I wrote this post after the election and sent it to a few friends to encourage them and felt it needed to be shared to encourage more disheartened American Christians after the election of our new president.
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I hope this story encourages you today.
Luke 2:1-8
2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a]Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Now, I am not going to be using this as a Christmas story. Is part of the "Christmas Story", yes, but that is not what we'll be meditating on today.
Let's look at verse 1. "In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world." let's look at Cesar's title. He didn't go with "King". Too typical, not enough glory. Not "dictator", too temporary.
He had the name "August" which, in the greek form means to be regarded with great respect, venerated with reverence. he elevated himself like a God.
From Wikipedia :
"The reign of Augustus initiated an era of relative peace known as the Pax Romana (The Roman Peace). The Roman world was largely free from large-scale conflict for more than two centuries, despite continuous wars of imperial expansion on the Empire's frontiers and one year-long civil war over the imperial succession. Augustus dramatically enlarged the Empire, annexing Egypt, Dalmatia, Pannonia, Noricum, and Raetia; expanding possessions in Africa; expanding into Germania; and completing the conquest of Hispania."
Pax Romana:
"Pax Romana (Latin for "Roman peace") was the long period of relative peacefulness and minimal expansion by the Roman militaryforce experienced by the Roman Empire after the end of the Final War of the Roman Republic and before the beginning of the Crisis of the Third Century. Since it was established by Augustus, it is sometimes called Pax Augusta. Its span was approximately 206 years (27 BC to 180 AD) according to Encyclopedia Britannica.[1]"
And finally, look at the Crisis of the Third Century:
"The Crisis of the Third Century, also known as Military Anarchy or the Imperial Crisis, (AD 235–284) was a period in which the Roman Empire nearly collapsed under the combined pressures of invasion, civil war, plague, and economic depression. The Crisis began with the assassination of Emperor Severus Alexander by his own troops in 235, initiating a fifty-year period in which there were at least twenty-six claimants to the title of Emperor, mostly prominent Roman army generals, who assumed imperial power over all or part of the Empire. Twenty-six men were officially accepted by the Roman Senate as emperor during this period, and thus became legitimate emperors."
This information spans several hundred years of of corrupt government, oppression and war. Why am I sharing this information with you?
Micah 5:2
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans[a] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”
That verse prophesied the birth of the Messiah from Bethlehem 700 years before Christ's birth. This is a ridiculously detailed prophecy, unlike the tales we hear from fortune tellers or horoscopes with their vague and misdirected misinformation. Like I said, this is ridiculously detailed. it's quite the claim.
Now remember. The Roman government under Augustus forced people to render themselves to a census, to leave their homes and travel back to their towns to register under a corrupt politician.
Do you see this? God Himself, the creator, used a corrupt politician to His own glory. This corrupt politician was never bigger, greater, more powerful than the Messiah, the Redeemer. Even this corrupt man in power over the current UNIVERSE at that time was not within the means to prevent the most beautiful, most good person from entering the world--Jesus Christ.
Whatever the man in office, whatever he may do, he is not greater than my God. My God can easily change horrific evil to good without the man in office even being aware of it.
Our God is bigger and more powerful than any man who could ever take office.
He always has been bigger than politicians and He always will be, and I hope that brings you joy.
