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Advent Meditation #3
The ROCKY ROAD To Bethlehem
Luke 2: 1- 5
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
To be taxed with Mariam his espoused wife, being great with CHILD+.
+ + +
This long journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem is said to be 68.92 miles --- almost 70 miles --- as the crow flies. Walking it, however, was a little more strenuous than the “70 crow-fly miles” on the maps.
For one thing, Jewish people customarily did not go through Samaria – the direct route – but skirted it and thus, added several more miles to the journey. Some calculate the journey would have been closer to 90 miles.
Another consideration is the terrain.
The Judean hills had to be mounted , so the winding roadway climbed UP from the Jordan Valley into Judea. Bethlehem was on the southwest side of Jerusalem, so the terrain towards the end of their tiring journey would seem to be the most strenuous they encountered.
Now then, we are all familiar with the pictures of Mariam, heavy with the Royal Babe+ in her womb, riding on a donkey with guardian-husband Joseph walking along side, carrying a staff. Indeed, there are NO pictures or drawings available ( on the internet, at least) that show BOTH Joseph and his espoused wife walking to Bethlehem.
The donkey in the picture, however, is likely derived from an artist’s idea or the surmised context of the customary way people of Israel traveled in those days. There is NO MENTION of any beast of burden in the account in Luke 2 and the rest of the Gospels have even less detail than Luke’s account.
So, was it possible that Mariam WALKED with Joseph all the way from Nazareth to Bethlehem, camping at the least 4 days under the open skies for those days it took them to WALK the 70-plus miles --- a good portion of it uphill --- while so close to her delivery date ?
If they made the journey in 4 days’ time, then 70 divided by 4 gives us over 17 miles a day that they walked . . . and 70 is the “crow-flies” miles.
Even with a donkey to ride, for an expectant mother about to give birth, riding a lumpy, lumbering donkey would hardly be more comfortable than walking, in her most cumbersome and uncomfortable state of being.
Yes, they were young and had the strength of hearty peasantry of the land, the “am ha eretz” . Still, it would have been a strenuous ordeal that was placed upon them.
The ELOHIM, as the faithful would affirm, saw to it to give them both supernatural strength to walk more than 70 miles, to camp out in the open in the fall or winter, to carry their packs, and for Mariam, to carry the Royal Babe+.
A cave to rest in, to be protected from the elements of wind and sky, to have a hidden nest in which to give birth to The FIRSTBORN of Creation, must have seemed a blessed Haven for both Mariam and Joseph.
And Poor Joseph! Can we even imagine the agony of tension that Joseph must have carried, knowing his young wife alongside of him was about to give birth during that long, arduous journey to Bethlehem ? Yet, he was ordained by GOD with her over-sight and was entrusted with the guardianship of the Royal Babe+ !
How calm, assured, and confident can we suppose Joseph was after REACHING Bethlehem . . . and finding NO room available for Mariam’s pressing needs ? How calm would WE be ? Surely , Joseph was crying out to The LORD in great distress of heart !
Joseph was their only protector and guardian in the flesh, but he was now constricted in his ability to care for them by the edict of Rome, as he was forced to undertake this arduous journey.
No house, no bed, no warmth of fire, no well water, no neighborhood midwife, no wise mother and aunts or neighbor ladies went with them on this journey. There was none to help, none to attend the delivery process of the birth of this Royal Babe+, and not a single woman to coach young Mariam through the delivery of her GOD-given firstborn.
The only thing Joseph could provide now was companionship drenched in prayer to The ALMIGHTY as he walked alongside his young wife and helped Mariam along on that long, ordained journey to the birthplace of the MESSIAH+.
And Joseph did it . . . perhaps breathing a prayer to GOD every step of the way . . . that he might fulfill the Most Serious Guardianship that ever took place on planet earth.
LET US PRAY:
O FATHER GOD, THOU hast ordained and set before Thy people many arduous and hard journeys. Even the Incarnation of Emmanuel was beset by a long, hard, and uncomfortable journey.
O FATHER, THOU alone knowest best. THOU, O Righteous FATHER, knowest best how to accomplish Thy Divine Will among the sons of men. A long, hard journey is appointed unto all of us, if we wish to be in accord with Thy Divine Will.
Help me never to complain of the journey which THOU hast ordained for me. Help me to be steadfast in yielding THEE praise for the path which THOU – in Thy Love -- hast set before me.
O Gracious FATHER, I set my face like my SAVIOR+ did and I WILL to embrace the path of Thy Will without grumbling even though it be uphill, rocky, uncomfortable, and not to my liking. And fraught with “unknowns.”
I know Thy Hand is upon me; let that suffice. “Comfort” will come later, O Most High. Let me learn obedience, like my SAVIOR+ did. I plant these Divine Words before my eyes:
“Though HE+ were a SON+,
yet learned HE+ obedience by the things which HE+ suffered.”
I yield my life unto THEE, O HOLY FATHER, that I too may learn obedience, with the help of The LORD JESUS, in the path to which THOU hast called me.
I know Your Will is best; gladly, therefore, I should obey and not resist it in my heart. Create in me a clean heart, O GOD, and renew a right spirit within me.
Blessed art THOU, O FATHER, even so, for thus it seemeth good in Thy sight.
This I pray in The LIFE-Giving Name of Thy HOLY SON+ JESUS, Who+ lived to do Thy Will. Amen.
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