Posts Tagged ‘bethlehem’

MYTH BUSTED: MARY AND JOSEPH – NOT HOMELESS, NOT REFUGEES

Friday, December 30th, 2016

VICTIMS OF ROMAN OPPRESSION AND TAXATION

Each year around Christmas time, we hear a lot of talk of Joseph and Mary, the first family of the Bible, being either homeless or refugees. The purveyors of this social justice misinformation assume that Christians do not read the Bible and thus, know the Gospel Truth! How can anyone read the following and come to the conclusion that (the then-baby) Jesus and His earthly parents were homeless and/or refugees is sophistry.  The underlying basis of this untruth is the inability of Joseph, the caretaker guardian parent of the yet-unborn Jesus Christ to find lodging in Bethlehem for his very pregnant wife, Mary and himself.

Luke 2:1-7: And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn……

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SHEPHERDS OF BETHLEHEM – FIRST PASTORS!

Friday, December 19th, 2014
SHEPHERD’S FIELD: WHERE THE ANGELS LANDED IN BETHLEHEM
We are all familiar with the story of that amazing birth night in Bethlehem! It was when God sent His holy angels to preach the first Gospel sermon. The landing of this Angelic Host on Shepherds Field (which is still around as you can see) is significant for many reasons! These messengers from Heaven, could have announced the Birth of Jesus to kings and satraps and governors. They could have announced it to the priests in the temple, the teachers of the law and pharisees and the righteous (in their own eyes) religious folks in Jerusalem. But they didn’t! Why?
Why did the Holy God of Heaven select dirty, poor and outcast men, who worked from March to November in hard scrabble (as you can see again, from this photo) land among animals, animal waste and more. These men were kept out of Jerusalem almost exclusively! They were banned from entering any Temple of God to worship, because they were ceremonially unclean, under the 613 Laws of Moses in the Torah/Pentateuch! They were around dead sheep at times and animal waste, all the time. So the priests and religious authorities banned them! These are whom God chose! It is a symbol for what He would do in the Life of Christ, not just in the short three year ministry He had on earth, but ever since He died and rose again!