Luke 2:12 You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Most certainly Dr. Luke would have interviewed the Innkeeper who would have regretted not giving his ensuite to Mary and Joseph that cold winter night. Dr. Luke, the family doctor of Mary, would have discussed the difficult journey in her third trimester from Nazareth to Bethlehem. On the map, they travelled south to Bethlehem however, topographically it was a steep climb up the hilly mountains. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth (Luke 2:5a). In Bible times directions were based on the elevation of the landscape as the commute was by foot. The distance between Nazareth to Bethlehem is about 90 miles. Google maps calculation states that a normal person walking 8 hours a day, would reach Bethlehem in 4 days. However, a fully pregnant woman on a donkey’s back across the raggedy mountainous traverse would have taken a minimum of a week and a half! After the weary journey, there was no room in the Inn. The innkeeper allowed them to stay the night in the cattle-shed! Have you wondered why the King of Kings chose a smelly, stinking barn to be His birthing-unit?
The Inn wasn’t like the modern day motel; it was a “caravansary”. A caravansary is a guesthouse for the middle eastern travellers with an open courtyard in the middle, encircled by tiny cabins around it. The caravan travellers parked their caravan, camels and cattle in the courtyard and stayed the night in the menial chalet. The courtyard had a basic, partially covered animal shed. So, in essence, Mary and Joseph were given a car-shed or cowshed, as there were no vacant cabins! Quintessentially, Jesus was born in a car-shed! Symbolically, the “meager manger” represents the place the world gives Him even today.
The cattle trough was the throne of Jesus:
- Manger: The manger was not a wooden feeding trough for animal-feed used in modern day barns. In those days, only stone cut feeding troughs were used. So the new-born infant was laid in a cold stone crib! The stone-cold feeding furrow “the manger” at His birth, represented the cold grave-cave where His body would be laid at His death. Both the cold-crib and the cold-grave are empty! Hence we celebrate the birth of the risen King. The cold-stone crib still stands as a sign of resurrection.
- Manager: We are not sure if the manager of the Inn provided hot water and disinfectants for the delivery but he certainly was tender-hearted. Even today, there are many innkeepers. They soften their hearts for Jesus but park Him at the car-park. Jesus is not permitted into their homes. With the Christmas lights there is a flashing neon sign – “House Full”. Invite Jesus to the couch, don’t leave Him in the car-park.
- Mansion: The plush and the palatial pleasures of our mansion is not measured by its extravagance but by the presence of King Jesus. If Christ is not the head of our home, the Christmas tree, the lights and carolling will only be fake façades. Welcome Christ inside the decorated warm homes.
The empty cold stone-crib and the empty stone-cave (grave) are the reasons for the celebration of the festive season. Merry Christmas!
Luke 2:16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
Prayer: Sovereign King, I welcome you into my warm home and heart to be my King, my Saviour and my Deliverer. Amen.
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