Why In A Feeding Trough?
We all have heard the Christmas story, about how the King of kings, the Lord God Incarnate was born, of all places, in a barn.
The poor Bethlehem innkeeper has gotten a bad rap for this, “because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7), as though it was his fault the whole town was overflowing with visitors. People talk as though he turned them away because they were poor or they were outsiders, and he was hoarding rooms for rich guests, but such an idea is ridiculous. Inns of that time were not like a modern day motel with king size beds and running water, they were a large common room where everyone would bed down on the floor, and if there wasn’t room for another person to lay their bed role there literally was no more room. The innkeeper couldn’t afford to turn away paying guests in hope that someone more wealthy might show up at a later time, in fact he probably had crammed as many people in as he possibly could, because that’s how he made money.
We also hear that it was to demonstrate Christ’s humility being born in such a low state, suggesting that His human parents were the poorest of the poor, falsely justifying a system of classes and condemning His followers to poverty. But let me ask you this: If the birth of the Son of God and rightful Heir to the throne of David was supposed to be such a small and humbling thing, then why at that time were there kings of this world following after Him and bowing down before Him (Psams 72:10, Matthew 2:10)? And why did the man who occupied His throne at that time try to kill Him (Matthew 2:16)? And why did the “Star Breathing God” (Psalms 33:6) chose that moment in time to create a brand new star in the heavens (Matthew 2:1,7,10)? And why was His the only birth in all of history to be announced not by just one angel, but by an enormous choir of angels that filled the entire sky (Luke 2:9-14)? Do you really think the God who could pull all of that off would not have been able to open up a spot in the inn for His Son if He wanted to?
Why did God choose to be born in a barn, to lay in a feeding trough?
Can you think of any other place more appropriate for the Lamb of God to enter the world?
Merry Christmas!
James :)
The poor Bethlehem innkeeper has gotten a bad rap for this, “because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7), as though it was his fault the whole town was overflowing with visitors. People talk as though he turned them away because they were poor or they were outsiders, and he was hoarding rooms for rich guests, but such an idea is ridiculous. Inns of that time were not like a modern day motel with king size beds and running water, they were a large common room where everyone would bed down on the floor, and if there wasn’t room for another person to lay their bed role there literally was no more room. The innkeeper couldn’t afford to turn away paying guests in hope that someone more wealthy might show up at a later time, in fact he probably had crammed as many people in as he possibly could, because that’s how he made money.
We also hear that it was to demonstrate Christ’s humility being born in such a low state, suggesting that His human parents were the poorest of the poor, falsely justifying a system of classes and condemning His followers to poverty. But let me ask you this: If the birth of the Son of God and rightful Heir to the throne of David was supposed to be such a small and humbling thing, then why at that time were there kings of this world following after Him and bowing down before Him (Psams 72:10, Matthew 2:10)? And why did the man who occupied His throne at that time try to kill Him (Matthew 2:16)? And why did the “Star Breathing God” (Psalms 33:6) chose that moment in time to create a brand new star in the heavens (Matthew 2:1,7,10)? And why was His the only birth in all of history to be announced not by just one angel, but by an enormous choir of angels that filled the entire sky (Luke 2:9-14)? Do you really think the God who could pull all of that off would not have been able to open up a spot in the inn for His Son if He wanted to?
Why did God choose to be born in a barn, to lay in a feeding trough?
Isaiah 53:7 - He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. (NIV)
Can you think of any other place more appropriate for the Lamb of God to enter the world?
John 1:29 - The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (NIV)
Merry Christmas!
James :)
posted by AskAboutGod | Wednesday, December 23, 2009
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