John the Baptist had been born and the ceremony of circumcision had been performed.  Dr. Luke tells us that this special baby grew as all children do.  The scene shifts…

(NASB) Luke 2:1 “NOW IN those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited world.”

The inhabited world was not an idle boast.  The Roman Empire did, indeed, cover a vast area – what is Europe today, some countries of Africa and the Middle East as well as Turkey, Mesopotamia and Arabia.

The Roman Empire was vast, powerful. Some of the infrastructure put in place still exists today.  I have seen a bridge built by the ancient Romans, spanning a deep canyon in Italy: buses, cars and trucks, etc. use it every day.  Also, democratic government, structure of law, language and literature go back to the influence of the Roman Empire.

Amazing!  God was going to use this Empire for His purposes to be fulfilled.
The LORD God was neither surprised nor intimidated by this vast and powerful Empire.  God is the same today as He was then.  He is neither surprised nor intimidated by those in authority in your country.  One day the living God of the Holy Bible will bring forth Messiah as King to rule and reign over all the earth from Jerusalem.

(NASB) Psalm 22:28 “For the kingdom is the LORD’S
And He rules over the nations.”

(NASB) Romans 13:1 “EVERY PERSON is to be in subjection to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”

Followers of Christ – no matter what country you live in, take comfort!  Jesus is coming again as King – your hope is to be in the living God and His sure promises.

(NASB) Revelation 15:3-4 “…‘Great and marvelous are Your works,
O Lord God, the Almighty;
Righteous and true are Your ways,
King of the nations!
4 ‘Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy;
FOR ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU,
FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED.”

 

Take heart…God is in control.