Judith Niewiadomski, Yonkers
When Adam sinned, giving in to the temptation to be “as God,” determining what is good and what is evil, he passed that physically and spiritually corrupted nature on to every human being except one: the promised seed of the woman: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
The Old Testament records some of the utter depravity man fell to—brother murdering brother because of jealousy and the unwillingness to do things God’s way, human sacrifice, war, infanticide, rape, sodomy, the lust for power over other men, the desire to be worshiped like god. But at the very moment Adam was confronted, God also gave man the hope of the one perfect man, who would pay the price for all.
That promised Messiah was born in Bethlehem of Judea, but the spiritual darkness was so great even in Israel, that those who wanted to rule, who wanted worship that they did not deserve, who should have rejoiced at his birth, attempted to murder their savior. The only witnesses to the birth of Jesus Christ were shepherds doing their job and directed to him by angels. In the corridors of power in Jerusalem, no one knew until Magi from Persia, who had carefully studied and maintained the record written in the stars, (which taught by visual reminders and cue words in their ancient names) arrived in Jerusalem. (Matthew 2:1, 2) Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” Far from rejoicing at this news, (Matthew 2:3) “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”
Mary and Joseph Were Neither Poor Nor Lawbreakers
Obeying Roman law, Mary and Joseph made a five to six day journey to Bethlehem, their ancestral community, to register for the census and taxing. They were not unable to afford an inn for their stay in Bethlehem, there simply was no room because of the large number of people of the line of David traveling into the area.
Scriptural narratives give the essential facts. By the time the Magi arrived, Mary, Joseph and Jesus were living in a house, likely back in Nazareth. ( Matthew 2:11) “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child (not a newborn babe) with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” Rare and precious, frankincense was worth as much as gold per pound. At the time of Christ, myrrh was valued at least eight times the value of gold. Gifts fit for a king, frankincense and myrrh were used in temple ceremonies and to scent the garments of kings and priests. (Exodus 30:34-36)
God is omniscient and not limited by time. He warned both the Magi and Joseph, telling Joseph that Herod would try to murder his stepson and specifically where to go to be safe. (Matthew 2:15) “And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.” Contrary to those who pursue their own agenda and not the truth of God’s Word, since Herod, would send soldiers into Bethlehem to slaughter boys aged two and under, Mary and Joseph might be considered political refugees because they are unfamiliar with the history and Biblical record (or willfully reject it.) But they were NOT illegal immigrants for journeying to and residing in Egypt temporarily as both Judea and Egypt were provinces of, and ruled over by the Roman Empire, with local rulers approved by the Roman government. In that framework, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus’ journey would be comparable to moving from New York to Florida. Herod had limited jurisdiction–in Judea only—and ruled at the good will of the Romans. Had Herod sent soldiers into Egypt to pursue Jesus Christ, the Romans would have used Roman soldiers to stop him—and likely removed and possibly executed for invading another province ruled by another Roman approved king. Mary, Joseph, and Jesus’ travels were legal and self supported. They did not break into Egypt, they went legally and supported themselves. Living quietly, they had additional resources from the gold, frankincense and myrrh that the Magi had brought as gifts and were not poor.
The word “poor” in scripture often has nothing to do with money or wealth. It must be studied from the original languages and the context. Often what is translated as “poor” actually means humble, willing to learn, willing to submit to what the Word of God says. The vicious King Herod was a faux Jew, an Edomite who pretended to be a Jew to gain and keep his position. Though Roman approved, Herod was not the legitimate king of the Jews, as he was not of the line of David, nor did he live the law and heart of God’s Word. His response shows the devilishness of his mind.
The political and religious hierarchy in Jerusalem were not aware that the Messiah had been born. Yet Magi from Persia, recognized the signs in the astronomical record and spent over a month traveling to Jerusalem, the capital, where they expected to find the child. But Jesus Christ was born in the ancestral home of the true kings of Israel, which was full of families descended from the royal line of David. Humble shepherds (working men, not beggars) working in the fields received the royal and spiritual birth announcement from angels, while the counterfeit king in Jerusalem had no idea that that day, the great promise had begun to be fulfilled. Politician that he was, when he heard, his poisoned heart saw only a threat to his power.
Human nature has not changed. Today, Christians are the most persecuted group in the world. Thousands are being murdered in Nigeria, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries around the world. Even in the United States, Christian churches are vandalized (as are synagogues). Christians have been jailed for merely praying outside an abortion clinic or attacked for saying what God’s Word says about marriage (one man and one woman) and homosexuality. God’s Word is the standard, not the trends of society.
The Witness of the Stars, E.W. Bullinger
Jesus Christ Our Passover, Victor Paul Wierwille
https://www.str.org/w/mary-joseph-and-jesus-were-not-refugees
Judith Niewiadomski, Yonkers
