Page 80 - Biblical Theology Textbook - masters

word meaning “Jehovah [God] will save”. Even the name God gave Jesus testified to His mission in
life. Believing the Word from God, Joseph took Mary as his wife.

Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7)
Caesar Augustus called for a census to be taken of all those dwelling in his realm. This is the only time in
history that Rome or any other country asked people to return to the home of their family to register for
taxation. All other times, people registered in the city where they lived. Joseph and Mary lived in
Nazareth but were required by the Roman government to make the trip to Bethlehem in order to
register in the census. The census was taken in order to assess the population for tax purposes. Thus,
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, even though his parents’ home was in Nazareth. This fulfilled the
prophecy of His birth found in Micah 5:2. It was also the city that David was born in so God brought the
King of king who was to be of the lineage of David to the city of David in which to be born.

Since this was the time of the census, the city of Bethlehem would be brimming with out-of-
towners. For whatever reason, Joseph and Mary could find no suitable accommodations. Then, the
time came for Jesus to be born. Apparently, Joseph and Mary searched for some place that she could
deliver a baby in relative privacy. Most believe that place was a stable, because the Bible says the baby
Jesus was placed in a manger, which is a feeding trough for animals, at His birth.

Mary and joseph had traveled roughly 80 miles from their hometown in order to participate in this
census. However, that was just what was taking place on the outside. Their spirits must have been
soaring, knowing what the angels had told them, knowing the time was near for Mary to give birth to
God’s Son, knowing that they had been chosen to participate in this incredible plan of God’s to save
mankind from sin. The hardships of the journey, and their lack of better accommodations, could hardly
have made a dent in the overwhelming joy they must have been experiencing. It just seems reasonable
that a loving God would bless their experience in a most powerful way. This was God coming into the
world in human flesh. I cannot help picturing the entire event as something blessed by God in a way
that is unique to that particular time and place. What an incredible story. Truly, the greatest story ever
told.

Another interesting fact about Christ’s birth in Bethlehem comes from two verses in the Old Testament:

Genesis 35:21 Jacob buried Rachel “Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the “tower of Eder.”
This tower was located just outside of Bethlehem was also called “the tower of the flock” (Migdal Eder
in Hebrew).

Micah 4:7-8 “And the lame I will make the remnant, and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and
the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion (Jerusalem) from this time forth and forevermore. And you,
O tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it (he – Messiah) come, kingship for the
daughter of Jerusalem.

This verse seems to indicate that there was a specific place where Jesus would be born within the city of
Bethlehem. That place is called the Tower of Eder or the Tower of the Flock.

The Old Testament saints looked for the Messiah to revealed from Migdal Eder. This was a tower built
specially to care for the flocks which were birthed there and destined for the Temple sacrifices. The
shepherds who watched over them were not ordinary shepherds; they watched over the Temple sheep
year-round.

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