Many people are very familiar with the Christmas story, the story of Jesus’ birth. In our familiarity, however, we should not rush through and miss God’s plan in aligning all the events of history for the birth of His Son, Jesus, the Messiah.

Here is Luke’s recording of the details:

2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ And all went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. ⁶ And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

(Luke 2:1-7, English Standard Version)

In all of time, God picked the time of Roman rule over Israel for the birth of His Son.

And in all of Roman rule, God picked the reign of Caesar Augustus.

And God, in His sovereignty, used this pagan ruler and his desire to take a census for the purposes of taxation and military conscription while Mary was expecting her baby.

All of this was God’s Providence, God’s work and orchestration hidden in plain sight, so that the prophesies from hundreds of years before might be fulfilled and the world may know the Jesus is indeed the Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us.

When God chose the time and place of His Son’s birth, no dream was too big, no detail too small.

All so that we might know His Son Jesus, the Savior of the world.

Now that is love.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,
~kevin