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HELEN SANDERS
9-10-2025
THE SEED PART 12
BETHLEHEM
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By this time Mary was very advanced in her pregnancy. Joseph could have had her and the baby in her womb stoned for adultery, and this would have destroyed the promised seed. But Joseph was a just man and decided to just put her away privately since the child was not his. But again, this was not God’s plan. An angel appeared to him in a dream [Matthew 1:20-25] and told him that the child was conceived of the Holy Ghost, and to not put her away. Joseph had already espoused her, and espousal was a contract of marriage. Joseph would not break the contract of marriage.
God had prophesied through Micah that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of Judea. [Micah 5:2] Through the Roman taxation program all the Jews had to go to their city of birth and register. Joseph’s city of birth was Bethlehem, the home of David and also the place where the Migdal Tower was. This was where the sheep were kept for sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem. It was no small thing getting Joseph to Bethlehem. It is only about six miles south of Jerusalem, but riding a donkey at nine months pregnant was no small task.
Joseph and Mary arrive in Bethlehem, but there is no lodging for the night. All the inns were full. The only place was a place reserved by God. It was the very manger where the lambs for sacrifice were swaddled at birth. This is where Jesus, later the sacrificial lamb, would be born.
Angel’s heralded his birth, and the shepherds that kept the special sacrificial flock were told not to fear. Luke records it this way. Luke 2:10-14. “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
The shepherds then made haste to the place where Jesus was born. They did not have a problem finding him because they were the ones that tended the sheep and the manger he was born in. They found Jesus, lying in a manger, Mary, and Joseph, just as the angel had said. They then broadcast abroad what they had seen and heard. [Luke 2:17]
Today, modern shepherds, called pastors, lead others to Jesus. I find it amazing how God used the shepherds to announce his birth and is still using godly shepherds today to lead people to Jesus.
A star would shine signaling a king was born. Wise men, astrologers from the far East, would see that star which signified to them that a king was born. They would travel to Bethlehem to see the new king, bringing gifts. It took them two years to travel from their homeland to Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph were still living in Bethlehem when they were told that a king would be born in Bethlehem by the chief priests and scribes.
Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were living in Bethlehem in a house when they arrived. The wise men were not present at Jesus’ birth. When they arrived, he was a young child. [Luke 2:9-11]
Little did these wise men know that their arrival in Jerusalem would stir up Satan’s demons to destroy the promised seed before it could grow and fulfill God’s promise.
Tomorrow, we will see how a king fell for Satan’s trap to destroy Jesus, the promised seed.
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