Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
Isaiah 9:5-7
ZECHARIAH
The old man breathed a sigh of relief as he sank back into his carefully arranged cushions. Peace at last! All morning long he had searched for an escape from the whirlwind of preparations for his baby son’s circumcision, and at last he had found it. The roof! “Why didn’t I think of this hours ago?” he wondered. Even though he could not speak, the bustle of activity in the house had been impossible to ignore. Servant girls scurrying here and there…neighbors and relatives dropping in to help…..Elizabeth’s older sister Rachel trying to run things as usual. He smiled to himself. There were a few advantages to being unable to speak, after all. No one expected him to answer any questions.
He’d marveled at Elizabeth reigning above all the commotion, nursing the baby in between managing every last detail, keeping Rachel under control. No one had noticed when he slipped silently out of the house and up the outside stairs. Tucked away in this quiet corner of the roof, his tired old bones soothed by the warmth of the Judean sun, he could ponder the mystery of the last few months in peace.
The baby! He could still hardly believe that this tiny, perfect boy was his very own son. He and Elizabeth had long ago reconciled themselves to the heartbreak of a childless home. As the years went by, their love for God and for each other had grown to fill the void. But now and again, in unguarded moments, he would catch a glimpse of that wistful longing in Elizabeth’s lovely gray eyes, and he shared her pain. Then, one day, everything changed.
His thoughts traveled back to that day, just a few short months ago, when he was serving his turn as a priest in the temple in Jerusalem. Lots were cast to decide which one of the priests in his division would be honored to go into the Holy Place, taking a pan of coals from the altar of burnt offering to the altar of incense. There, incense would be sprinkled on the hot coals as intercession was made for God’s people. Zechariah’s priestly heart skipped a beat when his name was chosen to be the one; all his life he had longed for this moment, and now it was here!
Every detail of that sacred place had etched itself on his memory. A wave of holy fear, mingled with joy, had stirred him as he entered the Holy Place with the pan of smoldering coals in his hands. The sweet fragrance of the incense wafted up before Jehovah. “Show me Your Glory, O Lord,” he breathed. Suddenly, just to the right of the incense altar, an angel appeared, shining with unearthly light. His fear intensified, gripping his soul, immobilizing him. But the angel’s comforting words broke through his terror: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John……he will be great in the sight of the Lord…..filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth…..he will go forth in the spirit and power of Elijah…..to make ready a people prepared for the Lord…..”
The angel’s words also filled him with incredulity. Zechariah knew the Scriptures all too well. This “son” would be the one to prepare Israel for their Messiah, their long awaited King. How could this be? He could not contain the question that rose up in his heart. “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” He didn’t know it then, but those were to be the last words he would speak until this very day. The moment they were spoken, he regretted them.
The angel thundered, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”
Zechariah stood in shame as the angel disappeared. Why hadn’t he just believed? What more proof had he needed? He slowly turned and left the Holy Place to face the people, his voice gone. Try as he might, he could not convey to them what had just happened. They only knew that he had seen some sort of vision. All he could do was finish out his priestly duties, longing to return home to Elizabeth. She would understand. And she did not disappoint him. Together, they pondered the mystery of the angel’s words as Zechariah wrote them out for her.
As the next few weeks passed, their astonishment deepened with the knowledge of the new life growing in Elizabeth’s body. But greater even than their joy in the coming birth was the reality of the truth it confirmed. Jehovah was moving in history; His purposes were about to be revealed. Zechariah and Elizabeth recalled Jacob’s prophecy over his son Judah nearly 2000 years before – “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until He comes to whom it belongs, and the obedience of the nations is His.” They knew that the Romans’ puppet king Herod, now ruling in Jerusalem, was an Edomite, an avowed enemy of Israel, and that the line of Jewish kings seemed lost in oblivion. Could it be that in these desperate times for Israel, the age-old promise of Messiah was about to be fulfilled?
One day just six months later, their hope was confirmed by a surprise visit from Mary, Elizabeth’s young cousin from Nazareth in Galilee. Zechariah could hear the excited voices from the other room. This was no ordinary family catchup conversation. Soon Elizabeth brought Mary to him and shared her astounding news. The look on Mary’s face conveyed much of the story even as he began to grasp the impact of what she was telling him. This young girl fairly glowed with the presence of the Holy Spirit. Mary had always been a devout girl with an intense love for God, unusual in one so young. But now she seemed brimming with joy, radiant. Zechariah’s heart thrilled at the faithfulness of God as he took in the words of Mary’s song of praise.
“Zechariah!” Elizabeth marveled. “When our baby heard Mary’s voice, he leaped for joy!”
What an honor it had been to have the mother of the Lord Himself in their home for the next few weeks, a comfort and strength to them while they waited for the birth of their baby.
And now the day for naming baby John had come.
Just then the gentle touch of Elizabeth’s hand on his shoulder startled him back to the present. “So here you are, my love, hiding on the rooftop! I was beginning to wonder if I would ever find you! Everyone is gathering and we’re just about ready to begin.” His little son, just eight days old, gazed up at him from Elizabeth’s arms with those beautiful eyes so like his mother’s.
Zechariah followed them down the stairs and into the courtyard. What a crowd! Everyone seemed ready to begin, but he soon sensed a delay. An argument was brewing between Elizabeth and the other relatives, Rachel in particular, over the naming of the baby. Zechariah thought to himself, “Oh no! I should have seen this coming.” Everyone would assume that the baby would be named for his father. But Zechariah knew better than to question the angel’s words again. In a matter of seconds someone asked him what the baby would be named. Without hesitation, he wrote, “His name is John”. No sooner had he laid down the writing tablet than he felt a surge of praise welling up from the depths of his heart, and he found his voice, just as the angel had promised. The words, he knew, were not his own.
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come and has redeemed His people…..to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant…..to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days…..the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
Locked in time, the crowd of people stood in awe of God’s greatness, His infinite love and faithfulness. Tears coursed down Zechariah’s face as the reality of this moment broke upon him. Messiah was coming! He gathered baby John in his arms and held him close, knowing that the road ahead would not be easy, but that God’s eternal purposes were even now unfolding before his eyes
BETHLEHEM
Someone should have been there to meet them.
They threaded their way slowly through the jostling crowds, looking for a place to spend the night. Evening light bathed the ancient city of David in a golden glow, but the young couple, exhausted from the day’s journey, hardly noticed. Joseph’s face wore a look of quiet desperation. The long trip from Nazareth had worn them both out and brought on Mary’s first labor pains. She leaned heavily against him, her breath coming in short gasps as she struggled to put one foot in front of the other. Inwardly, he fought a rising panic. What kind of a provider was he, anyway?
The young teenage girl, sensing his concern, tried her best to reassure him. “Don’t worry, Joseph. God will find a place for us.” She suppressed her own anxiety for his sake. She could tell that this baby was coming soon, no matter where they were. And there seemed to be no room anywhere – not even a corner in the crowded and filthy inn, which was really nothing more than a huge roof under which to take shelter with all the other travelers. No walls, no sanitation, no privacy. They had checked it out first, but the census had swollen the town with visitors. And night was coming on. She felt its chill as each pain grew a little stronger.
Their footsteps led them toward the outskirts of town, away from the crowds. When the next contraction came, it immobilized her; she collapsed against him. “Joseph, I have to lie down,” she pleaded.
A strange impulse caused Joseph to spy a nearby cave, a makeshift stable filled with the sounds and smells of animals. “Just a little further, Mary,” he urged. “This will have to do.”
Somehow he managed to lift her those last few feet into the cave. He settled her in as best he could, spreading clean straw and warm robes over the filth. It wasn’t much, but it was warm and private. Carefully he lay down beside her. Flies buzzed lazily overhead as the sheep and cattle gazed at the intruders.
Exhausted from the trip, steeling herself for the night ahead, Mary cried in Joseph’s arms. If only her mother could be here with her now! Was her baby really going to be born in a stable? Her thoughts jumped back in time to that day only nine months ago, when everything changed….had she dreamed it all? No, it was real….
MARY
It was just an ordinary day. She was alone in the courtyard, stirring the lentils for the evening meal and dreaming of Joseph, when the angel’s powerful voice broke into her reverie….”Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary had startled with fear as she turned toward the brightness that seemed to have come out of nowhere. What could this possibly mean? She was only a poor Jewish girl. She was no one special.
The angel’s next words were both reassuring and puzzling. “Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. You will be pregnant and will birth a son, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
Mary’s mind raced as her spirit soared with the majesty of these words. “Pregnant?” she queried. “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.” Mary trembled at the sound of authority in the angel’s message. “Even Elizabeth your cousin is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was barren is six months pregnant. Nothing is impossible with God!”
The full impact of the angel’s words began to sink in. She, Mary, was going to be the mother of the Messiah of Israel, the king on whom the hope of all ages hung! “I am your handmaiden, Lord; let it be just as You have said”. Her heart was singing.
After the angel left, Mary dared not move, lost in wonder. “I’ve got to go see Zechariah and Elizabeth,” she determined. She could not tell anyone just yet. She needed to see her cousin; somehow the angel’s news about Elizabeth would confirm his words. Her parents’ permission given, Mary left within a few days for the hill country of Judea, wondering all the way if it could be true that Elizabeth was really pregnant.
As Mary approached the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth, her mind full of questions, she called out to them in greeting.
“Shalom! I’m here!”
Elizabeth came running to the gate, heavy with her unborn baby. A torrent of words burst from her. “Blessed are you among women! Blessed is the baby you will birth! Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to see me? As soon as you spoke, my own baby leaped for joy. Blessed are you for believing that what God has said to you will happen!”
Mary gasped. “….the mother of my Lord….”? It was true, just as the angel had said. From deep within Mary’s spirit, a song began to form. “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…..for the Mighty One has done great things for me….holy is His name….”
Mary stayed with Zechariah and Elizabeth for three months. For hours at a time they pored over prophecies in the scriptures about the coming Messiah. Mary soaked them up like a sponge, much to Zechariah’s delight. Being a priest, he knew them well. But this could not go on forever. Mary knew she must soon return to Nazareth, and who there would believe her?
Sometimes she would wake up in the morning thinking she had dreamed it all. But her changing body told her that this baby was very real. She needed to go home and face Joseph, her parents, and her friends. How could she tell them she was pregnant with God’s Son?
She feared that she would surely lose Joseph, the love of her life. He would assume that she had been unfaithful to him. They were engaged to be married, an agreement as binding as if the marriage had already taken place. Now her wedding could never be. At the worst, Joseph could have her stoned for adultery. At the least, he would quietly divorce her, and be out of her life forever. These thoughts plagued her as she hugged Elizabeth goodbye and made her way home to Nazareth. What would happen to her? Who would believe her?
Back home, Mary determined to keep her secret no longer. She looked for the first opportunity to speak to her mother. It came that evening as they were cleaning up after the evening meal.
She took a deep breath. “Mother, something wonderful has happened to me, but it’s going to sound so strange to you,” she began.
Her mother’s eyes widened with amazement as Mary recounted the angel’s breathtaking message and Elizabeth’s startling news. She could see the struggle on her mother’s face intensify as she began to realize the implications of all that Mary was telling her.
“Mary, how can this be?” her mother echoed Mary’s own question. “Are you joking? Have you lost your mind?” Instinctively her mother reached out a hand to feel Mary’s forehead.
“I can’t explain it, Mother, but it happened,” she answered, emotion clouding her voice.
Her mother gathered her into her arms, holding her close as the young girl cried. For a moment, she was mommy’s little girl once again. But in that moment, Mary’s mother knew that she had told her the truth. She stroked Mary’s hair as she remembered the words of the prophet, “A virgin will be pregnant and will birth a son, and will call him Emmanuel, God with us.” God had chosen her little girl.
“No one, not even Joseph, will understand this, “she murmured.
Tears of relief coursed down Mary’s face. “I know, Mother, “she sobbed. “But it’s so real, so wonderful. Maybe we can make him understand.”
“I hope so, Sweetheart,” her mother sighed, “I hope so. I’ll explain it all to your father and have him ask Joseph to stop by after work tomorrow night.”
The next day seemed to stretch into eternity for Mary. Finally evening came, and she knew that her whole future hung in the balance. How would Joseph react? She was not sorry that she had obeyed God. But the price was high, higher than she had ever dreamed it would be….
JOSEPH
Joseph hated the smell of the stable. He tried to block it out and focus on Mary, struggling to remember all that her mother had taught him about midwifery, just in case. If only they had been able to find a clean, decent place for the birth. He felt so ashamed, so inadequate, as he fought to stay calm and wondered what lay ahead for both of them. How on earth would they get through this night? “There, there, Mary,” he stroked her arm, doing his best to comfort her as she faced another contraction. Wrestling with his thoughts, he sorted through the events that had turned his world upside down….
A simple carpenter and craftsman like his father, Joseph reveled in his quiet world of family and friends contained in the little town of Nazareth. Each day he rose in the morning to work with his father in the shop, feeling the wood take on form and utility as he crafted it into a chair or an oxcart. Every seventh day was Sabbath, a reminder of Jehovah’s overriding presence in the lives of His people. He loved the easy rhythm of the weeks.
As he neared his twenty-fifth birthday, Joseph began to think seriously about marriage. He was well established now in his business and could finally provide the dowry. He longed for a wife and family of his own. But not just any wife. Mary was the one. Mary, daughter of Joachim and Anna. He had known her since she was a little girl. Dark eyed, with smooth olive skin, slim and graceful even as a child, she had blossomed into an exquisite young woman. A chance meeting with her in the street or the marketplace could take his breath away. Were other young men noticing her? More and more, she occupied his thoughts.
“I’ll speak to Father about this, “he determined. “He can get things moving.”
Once his decision was made, Joseph wasted no time. The next morning, as he and his father enjoyed a moment of rest between jobs, he took a deep breath and spoke. “Father, I want to get married, “he said.
“Well, it’s about time,” his father smiled. He yawned and stretched, soaking in the warmth of the morning sunshine. “Whom do you have in mind?”
“Mary, daughter of Joachim and Anna,” Joseph replied, sighing with relief.
His father nodded his approval. “Your mother will be so pleased. We are very fond of Anna and Joachim.” Visions of dark eyed grandchildren, bouncing on his knee, filled his imagination.
Joseph’s father was a man of action. Within days a deputy was chosen to negotiate the price of the dowry with Mary’s father and his chosen deputy. All had gone well; Mary’s father appeared to be delighted with his prospective son-in-law. Joseph, however, began to wonder. How did Mary feel? Could she learn to love him? As the day of the betrothal grew near, the questions loomed larger and larger.
The night of the betrothal finally came. Joseph’s heart raced as he and his parents approached Mary’s home. He clutched the gold ring in his hand, fingering its loveliness. What if she found him repulsive? What if she secretly loved another young man in the village? What if?
Soft lamplight and a warm welcome greeted them as they entered the small home. Joseph’s pounding heart quickened even more as he caught Mary’s gaze, unable to bear the suspense any longer. Her eyes told him what he needed to know. She was his! Time stood still in that little room as he spoke the ancient words: “See by this ring thou art set apart for me, according to the Law of Moses and of Israel.”
The wedding would take place in a year. Plans began at once for this festive event, both mothers involved in every detail. Now Joseph could start adding onto his father’s home, making rooms for his new bride. Now he could spend time with Mary, getting to know her.
But before he knew what had happened, Mary disappeared almost overnight. She had decided to visit her cousin Elizabeth, without so much as a word of explanation. He was somewhat perplexed, but concentrated on preparing their new home. After all, a betrothal was as binding as a marriage, and maybe she just needed some time with her cousin before she became his wife. He could be patient.
Three long months went by. Then one afternoon, Mary’s father came into the shop.
“Joseph, Mary is back from Judea. Can you stop by after work? I’ve asked your father and mother to be there, too.”
Something in her father’s voice was not right. Joseph knew it. He could not understand the feeling of dread that nibbled at the corners of his mind for the rest of the afternoon. Right after work, he headed for her house. That wheel could wait until morning.
There she was, waiting for him at the gate. How beautiful she was! How he had missed her. Her eyes lit up as he approached her, and together they entered the courtyard, where both sets of parents waited for them. The looks on their faces signaled to him that this was no ordinary visit. Joseph’s mother and father mirrored his apprehension.
“Shalom, Joseph. Please sit down,” her father said. “We need to talk.”
Then Mary’s father told them the whole story. Joseph listened quietly, trying to control his emotions as he took in the strange and unbelievable tale. He had been taught the scriptures, like any other Jewish boy. But his very own Mary?
He cast a sidelong glance at her face, not wanting to embarrass her further, but desperately hungry to read some message there. What he saw, surprised him. Strangely calm, filled with a joy he had never before seen in her eyes, she seemed…..well, holy. What could this mean? Was it all true, or was he being taken for a fool?
What if it were true? He knew this girl, he loved this girl. She would not deceive him. He looked at her, sitting there, her life in his hands. No. No. The whole thing was just too fantastic. This could not be happening.
Suddenly he could endure it no longer. “I loved you, Mary,” he cried as he felt his world falling apart. Then he walked out into the night.
For days, he wrestled with his emotions. Love, Joseph found, was not something that could be extinguished like a lamp at night. His heart ached for his loss and for Mary, who would now be an outcast in their little town. How should he handle the situation? He had no desire to expose her to public disgrace by bringing her before the magistrate. He had heard that this could be done when the marriage covenant was violated. But he knew of no one who had ever done this, and he didn’t have the heart for it. What good would it do? He was too devastated to be angry.
As he wandered up and down the little hills around Nazareth, trying to walk off some of the pain, his mind began to clear. The gentlest and simplest solution, he decided, would be to quietly divorce her without assigning a cause. Yes, this was what he must do.
Once his decision was made, he felt a measure of peace, but the searing pain of her betrayal remained. He had thought he knew Mary so well. He still could not imagine that she had done this to him. He wondered if he would ever be certain of anything, or anyone, again. How could God have allowed this to happen to him? The night after he made his decision, he wrestled with these questions as he drifted off into an uneasy sleep.
“Joseph, son of David!” The angel’s voice broke into his sleep. “Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife; because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will birth a son, and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Joseph sat upright in bed, fully awake now. Was the dream from God? Yes, he was sure of it. He knew he was in God’s presence; it was tangible. Jesus. The same name Mary had been given. Faith began to rise in Joseph’s heart. Mary’s fantastic story was true!
The despair he had felt for days was gone. Mary was his, his to protect and care for through the coming ordeal. For he knew that others would not believe them. He finally lay back on his bed, trying to take in this wonder, this mystery, as the morning light slowly crept into the room. Sleep was far away now. He could hardly wait to tell her!
As soon as he heard the roosters crowing, Joseph got up, dressed, and hurried to Mary’s house. He woke the whole family, but no one really cared. Joy filled the house that morning.
“Mary must come and live with me now,” Joseph told her father. “The angel told me to take her home to be my wife. Don’t worry; I’ll take good care of her.”
The wedding ceremony took place quietly as soon as arrangements could be made. Under the circumstances, a big wedding party was out of the question. And the little town of Nazareth did not spare the young couple from the cruelty of its gossip. Most people preferred to assume the worst, that Joseph and Mary had been forced into a hasty wedding by their immoral behavior.
It was not an easy time for them. Many times, Joseph came home from work to find Mary weeping. He knew how she dreaded her daily trips to the village well. It was always the same, but it never got any easier for her. She told him she could feel, more than hear, the cruel whisperings of the other women as she approached them. Only a few months ago, this was a time of day that she treasured, a time to giggle and chat with her friends, to bask in the attention of the older women. But now! Their averted eyes and shallow courtesy almost broke her heart. She would steel herself against their contempt and draw the water as quickly as possible. At the end of the day, he would hold her in his arms and comfort her as best he could. Together they watched and waited, counting the days as the baby grew inside her.
Then one day, disturbing news came in the form of a decree from Caesar Augustus, Emperor of Rome. Another census was being taken, and every person was required to go to the city of his ancestry to pay yet another tax. It wasn’t the money that worried Joseph, although that did present a problem. It was Mary. She was almost nine months pregnant, and in no condition to make such a journey. But Joseph knew it was futile to argue with Rome.
The couple prepared carefully for the trip, taking whatever might be needed for the birth. Meanwhile, Mary’s mother instructed Joseph in midwifery, telling him all she could think of that might help. Joseph realized with a shudder that there might be no one else to help when the time came. So early one morning, they set off for the little town of Bethlehem in Judea, three days away.
There were times during the trip when Joseph wondered if Mary would make it to Bethlehem. But somehow they were here, tucked away in a smelly, dirty stable.
Suddenly, Mary’s sharp cry of pain broke into his thoughts…
BABY BOY
It was dark, so dark. Mary felt herself being pulled down into the pain again. Don’t scream, don’t scream, she told herself. Don’t lose control. She gripped Joseph’s hand with all her strength as the pain mastered her, then little by little, released her to sanity. She caught her breath, her mind alive and scrambling to understand.
I never knew it would be like this….the angel…..the bright shining….Jehovah, where are You? Can You be the source of this? The sweat, the stench, the merciless agony? Here it comes again…..
“Mary, Mary….hold on, it’s all right…” Nothing could reach her now. The pain possessed her.
“The baby is coming now….push, push….”
The urge to push seized her now, more intensity than pain. “Once more, once more…” she felt the baby slip from her body into Joseph’s hands.
The tiny boy cried, sucking in lungsful of air between healthy screams. Joseph cut the cord and washed him in a warm salt solution to prevent infection. Mary looked on in amazement as the baby quieted, soothed by the touch of those big carpenter hands. Joseph wrapped him tightly in the clean swaddling clothes Mary’s mother had prepared. Then he placed her little son in her arms.
An uncontrollable joy washed through her. “Jesus!” she whispered to him for the first time. The words of Isaiah rang in her heart. “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his name shall be called ‘Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.’”
As Mary drifted off to sleep, Joseph lifted the baby from her arms. Where could he place this tight little bundle? A feeding trough for the animals, nothing more than a hollowed-out stone, caught his eye. This manger would have to do for a bed. He filled it with soft hay and robes, and placed the sleeping baby in it. Exhausted, he lay down beside Mary in the darkness.
THE SHEPHERDS
Suddenly, the peaceful silence of the night was broken by the sound of rough edged voices. Closer and closer, louder and louder. Mary stirred out of deep slumber. “It sounds like a search party. Who can possibly know we are here? And why would they care?” Just then a group of noisy shepherds burst into the cave.
“Do you folks have a baby in here?”
“You won’t believe what just happened out in the field…an angel…he was gigantic…”
“We were camped out there watching the lambs…”
“The brightness…we were quaking in fear…’
“But he told us not be scared…”
“He said he had good news that would bring great joy to everyone…”
“ …that Messiah the Savior had been born!”
“He told us to look for a baby in a manger…”
“And then, all of a sudden, the sky was filled with more angels than we could count…”
“Oh the Glory! Never had I seen anything like that Light!”
“It shot right through me!”
“Then, just like that they disappeared…”
“Look, Aaron, he is in a manger, just like the angel said!”
For a moment, Joseph’s protective instincts rose to the surface. Shepherds were despised by most in Israel. They were not considered worthy even to be witnesses in court. But now, Joseph and Mary realized, shepherds had been chosen to be the first witnesses of Messiah’s birth., “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” A hush filled the little cave as the shepherds, overwhelmed now by the brooding Presence of the Holy Spirit, knelt in worship.
“C’mon, guys, we’d better go spread the news! We can’t keep this to ourselves! Messiah at last!”
The shepherds slipped out into the darkness and began to wake the town with their unbelievable story. But somehow, though they were often disregarded and ignored, this time was different. People stopped and listened in amazement. Their story had the ring of truth. God chose shepherds to spread the news that would change history. Messiah. The Savior of the world.
Mary tucked all these things away in her heart, treasures to ponder in the years ahead. And the little family drifted back to sleep at last….
SIMEON AND ANNA
The next few weeks passed quietly. The little family was able to move to better lodgings as soon as the city emptied of all its taxpayers. Eight days later the baby was circumcised and named. Jesus, twice named by the angel.
When the time of Mary’s purification after childbirth was completed, according to the Law of Moses, they brought Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. Poor as they were, they could offer only a sacrifice of two young pigeons. But this would be sufficient under the law. As they entered the temple with the baby, they were surprised by an old man who walked straight toward them, excitement in his eyes. He seemed to recognize them, although they had never seen him before. It was unnerving.
Simeon had woken up earlier than usual that day.
“Lord, is this the day?”
A strong impulse seized him. “Go to the temple.” So Simeon lost no time in getting there. And there they were, the three of them. Before Mary realized what was happening, he reached for the baby, scooped him up in his arms, and turned his eyes toward heaven.
“Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”
Mary and Joseph drank in his words. They did not know that old Simeon had been directed by the Holy Spirit to the temple that day, for God had promised him that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah for himself. Simeon blessed them and warned Mary that this child would have a profound effect upon Israel, and that “….a sword will pierce your own soul too”. She could not quite suppress a tremor of fear as she looked down at baby Jesus in Simeon’s arms. What lay ahead for all of them?
As Simeon gave Jesus back to Mary, an old woman named Anna gently touched her arm and began to thank God for her baby. Anna, a widow, had devoted her life to God and the temple. The young couple reveled in the beauty of Anna’s prayer. In later years, they would look back to this day. They would remember the words of Simeon and Anna….
THE WISE MEN
The rumors were flying, and it wasn’t long before they reached the ears of Herod. News traveled fast in Jerusalem, especially news that threatened his power structure. It was precarious enough anyway. Herod knew that he was only a puppet king in the hands of the Romans, an Edomite with no legitimate right to be King of Judea. And to survive, he exercised cruel control over his subjects, even to the point of having members of his own family put to death. He knew what the people said about him – “It’s better to be Herod’s pig than his son.”
This latest rumor was especially troublesome, tied as it was into this crazy Jewish religion. Word had gotten back to him that strangers from the East, learned men who studied the heavens, had arrived in Jerusalem, asking the whereabouts of a newborn “King of the Jews”. They claimed to have seen his star in the East, and couldn’t believe that no one in the city knew of him. Herod knew he had to get right on top of this one.
That same night, he called together all the Jewish religious leaders for a meeting. Although they held him in contempt as a Gentile ruler, he knew they’d all show up – they gave grudging respect to the power of Rome. And show up they did. Seated on his throne, his anger at a low simmer, he viewed the priests and teachers with dread. The quiet dignity of these Jewish leaders made him frantically uneasy, and he struggled to mask his nervousness with a show of his own contempt. “Where is this ‘Messiah’ of yours to be born?” he demanded.
“In Bethlehem of Judea,” one of them answered. “The prophet Micah recorded that out of Bethlehem, our ruler and shepherd would come.”
That was enough information for Herod. He dismissed them all and sent one of his men out into the city to find the strangers. Before long, his servant returned and ushered them into the presence of the king. “Careful, Herod,” he warned himself. “They must not suspect your motives.” The solemn group, dressed in the ornate fashion of the East, stood in deference before him. Eager for any information that would lead them to this new king, they seemed glad to answer his questions.
“Just how long ago did this star appear to you?” Herod asked in unctuous tones, feigning interested good will .
“About two years ago, Most Excellent,” one of them answered. “Do you have any ideas as to the child’s whereabouts?”
“As a matter of fact, I think I can help you,” Herod replied smoothly. “Our sages tell me that the prophecies place his birth in the town of Bethlehem. Go there, and as soon as you find him, report back to me. I am most eager to worship him also.” And that, he thought, settles that. All he needed to do now was wait for the trap to spring.
The wise men left the palace in eager anticipation, their long search almost over. As the entourage made its way toward Bethlehem, it created quite a stir. No expense had been spared in outfitting this journey. Camels, donkeys and servants were in no short supply, ensuring a comfortable trip for these sages. Still, it had been a long and tiring two years.
Melchoir recalled the moment when the beauty of the ancient prophecy had first gripped his heart.
“I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; A scepter will rise out of Israel.”
Somehow the truth of those words had resulted in this quest for the baby King, born to change the destiny of Mankind. Melchoir sensed that all other events in his life were leading up to what was about to transpire. He and his friends were to give testimony and honor to this One who would bring hope to all.
A shout of joy interrupted his reverie. His friend Balthasar pointed to the sky, “Look! The star has reappeared, Melchoir! God is guiding us toward His King!” Their long journey was almost over. They followed the star into Bethlehem, until it stopped over the house where the little King lived. Melchoir and the others entered and knelt in awe before the Child and his mother. They almost forgot the gifts, but Casper, always the practical one, remembered at the last minute. Gold, frankincense and myrrh, fitting gifts for a King.
The wise men reluctantly departed, mindful of their promise to King Herod. Now they could give him the exact address of the baby. But that night, Melchoir dreamed a strange dream in which he was warned not to return to King Herod. It shook him so that he shared it with the others. “God must be warning us, protecting the baby from some great evil,” they decided. And they returned to their country by another route.
It was a night for dreaming. After the sages left the little family, Joseph’s sleep was troubled also. An angel appeared to him and commanded him, “Get up and flee to Eqypt to escape Herod’s wrath – he’s going to come looking for Jesus to kill him. You must go now!” Once again the little family was on the move. Joseph and Mary gathered what belongings they could manage and headed toward Egypt under cover of darkness.
And none too soon! It wasn’t long before Herod realized he had been outwitted by the wise men. His fury boiled over into a heinous decree, “Kill all baby boys in Bethlehem under the age of two years!” Soldiers were dispatched, and the slaughter began. The anguished cries of mothers rent the air as the killers went from house to house, showing no mercy – “Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Far away in Eqypt, safe from Herod’s wrath, the tiny boy began to grow up. The world did not know it then, and only a few realized it, but this small child would someday be the doom of every “Herod” who would ever live. For by his death and endless life, God would once and for all destroy the power of evil in His world.
“Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings, Risen with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die;
Born to raise the sons of earth; Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King!’”