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→Neverificat: Pagină nouă: 62 fhe WATCHTOWER. house of David through another line than that of her husband Joseph, which was another reason why she should go there. But above all, the Lord directed them...
(→Neverificat: Pagină nouă: 62 fhe WATCHTOWER. house of David through another line than that of her husband Joseph, which was another reason why she should go there. But above all, the Lord directed them...) |
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62 fhe WATCHTOWER.
house of David through another line than that of her
husband Joseph, which was another reason why she
should go there. But above all, the Lord directed them
there because it was a part of his arrangement.
At that time there were no means of easy and rapid
transit. It was a long journey, a tedious and tiresome
one. Joseph, with his espoused scated upon an ass,
journeyed through the hills along the Jordan prob-
ably for three days, and late in the evening reached
the city of Bethlehem. The city was crowded, the
private homes were full; there was no room for
them in the inn. (Luke 2:7) Tired, worn, and
weary from their long journcy, they were jostled by
the crowd in the narrow streets of the city. Applying
at various plaecs for lodging, at each place they were
turned away; until finally they found a location
where they could sleep in a stall with the cattle. And
they retired for the night’s repose.
Over the brow of the hill, in the ficld onee owned
by Boaz and gleancd by the beautiful Ruth, the faith-
ful shepherds were watching their sheep. According
to custom, they had four watches during the night.
Some would watch while the others slept. The earthly
stage was now sct. But behold that there was no great
earthly splendor or show! In truth, the condition of
poverty of Joscph and his espoused, and the like poor
condition of the shepherds who were now shortly to
be used of the Lord, was the only fitting way that we
should expect the Lord would have it. All the pomp
and glory of earthly preparation would have been
but tawdry tinsel, detracting from the glorious things
that were shortly to follow. Each one of the earthly
players whom Jehovah had assigned to perform a part
upon this stage was humble, meck, and possessed of
faith in the promises of God. In heaven there was
a host of angels that should participate in the great
drama; and all the hosts of heaven were witnesses to
this unparalleled and never-again-to-be-performed
event.
On earth it was night, picturing the fact that the
whole world was lying in darkness and a great light
was coming into the earth. The time had now arrived
for the birth of the mighty One, and all the heavenly
hosts were awake to the importance of the hour.
Doubtless while others slept, Mary was pondering in
her heart the great events that had taken place dur-
ing the few months past; and while she thus medi-
tated there in the silence of that night, without pain
and without suffering there was born to her Jesus,
the Savior of the world. And the shepherds watching
their sheep in the field were attractcd by the angel of
the Lord, who came upon them, ‘‘and the glory of
the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore
afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for,
behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which
shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day,
in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the
Lord.’’—-Luke 2: 9-11.
When this heavenly messenger had finished his
Brooxzry, N.Y,
wonderful speech to the astonished shepherds, then
it was, as if waiting a given signal, the multitudinous
heavenly host stood forth, and sang the good tidings
of great joy which ultimately shall be to all people.
Their song was but the reflex of what had been an-
nounced. There the swect singers told in words of
praise of God’s beneficent purpose ultimately to bless
all the familics of the earth. It was a song of glory
from heaven, and the hills of Judea echoed the mes-
sage of peace and good will toward men. And through-
out the Christian cra this sweet anthem has filled with
joy the heart of many a sad wanderer; and seemine-
ly again and again these have heard the song from
heaven: ‘‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men.”’
The world is now entering its darkest period, and
when mankind reaches the point of extremity, then
will be God’s opportunity to reveal to all sad hearts
that the birth of Jesus was the greatest event in his-
tory to that time; and that shortly this same great
Jesus, now in glory, will extend the blessings of life,
liberty and happiness to the whole groaning creation.
The place of Jesus’ birth was truly according to
and in fulfilment of the aforequoted propheey of
Micah, thus showing that God had forcordained and
prepared the condition for his Son’s birth. (Matt.
2:4-6) Jesus was not born on December twenty-fifth,
as is gencrally supposed; but his birth occurred about
the first of October. Midwinter (or the month of De-
cember) would have been a very inopportune time
for the shepherds to be watching their sheep in the
fields and sleeping in the open. In addition to this
circumstantial evidence, all the facts show that the
birth of Jesus was in October, and that Deecmber
twenty-fifth, nine months previous to his birth, was
probably the date of the annunciation as reeorded in
Luke’s gospel, chapter one, verses thirty and thirty-
one, where it is written: ‘‘And the angel said unto
her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with
God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb,
and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.”’
Much has been said and written concerning three
wise men who journcyed from the east to pay their
homage to the babe Jesus, born in Bethlehem. Par-
ticularly at ‘‘Christmas’’ time is attention called to
this by pictures on cards, and so forth, of the ‘‘wise’’
men journcying to the west, supposedly being guided
by the star sent by Jehovah. It has been presumed
that Jehovah by the star led these wise men to the
place of Jesus’ birth. The Bible proof shows, how-
ever, that these wise men were not sent by the Lord
God, but that they were directed by the great adver-
sary, the Devil, in his attempt to destroy the babe.
Whether they knew it or not, these wise men were
parties to a great conspiracy, originated and carried
out by the master mind, Satan, the Devil, in his at-
tempt to destroy the seed promised in God’s covenant
with Abraham, and who is the great Savior of the
world,