Birth of Jesus

During the days of the birth of John the Baptist, God used a decree by Caesar Augustus to require all those under Rome's rule to return to the city of their birth and be counted in a new census. Joseph and Mary were from the same city, so they returned to Bethlehem, even though Mary was approaching the due date of her pregnancy. God's prophesied event, exact timing and specific location were all coming together perfectly. While there, Mary gave birth to Jesus, her first-born son, snugly wrapped Him in strips of cloth and carefully placed Him in a manger, normally used to feed animals. The Savior of the world had taken on human flesh and begun His journey to the cross.