DAY 13: Journey to Bethlehem
“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.” – Luke 2:1-5 ESV
Journey to Bethlehem by Joseph Brickey
My Thoughts:
While Mary is pregnant, Caesar Augustus decrees that a census must be taken of all people in his empire. As part of the census, everyone must go to the city of his fathers and pay his tax. Joseph was of the house of David and he was born in Bethlehem, though he now lives in Nazareth. Mary and her betrothed, Joseph, must now go to Bethlehem, which is located just south of Jerusalem. The journey is 70 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
It must have been such an arduous journey for the new couple… and for a very pregnant Mary. The journey will take less than a week and since Mary gave birth upon arrival in Bethlehem, she must have been almost due when they set out. And the journey must have given both Mary and Joseph time to think… about their future together… and about what that future included. And Bethlehem itself almost becomes another character in the story— the little town where the Messiah was born. I visited Bethlehem in 2012 and it was doing its best to market its one claim to fame—from the Church of the Nativity to the olive wood carved nativity scenes.
Prayer (from Numbers 6:24-26, NRSV):
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
