October 27 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading:

Luke 2:1-20

¹And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
²(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
³And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
⁵To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
⁶And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
⁷And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
⁸And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
⁹And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
¹⁰And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
¹⁵And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
¹⁶And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
¹⁷And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
¹⁸And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
¹⁹But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Devotional:

It was a busy time in the little town. Every Jew whose ancestors were from Bethlehem was returning to be taxed in this general taxation which the Roman Emperor had decreed. Joseph, like every other Jew of the time, had full knowledge of his family tree. He was well aware that he was of the line of David.

The women were taxed, too, and had to travel to the town of their fathers. Even pregnant women, under the rule of the ruthless Augustus, were forced to make the trip. Augustus considered himself autonomous. But he was an instrument in the hand of the Sovereign God to accomplish the fulfilment of the prophecy of Micah 5:2: 'But 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.'

God's ways are past finding out. He used the decree of a world monarch to accomplish His purpose! He used a full inn to bring about the birth of His Son in the most modest of surroundings. The baby was born exactly where and when He chose. All circumstances were bent toward the accomplishment of His purpose. The humblest manger in a very ordinary stable. An unpretentious town. It was all part of the humiliation of the Son of God who left the riches of heaven to be born into the race of men. It was all part of the evidence of the love of the Sovereign God for sinners.