In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ... And everyone went to their 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. -Luke 2:1,3-5 NIV
Centuries before Joseph traveled to Bethlehem, the prophet Micah foretold that out of that town would come one who's origins were from ancient times - one that would be ruler over Israel. These words had to confuse ones looking for the Messiah. They understood the place of his birth but had no way of understanding how this one would originate from ancient times. Little did these know that a Roman emperor would help in the fulfilling of this prophetic word. Who could have imagined that this little town of Bethlehem would be the place where God took on human form?
... this devotion is part of an ongoing Advent series.
I love how God chose a small town to come to.
ReplyDeleteMe too Fred.
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