Devotional 12-13-14

The Long Expected Jesus

At the time of Jesus’ birth Israel was part of the Roman Empire. Seventy percent of the population lived in what we would consider poverty. Jews could pay more than half of their income in taxes. (10% to priests and Levites, 10% for temple sacrifices, 3% for the poor, and the rest to Rome.) Life was hard and the people were anxious for their promised Messiah. There were many prophesies predicting the coming of a savior, a Messiah. Some were specific:

“A shoot will come from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit.”(Isaiah 11:1 NIV)

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.”(Isaiah 7:14 NIV)

“But you Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judea; for out of you will come the ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.(Micah 5:2 NIV)

The birth of Jesus fulfilled the scriptures. Both Mary and Joseph were descendants of King David. (See Matthew 1:1-17 for the genealogy of both.) Mary was a virgin when she was impregnated by the Holy Spirit. And because of the decree of Caesar Augustus  that a census be taken, Joseph,  with Mary, as a descendant of David had to travel to Bethlehem. Thus Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

Into this world ruled under the iron fist of Rome came the long expected Savior. From the beginning of His life on earth He was not what people were expecting. He was not born in royal surroundings. He was born to humble parents in a dark and dirty stable. This set the tone for His life and ministry. 

Jesus is still often not what we are expecting. We try to fit Jesus into our own frame of reference. Too often at Christmas we look for Jesus in a beautifully wrapped package under the Christmas tree. Then we are disappointed when we don’t find him there. Instead of trying to fit Jesus into a Christmas box, we need to open our hearts and minds to Him.

Margaret Williams