A Census, a Small Town, and a Mighty King

By Danny Saavedra

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. 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. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.”—Luke 2:1–5 (NIV)

“When he [Herod] had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied.”—Matthew 2:4–5 (NIV)

Think of your favorite stories. In most of them, the setting is often just as big of a character as many of the main characters. What would The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe be without Narnia? In the Christmas story, the setting also carries great significance.

So, what’s the setting? It’s the small town of Bethlehem. Why Bethlehem? Well, if you remember from our study two days ago, Bethlehem was David’s hometown. And in Micah 5:2 (NIV), we’re told, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans 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.”

Did you notice the manner in which Bethlehem is described by the prophet? As “little” (Hebrew צָעִיר, which means “insignificant”) among all the towns of Judah. Yet God chose this town as the destination for the most significant moment in the history of the universe.

But wait a minute . . . I thought Mary and Joseph were from Nazareth? How did they end up all the way in Bethlehem, which was about a four-day donkey ride from Nazareth? Well, around the time when Mary was late in her pregnancy, Caesar Augustus, who ruled over the Roman Empire, decided to decree that a census be taken of the Roman Empire. This census required Joseph to journey from his village of Nazareth to his ancestral hometown of Bethlehem.

Why a census? For taxation purposes, so they could know how much to tax each person based on their heritage. To Caesar Augustus, the census was all about furthering his kingdom and his glory. However, what he didn’t realize was he was simply paving the way for the coming of the true King, the King of kings. What a contrast, right? The majestic Roman Empire with all its earthly might and its king with all his power compared to the humblest, smallest, most insignificant of towns where a poor carpenter would take his wife to give birth in a dirty barn to the KING OF GLORY!

As I write this, a single thought keeps ringing through in my mind: God’s perspective is different than ours. You see, God used those whom the world would deem mighty and powerful to accomplish His plans and glorify Himself. BUT God’s heart resides with the humble. God loves the humble and uses the humble in mighty ways. He lifts them up because a humble heart knows that his or her accomplishments, successes, and triumphs are to the glory of God and all in service of God. A humble heart doesn’t seek to glorify himself or herself, but God, to whom all glory, honor, and praise belong. And at the same time, He used the proud and mighty of this world to accomplish His purposes. And whether the proud and mighty realize it or not, one day they’ll all be laid low and will bow before the King of kings and Lord of lords!

May we remember this truth when it comes to the condition of our hearts this Christmas season.

Sabbath is all about resting well and setting aside time to be present with God and others. Besides going to church and worshiping together, rest can also look like spending time doing things that bring you joy. In the midst of Christmas busyness, plan to intentionally rest today or this weekend: Go to church, have a meal with a friend or your family, go on a walk on the beach or at a park, watch a movie—you name it!