a world or a single star, called on one part of His creation to announce Jesus’ birth. This star had its peculiarities. It was not a fixed star, but could move as and when required. It went before the wise men just above the road on which they were travel ing and moved from North to South. When needed, it re-appeared and guided the wise men to the exact spot where Jesus was. It was not a recognized star in the sky for it was so near the earth that its beams could indicate the exact house the men were to visit. When the three travelers came from the East, they worshipped Jesus and gave Him the treasures they had brought for Him: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Knowing the working of Eastern minds, we should be right in finding a typical significance in these gifts. Yet they had another purpose. God knew that Herod would seek to kill His Son and that Joseph would have to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt for safety. These valuable gifts would pro vide the essential funds that would enable the three to make the journey, pay for their stay in Egypt and the cost o f their return journey. Consider the varied people and objects wanted for the occasion; the various events which had to take place; and the exact timing needed to bring in the Christmas event. Only one conclusion is possi ble. Perfect wisdom as well as unlimited power were essential for every act to take place with the precision required. Only God could bring about the wonder o f Christmas for He alone knows how it could be done; only He could speak to men and urge them to fulfill His will, even though they did not know they were doing it. Using only ordinary and extraordinary events, God alone could work out such far-reaching and significant purposes. Also, only God could cause the events to coincide in time. As we watch God at work at Christmas, we see not only His wisdom and power. We also see that His choice was so different from what many people would have expected. God did not choose a regal setting for Jesus’ birth; instead He was born in a stable. The place had none of the glamour of the Christmas card picture; it was a scene o f poverty, squalor and filth. Though Jesus was rich, “ yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Cor. 8 :9 ). In the dawn of history, God had promised that Jesus would come as the Redeemer. God was at work. At Bethlehem the promise was fulfilled. So “ the Word” that “was God” and that was “with God” was “made flesh, and dwelt among us.” True, “ he came unto his own, and his own received him not.” Yet having done so much already, God did not allow the matter to rest there. So to “ as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God” (John 1:1, 2, 13, 11 & 12). No wonder we rejoice at Christmas! Q b J
relative of David, Nathan. Jesus was born into David’s family. Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth; God had foretold that Bethlehem was the place where Jesus should be born. Through the prophet Micah (5 :2 ), God had declared hundreds of years earlier: “Thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Nazareth was about 85 miles from Bethlehem. Why should Joseph and Mary make this journey at this particular time? True, God could have many reasons for choos ing Bethlehem as the town where Jesus should be bom. It had many hallowed associations. Near the place was the site o f Rachel’s tomb. The ancestress o f David, Ruth, settled there when she married Boaz. The city was described as the city of David and therefore a suitable place for the birth of “David’s greater Son.” Yet, how marvelous is God’s choice of the place for Christ’s birth! Its insignificance made it a most unlikely place for a King to be bom. When Micah spoke of Bethlehem, it was a village so small that it was not even referred to on a caravan route. By selecting a village so remote, the identification of Christ as the baby bom there became so much clearer. Indeed the identity o f the village is so exact that when the Jewish elders were questiond by Herod, they had not the slightest hesitation in naming Bethlehem as the place o f Messiah’s birth. Further, the means God chose to fulfil His pur poses were so unexpected that He was the only One who could have chosen them or been able to make them work for Him. Rome was accustomed to take a census o f the population every 14 years. The time had come for Palestine to have its enrollment. Difficulties had arisen between Herod and Rome which caused it to be postponed. The census was timed for the moment it best suited God’s purposes. Further, Rome made a concession to Palestine and allowed them to make the enrollment in their own form. This required Joseph to make the jour ney to his own city—Bethlehem. It was Mary rather than Joseph whose presence in Bethlehem was necessary for God’s purposes. The census re quired a wife to go with her husband. The birth of Jesus was near. Mary made the journey with Joseph and the Babe was born in the place God had named specifically for Him. For a unique birth, God gave a unique an nouncement. He opened the heavens from which one of His messengers appeared and heralded the birth of His Son. Soon multitudes of angels ac knowledged the goodness of God in sending His Son to earth to die for men’s sin. God wanted some scientists from a distant country to visit His Son. He who alone could create
DECEMBER, 1968
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