Luke chapter 2 has to be one of the most exciting,
important, and special chapters in all the Bible! Luke has done his research, no
doubt interviewing Mary personally, and even possibly talking with the shepherds
mentioned in this chapter. He gives more details concerning the birth of Jesus
Christ than any other of the Gospel writers. Matthew gives only a little
description of Jesus birth at Bethlehem with the wise men visiting Him with
gifts and Herod the local king attempting to kill Him. Mark leaves out any
details of Jesus birth and simply tells us that He is baptized by John and He begins
His ministry preaching. John highlights Jesus’ divinity as the Word becomes
Flesh with no mention of His birth at Bethlehem.
While Luke 1 gives us the theme of joy and rejoicing at the
coming of Jesus, Luke 2 highlights the sovereignty of God behind the scenes in
the events of the world and the birth of Jesus Christ! While Jesus was born as
weak as any other baby humanly speaking, He was also the center of power as far
as heaven was concerned.
First His birth drew Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem (vv.
1-7). Augustus Caesar was ruling, but God was in charge, for He used Caesar's
edict to move Mary and Joseph eighty miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem to
fulfill His Word. Rome took a census every fourteen years for both military and
tax purposes, and each Jewish male had to return to the city of his fathers to
record his name, occupation, property, and family.
When Mary said "Be it unto me according to Thy
word" (Luke 1:38), it meant that from then on, her life would be a
part of the fulfillment of divine prophecy. God had promised that the Savior
would be a human, not an angel (Gen. 3:15; Heb. 2:16), and a Jew, not a Gentile
(Gen. 12:1-3; Num. 24:17). He would be from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10),
and the family of David (2 Sam. 7:1-17), born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14) in
Bethlehem,' the city of David (Micah 5:2).
All of this occurred just as the Scriptures said, and
Caesar unknowingly played an important part. A great pastor of yesteryear used
to say, "History is His story," and even one of our U.S. Presidents,
James A. Garfield called history "the unrolled scroll of
prophecy." If God's Word controls our lives, then the events of
history only help us fulfill the will of God. "I am watching over My
word to perform it," promises the Lord (Jer. 1:12).
The tax that Caesar Augustus imposed required that every
person go to the city where he was born to be registered. Joseph and Mary,
married now, and the Babe who was soon to be born, had to return to Bethlehem,
the ancestral home of David, Israel's greatest king. Like it or not, Joseph and
Mary set out on their journey, which must have been tiring and uncomfortable
for Mary. That she should be left behind in her condition was unthinkable.
The hand of God was in the whole business. The journey put
Mary in Bethlehem in time for the birth of her child. Just where the prophet
Micah had declared some six or seven hundred years earlier that Christ would be
born (Mic. 5:2). Mary and Joseph were already husband and wife but since they
did not consummate the marriage until after Jesus was born, she is called his
"espoused wife" (Matt. 1:18-25).
Bethlehem means "house of bread," the ideal
birthplace for the Bread of Life (John 6:35). Its rich historic heritage
included the death of Rachel and the birth of Benjamin (Gen. 35:16-20; also see
Matt. 2:16-18), the marriage of Ruth, and the exploits of David. It is worth
noting that the name Benjamin means "son of my right hand," and the
name David means "beloved." Both of these names apply to our Lord,
for He is the Beloved Son (Luke 3:22) at God's right hand (Ps. 110:1).
Yes, my friend, we can be assured that even today in a
world full of corruption, chaos, confusion, and war, our God is sovereign, and He
is engineering circumstances for the soon coming again of His Son! We should be
looking up!!!!
God bless!
