“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child” (Luke 2:4-5).
That first Christmas God worked through people. He was at work in the decree of Caesar Augustus. The Old Testament had foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem but Mary was nine months pregnant in Nazareth, about 90 miles away. Micah had prophesied about Messiah being born in Bethlehem, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2).
Joseph did not say to Mary, “Look, you are about due to give birth and Micah said the baby is to be born in Bethlehem.” God used a census by Caesar Augustus to get the couple to the place where Jesus was to be born. God’s promise was so powerful that He orchestrated the events of the Roman Empire to get Joseph and Mary where they were supposed to be. Every citizen of every village in the Mediterranean area was affected just to bring God’s Word to fulfillment and to move Mary to Bethlehem.
The birth of Jesus was an amazing miracle, yet there was a human side to the miracle. Mary rode a donkey for three days and ninety miles in the last stages of her pregnancy. It had been nine months since the angel spoke and the glamour and excitement must have worn off by now. God did the miracle but he used Joseph and Mary to be His agents. Mary endured a bumpy donkey ride for the 90-mile journey so Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. God does miracles but He used Joseph and Mary to walk in faith and obedience. The result on that first Christmas was the birth of the Savior of the world, Jesus, in a manger in Bethlehem.
