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Dreams and Circumstances from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

Today I want to examine the birth of Jesus and how God guided Mary and Joseph. It all began when the angel Gabriel appeared to a young woman named Mary and told her that she would soon conceive a child when the Holy Spirit overshadowed her. She was engaged to Joseph, a carpenter, but not yet married, so becoming pregnant now made her a bit nervous. She went to visit her relative Elisabeth and stayed with her three months before returning home.

When Mary returned home and stepped out of the wagon, her fiancé Joseph noticed something new about her look. He was a kind, simple carpenter, but wasn’t too happy about his fiancé becoming pregnant by someone else, so he decided to put her away privately and avoid a scandal.

One night while thinking about this, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to not be afraid to take Mary as his wife for she had conceived the child through the Holy Spirit. So when Joseph woke up, their wedding plans were back on. He married Mary, but they had no relations until she gave birth.

About this time the emperor Augustus decreed that a census be taken of all the inhabitants of the Roman empire, and each person had to register in their native city. Joseph was a descendent of King David, so he had to travel to Bethlehem, the hometown of his ancestors. He took his wife Mary with him, who was in the last month of her pregnancy, and they traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, about 80 miles.

When they arrived, Bethlehem was crowded and packed with travelers just like them. Mary must have been very close to delivery and they sought somewhere to stay but the city was filled up. Finally someone pointed them to a stable. Mary, just about to give birth, found a place to lay down. Soon after, she gave birth to a Son and named Him Jesus. She wrapped the baby in cloth and laid Him in a manger, a feeding trough for livestock. The King of all kings born into the world, His mother pregnant before being married, then giving birth to Him in a stable, and now laying in a feeding trough.

Jesus was born during a time of chaos in Israel. They had been invaded and taken over by the Roman empire and were forced to pay taxes to the emperor. That is why Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem, to be counted so they could be taxed more efficiently and thoroughly.

The word spread that a new king was born in Bethlehem and soon after this, King Herod the Great sought to kill the child Jesus, but an angel had already warned Joseph to take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Herod swept in and had all the male children in Bethlehem under two years old put to death, but just as Pharaoh missed Moses, Herod missed Jesus.

The family stayed in Egypt until the death of Herod in 4 BC. They returned for a time, but when Herod’s son took his father’s throne, Joseph was warned about him in a dream. They traveled to Galilee, to a small town called Nazareth.

The child Jesus was raised by His mother Mary and her husband Joseph in the small town of Nazareth. We know little of His life as a youngster, only that He was obedient to His parents and when He was twelve years old, He stayed behind at the temple in Jerusalem, and they had to go back and get Him. He probably grew up doing carpentry with Joseph. So Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem, but He grew up in Nazareth, and both were because of unfavorable circumstances.

The taxes and the census caused His family to travel to Bethlehem. Herod the Great’s murder spree caused the family to travel to Egypt. Then on their return, Herod’s son caused them to settle in Nazareth. This seems a bit chaotic for the birth of the Son of God, but they were guided by dreams and circumstances. The angel Gabriel spoke to Mary before she conceived, but after that, it was all dreams and circumstances. No more angelic visitations. Let’s review this small section of the life of Jesus:

* Dream: When Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant, and knew it wasn’t his, an angel appeared to him in a dream (Matthew 1:20).

 * Circumstance: Jesus was prophesied to be born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:6), but Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth. So the Roman emperor ordered everyone to return to their home town (Luke 2:1). Result: Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

 * Dream: Joseph was warned in a dream to take Jesus and His mother and flee to Egypt for King Herod would seek to kill Him (Matthew 2:13).

 * Dream: While in Egypt, Joseph was told in a dream that it was safe to return for Herod was dead (Matthew 2:20).

 * Dream: Joseph was warned in a dream while traveling back and settled in the small town of Nazareth (Matthew 2:22).

God led this family with dreams and circumstances, and I can tell you that is 90% of how He leads us today. He may launch you on your course with something special, like the angel appearing to Mary. In my case, it was the unemployment line. Then it is dreams and circumstances to guide you. Doors close, others open, and He gives you confirmations and warnings as they are needed along the way.

Don’t let go of your dreams. No one around Joseph understood his, most of all his parents. For those dreams were given to him, not them. Don’t ignore the importance of your circumstances. Don’t be anxious about them, just know that He has a reason. Keep an open mind. A flat tire can save you from an accident down the road, though you may hate changing that tire.

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please speak to me in dreams and help me see the value of my circumstances. My life is Yours and I know that You are in control. I pray that You fulfill Your perfect will in my life, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.