Sermon # 52 - God's Perfect Timing Series

For today’s meditation I want to read Micah 5:2, The LORD says, "Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times." (GNB)

The birth of the Lord Jesus in the little town of Bethlehem was prophesied 700 years earlier by the prophet Micah. God had revealed His plans to His prophets many hundreds of years before they transpired. It was a remote possibility for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem, as both Mary and Joseph were from the town of Nazareth, and there was a distance of over 100 kilometers between these two places. Nonetheless, Jesus was born in Bethlehem just as was prophesied by the prophet Micah.

The first thing we learn is that though years roll by, and it seems like the word of God may not be fulfilled, the fact is that God’s word will be accomplished in His time. Maybe there are those who feel that the promises that God made to them have not yet been actualized, and are wearied with the waiting and the delay. Let me encourage you that just as the birth of Jesus took place in God’s perfect timing, so also all the promised of God will be effectuated in your life as well.

We will study the bible to see how Mary and Joseph who were in Nazareth actually had to be in Bethlehem.

The reason Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem

We read in Luke 2:1-6, “At that time Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire. When this first census took place, Quirinius was the governor of Syria. Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own hometown. Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David. He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant, and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby.” (GNB)

The order that Emperor Augustus was going to propose was known to God, and He made this known to His prophet Micah who recorded this so many hundreds of years prior to the birth of Jesus.

Every detail of our life is foreknown by God, and this should fill our hearts with courage. All the problems that we encounter may take us by surprise or be shocking to us, but remember that the Lord knows all of it. Not only does God know all of the challenges we will face, He also has a solution to all of our difficulties, and has made a way for us to overcome all of them.

I would like to place some of the incidents from the bible to help us understand this truth in a better way.

Moses’ excuse and God’s assurance

While the people of Israel labored as slaves in the land of Egypt, the Lord appeared to Moses in the burning bush and commanded him to go to Egypt, to speak to Pharaoh on behalf of the Israelites to deliver them. However, Moses gave so many excuses to God stating why this was an impossibility and here’s what he told God.

In Exodus 4:10 we read, But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” (ESV)

This was God’s reply in Exodus 4:12, “Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” (ESV)

God reassured Moses that He would be with his mouth, and teach him exactly what he was supposed to speak.

As I meditated on this verse, I realized that if each of us let God take control of our tongue, we will avoid lots of trouble and conflict, as most of the issues between people is because of what is spoken. Let us ask the Lord to be with our tongues too so that we will have the wisdom to know what we should speak, to whom, and the appropriate time to do so.

God’s alternate plan

In spite of all the assurance that God gave to Moses, he still remained unconvinced.

This was Moses’ response to God in Exodus 4:13, But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” (ESV)

When Moses kept on arguing with God this was the astounding response from God.

We read in Exodus 4:14, “Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.” (ESV)