GREAT EXPECTATIONS FOR THE CELEBRATION AND COMMEMORATION OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST ON CHRISTMAS DAY…SPIRITUAL THOUGHT..7

“In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus ….” Luke, 2:1-14

The periodical censuses had a specific reason; they wanted to hit two birds with one stone, as the saying goes. Firstly to assess taxation and secondly to discover those who were liable for compulsory military service. But, as we know,  the Jews were exempt from military service (religious convictions) , and therefore it follows that the only aim was for taxation purposes.

According to an official Document written on ‘papyrus’ and discovered in the ‘dust-heap’ of an Egyptian town, we find that all men had to go to the headquarters of their tribe. This was the reason for Joseph’s travel to Betlehem to obey the ‘edict’,  BUT, God had another purpose, another aim in mind. “How great Thou art, O Lord” Christ had to be born in Betlehem … not because Augustus decided so, but because it was thus prophesied.

The journey from Nazareth to Betlehem was 80 miles long. The accommodation for travellers was very primitive, The used to put up a series of stalls opening off a common courtyard. Travellers took their own food; all that the innkeeper provided was fodder for the animals and  a fire to cook. The town was crowded, and as we know there was no room for Joseph and Mary, not even in these stalls, so they had to find shelter in a cave.

The ‘swaddling’ cloth mentioned in the Gospel, was a square of cloth with a long bandage like strip coming diagonally off from one corner. The baby was first wrapped in the square of cloth and then the long strip was wound round and round about him.

That ‘there was no room in the inn’ was … and IS, symbolic of what was to happen to Jesus, and NOW, to what is happening to His followers. The only place where there was room for Him was on the Cross. He sought an entry into the over-crowded hearts of men; He could not find it … and even today He is still in search, and His rejection goes on.

We have to keep in mind how the Jewish ‘man in the street’,  the elite and the religious leaders looked upon … or rather looked down on the shepherds.  Shepherds were despised by the orthodox good people of the day. Shepherds were quite unable to keep the details of the ceremonial law; they could not observe all the meticulous hand-washings rules and regulations.

Their flocks made far too constant demands on them; and so the orthodox looked down upon them. Yet, it was to simple men of the fields that God’s message came first.

But these must have been special shepherds. It was the custom to offer, morning and evening, an unblemished lamb, as a sacrifice to God. They had to assure themselves of a supply of pefect offerings for the Temple. So the temple Authorities had their own private flocks of sheep. We know that these flocks were pastured near Betlehem. Most probably these shepherds were watching over these Temple sheep.