The Birth of the Saviour
In the Beginning
To understand the importance of Jesus' birth, we need to look at the purpose behind His arrival. The truth doesn't really start in a manger or even at the Temple - it starts in eternity. The Gospel of John doesn't begin with a timeline of events but with a majestic prologue that explains the deeper reason for everything that's unfolded.
In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it] (John 1:1-5).
John intentionally echoes the opening words of Scripture, Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning, God created...", to introduce Jesus - 'the Word' or the Logos, outside of time and creation. He places Jesus outside of time and creation. The Word didn’t simply come into being when creation began - the Word was there from the very start. Jesus wasn’t just near God; He had an active, face-to-face relationship with both the Father and the Spirit. The Word isn’t a lesser version of God; He shares the very nature and essence of God.
For his Jewish people, the 'Word' (davar in Hebrew) of Yahweh was not just a concept - it was
a dynamic, creative and revelatory force. It was by God's Word that the heavens
were made
(Psa 33:6), and
it was His Word that He sent to bring healing and deliverance to His people
(Psa 107:20).
For the Greeks, immersed in philosophy, the Logos was the universal principle of reason and order
that permeated and structured the cosmos, a divine logic that made sense of the universe. Under
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, when John uses the word 'Word', it now has a revolutionary new
meaning. To the Greeks, he declares that the cosmic 'Reason' they seek isn't an impersonal
force but a Person - Jesus. To the Jews, he proclaims that God's ultimate self-expression, His
final and complete Word, isn't a written text or a spoken prophecy, but a Person - Jesus, the
Son, through whom God has fully spoken in these last days.
The Creator was not abandoning His creation but entering it to redeem it from within
The divine light was entering a world characterized by spiritual and moral darkness - a darkness of ignorance, sin and separation from God. Through the cross the light of Christ will triumph through to eternity.
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it (Isa 55:11).
The Prelude to the Dawn
A World in Waiting
The story of Jesus' birth took place in a world much like ours today - a world full of political conflict, divided faiths and a deep sense of hopelessness. People were suffering; desperately waiting for God to intervene.
For centuries, Israel had been caught in the power struggles of empires. After a brief period of independence under the Hasmonean dynasty, Jerusalem fell to the Roman general Pompey in 63 BC, and Judea became a Roman province. Roman rule created constant friction - heavy taxes, foreign soldiers and a pagan authority that led to widespread resentment and frequent uprisings, which were quickly and brutally crushed by Roman forces.
The ruler of this troubled region was one of history’s most complex and fearsome figures - Herod the Great. Appointed 'King of the Jews' by the Roman Senate in 40 BC, Herod reigned until his death in 4 BC and was a man of immense contradictions. He was an architectural visionary and extraordinary builder creating magnificent fortresses like Masada and Herodium, the port city of Caesarea Maritima and, most famously and the famous renovation of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. This grand project gave the Jewish people a powerful symbol of their national and religious identity. But Herod was also a deeply paranoid and cruel tyrant. His reign was marked by violence and much bloodshed, including the execution of his beloved wife, Mariamne and three of his own sons. Furthermore, his heritage as an Idumean (a people forcibly converted to Judaism generations earlier), made his subjects distrust him - he was viewed as a half-Jew and a puppet of Rome.
Herod’s rule created a paradoxical environment - a mix of national pride and deep despair. The grandeur of the Temple only made the people long more for the true King, one who would fill the Temple with God’s glory and bring true freedom to the nation. After centuries of conquest, the Jewish people had built up a fervent hope for a Messiah - an anointed one from the line of King David who would rise up, defeat their oppressors, and restore Israel to its golden age.
The religious landscape was just as divided as the political one. Different sects competed for influence with the people. The Pharisees strictly followed both the written Law and oral traditions, while the Sadducees, mostly wealthy priests, rejected the oral traditions and denied the resurrection of the dead. The Essenes were an ascetic, separatist group, some of whom lived in monastic style communities like the one at Qumran that produced the Dead Sea Scrolls.
In this fractured and charged atmosphere - a nation proud of its Temple but crushed under Roman control, ruled by a brilliant yet insane king, and desperate for a deliverer - the first whispers of the Gospel began to emerge.
An Answer to Silence
The story of the New Testament doesn’t begin with a grand royal announcement in Rome or a theological debate in Jerusalem's Temple courts. It begins quietly, with a personal encounter in the hills of Judea. After 400 years of silence - 'the silent years', during which no new prophetic word was given to Israel, God broke the silence. His first message was delivered to Zechariah, an elderly, childless priest, and it was about the birth of the one who would prepare the way for the Lord.
The Gospel of Luke introduces Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, as models of piety. Zechariah was a priest from the division of Abijah; and Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron, the first high priest. Luke says they were, "righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless". Yet, despite their faithfulness, they carried a deep personal sorrow and what was then considered a social disgrace - Elizabeth was barren, and they were both old. Their personal barrenness mirrored the national barrenness of Israel, a people still waiting for God's promised child.
The priesthood was divided into 24 divisions, each serving in the Temple for one week, twice a year. During his time of service, Zechariah was chosen by lot for the rarest and most sacred of duties, a once-in-a-lifetime honor - to enter the Holy Place of the Temple and burn incense on the golden altar before the veil of the Holy of Holies. As the congregation prayed outside, Zechariah stood in the very presence of God. It was here, at the heart of the Old Covenant, that the angel Gabriel appeared with a miraculous message - "His wife, Elizabeth, would bear a son, and they were to name him John", which means 'God is gracious'. "He would be no ordinary child - He would be great in the sight of the Lord, and would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. He was the prophesied forerunner, that would go 'in the spirit and power of Elijah' to turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God" (Luke 1). This announcement directly connected John's coming ministry to the final prophecies of the Old Testament, specifically Malachi 3:1 "Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me..." and Malachi 4:5-6 "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet..."
Timeline of Jesus' Birth
The Annunciations of Grace
Favour in a Forgotten Town
Six months after the angel’s visit to Zechariah, Gabriel goes to Nazareth, a small, obscure town in northern Galilee - a place so insignificant that it would later prompt the dismissive question, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46). There, he appeared to a young virgin named Mary, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, a carpenter from the lineage of David.
Gabriel's greets Mary saying "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you..."
(Luke 1:28). Mary was
not honored for her accomplishments or her social standing, but because God has bestowed grace upon
her. Unlike Zechariah, who was familiar with the miraculous stories of Israel's past, Mary had no
context for such a divine visitation. She was, by all worldly standards, an ordinary young woman -
poor, living in a male-dominated society, with her worth largely determined by her upcoming
marriage and the children she would bear. Gabriel then delivered the message that would alter the
course of human history: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold,
you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus", (Hebrew
Yeshua, meaning "Yahweh saves"). "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest;
and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house
of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end". This was the fulfillment of the great
Davidic Covenant from
Isaiah 9:6-7 and
Daniel 2:44.
Gabriel continues, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will
overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God"
(Luke 1:35-37). The
term 'overshadow' evokes the Shekinah glory of God - the divine cloud that filled the Tabernacle,
signifying God's presence dwelling with His people. To strengthen Mary’s faith, Gabriel
tells her of her elderly relative, Elizabeth's miraculous pregnancy, saying,
For with God nothing will be impossible.
Faced with a reality that defied natural law, a future full of social shame, and the potential for ruin, Mary responded with simple, profound and courageous faith: "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word".
God's redemptive plan was not predicated on position, power or piety as the world defines it, but on a humble, receptive faith.
Mary, not the priest Zechariah, becomes the first and ideal disciple of the New Covenant.
A Meeting of Mothers
After the angel’s departure, Mary "went with haste" to the hill country of Judea, to the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Her journey wasn’t just to see the sign Gabriel had given her; it was to find fellowship with the only other person on earth who could possibly understand the miraculous work God was doing. The meeting between these two women - one elderly and barren, the other young and a virgin, both miraculously pregnant - is a moment filled with joy and prophetic confirmation.
When Mary arrived and greeted Elizabeth, three things happened almost immediately: Elizabeth's baby, John the Baptist, leaped in her womb; Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Spirit; and she cried out with a loud voice, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!" (Luke 1:42). She then pronounces a beatitude that underscores a central theme of the Bible "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!" (Luke 1:45). It is Mary's faith, not her biology, that is the primary source of her blessedness.
Mary responds to this affirmation with a powerful hymn of praise known as the Magnificat (Luke 1:39-55), which is not spoken by a king, a priest, or a prophet, but by a poor, teenage girl. The hymn begins with personal worship - "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior". It then quickly expands to a declaration of the very nature of God's work in the world - the fulfillment of His covenant promise of mercy "to Abraham and his descendants forever". Her song is a declaration that Jesus Christ is not just her son, but the one through whom God will bring His justice, redeem His people, and turn the world upside down.
- He scatters the proud - Those who are arrogant in their own power and wisdom are dispersed.
- He brings down rulers from their thrones: Earthly power structures are dismantled.
- He lifts up the humble: The lowly, the unnoticed, those without status are exalted.
- He fills the hungry with good things: God provides for the needs of the poor and destitute.
- He sends the rich away empty: Those who trust in their wealth and find their security in possessions are left with nothing.
The Forerunner's Song
After spending three months with Elizabeth, Mary returned home to Nazareth. Soon after, the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son, just as the angel had promised. This brought great joy to her neighbors and relatives, who celebrated with her, rejoicing that the Lord had shown her mercy and removed the long-held disgrace of her childlessness.
On the eighth day, the day of circumcision according to the Law of Moses, the family gathered to name the child. Customarily, the child would be named after his father, Zechariah. However Elizabeth, in obedience to the angel's command, declared, "No! He is to be called John". When the relatives protested and turned to Zechariah for the final decision, he wrote on a tablet, "His name is John". This act of faith and obedience was the key that unlocked his voice. Immediately, his mute tongue was loosed and the first words he spoke after nine months of silence were words of praise to God. The news of these miraculous events spread throughout the hill country of Judea, leaving the people in awe and wondering, What then is this child going to be?
Zechariah's response, filled with the Holy Spirit, was a powerful prophecy known as the Benedictus, blending Old Testament promises with New Testament fulfillment. The first part of Zechariah's hymn (Luke 1:68-75), praises God for the salvation of Israel. It is a dense summary of the hope of the Old Testament, expressing gratitude for God's visit and redemption of His people. Zechariah speaks of God raising up a "horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David", directly referencing the Messiah-King who would fulfill the Davidic covenant. This salvation, Zechariah prophesies, would rescue God's people from their enemies so they could serve Him in holiness and righteousness, free from fear. The second part of Zechariah's prophecy, (Luke 1:76-79) pivots from the past to the future, as he turns to his son and prophesies his unique role. John would not follow in his fathers' footsteps as a priest; instead, John will be a "prophet of the Most High", whose mission is to "go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him". Zechariah then explains the nature of this preparation and the salvation it announces - not political or military liberation that many expected, but, "the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins". This redefines the core problem of Israel (and the rest of the world) as sin, and the solution not as a new king on an earthly throne but as divine mercy.
Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise (the Messiah) from on high will dawn and visit us, To shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, To guide our feet [in a straight line] into the way of peace and serenity (Luke 1:78-79).
Zechariah, the last priest-prophet of the old order, formally closed the book of promises and opens the book of fulfillment, announcing the dawn of a new day of grace.
The Nativity in the City of David
By Order of the Emperor
The birth of Jesus isn’t rooted in myth or legend; it’s firmly grounded in the concrete reality of history. It begins with a powerful display of Roman authority, "In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered" (Luke 2). The emperor, Caesar Augustus, who reigned from 27 BC to 14 AD, was the mastermind behind the Pax Romana, a period of enforced peace and stability across the vast Roman empire. His decree for a census was a tool designed for taxation and military conscription, aimed at consolidating Roman control. Caesar sets in motion a chain of events that cause significant hardship and upheaval for several people including a poor family in a far-flung corner of the empire. Joseph, being a descendant of King David, was required to travel with his betrothed from his home in Nazareth to his ancestral town of Bethlehem, to be registered (Luke 2:3-5). Though this imperial order was meant to solidify Roman power, it unwittingly fulfilled an ancient prophecy from Micah 5:2, which foretold that Israel's ruler would come from the small town of Bethlehem.
In this passage from Luke, we see two kingdoms in stark contrast. Caesar's kingdom operates through force, registration, taxation and control, pushing people to move through decree. But the Kingdom of God is announced through joy, peace and good news - inviting people respond with wonder and urgency. The most powerful man on earth at the time believed he was asserting control over his empire, was actually unwittingly fulfilling prophecy and setting the stage for the arrival of the true eternal King - Jesus Christ.
No Room for a King
The Gospel of Matthew (Matt 1:18-24), gives us a crucial glimpse into Joseph’s character, highlighting his righteousness and obedience. When Joseph, described as a just man, learned that his betrothed, Mary, was pregnant, he faced a heart-wrenching dilemma. According to the law, Mary could have been publicly shamed or even stoned. But Joseph, unwilling to disgrace her, decided to divorce her quietly. That’s when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, reassuring him that Mary's pregnancy was divinely orchestrated, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins". This dream not only comforted Joseph, but it also confirmed Jesus' identity as the Savior and affirmed Joseph’s role as the child's legal father and protector. It was also a fulfillment of the prophecy from Isaiah 7:14, "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel".
In obedience to God, Joseph took Mary, now pregnant, and traveled from their home in Nazareth to Bethlehem in Judea. Although the exact route isn’t specified, historians suggest they likely followed the trade route through Jericho and the Jordan Valley, about 90 miles (145 km) (see the map below). This route was more comfortable for Mary, who was heavily pregnant, compared to the more direct but rougher path through the hilly terrain of Samaria, which was around 70 miles (112 km). The journey would have taken several days, as they were on foot or with a donkey.
Adapted from 'Herodian Kingdom topographic map', by DegaMD, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 Changes made: routes added in red
When Joseph and Mary finally arrived in Bethlehem, the town of their ancestor David, it was overcrowded with people who had come for the census. The result was that 'there was no guest room available for them'. With no other options, they found shelter in a stable where animals were kept. It was in these humble, stark and unsanitary setting that Mary gave birth to her firstborn son - Jesus. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger. The King of Kings, the Lord of Glory, the one through whom the universe was made, entered human history - not in a palace but in a stable. His first bed wasn’t a royal cradle, but a feeding trough used by animals.
This wasn’t just a coincidence. The manger became the first powerful symbol of Christ’s kingship. As the Apostle Paul would later write, He "emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant" (Phil 2:7). The manger in all its humble simplicity, was the throne of this servant King. His reign would not be defined by power, wealth or privilege, but by humility, service and sacrificial love.
Jesus' first resting place - a trough meant to hold food for animals, foreshadows His entire ministry and ultimate purpose as the Bread of Life who gives himself for the spiritual nourishment of the world.
The circumstances of His birth were the first sermon of His life, declaring that God's power is made perfect in weakness.
The Proclamation to The Shepherds
The first announcement of the King's birth wasn't made to the religious leaders in the Temple or the political powers in Herod's palace. Instead, the heavens opened for a group of men on the very bottom of the social ladder - shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night in the fields outside Bethlehem. In 1st century Jewish society, shepherds were often regarded as outcasts. Their nomadic lifestyle and constant contact with animals made them ceremonially unclean, preventing them from full participation in the religious life of the nation, and they were often viewed with suspicion as dishonest and unreliable. Yet, there is a sacred irony in God's choice. David, Bethlehem's greatest son and Israel's greatest king, was a shepherd. Furthermore, some traditions suggest that these particular fields were where the lambs destined for sacrifice in the nearby Jerusalem Temple were raised, making these shepherds the custodians of the very animals that symbolized atonement for sin.
The encounter began with a display of divine power that left the shepherds terrified. An angel of the Lord appeared, and "the glory of the Lord shone around them". The 'glory of the Lord' is an Old Testament phrase signifying the manifest, powerful presence of God Himself. But the angel's first words were of comfort, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people" (Luke 2:10-20).
The message itself was a powerful proclamation of the newborn's identity - "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord". Each title is deeply significant - He is the Savior, the one who would rescue His people, a role previously reserved for God alone in the Old Testament. He is the Messiah, the long-awaited Anointed One, the promised King. He is the Lord (Kyrios), a title used in the Greek Old Testament for God Himself, a staggering claim of divinity. The sign given to confirm this glorious announcement was ironically humble, "You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger". At this, the sky was suddenly filled with a 'multitude of the heavenly host', an army of angels, praising God and singing, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests".
This moment mirrors the pattern of discipleship in the Kingdom of God - it begins with
Revelation - God graciously takes the initiative to reveal His plan. This is followed
by Faith - the shepherds believe the message, saying to one another, "Let's go to
Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened". Their faith then leads to Action - they
go with haste and find Mary, Joseph and the baby, just as they had been told. Finally, their
experience culminates in Proclamation - they don't keep the news to themselves but become
the first evangelists. As they spread the word, all who heard it were amazed. The shepherds
returned to their fields 'glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and
seen'.
This four-step pattern - revelation, faith, action and proclamation, establishes the fundamental model for discipleship that would define Christianity.
Recognition, Rejection and Refuge
Prophets in the Temple
In faithful adherence to the Law of Moses, on the eighth day after his birth, the child was circumcised and formally given the name Jesus, as the angel had commanded. Forty days later, Mary and Joseph made the short journey from Bethlehem to Jerusalem to fulfill two more requirements of the Torah. The first was the ritual purification of Mary following childbirth, and the second was the redemption of the firstborn son, as prescribed by the law. This law, rooted in the Passover story, stipulated that every firstborn male, who had been spared when God struck down the firstborn of Egypt, belonged to the Lord in a special way and was to be consecrated to Him.
Luke highlights that the sacrifice Mary and Joseph offered - "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons" was the offering permitted for the poor. This detail serves as a poignant reminder of the humble economic circumstances of Joseph and Mary. As they carried out these acts of devotion, they encountered two elderly, Spirit-filled individuals who represented the faithful remnant of Israel - those who had waited with patient hope for God to fulfill His promises.
The first was Simeon, a man described as 'righteous and devout', who had been waiting for the 'consolation of Israel'. The Holy Spirit had promised him that he would not die before seeing the Lord’s Messiah. Led by the Spirit into the temple courts at that exact moment, Simeon saw the baby Jesus, took him in his arms, and praised God. Simeon's prophecy declared that his life's watch was over, because he had seen God's salvation - a salvation not just for Israel alone, but something God had prepared for all nations. He spoke of Jesus as 'a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel'. To proclaim in the heart of the Jerusalem Temple that this child was a light for the non-Jewish world was a radical expression of messianic hope. Then, Simeon blessed the family and spoke a prophetic word to Mary, "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too" (Luke 2:34-35). This prophecy revealed the paradoxical nature of Jesus's mission - He would not be a universally accepted hero but a figure of division and contradiction. His presence would force people to make a choice, exposing the true state of people's hearts.
At that very moment, they were joined by Anna, an elderly prophetess, a widow of eighty-four, who was known for her extreme devotion to God. She never left the Temple but worshipped night and day with fasting and prayer. Like Simeon, Anna recognized the child, gave thanks to God, and spoke about Jesus to all who were eagerly awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
This moment in the Temple encapsulates the tension that would define Jesus’s entire ministry. He came in fulfillment of the Jewish Law and was acknowledged as the 'glory of Israel'. Yet, His mission transcended national borders - He was to be 'light to the Gentiles', and His message would be a 'sign that is opposed', challenging the very people who were the keepers of the promise.
Seekers from the East
Sometime after Jesus's birth, around two years, a different set of visitors arrived - not from the nearby fields, but from the distant East. The Gospel of Matthew recounts the arrival of the Magi, a story that contrasts sharply with the shepherds visit yet complements it in deep and meaningful ways (Mat 2:1-12). These Magi were not kings, as later tradition would suggest, but were likely members of a priestly caste of Persian or Babylonian astrologers, men who studied the stars and served as counselors to rulers. They were Gentiles, outsiders to the covenant of Israel, guided not by a direct angelic proclamation but by their observation of a unique celestial phenomenon - a star they interpreted as heralding the birth of the king of the Jews. The star was a sign that compelled these learned men to undertake a long, arduous and expensive journey to pay homage to a foreign king.
Their journey led them, logically, to Jerusalem, the capital city, where their innocent inquiry - "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him", sent shockwaves through the city's corridors of power. King Herod, the reigning but illegitimate king of the Jews, was deeply disturbed, as was all Jerusalem with him. His paranoia flared, prompting him to call together his own set of 'wise men' - the chief priests and teachers of the law. After consulting the Scriptures, they correctly identified the prophecy from Micah 5:2, telling Herod that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem.
Herod, pretending piety, secretly summoned the Magi and asked them to find out exactly when the star had appeared. He then sent them to Bethlehem with a deceptively sweet command, "Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him". But, as the Magi would soon realize, his true intention was far from worship - it was murder. As the Magi left Jerusalem, the star they had seen reappeared, and led them the final few miles to Bethlehem, stopping over the very house where Jesus was. Matthew notes they found the child with his mother Mary, indicating this was a house, not the stable; and that some time had passed since His birth. Their response was one of overwhelming joy and reverence. They "bowed down and worshiped him"_ and then opened their treasures, presenting him with gifts laden with symbolic meaning - gold, a gift for a king; frankincense, an incense used in the worship of a deity; and myrrh, an aromatic resin used for anointing and, significantly, for embalming the dead, foreshadowing his ultimate sacrifice.
The story of the Magi and Herod presents the two archetypal responses of the non-Jewish world to the claims of Christ. The Magi represent the path of seeking, humility and worship. They follow the light they are given, inquire of the Scriptures and bow before the true King, offering Him their allegiance and their treasures. In contrast, Herod represents the world's path of power - fear, jealousy and violent hostility. He sees Christ not as a Lord to be worshiped but as a rival to be eliminated. This pattern also foreshadows how the Gospel would be received for centuries to come - some from every nation would come seeking to worship, while the powers of the world would often view the Kingdom of God as a threat to be destroyed.
The Sword of the King
The joyful worship of the Magi was immediately followed by a dark and harrowing chapter of fear, flight and bloodshed. After paying homage to Jesus, the Magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. In an act of faith and civil disobedience, they defied the king's command and took a different route back to their country. This act of obedience to God, triggered Herod’s murderous plan. But God intervened to protect the child King. An angel appeared to Joseph in another dream, instructing him, "Get up, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him". Joseph, once again, showed immediate and unquestioning obedience. Without hesitation, he took Mary and Jesus and fled to Egypt, a traditional land of refuge for those escaping danger in Israel (Matt 2:13-15). This also fulfills the prophecy from Hosea 11:1, "Out of Egypt I have called my son".
Jesus's life mirrors the story of Israel itself, as God's 'firstborn son' (Exo 4:22). Just as Israel was called out of bondage in Egypt under a tyrannical ruler, so now Jesus, the true and obedient Son, experiences His own exile in Egypt, escaping the murderous decree of a new Pharaoh. Jesus is portrayed as the fulfillment of Israel’s calling - the one who will succeed where the nation failed and lead a new, greater exodus from the slaver of sin.
When Herod realized he had been outwitted by the Magi, his paranoia erupted into unrestrained fury. He issued a horrific decree - the slaughter of all male children in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years of age and under, a timeframe he calculated based on the Magi's report of the star's first appearance. This 'Massacre of the Innocents' was a brutal act of political terror, entirely consistent with the ruthless nature of a king who had previously murdered his own sons to secure his throne. This tragedy fulfilled yet another Old Testament, this time from Jeremiah 31:15, "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more". Rachel, the matriarch buried near Bethlehem, is depicted as weeping for a new generation of slaughtered Israelite sons.
This grim event places the birth of the Messiah squarely within the long history of Israel's suffering. The coming of the Saviour does not immediately end the world's sorrow and violence; in fact, His very presence seemed to provoke it to a new, more intense level. The victory, however, would not be found in the temporary end of such suffering but in the ultimate victory of the cross.
The Hidden Years in Nazareth
The Return to Galilee
Joseph, Mary and Jesus remained in exile in Egypt until the death of the tyrant who had sought to kill them. King Herod the Great died in 4 BC, a death reportedly marked by a gruesome and painful disease. Once again, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him it was safe to return to the land of Israel. Joseph obeyed, bringing Mary and the young child back from Egypt. However, upon their return, he learned that Herod's kingdom had been divided among his sons (refer to the map below), and Judea was now ruled by Herod Archelaus, who was just as cruel and unstable as his father. Fearing for the child's safety, and "having been warned in a dream", Joseph prudently avoided Judea and the surrounding areas near Jerusalem. Instead, he took Mary and Jesus to the northern region of Galilee, which was under the rule of Herod Antipas, where they settled in the area of their former home.
Herodian Tetrarchy Map, Photo by DegaMD, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
They settled in the town of Nazareth. "And he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene". This is the fulfillment of another prophecy, "that the Messiah would be despised and rejected and Nazareth was a place held in low esteem" (Isaiah 53:3) and that of (Isaiah 11:1), "There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots".
Prophecies Fulfilled of Jesus' Birth
The table below provides a consolidated reference for the key Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in the nativity accounts of Matthew and Luke, reinforcing the credibility that Jesus's birth was the deliberate culmination of God's long-unfolding plan of salvation. In fact, during His lifetime on earth, Jesus Christ fulfilled more than 350 prophesies - the odds of one person doing this is incalculable, yet they've been fulfilled! This is evidence of divine purpose and confirmation that Jesus is the Messiah.
| # | Old Testament Prophecy | New Testament Fulfillment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Messiah will be a descendant of Abraham (Gen 12:3, 22:18) | Jesus's genealogy is traced back to Abraham, establishing his place within the covenant line (Matt 1:1, Luke 3:34) |
| 2 | Messiah will be an heir to the throne of David (2 Sam 7:12-13, Isa 9:7) | Jesus's legal lineage through Joseph and Gabriel's announcement confirm his Davidic right to rule (Matt 1:1, Luke 1:32-33) |
| 3 | Messiah will be born of a virgin (Isa 7:14) | Mary, a virgin, conceives Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit without a human father (Matt 1:22-23, Luke 1:34-35) |
| 4 | Messiah will be born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2) | A Roman census compels Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem, where Jesus is born (Matt 2:5-6, Luke 2:4-7) |
| 5 | A forerunner will prepare the way for the Lord (Isa 40:3, Mal 3:1) | The birth and mission of John the Baptist are explicitly defined as preparing the way for Jesus (Luke 1:76, Matt 3:3) |
| 6 | The forerunner will come in the spirit of Elijah (Mal 4:5-6) | The angel Gabriel announces that John will go forth "in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17) |
| 7 | The Messiah will be called out of Egypt (Hos 11:1) | The Holy Family flees to Egypt to escape Herod and returns after his death (Matt 2:15) |
| 8 | The slaughter of Bethlehem's children. (Jer 31:15) | Herod's Massacre of the Innocents is portrayed as a fulfillment of Rachel's weeping (Matt 2:17-18) |
| 9 | He will be called a Nazarene (Isa 11:1) | The Holy Family settles in Nazareth after returning from Egypt (Matt 2:23) |
The King has Arrived
After the angelic visitations, the fulfilled prophecies, the guiding star, and the miraculous escapes, a long period of quiet obscurity followed. For nearly three decades, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, lived a simple, unremarkable life as the son of a carpenter in a forgotten town of Galilee. These 'hidden years' were a time of growth and preparation - a season of humble obedience to His earthly parents before He would step forward at the Jordan River to begin the public ministry for which He had come into the world.
The King had arrived, not with pomp and power, but in poor surroundings and peril. His kingdom would be built not on the world's terms, but on the revolutionary principles of humility, service and sacrificial love that marked His very first days on earth.
FAQ - The Birth of Jesus
When was Jesus born?
The actual birthday of Jesus is unknown, as the Bible does not specify a date. The year is estimated to be between 6 and 4 BC based on the reign and death of King Herod, but the exact day and month are not stated in Scripture and are the subject of scholarly debate. While Christmas is celebrated on December 25th, this was not necessarily his birth date and may have been chosen for symbolic reasons. Herod the Great is generally believed to have died around 4 BC. This is a major point of discussion because the Gospel of Matthew states Jesus was born before Herod's death.
Why was King Herod so intent on killing Jesus?
Herod, a Roman client king, was known for his extreme paranoia and cruelty (he famously killed several of his own family members, including sons and wives, to secure his throne). When the Magi asked about the "King of the Jews," Herod saw the newborn Messiah as a direct threat to his own power and dynasty. When Herod realized he had been outwitted by the Magi, his paranoia erupted into unrestrained fury. He issued a horrific decree - the slaughter of all male children in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years of age and under, a timeframe he calculated based on the Magi's report of the star's first appearance.
Where was Jesus born?
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy (Micah 5:2).
What is the significance of the Virgin Birth?
Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, emphasizing His unique nature as fully human and fully divine, fulfilling the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14.
What was the "manger" Jesus was laid in?
The manger was a feeding trough for livestock. This detail emphasizes the humble, low-status circumstances of his birth because there was "no place in the inn or "guest room".
What did the Star of Bethlehem signify?
The "star" that the Magi followed, often interpreted as a miraculous sign, was an actual astronomical event or guide, leading them to the place of the Messiah's birth.