Read Luke 2:1-5
“Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; One will come from you to be ruler over Israel for Me. His origin is from antiquity, from eternity.”
(Micah 5:2)
God always keeps his promises. 700 years prior to Caesar’s decree, God made a promise through the mouth of his prophet Micah that a remote village named Bethlehem would be the birthplace of an eternal ruler over Israel. Only the messiah would fit the unique description of “eternal ruler,” yet a geographical roadblock stood in the way of the fulfillment of the Bethlehem promise. Mary and Joseph resided in Nazareth and were certainly preparing for the imminent arrival of their child in the comfort of their own home. So how does God cause a young couple to make a highly improbable three-day journey across 90 miles of terrain to visit a lowly rural community while in the final stages of pregnancy?
He directs the heart of a king.
“A king's heart is like streams of water in the LORD's hand: He directs it wherever He chooses.” (Proverbs 21:1)
In a powerful expression of his sovereign will, God uses a decree from Caesar Augustus to bring this young Nazarene couple to the little town of Bethlehem. Faithful to his promise seven centuries earlier, God would bring his "eternal ruler" into the world in the most unlikely of places.
Starter Prayer:
God,
You are always faithful to your promises. Thank you for the many clear prophecies from your Word that point to Jesus being the messiah. You truly are a God who is in the details. If you were faithful to your word to put a small town like Bethlehem on the map for eternity, I can certainly trust you with the details in my life. Help me to trust you more.
Amen.
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