A Troubling Birth

1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
Matthew 2: 1 - 4 NKJV

He was born the second son of a civil servant back in late 1960's.  Dad worked for the county while his mother stayed at home to handle the energy and hell bent antics of he and his older brother.  Being the second son of a well known man in a small town certainly had its advantages, as well as its own problems.  For when either he or his brother would run astray of their boundries, everyone in town knew exactly who they were.  It's tough to be incognito in such circumstances.  Despite these apparent setbacks, his birth was embraced within his family.  For most of his younger years, he was known around town simply as his fathers youngest son.  In retrospect, the childs seemigly unnoticed birth contrasted with one from centuries before.  This birth was widely known and expected, for the prophets of old had forewarned the people of His arrival long beforehand.  Not only that, but it was well known just where he would born and who would conceive Him.  This was no ordinary birth, for this child, this promised one would one day lead His people out of bondage and a promised freedom.  However, not everyone was eagerly anticipating this saviors birth.  The birth of this Christ child, the promised Messiah and born of a virgin was viewed by more than a few in His day with some trouble and anxiety.  For one whose very birth was foretold to be a major event for His people, this was a troubling begining.

15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or eprincipalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Colossions 1: 15 - 18 NKJV

It is not by coincidence that the very name of this Messiah child was foretold as "God with us," for He would be the very image of the living God.  What should have been seen as a joyous event by one and all was rejected by some.  As is always the case, these few troubled souls had their own agenda.  For king Herod, ruler of Jerusalem certainly had heard of the prophets prediction of the coming Messiah.  I have little doubt that his primary concern was for his own power and position.  As for the rest of Jerusalem, their anxiety may have been due to as to what to expect from Gods promised savior of His people.  There is zero doubt that many of the Jews in Jerusalem were expexting quite a different savior in Christs birth.  For many were expecting a valiant, holy military leader who would finally rid the Jewish people of their hated Roman occupiers.  Never once had they considered something different, that this Christ child had come to save them from the bondage of sin which they had been born into.  Before His life was over, this Christ child would shoulder the sin burden not just for the Jewish people, but for all mankind.  I see the trouble which those in Jersalem were having with the birth of their Lords savior as more of the anxiety of uncertainty than anything else.  However, without Him we would forever remain in the bondage of our own sins.  If for this reason alone, This childs birth will forever be celebrated during this season.

~Scott~