“When he [King Herod] had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written:…’” 

Matthew 2:4-5

That is what the prophet Micah wrote in Micah 5:2. No slight adjustments to the words are required. There were no reinterpretations of the Hebrew. It was a simple declaration of a place that was right on target. How does it happen, then, that although the parents are from Nazareth, they are in Bethlehem, at least a journey of four days from their home, for His birth? How is it possible that they then move to Egypt for a time, yet Jesus grows up in Nazareth, and the Bible tells us all these things will be exactly this way? By now, it should come as no surprise. God knew, and He chose to tell us.

If we focus just on the birth, we might wonder how Mary, her pregnancy at full term, was persuaded to go to Bethlehem, riding a donkey and sleeping on the ground. Furthermore, she was obviously about to have this baby and probably traveling with people who knew she and Joseph were pledged to be married but not formally married yet. As if that weren’t enough, there are probably strangers amongst them who also now know this uncomfortable truth. The days of travel would have been long. What could compel them to be in the right place, as predicted, under these circumstances? Rome. The powerful Roman government. I assure you, Rome didn’t know what it was doing. Nevertheless, a census was called, and the result was that what the prophet said was found to be true.  This was not a monumental coincidence; the hand of God is evident. Remember, He is not limited by the ways and designs of men. It was a small thing for Him to use Rome to call for a census that would force Joseph back to Bethlehem, the home of his ancestors, at the precise time when Mary would give birth.

Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem was not an accidental convergence of unrelated events. It was certainly not serendipitous from Mary’s point of view. No, it was a planned event. A piece of the puzzle of the mystery of God; determined before time began and announced long before it came to pass. Ultimately, this all came about for you and for me. It is from the hand of a loving and attentive God. He is still that loving and attentive God, and He is as aware of your circumstances as He was of Mary’s. This December 14, you have plans and things that need to get done. Some of it may be unpleasant, as it was for Mary, but find strength and comfort in the knowledge that God is aware and at work. He will not be surprised by your day. If He can get Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem in time for the birth, He can take care of you. Pause to acknowledge Him, and to worship. Be amazed!
 

Jay W. Hill