December 12
Census

Luke 2:1-2
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 

A census is an exercise carried out to systematically determine the size and characteristics of a given population by acquiring, recording and calculating population information about the members of that population. This term census is used mostly to refer to national population and housing censuses, but it is not the only kind of census that is done in populations around the world.

Doctor Luke, in compiling the narrative of Jesus we know as the Gospel according to Luke, captured for us the socio-political and the socio-cultural context into which Jesus was born. In our key verses today, we see a Roman Emperor, given the title of exalted one, using his power to initiate a census that would ultimately fulfil the prophecy concerning the birth of Jesus, the truly exalted one.

We have a tendency of excluding whatever is going on in our country politically, socially, or administratively from whatever we think God might be doing. We confine God’s intervention and activities to the walls of the church and the lives of His children directly. The evidence, though, is that God is at work to fulfill His purpose in and through every aspect of life, including national life.

Speaking on Mars Hill the Apostle Paul made this point in his address saying “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him…” Acts 17:26-27

The census to which Luke refers here was designed by the Emperor Ceasar Agustus to serve his political, administrative, and financial requirements of running his empire of whish the Jews were a part and required to pay taxes. Whatever he had in mind he had little idea that his declared census  ensured the fulfilment of Micah 5:2, “ But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

This is because Joseph, and his now pregnant betrothed Mary were not in Bethlehem but that is where this baby must be born. They were instead in Nazareth and something had to be done. The census solved this problem. “Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.” Luke 2:4-5.

With the census responsibilities completed the baby drama commence to bring about this prophetic fulfilment, “So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:6-7.

At the time of Jesus’ birth God was working through the activities of men. Today people in countries and counties all over the word voting, placing an X for leaders and propositions that challenge, again, the political, social, administrative, cultural, and even the moral order. We see the consequences around us. If we look harder, we’d also see the hand of God at work to bring about the fulfillment of the word of His prophets.

This is not a new endeavour by God that should take us by surprise, this is how God has always worked. Here are two examples:

“Thus says the LORD to His anointed,
To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held—
To subdue nations before him
And loose the armor of kings,
To open before him the double doors …”
So that the gates will not be shut: Isaiah 45:1

The prophet Isaiah  directly references the king of Persia who was not of God’s chosen people but who God would use to allow the Israelites to return to Jerusalem.

Then there is the proverb, written long before,

The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD,
Like the rivers of water;
He turns it wherever He wishes. Proverbs 21:1

One thing that we should not fail to do this season is to look for the hand of God at work in our families, in our communities and in our countries. The politics and actions of the leadership is not outside of what God is doing to bring persons to him.

Think on these things: 

1. As a Christian how much though do you give to the politics and society around you to see what God is doing?
2. Thinking about it now, is there anything that happened in your country over the last 5 or 10 years that you now think might have been the clear hand of God?
3. Do your personal political views or loyalties affect your ability to see the hand of God at work in the larger events taking place around you?

Prayer focus:
Let is pray today that we would be able to submit our own political views and loyalties to the Lord and be able to see what God is doing.

In His Grace
Pastor Alex