By: Lill Kohler

Daniel 9:25 “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens’, and sixty-two ‘sevens’.  It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.” (NIV) (606-534 B.C.)

Luke 2:1-5 “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered… So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth …to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem…” (CSB)

Galatians 4:4-5 “When the time came to completion, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (CSB)

Did you notice the last part of the verse in Daniel? In perilous times. While previous rulers – the Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks – were bad, the Romans were the worst. Their cruelty and upheaval existed everywhere. Fortunately, unity and orderliness filled the Roman Empire at the time of Augustus. This resulted in an increase of wealth and peace within the territories. That is, except for the Jewish people.

King Herod didn’t allow for this peace to exist in his nation. His cruelty and unpredictable actions extended even into his own family. So, for the Hebrews, the Roman soldiers kept things peaceful in a place where the local king was a nut case.

Never-the-less, with this prosperity happening, Rome wanted to ensure everyone was taxed appropriately. Hence the need for a census. During those days, taxation was based on ancestry records. As a result, the Jews needed to return to their ancestral homes to register for the Roman census. This was not an easy process for many. Mary and Joseph had to leave Nazareth in the north and travel south to Bethlehem.

You know the saying – God will make a way where there seems to be no way. Well, here’s a great example. God used the Roman Empire at the right time in Mary’s pregnancy to arrange for His Son’s mother to be at the right location for His human birth.

Food For Thought

Have you ever thought that difficulties you are experiencing are in line with where God wants you to end up?