Looking Forward to Joy

The Christmas season is a time for Joy. Families gather, parties are held, and gifts are exchanged. But the joy often dissipates when families depart, the decorations are put away, and life’s routine returns to normal. Many people miss the greater joy associated with this season: the birth of the Christ who brings salvation. 

This study is a continuation of a look at the "Christmas Story" as we look at Luke 2:4-14 and learn that God's anointed one to deliver humanity from death has come, giving us much cause for joy.

Living our lives in His salvation gives us joy, an eternal joy to which we can look forward. It is a joy that outward trappings cannot remove or replace.  

The first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke detail the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. Chapter 1 relates the angel Gabriel’s announcements of the coming birth of John the Baptist as well as his announcement to Mary of her miraculous conception of Jesus by the Holy Spirit. Chapter 2, which we dive into in this study, gives the details related to Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. Let's look at events surrounding the birth of the anointed one of God to deliver humanity from a death sentence.

Luke 2:4-7 

4 Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, 5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

In verses 1-3 of this chapter Luke tells us the reason that Joseph had to go to Bethlehem. The Roman emperor Augustus Caesar decreed an empire-wide registration, most likely for the purposes of taxation. So everyone was required to go to his ancestral hometown to register. The accounts of Augustus' deeds that were widely disseminated throughout the empire after his death makes reference to three imperial censuses during his reign. One in about 28 BC, one in 8 BC, and one in AD 14.

It is a commonly held assumption that the decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world was to be taxed, was a single census [a single event] in the entire Roman empire. Actually, what is meant is that censuses were taken at different times in different provinces – Augustus being the first one in history to order a census or tax assessment of the whole provincial empire. One New Testament historian says, “As to the taking of such an enrollment in general, it is known from discoveries among the Egyptian papyri that a Roman census was taken in Egypt, and therefore perhaps also throughout the empire regularly.... Many actual census returns have been found, and they use the very same word which Luke 2:2 uses for the “enrollment.” 

An analogy for our understanding might be, instead of Tax Day being April 15, in year X, it might be some other month in year X or perhaps even some month in year X+1. The bottom line, however, is that there was a Tax Day, and Augustus' Tax Day necessitated that adult males return to their ancestral homeland to register. It was generally understood that Roman law instructed property owners to register for taxation in the district where they owned land. However, “…a papyrus dated to A.D. 104, records an Egyptian prefect who ordered Egyptians to return to their ancestral homes so that a census could be taken. In the first century Rome, since the Jews’ ancestral property was patriarchal the Romans would certainly have allowed them the custom of registering for their family estate. Archaeology has born out that returning to the ancestral homeland "was a thing."

So, have you ever stopped to consider the problems encountered in Jesus' birth? First problem: Mary and Joseph were not yet married and she became pregnant because of God's Holy Spirit. Next problem, there were taxes to be paid AND you have to WALK some 90 miles to go to another town to pay your taxes. 

Joseph's betrothed's name, Mary, is the Greek version of the Hebrew “Miriam.” She was a relative of Elizabeth (the mother of John the Baptist, 1:36) and was a young woman of great faith who willingly assented to be the mother of the Messiah.  Because Mary is pregnant and due to deliver soon, and because both Joseph and Mary were aware of this child's special status, Joseph couldn't very well leave her in Nazareth alone for the many days it would take to register

and return.  Nazareth was a small village located in the hill country of lower Galilee halfway between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea. The first-century population of the village was about four hundred people. The primary occupation of the residents was agriculture. A major trade route (an interstate), the Via Maris, running from Egypt to Mesopotamia passed near the village. It would not be safe to leave Mary to give birth alone.  So "very pregnant" Mary had to take a road trip of some 90 miles by walking and on donkey. How would you like to walk from Brenham down to San Jacinto while you were nine months pregnant? 

A third problem, Mary was going into labor in the middle of the whole ordeal. So their choices were to find a house that would share space with them, or bear the child in the open. 

Fourth problem, of the houses available to share space there was no room to share, only the stable area. The typical "Three-room house of Israel" is so typical that in archaeology it is a named identifying structure. A typical Israelite "three-room house" would usually consist of a single-story structure primarily made from mud bricks with a stone foundation. The house would often feature a second story for additional living space, or at the least a roof area for more living square footage. There would a entrance area for receiving people and performing household

chores. Often serving as a "garage", some of the domestic animals would be sheltered within the house in this area, hence it would be a location for a manger. The house would feature a work/storage room toward the back of the house for storing grain and supplies, the third room would be a living/sleeping area, or the main living space, where people would sleep. A roof access also provided space for sleeping and working. The fifth problem was that, because of the census, the house was full up with people, and there were no "private places" for the couple to give birth. They had to "stay in the garage".  But in the end a baby was born, and there was joy! At last this part of their ordeal was completed and they were safe. 

Luke identifies a specific census, one that "first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria." Historical sources indicate that this "first census" took place too early to be the Jesus census, but as Quirinius died in 21 AD the Jesus census is referring to a second census held in the last few years BC.

Luke also mentions going to the city of David. Why is this Bethlehem and not Jerusalem? Both Bethlehem and Jerusalem are referred to as the City of David in the Bible, but for different reasons. The New Testament refers to Bethlehem as the City of David because it was the birthplace of David. Bethlehem was also home to David's father, Jesse, and was the site of David's anointment by the prophet Samuel.The word Bethlehem literally means "house of bread". 

The Old Testament refers to Jerusalem as the City of David because King David captured the city and made it the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel. 

So the birth of Jesus certainly brought joy to Mary and Joseph. They had a son. They knew that he was specially conceived of God. Their "problems" were behind them for the moment. But the birth of Jesus also brought joy for others as well.

Luke 2:8-12  

8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

Shepherding was a major occupation in ancient Israel. Sheep and goats are basically helpless animals. They must be kept together in groups where the shepherd can keep them under constant observation so they will not wander away or be attacked by predatory animals.  Sheeple are not very much different. Jesus called Himself the “good shepherd” who would lay down His life for His disciples. Shepherds were charged with the care and protection of their sheep. At night they would build a sheepfold out of stones or thorny branches in which to keep the sheep. 

Being Texan, our "old west phrasing" might proclaim this portion of the verse as "the cowboys were riding night hawk duty when the angel of the lord appeared."  

Angel is a transliteration of the Greek angelos meaning “messenger.” Angels are heavenly messengers whose purpose is to deliver special announcements from God to human beings. So AN angel appears to these "cowboys" and he is positively glowing from God's glory–dignity, honor, worthiness. In the face of such noblity and unusual circumstances they, of course became afraid, a basic human emotion in response to unknown circumstances or perceived danger. Apparently the natural reaction to the appearance of an angel is great fear. The angel immediately assured the frightened shepherds not to be afraid. It was not the angel’s purpose to scare the shepherds but to communicate to them the incredible news of what God was doing. The angel’s declaration translates a single Greek verb euaggelizo. We now know it by its noun form as the good news: the gospel (euaggelion—from which we get our word evangelism). This good news was of great joy. 

The angel was announcing the opening of a new age for humanity. Why would an angel need to announce a "new age"? Because humanity would not be able to recognize it as a "new age" until AFTER Jesus' ascension.  Because some were looking for the "new age", God's announcement to the common people gave them a "head start" in looking for, and living in the new age. Hence it was significant that the angel of the Lord appeared to "cowboys"–the shepherds? First to be the ones to confirm the announcement by identifying the sign that a baby was indeed born that night and was lying in a manger, and secondly to begin spreading the word of mouth news from Bethlehem, to Jerusalem and throughout the world.

The angel said that this good news is not for the Jewish people alone. The message comes first to the Jews, but the gospel of Jesus Christ is to be presented to all peoples. One can almost imagine God's message "Look!  I didn't incarnate just for YOU GUYS!  I did this for every living thing! LET THEM KNOW! A Savior is born, he is the Messiah; the Lord!" The term for savior refers to one who is a deliverer. In the New Testament it is often used as a title for God and for Jesus. Messiah is a title meaning anointed one.  This baby, it was announced to the cowboys was "the anointed one of God who will deliver you from your death sentence."

The angel also provided a sign: an undeniable way of identifying the Messiah child in Bethlehem and thereby verifying the truth of his proclamation. One can then imagine the shepherds/cowboys going house to house asking "Have any babies been born here tonight?" The odds that more than one baby would be born on the same night in the same small village would certainly favor the sign being unique. If we were to modernize this story it might read: "The cowboys went down to the Hilton and in the garage they found a newborn swaddled and lying near an electric Tesla charger to keep warm".....pretty unique indeed.

Well, if the cowboys, er, shepherds had calmed down from their initial terror at seeing a noble angel of God they would have experienced "shock and awe" at what happens next.

Luke 2:13-14

13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!

So the scene is these shepherds are standing there talking to this angel–a noble person shining with the radiance of God, when suddenly a plethora, a large number, or multitude, of angels appears with the original one. While one angel would have been sufficient for an announcement, a plethora of angels followed God down to his earthly incarnation. God brought "the best and brightest of his 'color guard' to herald the news to humanity. God chose to "pull out all the stops." 

It was all for God’s glory and for the world’s peace. Peace and joy are inextricably linked in this announcement. The angels were lifting their voices in praise to God because of the great event that had transpired that night in Bethlehem. For Star Trek fans, this was a "first contact" moment. Praise is a natural response to God’s greatness and grace. The focus of the angels’ praise was on God. The glory is to be given to God in the highest heaven – the dwelling place of God.

Peace is a state of well-being and harmony. It is somewhat equivalent to the Hebrew shalom, which means completeness, welfare, and wholeness. God’s Messiah would bring peace, wholeness, and well-being to those who place their faith in Him; the Messiah would bring peace by reconciling them with God through His atoning sacrifice on the cross.  

In Genesis God said "if you eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, you will surely die."  THEN God said, I will incarnate AS one of my creations to show and teach them how to live. Then God fulfilled the sentence when he showed humanity that humanity had to die to their physical attributes in order to live according to the spiritual attributes that God established and offered to humanity. 

Through His Messiah, God in His love gives favor to people who do not deserve it. He grants peace and forgiveness to those who receive Jesus through repentance and faith. Through Him we experience the joy of salvation. And we too participate in the Joy that the heavenly host, the shepherds, and Mary and Joseph experienced the night that Jesus was born into this world as God incarnated into a human being.