No Vacancy Signs in Bethlehem

In Luke 2:1, we’re told, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.”  So you would think that if God so rules the world as to use an empire-wide census to bring Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, He could surely have seen to it that there was a room available in the inn.  Yes, He certainly could have.  And Jesus could have been born into a wealthy family and lived an easy life without a care in the world.  And yet, that’s clearly not what God had for Him.

Verse 7 tells us, “And Mary gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because their was no place for them in the inn.”  Now why is that?  Well, I believe that the start of Jesus’ life is consistent with His whole life; humble and sacrificial.  He left His Father's throne above, so free and so infinite His glory, to take on humanity.  And God’s will was that though Christ was rich, for our sake, He became poor.  So if you will, the road to Calvary begins with “No Vacancy” signs in all the Bethlehem hotels.  And as we know, it ends with people spitting and scoffing at Him while He hung on a cold wooden cross in order to purchase our salvation.  So yes, God can turn the hearts of kings like streams of water, but He chooses to not provide a room in the inn at Jesus’ birth.  That, apparently, would have been a detour off Jesus' road to Calvary.

Something to think about from the Proclamation point of view.