God is into the smallest of details. Often we take things for granted and do not realize what has happened to bring about life’s events. You should know that God is working even in the small and seemingly insignificant things.
Our bodies have 3 billion genetic building blocks or base pairs that make us who we are. We are all 99.9 percent genetically similar to the next human. Consider this, a chimpanzee shares 96 percent of your DNA. That is just 3.9 percent difference.
God is into the details of everything that happens in His universe.
Old Testament prophecies about Jesus Christ were recorded at various times, ranging from four hundred to fifteen-hundred years before Christ. It was humanly impossible for the prophets to see the fulfillment by their own foresight. Hundreds of details of Christ’s coming are accurately foretold by prophetic utterances. The events that took place in Bethlehem demonstrate God’s knowledge, truthfulness, and accuracy.
John 20:31 NKJV These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
Matthew 26:56 NKJV All this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.
For thousands of years the promise remained that God would send a Redeemer and Savior. One prophet spoke back in the book of Numbers.
Numbers 24:16-17 NKJV The utterance of him who hears the words of God, and has the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down, with eyes wide open: I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel…
The One who sees, knows and brings all things to pass, showed the prophet that a Star would come out of Jacob. The Star the wise men saw and followed was not an accident or natural phenomenon. Over a thousand years before it shown in the sky, God said it would arise.
Micah 5:2 NKJV “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”
Micah 5:4 NKJV And He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; And they shall abide, For now He shall be great to the ends of the earth;
Bethlehem was the appointed place for the birth of God’s Promise. What God initiates in Bethlehem is established in the hearts and lives of believers.
Matthew 2:1-2 NKJV Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
Solomon foresaw the arrival of the wise men from the East. In Psalms 72:11-12 He said: The kings of Tarshish and of the isles will bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts. Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him.
Isaiah continued the same message. Isaiah 60:3 said, Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
In Isaiah 60:6 it says, “The multitude of camels shall cover your land… from Midian and Ephah… those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring gold and incense, and they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.
When they saw His star, they expected to find Him in Jerusalem. Jerusalem held the Temple and throne of Herod, King of Galilee, Judea and Samaria. Surely the new born King would be in Jerusalem.
When word of their arrival came to King Herod, he became alarmed. He called the scribes, Pharisees and teachers of the people to see what was written about the Christ.
They turned to the words of the prophet Micah. Micah and Isaiah prophesied about 700 years before the birth of Christ. The Holy Spirit gave them insight to prepare a way for the coming of the Messiah. After hearing Micah’s words, Herod sent the wise men on their way to find the child.
Hold on to that thought for a moment.
Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem?
Luke 2:1-4 NKJV And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
Nazareth of Galilee was 80-90 miles north of Bethlehem. It was a weary and rough 5-days journey over hills and valleys to an elevation of some 3,500 feet. The City of David was the birthplace of King David and the place where Rachael was buried.
Luke 2:5-7 NKJV to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
You need to know that with God nothing just happens. The Lord God Almighty is in control. He is the ruler of Kings and governments. He is the Sovereign King and Lord over all. Our God knows what is in the heart and mind of men.
Before Caesar Augustus was born, God knew that he would be king and would cause everyone to be registered in their own city. God knew that Mary and Joseph would end up in Bethlehem when it was time for her to give birth.
Now, go back to Bethlehem.
The wise men had just heard Micah’s prophesy from King Herod that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
Matthew 2:9-10 NKJV When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
Back during the time when the Israelites were coming out of Egypt, the prophet heard and saw that God was preparing a way for His Messiah. God ordained and arranged the star and Bethlehem. You need to know this in unexpected situations of life. God told the prophet, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
God knows the beginning and the ending. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and End. Neither Satan nor evil men can pervert or destroy what God has planned. God is able to turn things around for good.
Watch this Divine drama being fulfilled.
Matthew 2:11-12 NKJV And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
God is in control of even the smallest details. After the wise men departed, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.
Matthew 2:13 NKJV …“Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
Sometimes in our lives we make unplanned trips. As far as we could tell, everything was out of control, but God was keeping and protecting us. He knows the way that you should take.
Matthew 2:16 NKJV Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
Bethlehem became a place of lamentation and bitter weeping.
God knew that this massacre would come.
Jeremiah 31:15 NKJV Thus says the Lord: “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more.”
In the city where Rachel had been buried, all of the male children were put to death.
Jeremiah 33:15-16 NKJV ‘In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In those days Judah will be saved, And Jerusalem will dwell safely. And this is the name by which she will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS’
When God makes a promise, He will fulfill what He says.
Isaiah 11:1-5 NKJV There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight is in the fear of the Lord, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist.
Throughout the Old Testament God gave the message to His prophets, “Prepare a way for the Lord.” The One born in a manger in Bethlehem is Immanuel. He is the Hope of the world and the Messiah of God. Jesus our Lord and Savior has come to give real hope, peace and life.
Psalms 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.
