Luke 2:4 (KJV)
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
It’s curious to think how much government interference there is, even in the Bible, in matters of the Spirit. Accounting only for the birth of Christ:
• Augustus forced His mother, pregnant with Him, to make the difficult journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem—a journey that could have resulted in miscarriage or death for the child due to poor conditions.
• Wise men, who may have been servants of an eastern government, revealed the birth and location of the young child Jesus, stirring up troubled spirits in Jerusalem.
• Herod then attempted to kill the child Jesus, causing grief and tragic loss of innocent lives in Bethlehem.
Government interference runs throughout the Word of God, coloring the narrative of the Bible, but it never alters the purpose or plan of God.
A government decree and taxation led to Joseph and Mary making the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Today, I’m interested in the tiny words used to describe their path:
Up from Galilee
It’s a climb from Galilee to Bethlehem. It’s more than distance—it’s arduous, difficult. There were, as I understand it, just two possible routes: one through the mountains, the other around them. Though the trip was generally made at least once a year for spiritual reasons, I can’t imagine they looked forward to this one.
Out of Nazareth
Away from what they knew, away from where they had prepared for the birth, away from their home, away from what was most comfortable, away from where most of their help would be.
Into Judaea
The preposition indicates a point reached or entered. Judaea wasn’t their destination, but it would play a prescient role in the significant events of their son’s life.
Unto Bethlehem
The city of David—a small place with a big history. The biggest moment in the history of mankind was about to take place there.
Life is filled with what I will call interferences. Things happen, and we are forced to move away from what is comfortable, even from those things we know to be safe. Though we never enjoy them, we can trust God through them. Who knows? We might see the Lord do something amazing through them.
#GodsPlanPrevails #TrustThroughTrials #BiblicalJourney #FaithOverFear #ProvidenceInMotion
Up, Out, Into, Unto: God Uses Life's Obstacles for His Glory
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