The story (part 3)

Before going to bed, Zacharias lit the oil lamp and searched the scroll of the prophet Micah. “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 old, from ancient times.” Zacharias knew that it was his relative Mary that was carrying the Messiah, the Christ child, inside her and by now would already be on the road headed south to Bethlehem to register for the worldwide census.

Just outside the town of Scythopolis, the clickity-clack sound that was coming from the wagon’s rear wheel bearing was getting louder. Joseph stacked up some flat stones and squeezed them under the axle of the wagon raising it up off the ground just enough to get the wheel off. Stowed in the back of the buckboard he found the clay pot that held the bee’s wax and packed the wooden wheel bearing with wax. Mary went down to the edge of the Jordan River, knelt down and washed her hands and face with the cool water from the river. The baby immediately calmed down and ceased kicking Mary as she sang a psalm while watching the water pass slowly through a calmer section of the river “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, You are My Son, today I have begotten You.”

   

The road was getting very crowded with travelers from all over Judea as the donkey pulled the wagon up into the city limits of Jerusalem. There were many travelers going to the city and surrounding suburbs to register for the census. Many street vendors had set up shops wherever there was a turn-out in the road where they sold skins of wine, water, bread, woven cloth and trinkets of every kind. Mary couldn’t help but notice a beautiful red home spun cloth as the donkey waited for cross traffic to clear out. Joseph asked the merchant the price and after a bit of bargaining, Mary wrapped the lovely cloth around her shoulders.

Once out of the congestion of Jerusalem, Joseph prayed that Bethlehem would be quieter. Just outside of town the road cleared out a little for the last five miles. Joseph didn’t think Mary could endure the extra mileage to Zacharias and Elizabeth’s house in the Judean hills so he remembered an inexpensive but comfortable inn in Bethlehem where they could spend the night.

“Now there were in the same country shepherds, living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid, for I bring you tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign to you: You will find a 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, goodwill towards men!’”

Meanwhile, back in Bethlehem, Joseph pleaded with the inn keeper for a room where his wife could deliver the baby. The inn keeper wished he had a place for them to rest but there was no vacancy due to the festival and census traffic. But being a decent man, the inn keeper allowed Joseph and Mary to stay with his animals in a hollowed out limestone cave adjacent to the inn.

Mary made a bed out of a pile of fresh straw the inn keeper put out for them. She labored for many hours until finally a head began to emerge. Soon the baby Jesus was born. Joseph helped by tying off the umbilical cord and placing the baby on Mary’s chest. Mary, exhausted, swaddled the baby in the new red cloth Joseph had purchased and laid the baby Jesus in the animal’s feeding trough. She wondered what sort of man Jesus would eventually grow up into. 

Soon several shepherds were kneeling at the opening of the cave gazing in amazement at the baby that the angel announced would be there. Who would have believed that the Savior of the world, this King of kings would have such humble beginnings? None realized that the gift of this child would ultimately be His death and resurrection some thirty two years later. Jesus offers forgiveness to all who choose to trust and believe in Him. Through His death we are forgiven and through His resurrection we have life everlasting.