He is Come

Late in time behold Him come

Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
                                Charles Wesley                      

 

 

Joseph was feeling more than anxious regarding the trip he and his wife were facing. The news of this taxation could not have come at a worse time. Joseph was facing a dilemma. His young wife, Mary, was almost full term with her first child. She really wasn’t in any position to make this trip but under Roman law there was no leniency. Being with child was no excuse to shirk the law. 

 

.               Since he was of the lineage of David, Joseph had no choice but to load up his wife and everything they would need, and begin the trek to Bethlehem. The journey would take them some seventy miles south as the crow flies. He knew it would be long and arduous, but it must be done, either that or spend time or possibly even die in a Roman jail.

 

His plan would be for Mary to ride the donkey as much as possible and when she felt that she could; she would walk, giving the animal a rest.

 

The journey itself turned out to be uneventful. After spending three nights under the stars, they finally reached Bethlehem late in the evening on the fourth day. Mary had done surprisingly well on the trip. Except for a few minor pains, there was nothing major to really speak of. But then again, she was not one to complain.

 

However, soon after arriving in the city, she began to experience the first real pangs of childbirth. She begged her husband to find a place for her to have her baby. Joseph inquired about available rooms at some of the inns he came upon, but was told that there were no rooms available. As he turned to leave the last inn he entered, the proprietor mentioned that it would be fruitless for him to look elsewhere. All the other taxpayers coming into the city had booked every available space.

 

It wasn’t long until Mary began to enter her last stages of labor. Joseph knew he would need to find shelter very soon. 

 

His mind went to a stable he had seen situated directly behind one of the inns. He didn’t really care for the idea that his wife might give birth there, but his options had run out. As they entered the door, he looked around and found an empty stall where the hay was kept for the livestock. The odor of the animals was pungent, wafting around the tiny shed, but at least there were four walls and a roof, and the hay was clean and dry. He was worried about his young wife. He had no doubts as to the welfare of the child, but the angel had made no mention as to how his wife might fair during this.

 

By the time they had settled into their impromptu quarters, the night was well on its way to becoming the morning hours. Joseph placed a blanket on the clean hay and helped Mary to lie down. Not long after, a child fell into his hands. A few seconds later, Jesus took his first breath as God incarnate. God had split the eternities by entering into a place called time.

 

At this same instant, an angel had apeared to a few sheepherders who were watching their flocks on the outskirts of town. He appeared at first as a bright flash of light, but as he began to speak, he became more like the flickering flame of a candle.

 

The shepherds were terrified. They had never been witness to anything like this. This “messenger” assured them that everything was fine and persuaded them there was nothing to be afraid of; that he was there to bring them the good news of great joy because, at the very moment, there was born unto all people a Savior in the town of Bethlehem, the city of David.

 

Amazingly, this “messenger” wasn’t sent to wake the high priest from his sleep with this wonderful news, nor did his brightness shine through the windows of the Sanhedrin. He didn’t speak a word to any of the great-learned religious men. In fact they all slept through this all but unnoticed event. But here we find the great messenger of God standing in front of this rag tag bunch; those who the religious world considered as uneducated farmers. But since the first chosen King was acknowledged while tending his sheep; what greater tribute to the eternal King that the great messenger Gabriel would be sent to witness before these shepherd boys as they also watched their flocks.

 

Immediately after Gabriel had spoken, millions of what seemed to be sparks, filled the sky. Heaven was emptying itself of its angels. They were sent to earth praise their eternal King who had just taken his first breath of humanity. As they hovered with the great angel, their presence filled the elements. They all together sang a song that had never before been heard in the ears of man, “Glory to God in the highest, who has come to earth to bring peace and good will from God to man!”

 

After their last word was spoken, these innumerable “lights” swirled into what looked like a vortex, then all were “sucked up” into a hole that had been opened in the sky, and just as quick as they had come, they were gone. The sky became dark again. The shepherds looked around at each other with wide eyes and gaping mouths, then almost in unison said, “We must go find Him and worship Him for we know that the Messiah now lives among us.

 

They began to run toward the city. Entering the town, they went from door to door inquiring about a newborn. Finally, they came upon a certain innkeeper who told them about an expectant couple. The wife was heavy with child. The innkeeper said that since he had no place for them to stay, he had to turn them away. He told them he had watched the couple as they walked toward the rear of the building; toward the stable area, and had not seen them come out.

 

When the shepherds entered the small barn, they saw Mary and a relieved Joseph, and… over there… in a feeding trough, was a baby wrapped in its birth clothes. He looked like any other newborn; wrinkles and all, but they all knew in their hearts that he was different from any other child that had ever been born. They all knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they had just met their Deliverer.

 

As Mary and Joseph began to wonder how these boys were aware of all that had happened, and how they had found them so quickly, they received answers to all their questions, as the shepherds told them of the things they had seen and heard.

 

Mary said nothing but kept all these events to herself, placing them deep within her heart. She pondered the fact that everything that had been told her of the angel had thus far come to pass.

 

After the shepherds departed to return to their sheep, she called to Joseph and asked him to place her child in her arms. As she looked into his tiny face, she remembered one more thing that the angel had said to her,

 

“For He shall save His people from their sins.”

 

 She wondered, as lines of worry began to cross her brow, what would be required on His part for this to be accomplished?

 

Sam Everett