Messiah, part one

“I love it when a plan comes together”

Hannibal, The A-Team

Once again the time was ripe for God to take the next step in his plan to release rogue planet Earth along with its creatures and inhabitants from bondage and to put a certain 'griefer' in his proper place. Rome was the new world leader and had imposed its rule of law and order, the Pax Romana (Roman peace) on the widespread realms under its control. Roman roads, Roman troops and the lowering of territorial restrictions made travel across the realm relatively quick, safe and easy, much as travel across the Eurozone is (or was) today. Greek and Latin had come to be the common written and spoken languages, facilitating communication.

The Son of God had been out and about the cosmos from its beginning, teaching, observing, governing, delegating and otherwise relating to the creatures and children dependent on him for life, love and well being. All in all, things were going pretty well but in a spiral arm of one galaxy an inhabited planet was in trouble. And when any of God’s children are hurt and unhappy, God’s not happy. God was about to pull off a once-for-all cosmic-shattering event.

In the sleepy little Galilean town of Nazareth, a very young teenage girl (12-14 likely, since girls of the region typically married soon after the onset of their first menses) named Mary was about to receive some troubling news. Whether in a vivid dream or waking vision, a messenger from God appeared and told her straight up that she had been chosen to give birth to the long awaited Messiah, and that she was to name him Jesus. When Mary pointed out the fact that she was still a virgin, the messenger explained simply that, not to worry, God, through the Spirit, would take care of the details. Not exactly a message that a girl would rush out and announce to family, friends and the young carpenter to whom she was betrothed. Betrothal during these times was a way more serious commitment than today’s engagement. Sexual union was supposed to wait until after the formal wedding ceremony.

Mary did the sensible thing and kept the message to herself. Maybe it was only a dream after all. Surely stuff like this didn’t happen. It happened. Her period didn’t arrive on schedule. Maybe she was just late. Maybe it was only a missed period. That happened sometimes to her friends and relatives, right? She waited anxiously, but the bleeding didn’t start and morning nausea did. Her mom was giving her 'looks' and she wasn’t the only one. The situation was heartbreaking. God had really put this innocent kid on the spot. She only wanted to marry and be with her young man, Joseph, have his babies and run her own household and now this. Her dreams were coming to an end and she hadn’t done anything wrong.

Mary had to tell the truth, but who was going to believe her? Her mom could have called in a physician or, more likely, a midwife to verify the 'proof' of her virginity, but an intact hymen was not necessarily an indication that no sexual congress had taken place nor was the absence of one proof that it had. The Bible gives no details, nor should it, but suffice it to say that tears and tempers reigned supreme. Joseph was shattered as well. He wasn’t buying Mary’s tale. She had cheated on him, but because of his love, he made up his mind to divorce her privately to spare her disgrace as much as possible. An official betrothal required an official divorce.  He may very well have had to endure angry words and maybe more than words from Mary’s parents and relatives.

Meanwhile, the same messenger who had appeared to Mary appeared to Joseph in a dream and verified the truth of the matter. Why didn’t he tell him sooner? Good question, but once again, timing is everything. An official wedding soon took place with the private understanding that intercourse would have to wait until after the child arrived. Mary and Joseph knew, and maybe the family or some of them believed, that Mary was still a virgin. The word on the street, however, was that the nice young couple had jumped the gun and they may as well 'own' it. After all, Mary wasn’t the first local girl pregnant at the altar and she wouldn’t be the last. And what was to be said for it? At best, the truth would not have been believed, and at worst may have gotten Mary in serious trouble. Mary found this to be a good time to get away from the gossip and pay an extended visit to a much older cousin, Elizabeth, who was having a long hoped for baby of her own after many years of infertility---a baby known to history as John the Baptist.

As a side note, and as I mentioned in another chapter, a virgin birth is easily achievable by any scientifically advanced civilization including our own. A special ops medical team could infiltrate an unsuspecting village in the dead of night, temporarily neutralize any human or animal likely to sound an alarm, implant a modified embryo into a sedated girl and pass away like a shadow on the breeze. Anything man can do, the Creator of the cosmos can do better. We don’t know how he pulled this off, but I’m sure Star Trek’s Mister Spock would have found the details “fascinating”.

Considering the conception of the Son of God, this is a seriously delicate area to be messing around with and not likely to be appreciated. Remember that in the chapter on Eden, I proposed that the first Adam was created using enhanced genetic code and not born from a male/female pairing---Eve likewise. They were without spiritual defect (sin) initially until crashing later and passing the resulting abnormality along to each succeeding generation. This doctrine is known as original sin. The Son of God did not have a permanent body, although he no doubt took whatever form was needful as to time and place, until fusing with the child in Mary’s womb. He did not have the name of Jesus until the messenger’s (angel’s) instruction to Mary. The Bible refers to Jesus as the last or second Adam. He was indeed fully human and fully God. Whatever defect inherent in the human genetic code, including the still undetected 'spiritual'/ other dimensional code had been remedied and the resulting child was completely without any stain of sin as had been the first Adam originally. He was the only one capable of restoring the God/human bond broken at Eden.

Messiah’s birth had been foretold in numerous, if cryptic, passages in the Old Testament. Hundreds of years prior, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed that from the land of Galilee would come a male child in the lineage of David destined to rule his kingdom forever; one who would be called “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:1-7). This was not to be your typical infant.

Rome was taking a census, one of many, and this is why the precise dates and details have long been the subject of controversy. Joseph and Mary, who was by now in the late stage of pregnancy, went to be registered as required by law. They did not travel alone as depicted on stamps and Christmas (not holiday, thank you very much) cards. Many others were making the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem, including friends and family, and the young couple traveled with them. This nailed another well known ancient prophecy that the coming Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. To read the prophecy is to get the chills, that the infant’s “origins/goings out are from of old, from ancient times/days of eternity” (Micah 5:2); in other words, from before the beginning. This was light years beyond anything that they imagined or could possibly imagine. The Creator of the cosmos, the 'Big Banger' himself, had laid aside (emptied himself the Bible puts it) his knowledge and power and was about to enter the game at level one. Not the level one where you wake up in prison, get sprung somehow and find a rusty dagger---the real level one. I don’t mind telling you that this scares the crap out of me. The Son of God was now in the most precarious position imaginable. He was totally helpless. He knew absolutely nothing.  He had enemies, one in particular. He could have failed, and if he could not have failed he would not have truly been the second/last Adam and able to take our place. This was hardcore mode. There would be no hitting the F9 key. Fail and it would be 'game over'---and we would all be screwed!

Mary was now in labor. Bethlehem was small and crowded and the couple could find no room to stay until an innkeeper had compassion and let them use the stable or cave where the animals were housed. It was better than giving birth in the street. Mary probably had help from a local midwife or another experienced mother, maybe even her own. Other family members had made the journey with them from Nazareth. Girl children especially, to be moms themselves soon enough, would be excited to witness the event and see the new baby.

Even though Mary, barely beyond childhood herself, knew what to expect, had probably witnessed birth and maybe even been allowed to assist, this was miles beyond any agony that she had ever experienced. Screaming helped a little. With a final push the little one entered the world, had his umbilical cord tied off and cut, was cleaned up and rubbed with oil and salt. Wide eyed children, some of them visibly shaken by what they had witnessed, tried to push in to see. At last an exhausted teenager held and prepared to nurse her newborn son. She and Joseph looked at each other. Could this tiny, red, squalling, flailing and kicking baby really be the Messiah?

Now, in apology to my Catholic friends and my dear departed grandmother, who counted her rosary beads every night at bedtime, there is a sticky matter than needs to be cleaned up. As the Bible makes clear, Jesus was Mary’s firstborn son and that Mary and Joseph did not have sexual relations until after her required period of purification from childbirth according to the Law was completed. God blessed the couple with four more sons, who are named, and daughters whose names are not, as usual in Scripture, given but since they are spoken of in the plural were at least two. The  ancient church, with its superstitious squeamishness of even God-ordained marital sex and unable to come to grips with these facts, long ago invented the fable of Mary’s perpetual virginity, and thereby dishonored her, the sanctity and blessing of marriage, and the triune God. They meant well, but the result is not good, ultimately leading to an unholy lifting up and praying to a human being when no one deserves to be in that position but God alone. However, in all fairness, how would the Catholic Church untangle itself from a doctrine that has not only been in place over the long centuries, but has gathered additional false doctrine as well? Not by inserting cousins in place of siblings or sons and daughters of a supposed much older Joseph.

On the other hand, a study of God’s choosing of Mary is fascinating. He did not choose just anyone---he chose her. This had to be a girl with a particular bloodline, of a particular age, a healthy virgin of particular character, from a particular place, under particular circumstances, at a particular time in history. This would seem to narrow the choices down to one---Mary of Nazareth. That, to me, is awe inspiring enough.

The crowd drifted away; just another little Jewish baby, nothing special. Thankfully he seemed to be normal and healthy. If the whole thing seemed beyond belief to the family entrusted with his care, God did not leave himself without witnesses. In fields near the town, shepherds were looking after the flock under their charge. Better there than back in their pen in Bethlehem with all the noise and confusion. Suddenly one of God’s agents popped in with a birth announce­ment---not an event for the faint of heart, but some things can’t be helped. “Don’t be scared. I bring you good news of great joy for all the people. A savior, Messiah, has just been born in Bethlehem of David. Here’s what to look for; you’ll find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a feeding trough”. Suddenly, many more angels appeared, praising and giving glory to God and proclaiming peace to those on whom his favor rests. The Bible doesn’t say, but these guys had been tracking mother and child from the start and, trust me, they were 'armed and dangerous'--- bad news dudes for anyone or anything trying to bring harm. As Mr. T would say, “I pity the fool!”

After the angels/agents returned to their other duties, the shepherds rushed to Bethlehem to see for themselves and share the news with the new parents and throughout the town. “On the wine”, some probably said, while others didn’t know what to make of it. This was the first confirmation to Mary and Joseph that what they had been told up front was for real. It would not be the last.

When the baby was eight days old he was circumcised according to custom and the Law of Moses and given the name of Jesus. When the forty day period of Mary’s purification from childbirth was completed, the young parents took their little one to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord and to offer the required sacrifice in accordance with the Law. Since they were poor, this was either a pair of doves or two young pigeons (Luke 2:24, Exodus 13:2,12, Leviticus 12:1-8).

There was a righteous and devout man in Jerusalem by the name of Simeon, who had been told by the spirit of God that he would not die before seeing the Messiah, the Christ (they mean the same thing). The Spirit led him to the courts of the temple and when Mary and Joseph brought the baby in, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles (non-Jews) and for glory to your people Israel.”  Needless to say, the parents were floored and Simeon spoke directly to Mary, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”; stunning and chilling words for the parents of a newborn. At the same moment, an aged prophetess, Anna, approached them, giving thanks to God and speaking about the child to everyone who was longing for the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:25-38). 

In the land of the East (most likely present day Iraq, Iran, Yemen or Saudi Arabia) Magi/wise men (astronomers/astrologers) had been observing unusual phenomena in the heavens---a comet and/or something other than a comet. From ancient times, the astrologers of this region had studied and charted the heavens. What they were now seeing was unprecedented; it could only mean one thing in their estimation---a mighty king had been born to the Jews! They must go and see! A group of them carefully chose presentation gifts and along with their retinue of guards and servants set out on the journey.

Where else to inquire but at the capital of Jerusalem? No one knew what to answer them; Herod the Great was 'king'. Herod, who murdered his second wife, his mother-in-law and three of his own sons, was not inclined to allow rivals. He was disturbed at the news on top of already being 'disturbed' and called for the chief priests and teachers of law in order to find out where the prophesied Messiah was to be born. That was clear from Micah 5:2---Bethlehem of Judea. Herod called the Magi in secretly to find out when the 'star' had first appeared and sent them out to find the exact location on the pretense of wishing to go and worship him.

Going on their way, the object that they had been observing “went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was” (Matthew 2:9), a pretty good indication that it was not a comet or star, but probably the 'ride' carrying the same 'band of angels' that the shepherds had encountered. By this time, Jesus was a toddler and the little family was lodged in a house. Entering, the Magi saw the child with his mother, bowed down to worship and presented the gifts that they had brought to honor the new king. If no one else knew who the child was, they were convinced. Meanwhile, their servants had procured lodging or erected their master’s tents. During the night the Magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod and so returned to their own country by another route.

After the visitors had gone, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to immediately take Mary and Jesus and escape to Egypt and stay there because Herod was about to search for the child in order to kill him. They left in the night, and although the Bible does not say, you can bet your last bitcoin that an unusual 'star' went with them.

Now follows the troubling account of Herod, realizing that he had been outwitted by the Magi, ordering the murder of all male babies two years and under in Bethlehem and the vicinity in hopes of eliminating the Messiah. The Jewish historian Josephus, who records a number of Herod’s other atrocities, does not mention it. Herod did not live long following this event and died a horrible death. We do not know how long Jesus and his parents stayed in Egypt, but once again an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him to take his little family and return to Israel because those who were trying to take the child’s life---were dead. We have no idea who else got “paid back” for murder and attempted murder but the implication is that it was more than just Herod. Some may even have received their own visit from an angel---just saying.