REFORMED WITNESS
Volume I, December 1993, Number 12
That Ever Wonderful Story
By Prof. Herman Hoeksema
From the book The Mystery of Bethlehem
Book published by the Reformed Free Publishing AssociationAnd it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazarath, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. -- Luke 2:1-7
How wondrous are the ways of God!
Thus, indeed, one exclaims ever again, as often as he may read the utterly simple, yet amazing marvellous story of the coming of Immanuel! Wonderful is that narrative from its very beginning. Or is it not amazing that the story that tells of the incarnation of the Son of God, of the birth of Christ, the Anointed of God, should be introduced by the name of Caesar Augustus, the head of the mighty world-power? A decree went forth from Caesar Augustus!... It testifies, indeed, that the glory had departed from Israel. How otherwise could a decree of the mighty Caesar have any bearing upon the realization of so distinctly an Israelitish hope as the birth of their Messiah? Yet, so it was. After the captivity in Babylon, there had, indeed, been a brief period of hope and joy. The temple was rebuilt. Jerusalem had been raised from its ruins. The law had been restored. But never had Israel been restored to its former glory and freedom. A mere handful of people had returned to the land of their fathers. Though the temple had been rebuilt, the Holy of Holies remained empty: the ark of the covenant was lost for ever! Israel had been the plaything of cruel nations, that plowed upon its back and left long and deep furrows. A hated tyrant, descendant and worthy representative of the Reprobate, occupied the throne in Jerusalem; and even so, the scepter in his hand was controlled by a mightier hand than his: that of the glorious Caesar of Rome! And a decree went forth from Caesar Augustus... The outward form of the kingdom God had been swallowed up by the mighty world-power! Even so, the fulness of time had come! True, it did not appear so to those that had expectations of an earthly Messiah and world glory. But God's purpose was different. The earthly form of the kingdom was a mere shadow. It might disappear. And it must needs depart, that the essence of that Kingdom might become manifest. God's King will, indeed, also cause the kingdoms of the world-power to crumble into the dust, but He would not appear in a halo of glory, with world crowns on His head, royal purple about His shoulders, and glittering sword in His hand, but as the lowly Servant of Jehovah, the Man after God's heart, Who will establish His kingdom in righteousness! Hence, not in Jerusalem, but in Bethlehem, are His proper connections. There He must be born! And the world-power must cooperate to this end: a decree went forth from Caesar Augustus! Wonderful ways of God! And Joseph also went up! For, "all went to be taxed, every one to his own city." Critics have denied the fact that such a general taxing ever took place at the time when the Saviour was born. They argue that secular historians know nothing of such a taxation; that even if it had taken place, Herod's dominion would not have been subject to the direct decree of Caesar; and that even if it had taken place and affected Judaea, all could have registered in the city of their habitation. Interesting indeed! For the gospel narrative itself informs us that this taxing was actually first made, "when Cyrenius was governor of Syria," and this was ten years after the death of Herod the Great. At that time Judaea became a Roman province. The truth, then appears to be, that the decree itself went forth at this time, that Herod hastened to please the emperor, so that all were registered, and that the actual taxation did not take place till years afterward. And so: Joseph also went up. He, indeed, would have to proceed to Bethlehem, for in Israel the census would be taken according to tribe, houses, families. And since also Joseph was of the house and lineage of David, to Bethlehem the decree of Caesar would occasion him to go. Hardly, however does it account for the fact that he went "with Mary his espoused wife," for neither according to Roman nor to Jewish law was it required that she should accompany him. It appears probable, however, and for evident reasons, that they intended to move from Nazareth, that city of ill repute, and take up their abode in Bethlehem permanently. And thus it came about that Joseph went up "into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem.... with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child." We can imagine that, perhaps, it was toward evening of the third or fourth day after they had left Nazareth, that they approached the city of David. The country surrounding Bethlehem, the terraced gardens, the vine-clad hills, and the rich fields, even at this late season, -- for it was winter in Palestine, -- presented a beautiful view, as it was bathed in the golden glory of the setting sun; but perhaps, the two weary travelers paid scant attention to the beauty of the landscape. Then, too, the country through which they passed, as well as the ancient city of their fathers which they approached, might have reminded them of the past and Israel's ancient glory; but even these reminiscences may hardly have registered in their consciousness. Other matters occupied their minds and hearts, things of the present and of the immediate future, and that too, in connection with events of the recent past. Their state of mind would be one of expectation and wonder... Did not Mary have many things to "keep, and to ponder them in her heart?" Could it be possible that at this moment, as they are approaching the end of their journey, and at the same time, the fulfillment of a most marvellous expectation, she was not revolving in her mind the mysterious message of the angel that had visited her humble dwelling in Nazarath, and had pronounced her the favored one of the Lord, the most blessed among women. Had he not informed her that she would conceive in her womb One that would be called the Son of the Most High, Who would sit on the throne of His father David for ever? And did she, at this moment, not ponder her own timid question concerning this mysterious matter, and the much more mysterious answer of the angel, that the Holy Ghost would come upon her, and the power of the Most High would overshadow her? And was not this Wonder of wonders about to be realized?.... And Joseph?.... Had he not been minded to leave his betrothed secretly, not knowing anything of the Wonder that had been revealed to Mary? And had not he, too, received a revelation, which he had believed though he understood it not, warning him not to carry out his intentions, seeing that Mary was pregnant of the Holy Ghost, and that the Son she was about to bring forth would be Immanuel, and must be called Jesus, because He would save His people from their sins? These things had begun to come to pass! And now, as they were near the end of their journey, they had but little eye for the beauty of the landscape, for their hearts were filled with the thoughts of those things that were on the eve of their realization. A strange wonder occupied their minds. What would the immediate future bring? How would it all be? Many questions crowded their hearts! And so they went on, these two, till they entered Bethlehem. In silence! And "the days were accomplished!" While they were there, that is, not long afterward, if not the very day after their arrival; or even in that same night, for in the night it was, when shepherds keep watch over their flock. Not long after their arrival it could have been, for it all took place in a very hastily prepared shelter they had found for the night. For as they arrived in the little town, they found it crowded to capacity with visitors, so that there was no room for them even in the inn. Refuge they had found in a stable; according to some in the inn-stable adjoining court; but more likely one of the caves or grottos in the outskirts of the city, where passing caravans would stable their animals for the night. While they were there, her days were accomplished! The days of Mary, that she should be delivered! Yes, but also the days that must pass, the hours that must glide into the past, the seconds that must be ticked off, in order to reach that exact moment that is called "the fullness of time." For, "when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law." The days were accomplished! The most significant moment in all history had come! The Wonder of wonders had been performed: God is come into the flesh! Must not human language be exhausted to publish this glorious event, and to describe this amazing Wonder? But no! Utmost simplicity characterizes the form of the narrative! "While they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was not room for them in the inn." These simple words convey the report of the most astounding Wonder, of the most profound mystery, of the blessed event of salvation, of the most central fact of all history.... Disappointing?.... Yet, consider for a moment. Could anything but the barest simplicity be proper here? Or can the most glowing terms human speech can produce ever do justice to the report of the "mystery of godliness," and ever do anything more than add to the mystery and the incomprehensibility of it all? O, to be sure, there is that night of all nights, in that humble stable, the Most High has accomplished the Wonder of all wonders, the realization of His promise. And you may exhaust human speech, you may pile phrase upon phrase to express its meaning. God is come into the flesh! Eternity is come into time! The Lord has become Servant! The almighty is revealed in the weakness of human flesh! But after you have thus exerted your utmost to explain the mystery of Bethlehem, have not your efforts been in vain, and have you not merely declared the incomprehensibility of it all?.... Besides, true though it all may be, that is not Bethlehem! "And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger." That is Bethlehem! Yes, in the manger of Bethlehem lies the mystery of godliness, but it is hid. There you may behold by faith God in the flesh, but emphatically you behold Him in the flesh. And because He is come into the flesh, the Wonder is completely lost to sight. All other wonders are amazing and astounding, because the divine power of grace in them flashes through the darkness and misery and death of the sin-cursed world: in Bethlehem God revealed is God hidden in the likeness of sinful flesh! What else then would you say, to describe the event, than what is recorded here? Her days were accomplished that she should be delivered: like every other child He had developed in Mary's womb. And she brought forth her firstborn son: he was flesh of Mary's flesh, bone of her bone, blood of her blood. And wrapped him in swaddling clothes: helpless and dependent as all other children he came into the world. And laid him in a manger: the glory of the wonder is here enshrouded in deeper darkness. O, ever wonderful story! The manger! O, the shame of it all! She laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn! When God comes into the world, when He sends His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, when Christ the Lord is born, the only place for Him in all the world is a miserable stable, the only cradle that can receive Him is a manger! O, it is true, it could not be helped. No one knew of His coming. Jerusalem was sound asleep. Bethlehem was crowded. The poor people of Bethlehem could not possibly have provided more room for the two travelers that arrived so late that there was even no room in the inn... But oh, the shame of it! Yet, what would you? Would you come to Bethlehem, only to be indignant your heart with a self-righteous indignation at the sight of the Babe in the manger? Would you judge that the royal palace in Jerusalem had been a better place for this Son of God in the flesh, and that royal purple should have taken the place of those swaddling clothes? Are you, perhaps in you self-righteousness and religious fervor and zeal, on the verge of calling in some social welfare agent to take this mother and this Child out of this stable, and to provide comfortable lodging for them?.... But wait!.... Do not destroy what God has wrought! For this stable and this manger are the divinely appointed place for this Child! True, circumstances determined it so: because there was no room for them in the inn! But God determined the circumstances. Here in this poor stable, in that humble manger, among the beasts of the field, on the very edge of the world, He sent His Son, made of a woman, made under the law.... Do not destroy the sign, for it speaks! It proclaims that in your heart and my heart, in human society, in all the world, there is no room for the Son of God! Until He makes room for Himself! Glory to His grace!
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