to their places of their ancestral family homes to be counted. Joseph was a descendant of David, thus he and his betrothed, Mary, traveled to Bethlehem, the city of David, to register for the census.
Application: God often uses human government to bring His plans to fruition. As the Lord orchestrated the arrival of His beloved Son, He employed the Roman leadership to bring about His perfect will, fulfilling centuries of Messianic prophecies. While it is exciting to read the prophecies that lead up to the birth of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, it is even more exciting to read about the fulfillment of those prophecies. Here are three amazing prophecies about the coming of Jesus!
- Prophecy: A Saviour – “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
- Fulfillment:
- “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
- Fulfillment:
- Prophecy: The virgin birth – “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)
- Fulfillment:
- “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.” (Luke 1:31)
- “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34)
- Fulfillment:
- Prophecy: The birthplace – “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.” (Micah 5:2)
- Fulfillment: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)
This Christmas is a time to reflect on how incredibly awesome God is! He has never made a promise that He has not kept! He has never made a prophecy that was not fulfilled in its time. Not one single prophecy that God made about the first advent of Jesus went unfulfilled! Every one happened exactly as God said it would! In Genesis, we read where He first promised us a Saviour, and at Christmas, we celebrate the fulfillment of that promise! Best Christmas present ever!
Prayer: Dearest heavenly Father, what an awesome God You are! I praise Your name and offer You my heartfelt worship and adoration! Thank You for Your faithfulness! Because You have always kept Your promises and fulfilled every promise that needed to be fulfilled before Jesus came, I can know for sure that You will be faithful to do the same with every other prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled! Thank You for that blessed assurance! In the name of Your precious holy Son, I pray with great thanksgiving. Amen.
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is giv'n!
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heav'n.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.
(from “O Little Town of Bethlehem” by Phillips Brooks)
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“And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” – 1 John 4:14