1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
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What a contrast! Caesar Augustus was the most powerful man in that part of the world. From the perspective of those who lived in Europe, northern Africa and the middle east, he was the most powerful man in the world. On the other hand, we are also look at an unborn child, and the unexpected pregnancy of an unmarried couple in an obscure, small town in one of the provinces.
But who is calling the shots? Who is Lord of the nations?
It certainly seems like the answer is Caesar. In these verses he seems to be exercising his power by ordering a census of the Roman world. One little decree, and the entire empire has to jump. That’s power!
But what is this really all about? The Lord had prophesied through His prophets that a virgin will bear a son (Isaiah 7 and 9), and that the child will be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5). The virgin has conceived, but she lives nowhere near Bethlehem. What to do? God uses Cesar to carry out His purposes.
In the broad sweep of history, the census of Caesar Augustus didn’t make a lot of difference. The records are lost. It didn’t have a great impact on the empire. The impact that is still felt today is that the unknown pregnant unmarried couple made it to Bethlehem. So who is Lord of the nations? Who is in control? Who is powerful?
The same question needs to be asked today. Who is Lord of the nations? Is it the powerful political leaders, the unconscionably wealthy business and tech tycoons? Yes, they have the power to make decisions that affect billions, like Cesar in his world. But they are not Lord of the nations.
As Jesus said to Pilate: “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above (John 19:11).” And as Jesus said of himself, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Matthew 28:18).”
It’s easy to lose sight of this basic biblical truth simply because we do not understand what all God is doing in the world, what He allows to take place, and how He is using all things, even the powerful rulers, for His glory and our good. But the truth is that He is indeed Lord of All.
We may feel powerless in this world, but we are loved and held in the hands of the one who is Lord of All. The one who holds are world in His hands has nail marks in His hands that forever settle the matter of whether the most powerful hands in the universe belong to One who loves us.
Lord Jesus, grant me faith to trust that you are truly Lord of all, that You are Lord of the great events in our world, and the details of my life.
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