The Trip, the Manger, the Shepherds, and the Wise Men

The Little Town of Bethlehem:

Micah 5:2 “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.”

Bethlehem is known as “the city of the kings” even though it’s population at the time of Jesus’s birth was estimated to be anywhere from 150-300 people. This is the city that the matriarch Rachel, wife of Jacob *Israel* and mother of Joseph and Benjamin, is buried. This is also the city where Naomi was raised before she fled the famine into Moab and it is the city that she and Ruth returned to. It is where Ruth met and married Boaz, and started their family. They are the grandparents of king David. Bethlehem is also the city were the scholar Jerome completed the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible. (Which is what we used to get the translation of the bibles we use today.)

So the “city” was more of a tiny town, but through the centuries it boasted some pretty famous history. Thought the most famous history would be bringing into this world the Savior of all humanity. Why pick Bethlehem as the birthplace for the King? It was the birthplace of the good kings before Him, it is where His ancestors were born, it will symbolize His kingship but it will also give aid to His picture of humble beginnings.

Which leads us to the manger...

The Manger:

Luke 2:12 “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.””

A manger is what you and I would call a feed trough. This is how the story goes. Bethlehem is a tiny town as it is, but when Quirinius called for a census and every man had to return with his family to his tribe for a head count, the city was not prepared to take the influx of people. The little town of a couple hundred quickly swelled to thousands. Families would take in their kin, but they could only hold so many. Being a tiny town there were not many Inn’s available, and why would there be? So that is one issue as to why Mary and Joseph wound up in a stable. Also, though the trip normally took 5 days to traverse from Nazareth (Joseph’s current residence) to Bethlehem it likely took longer because Mary was heavily pregnant with Jesus. They would have likely taken many rest stops and bathroom breaks along the way. They would not have been the first family to arrive in the tiny town of Bethlehem. Therefore, the vacancy dissipated as they arrived.

Lowly beginnings.

The Shepherds:

Isaiah 40:11 “He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.”

Why would God send angels to appear to shepherds? These are low, simple men in society. They are usually smelly and dirty from being out in the field with animals. Why would He choose these lowly men? Because Jesus came and shared His message to all the people. From the highest of status, to the lowest. But here is the thing. Jesus said He came to heal the sick and save the lost, but if you see no need of a physician why would you go to the doctor? Who is more likely to admit that they are in need of a savior: A lowly, broken, simple commoner OR a well to do, wealth person of royalty? Also, society looked down on these kinds of people and God was sending the message that He was coming to save anyone and everyone.

He also appeared to shepherds because He is the good Shepherd. A shepherd who takes care of his sheep will look after them, drive off harmful threats, fight predators who seek to eat the sheep, heal the hurt sheep, and bring those who have wandered off back into the herd. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who will protect His children, fight our battles, heal our wounds, and draw us back to His side when we stray.

So going to shepherds symbolizes that Jesus will be the Shepherd of His people as well.

Another set of people who went and saw Jesus were the Wise Men, or the Magi.

The Magi:

Isaiah 60:3 “And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

Wise Men are see throughout scripture as those who advise the king in his business. Joseph was the wise man to the pharoah, there were wise men under the king in the book of Daniel, and there were wise men (these were sorcerers) who opposed Moses in the book of Exodus. A “Wise Man” was exactly that. He was an educated man who had gone to school in pursuit of knowledge and had obtained a great deal of it. Daniel became the #1 Wise Man under king Nebuchadnezzar, and he advised the wise men who studied under him. This is likely where wise men were introduced to the Hebrew Bible, and studied its scriptures learning of an eternal king who would one day be born in Bethlehem and who would rule forever. Now that is a guy that I would want to meet if I was a wise man.

The idea that important events or people were herald by signs in the heavens was a common part of most religions at the time. Astrological events were often thought to portend the birth of great heroes of rulers. So it is no surprise that the Magi would be watching the night sky, and it makes sense that God would announce His Son’s arrival in such a way that they would understand.

Numbers 24:17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel...” A scepter signifies a ruler

2 Samuel 7:10-13 “And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

The Wise Men would have known the prophecy of an eternal king coming from the Jews, and they would have kept a watchful eye on the sky over the area of the Hebrew nation.

Some people believe that this bright “New Star” was an alignment of celestial bodies, a supernova, or a comet. Some believe that is was the manifestation of the glory of God that shown bright above Jesus and prepared the way just as God had done for the Israelites back in the wilderness while leading them out of Egypt. I like that theory. God was leading the people out of physical captivity with the light of His glory, and now He is leading people to spiritual freedom by the light of His glory.

The Wise Men showed up a little late seeings how they had to travel and Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were already situated in a house by this point. So the men presented their gift to Jesus there. Isaiah 60:6 “A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.”

Gold- Kingship

Frankincense- Worship (a symbol of holiness and righteouness)

Myrrh- death and mourning (Used in the embalming practice)

Herod Kills the Children:

Jeremiah 31:15 “Thus says the Lord: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.””

Herod wanted to be taken to Jesus so that he might kill this king who would rule forever. Herod was thinking current physical when Jesus came the first time to deal in the spiritual. Being warned in a dream to flee Herod, Joseph gathered his belongings and his family and fled to Egypt. Thus fulfilling the scripture of Hosea 11:1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.”

Herod could not be certain of the male child since the wise men never notified him of the whereabouts of Christ, so Herod killed every male 2 years of age and younger just to be sure. This is why the scripture says “Rachel (Bethlehem) weeps for her children”

Why all the details? They came back to Bethlehem to be born in the same place that the line of king David was born in. Why the manger and the shepherds? Because Jesus was the lowly King. One who would bring peace and not war. One who would build up and not destroy. One who would heal and not break. Jesus is humble, He is meek, and He is a picture of comfort. Why the Wise Men? Because even though Jesus came from humble beginnings He is still the king of the universe. His bed may be full of hay, but He would one day wear a crown that is priceless. The robes He wears will be worth the entirety of the earth. He may have been a baby in a feed trough, but He was a mighty King nonetheless.