Advent Article 2: The Sacrificial Sign and the
Unspoken Promise
Theme: Peace and the Prophetic Purpose
“Paddy, settle down, boy. We’re lighting the second
candle now—the candle of Peace. We need peace because after the terror
of the almost-stoning in Nazareth, the journey that followed was pure, chaotic
stress.”
Paddy, my very articulate Golden Doodle, sighed and
laid his chin on my knee. “I still don't get why they had to go, Dad. Couldn't
God just change the tax forms?”
“He could have, but that's not how God works,” I
explained. “God uses the chaos of man to fulfill His quiet plan. Joseph didn't
divorce Mary; he remained faithful, obeying the angel's command. But that meant
he now had to publicly claim Mary as his wife and legally adopt the child into
the Davidic lineage.”
The Journey: The King’s Unwitting Escort
I told Paddy that our second step moves from the
silent crisis to the political and prophetic stage. The signal fire for the
Messiah’s arrival had already started with the priest Zechariah in the
Temple (Luke 1:20). His muteness declared that the old covenant was being put
on mute. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth reset the prophetic clock with the
birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:41).
“Then came the biggest travel headache in history,”
I said. “The Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, thinks he’s running the
show, ordering everyone to register for taxes around 7 BC.”
Paddy whimpered. “Taxes are stressful, Dad. I see
how you get every time you do them! Did this Caesar guy have a reason to make
everyone travel?”
“That’s a great question, Paddy, because it shows
how Rome always worked: they used a velvet glove to hide an iron fist. The
simple, official reason the Romans gave was cultural respect. By
insisting Joseph travel to his ancestral home, Bethlehem, they appeared
to honor the Jewish system of land ownership, which was tied to the ancestral
clans and tribes.”
The Nefarious Purpose: Roman Theft vs. Prophetic
Fulfillment
“But, Paddy, beneath the velvet glove was the hand
of Roman theft. The nefarious purpose was pure, massive property seizure
and control. This census (Luke 2:2) laid the groundwork for future taxes and
the eventual Roman annexation of Judea. It also forced every Jewish family to
acknowledge, on paper, that Caesar was their ultimate authority—a form of soft
political coercion.”
“So, the whole reason Joseph and Mary walked 93
miles was so the biggest bully in the world could steal their
great-grandfathers’ information?” Paddy looked disgusted.
“Precisely, Paddy. The King was born because of an
administrative act of oppression. God used the financial greed and political
maneuvering of the Roman Empire to fulfill the word of the prophet Micah (Micah
5:2). The most powerful man on earth thought he was ruling the world, but he
was only directing traffic for the true King.”
Paddy thought for a moment, “Talk about BIG
GOVERNMENT! They needed the Republicans in charge at the time… Huh Dad!”
“Careful Paddy! We aren’t allowed to wax political…
but I like your thinking my little, small government puppy!”
Dad continued, “In any event, Joseph had to travel
because he was of the House of David (Luke 2:4). The Emperor, seeking
tax revenue, was an unwitting tool, forcing the Davidic family, with their massive
entourage—Joseph, Mary, his four sons, his two daughters, and Mary's older
sister (who was also called Mary, and was married to Cleopas, likely acting as
the midwife)—on the arduous 93-mile journey to Bethlehem.”
“The entourage! Oh, wow!” Paddy sprang up. “So, Dad,
all those people were traveling! No wonder every place was full! It’s like
trying to book a hotel in Green Bay when the Packers are playing in town. I bet
one of the boys had to lead the donkey. Dad, do you think they had a
Golden-Doodle in the entourage?” Paddy asked hopefully.
“Only if they wanted more stress in their lives!”
Dad replied.
“What?” said Paddy.
“Never mind, Paddy… it was a joke.” Dad calmly
answered while patting Paddy’s head.
The Tower of the Flock
Dad continued, “Maybe a Golden Doodle led the
donkey, Paddy. In any event, when they arrived in the overcrowded town, they
found no room in the guest room.
“I thought they stayed in a Motel 6 or something
similar… something called an Inn?' Paddy inquired.”
“No,” Dad replied. The word ‘Inn’ is a mistranslation
of kataluma. It was the family guest room that was too full. You have to
understand the structure of the Jewish four-room house at the time. Joseph’s
relatives in Bethlehem would have had an extra room, but that was already
filled. These same Bethlehem relatives of Joseph would have had a lower part of
the house that would have stabled their animals, but that also must have been
filled with even more relatives. So, the family was directed not to a random
stable, but to Migdal Eder, also called the Tower of the Flock.”
Paddy's ears perked up. “A tower? With sheep? What’s
next, Dad, what's next?”
The Sacrificial Sign and the Unspoken Promise
“Listen, this is where the peace starts, Paddy,
because it means the chaos has a purpose. This tower, prophesied by Micah
(Micah 4:8), was the specialized lambing shed where Royal Shepherds
raised the unblemished male lambs destined for the Passover sacrifice.
They were raising the very animals required for the Temple’s highest rituals.
The Tower of Migdal Eder was near the place Rachel gave birth to Benjamin
and died (Genesis 35:19). So, as a Mother of Israel who gave birth to the
final son to form the twelve tribes of Israel, what better place for the new
Mother of Continuing Israel (Jesus) to be born!”
The angelic sign confirmed the location’s purpose: “You
will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger” (Luke
2:12).
“The shepherds knew instantly what this meant,” I
explained. “The manger was the feeding trough, and the swaddling
cloths were used at Migdal Eder to protect newborn sacrificial lambs from
blemish. Sometimes newborn lambs will thrash about, and the shepherds would
protect them by wrapping them in swaddling cloths.
Think of it, Paddy, Jesus the King was laid in
the feeding trough of the sacrificial animals!”
Paddy looked solemn. “If that baby was royalty, Dad,
why wasn't he born on a silk pillow? And why would God pick a lambing barn? I
prefer beef, but I understand the symbolism. Was it drafty? I don't like
drafty.”
“It was drafty, boy. But God’s peace isn't comfort;
it's clarity. The King’s arrival meant that the stress of the Law, the turmoil
of the census, and the chaos of the journey were all purposeful. He was born
the unblemished Paschal Lamb from His first breath, fulfilling the Law
that had caused Mary and Joseph such fear. That truth brings peace to
the heart.”
Paddy asked, “Dad what about the Magi! You forgot
the Magi! Tell me about the Magi!”
You will have to wait for next week Paddy.” Dad
replied scruffling the fur on Paddy’s neck. “Next week!”
Pastor Jim is the shepherd of Trinity Evangelical
Church and he invites you to read next week in the Posey County News the third
in a four part series regarding the true story of Christmas as part of Advent.
And Pastor Jim also wants you to attend the Church of your choice but if you
are looking for a Church home, please feel free to join us for The Second
Sunday of Advent, December 7th at our 10:10am service. Trinity is located on
the corner of 5th and Mulberry Streets.
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