If Herod Only Knew

Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord.  Luke 2:22

So, how long was that? In Leviticus 12 we find the days of purification law were 7 days, then circumcision on the eighth day and then continue in uncleanness for 33 days. Since I was one of those Gentiles not raised on the Law of Moses, does that mean 41 days total or just 33? In either case, Mary and Joseph, and the newborn king of the Jews went to Jerusalem and the temple. How far had the word from the shepherds spread in 33 or 41 days? Apparently not as far as Herod's ears. Did he realize after the wise men left that the child had to have been right there almost in reaching distance? Probably so, but the time it took the party from the east to make it to Judea gave the little family of God's son time to make their trip to Jerusalem and get back home. God managed the spread of the word and the travel of both groups so that the prophecy given through Jeremiah of Herod's murderous crime would be fulfilled.

Herod's part is one dark Christmas story among the glad tidings of great joy, but somehow God has it all worked out for us. Praise Him.

Bucky

The Reflected Innkeeper

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

The invention of an innkeeper in the Christmas story may not be wrong, but scripture does not tell us of one. However, along the way in those stories come prejudiced innkeepers, snobbish innkeepers, apologetic, greedy, kind, ruthless, rude, and about any other sort of person one might imagine. These are all of course reflections of the storyteller and those all around him or her who make up the culture of the time. Luke reports a fact, and we in later years run with it in all directions. If there must be an innkeeper, I like the kindly grandpa/grandma type who simply has no room in their inn but lots of room in their heart. They send Joseph and Mary to the stable with blankets, swaddling cloths, food and water, and even send a grandkid or two to help them bed down in fresh straw. In my version the usual decorations on the stable floor have already been removed by these kindly but overworked innkeepers as well.

May our version of that innkeeper reflect the work Jesus has done in our hearts!

Bucky

A Surprising Marvelous Season

And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.  Luke 2:18

Joseph had an unexpected dream. Mary had a sudden guest. Zacharias received the shock of his life. Elizabeth got the desire of her heart long after it would seem possible. And the shepherds in our verse today got what may be the biggest surprise of them all. After hundreds of years of silence, the promised drought of the Lord's word ended in a surprising marvelous season. Angels were suddenly visible. Zach and Mary broke out in psalms. And shepherds, with no prior warning, came to town to spread the good news of a newborn king in Bethlehem. It was no wonder that people in Judea had a bit of trouble keeping up with the events blooming up all around them. 

May your Christmas season be surprising and marvelous in Christ our Lord and Savior!

Bucky

Another Mundane Tale

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. Luke 2:4-5

There was a decree from the Caesar in Rome, and that meant everyone had to go register in the man's family town. Without the rest of the story this is just a mundane note about a couple who had to travel to fulfill a government obligation. Mary may have been one month along or eight, making the journey normal or quite difficult for her. Joseph may have taken a donkey and a cart, or they may have walked all the way. Their story with a narrow focus is much like those shepherds hanging out in the field with their sheep. Mundane, daily stuff, no reason to get excited.

Have a wonderful week in the love of Christ Jesus!

Bucky

In The Same Country

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  Luke 2:8

There are those days when we hear news that causes us to wonder if we are in the same country as some others. But this story of shepherds isn't about political disagreement. The same country means the same as where that little baby was just born in the preceding verse. Now at this time the shepherds had lived around Bethlehem for centuries doing pretty much the same thing day by day. The Roman occupation likely didn't change much about their daily life as scattered shepherds with a few sheep were not much of a threat. (I know, tell that one to Goliath.) The shepherds probably didn't think much of the coming taxes and the census that kicked them out of their stable, and the sheep said 'Bah!' 

It has been quiet in the countryside for so long that we can sit here today and feel the about-to-change tension in the air. Night by night should be the same as the days but darker, right? "What are all you future people doing here looking at the sky?" the shepherd would ask with some concern, if we could be there right now. 

We'll revisit those shepherds as the day comes closer.

Bucky

Specific Prophecies Of The Christ

But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.
  -- Matthew 2:6 from Micah 5:2

Determining which is the most specific prophecy of the coming Christ may be no easy task, but the one of the birthplace lands on a specific small town. After Herod met the visitors from the east in search of Israel's newly born king, he quickly asked the chief priests and scribes where this event was to take place. And they quickly answered with the verse from Micah we read today. Which of course gave Herod an evil idea. That idea was also foretold in prophecy. The star seen in the east by these wise men would soon reappear to lead them to a specific house in Bethlehem. That prophecy of what Herod would do was the reason for the star not leading the eastern visitors straight to Bethlehem. That stop in Jerusalem, since the capital is where one would naturally search for and ask after the newborn king, set in motion the other prophecy. And a dream of an angel message sent Joseph on the way to Egypt to avoid Herod's murderous act and fulfill yet another prophecy. 

That Christ child had a lot of prophecies laid down for him!

Bucky

Walking In Darkness?

The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.
  -- Isaiah 9:2

Lots of time, no problem! Yes, Christmas eve is two weeks from this evening. Soon lots of time will turn to little time, and the annual mad scramble to get ready for Christmas will begin. That rush near the holiday can be a part of the darkness some walk in every year. It is possible to both dread and revere the holiday. The perfect present, the best yard light display, Christmas cards that say the right thing, and many other heavy-weight concerns may take us away from the light shining in the darkness. That light promised in our verse for today waits for anyone to remember Him even among those who believe. Because any of us may find ourselves walking in darkness in this season too. 

Trust in the Light, and turn around when you see darkness!

Bucky