The word "fullness" means completeness. The fullness of time, as it relates to the birth of the Lord Jesus, refers to the fact that all the details that needed to be in place so He could be born were completed. All of the preparations for the birth of the Messiah have been accomplished. The stage is fully set. It is time for the birth of the long-awaited Christ child.

The fullness of time relates to the geopolitical situation. God has been behind the scenes setting this stage. The Roman Empire was at its height. The Romans had invented concrete, which enabled them to build a system of roads throughout the Empire. By the time of Christ, these roads were efficient and in place; unhindered travel from Iraq to Great Britain to Morocco to Jerusalem could take place. A common language was used throughout the Empire, assuring effective communication everywhere you went. The Pax Romana, which was the law for two hundred years, provided peace and freedom to travel. The land of Judah was strategically located at the crossroads of north and south and east and west. If God wanted to get the word out to the world about a significant event before the age of modern communication, this would have been the optimum time.

The fullness of time also relates to the fact that the events surrounding the birth of Jesus happened in time and space. This is not a fairy tale that begins with "once upon a time, in a land far, far away." This story has historical markers. We can go to our encyclopedias (if you still have them) and read about Augustus Caesar, who decreed that a census must be taken. Google will tell us when Herod the Great ruled over Judea. We know the birthplace of Quirinius, who Luke tells us was governor of Syria at that time. The birth of Jesus happened at a specific time that we can nail down.

The birth of Jesus also happened at a specific place. This story isn't some made-up fantasy that happened in a kingdom far, far away. Today, we can go to Israel and walk on the same roads Mary and Joseph traversed. We can visit Bethlehem Ephrathah (Ephrath is an earlier name for Bethlehem), the town where Micah prophesied 700 years earlier that Christ would be born. There were two Bethlehems in ancient Israel; the other Bethlehem, which is now in ruins, was more extensive and only 5 miles northwest of Nazareth. This one in Judah was the smaller of the two, about five miles south of Jerusalem. On the main road to Egypt, this location will be very strategic if you know the story coming up.

Genesis 35:20-21: "And Jacob set up a pillar over her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel's grave to this day. Then, Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder." Migdal Eder. Eder means flocks. The tower of flocks was a watchtower for shepherds on the north side of Bethlehem.

Later, Ruth, who the book of Ruth is named after, gleaned in the fields of Boaz in Bethlehem. They met there by the threshing floor and were married. Their great-grandson David became a shepherd; he probably grazed his sheep in those same fields as his great-grandfather Boaz, possibly in sight of the tower of the flocks, Migdal Eder. Approximately one thousand years after David's death, his descendants have been called back to his birthplace to be registered for tax purposes. The threshing floor of Boaz would have remained in the family. Mary and Joseph probably went to that location for a huge family reunion.

Bethlehem means house of bread. This is a fitting name for the One who would say, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." John 6:35  "I am the living bread that came down out of heaven, if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh." John 6:51 When we take communion, we eat the bread representing his flesh broken for us. How appropriate the bread of life would be born in a town named the "House of Bread."

The journey would have been long, especially for Mary. They probably took the longer route to avoid traveling through Samaria, which covered about 85 miles. Imagine Mary's thoughts and feelings. She probably sat sidesaddle on a donkey for seven or eight days, an uncomfortable proposition in the best of circumstances. Pregnancy must have been extremely uncomfortable. My guess is that at this point, she was fervently holding onto the promise that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem!

If I were God the Father, I would have directed the heart of Herod the Great, the tremendous builder, to build a fabulous palace in Bethlehem. Take as long as you need, just be sure it is completed by about 5 BC. It fits perfectly with a well-planned nursery, lots of hot water and blankets, a complete staff, every detail, and an anticipate every need for the birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But God's ways are not our ways. Mary, the one Gabriel said is highly favored by God, who will be the mother of the Son of the Most High, learned there was no room for her at the inn. Away from home, no palace, no staff, no support, not even the privacy of a room. Oh, and no Purell!

There is one detail in our story that we tend to overlook. Luke 2:6 comes just after Luke has told us they went up from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Verse 6 says, "And it came about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth." This detail surprised me because we always think of them as arriving just as she is about to give birth and finding no room in the inn. But here, it seems Mary and Joseph have already arrived, and then the days were completed for her to give birth.

On that day, the usual procedure for visiting family would be for Mary and Joseph to stay with family. They didn't have a  Motel 6 on the corner of town back then. Maybe they were crowding in on top of each other since so many descendants of David were coming to town. The word "inn" in verse 7 can mean guest quarters or living quarters. I suggest, and we cannot be sure of this, that they had been staying with extended family in Bethlehem, sleeping several to a room, multi-generational, and when Mary goes into labor, they need to find a place where she could give birth. The text says there was no place for them.

There is one more prophecy that may point to the place where Jesus was born. It is Micah 4:8. This prophecy is veiled; it is not black and white clear, but the scholars at the time of Jesus considered this verse to point to the Messiah. You can hear the echoes of the other prophecies we have discussed. "As for you, tower of the flock, (Migdal Eder.) Hill of the daughter of Zion. To you, it will come; even the former dominion will come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. The restoration of Israel's royal authority will come from Migdal Eder." You can hear the words that point to the Messiah: dominion, kingdom, and daughter of Jerusalem, which may hint at the virgin birth, royalty, and restoration. All of these will come from this place called Tower of the Flock, in Hebrew, Migdal Eder.

We are not told anything about a stable or barn; we get this idea from our creches and Christmas carols. In fact, if you go to Israel near Bethlehem, the tour guides take you out to a cave to show you where Jesus may have been born. We cannot even be sure of that. Only two words describe the scene of his birth: swaddling clothes and a manger.

Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, laid aside His glory, took the form of a human baby, and was pushed into our world. Part of His humility was that He humbled Himself to become born as a helpless baby, tied to His mother by His umbilical cord, covered with mucus and blood, a helpless babe delivered to a marveling Mary and Joseph. His welcoming committee was not dignitaries, hot shots, the mayor, or city council members—just some bewildered shepherds who would come in from the fields wide-eyed from their angelic visitation.

It was as if the angel who stood over this hallowed moment had to tell somebody the good news. When you have good news, aren't you just bursting to want to share it? And have you ever wished that God would shout to you from the heavens and write His message across the sky? Well, one night, He did just that.

By the way, baby Jesus may or may not have been born on December 25th. We cannot be sure of when it occurred because the shepherds were out in the field by night. Once cold weather arrived, they kept the sheep at home base in pens. Many scholars speculate that Jesus was born in September.

Forget golden cribs or silk blankets. Jesus entered the world in a place meant for animals. Straw, the scent of hay, and maybe a few curious sheep were likely His first companions. Talk about an unconventional royal nursery!

While many might expect a red carpet welcome, Jesus was greeted by shepherds straight from the fields. Bedraggled and wide-eyed after an angelic visit, their awe made up for what they lacked in fancy robes.

It’s like the angel couldn’t keep the secret. Instead of making subtle announcements, a whole heavenly host lit up the sky to tell the good news. God must have thought, "Why keep it quiet when I can make it dazzling?"

There were no hospitals, birthing suites, or even midwives for Mary. This new mom wrapped Jesus in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger—a feeding trough meant for animals. Think of it as the most resourceful baby bed in history.

No one can actually confirm Jesus was born on this date. Scholars think He might have arrived in September because, in the colder months, those shepherds would have been cozy at home with their sheep. December may just be tradition shaking its bells!

Despite being the Son of God, Jesus was born with all the messy realities of human birth—umbilical cord and all. He entered the world helpless and vulnerable, just like the rest of us. A King who truly understands His people!

God didn’t mail invitations; He used the sky! The incredible star that guided the wise men was His cosmic RSVP, inviting seekers far and wide to witness the miracle. Talk about a star-studded event!