The Times Set, the Exact Places

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he 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 2:1-5, NIV 1984).

My Musings – It was written by the prophet as one of many validations that Jesus was the Messiah. But Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth. How could He have been born in Bethlehem? Perhaps the most famous of all the birth texts explains.

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world…And everyone went to his own town to register. 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. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there…she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:1–7, NIV 1984).

My Advice – What specifically did the prophet say? “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2, NIV 1984). The place and the times (plural). Why plural? “Will come” and “origins are from of old.”

The place is, of course, “Bethlehem Ephrathah” very specific. The time to come, in the “days [of] Caesar Augustus,” is also specific. But how specific could the “ancient times” be? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1-2, 14, NIV 1984). Can’t be more ancient than that. Yet, “in the beginning” He was already there, the “ancient of days.“

God is very specific about us too, concerning the time and the place. Including the reason for the time and the place. “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17:26–27, NIV 1984). While it was not prophesied, like it was with Jesus, “all the days ordained for [us] were written in [His] book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16, NIV 1984).

This should make us feel pretty special. And we are special, because coming to save us from the penalty of our sins was His reason for being born. To die in our place and take the penalty upon Himself. But only if we “seek Him…reach out for Him and find Him.” He made it easy and free, so we have no excuse.