Note: This blog was originally published on Dec 27, 2013. I added content at the end and have re-posted it on Jan 8, 2014. This now reflects answers to ALL of my questions by my friend Marve who emailed me his final responses on New Years Day. :)
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This month I had a conversation with my friend, Marve, in Wisconsin, who I discovered was reading along with my blog. It was quite a surprise to realize he had answered the questions I was thinking about in my blog post "Striving for a Fresh Perspective of the Christmas Story". It gave me joy to realize he had taken time to ponder as well! His reflections include memories from a time of growing up before electricity, indoor plumbing, and from the setting of a farm where fieldwork was done with horses. They also include his personal thoughts from his lifetime study of the Bible and history.
Sometime after, Marve and his wife moved back to Wisconsin to be near family so we only chatted by email occasionally. I was honored to pray with Marve and his family when I received email updates on Ellie's health. I shared the sadness and prayed for God's peace and comfort when I received the news from Marve that read "Ellie Heuser passed away last night peacefully surrounded by her family". And it reminds me how precious life is when I read Marve's recent comments that he "sure does miss her in his life". One of my favorite movies is "Up" so the mention of Marve's Ellie also makes me think about Ellie in the movie. And all of this reminds me of the special moments shared in life and those yet to be lived.
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Dec 8
Comments posted to the original blog entry
Dear Ellysia
I read this over and answered some of your questioning thoughts, but as my computer does funny things with Windows 8 on it , it lost a whole lot of explanation on some of your questioning thoughts. Especially about cattle barns and Shepherds and such. I was a farmer and was raised in a farming family and community, where we also, at times, slept in the barns with our cattle on fresh clean beddings of straw or hay. I will write more later somehow, maybe by using a word document I won't lose what I wrote to you.
I lost by brother this past week and laid him to rest this last Saturday afternoon. He went peacefully and without pain, and I thank GOD for his mercy and grace that was bestowed on both my brother and on our family.
Praise God.
Marve
I read this over and answered some of your questioning thoughts, but as my computer does funny things with Windows 8 on it , it lost a whole lot of explanation on some of your questioning thoughts. Especially about cattle barns and Shepherds and such. I was a farmer and was raised in a farming family and community, where we also, at times, slept in the barns with our cattle on fresh clean beddings of straw or hay. I will write more later somehow, maybe by using a word document I won't lose what I wrote to you.
I lost by brother this past week and laid him to rest this last Saturday afternoon. He went peacefully and without pain, and I thank GOD for his mercy and grace that was bestowed on both my brother and on our family.
Praise God.
Marve
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Dec 8
My response to the comments
Marve- Thank you for your response. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. I am sorry to hear about your brother, but glad to hear the evidence of God's mercy and grace. Peace be with you.
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Dec 22
Marve sent me an email titled "Your Questions". The email began with "I sat and wondered" and then included his detailed responses to my questions. This appears as the last part of this blog.
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Dec 23
From Me
to Marve
Thank you my friend for your Christmas gift! I am amazed that you took time to respond to my questions and add to the discussion about the fuller meaning of the Christmas Story.
I read your thoughts and will spend more time with them.
Would you allow me to share them on my blog?
Remind me where you grew up. Where was this setting you are remembering? It adds so much to the discussion.
May I also ask you to share your age? I love that we are friends and share discussion across the generations.
Merry Christmas Marve.
Ellysia
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Dec 23
From Marveto Me
MY Dear Christian friend Ellysia
I don't mind at all that you share my thoughts with others. I would find it a privilege to be part of your blog in that manner.
I grew up in a farming community just west of Green Bay, Wisconsin, some 12 miles from town. We used horses at that time to do the field work of planting, harvesting and mowing hay. I remember the huge steam engine that was used for running the threshing machine, it was a steel monster, and did it ever have a lot of power.
My relation or kin, was all over the township of Kunesh, Wisconsin, which is just 7 miles south of Pulaski. Our own farm in the 40s, was 5 miles south of Pulaski, Wisconsin. Some of our relation were in the township of Pittsfield, and some were near Mill Center also, but most of them had their farms mostly in Brown County Wisconsin. My Grandparents on both sides were farmers, and their fathers, my great grandfathers, had homesteaded farm lands. My uncles and aunts were mostly farmers also, and so were my cousins, there were also other farm families who were our neighbors nearby.
My Great, Great, Grand Father on the Heuser side, came over from Germany and homesteaded their farm. My other Great, Great, Grandfather on my mothers side, I believe, was from a England, but I am not sure, the name Santy was changed from a longer spelled name to shorten it. But there were some shirt tail relation living in England from the Stender Santy side. The story was, that the Queen of England's handmaid ran away with the Queens French coachman, and they came to America and were wed. From there comes the Santy name. My mother had a engraved gravy boat that was handed down to her by her mother (MY Grandma Santy) which actually came from and was handed down to her, from her mother, from that English side of the relation which was the Stender line of which my Grandma (Santy) had been before her marriage to Henry Santy my Grandfather.
I will be 78 on January 8, 2014. I was born in 1936 January 8th. It is true that time does fly past while living in this world. I remember having to take a candle up to my room in a old farmhouse, and also I remember the candles that were put on the Christmas tree and lit only once for a few minutes on Christmas eve, and there was always a pail of water kept near to put out a fire if one should ever start on the tree because of the live candle flames.
Ok Ellysia, now you have my background and family heritage.
Merry Christmas to you again, and to your family,
I am Enjoying the discussion immensely.
Blessings,
Marve
PS. I will answer the rest of the questions with my thoughts about them as soon as I can.
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I sat and wondered.
Thought Questions By Ellysia Banks
Responses by Marve (MH)
Responses by Marve (MH)
I wondered how this first Christmas sounded in a town bursting with travelers from all over the country?
MH. I don't think there would be much noise or rowdiness because of the Roman census takers and their Roman guards. They must have had a small band of soldiers there because of all the taxes collected at the time of the biblically noted census in all Judea. I think people just came and hurriedly paid their taxes and then headed for home as soon as possible. It was at that time in Jesus day, and just before, that the Roman Government had annexed all Judea and added it to the province of Syria. Yes, all Judea was annexed to Syria by the Roman empire, and was at the time of Jesus birth considered a part of Syria. This is where so many so called Scholars get confused, it's when they try to find any Judean history on a taxation at the time of Jesus birth in Bethlehem during any time in Judean history. ( but Josephus makes it very clear that there was an annexation of Judea to the province of Syria, and that it was at the time when Jesus was born.) That makes Bethlehem a satellite town of Syria when Jesus was born.
How did the town ever function when maxed out, if housing was not available. What about the basic necessities of food and areas for human waste?
MH. I believe people were in and out of Bethlehem as soon as possible. Did you ever hear of outside toilets, they were really quite useful before indoor ones came into being, and outside waste disposals could easily have been used to dispose of any waste. Also, all Hebrews were told by God during the Exodus, to dig a hole with a stick and bury their waste.
I don't think it would have been as filthy as one might think, but may have been a wee bit different according to today's standards. It might have taken a little more effort to get rid of the human waste product. How did our forefathers get rid of human Waste? I remember how it was done on the farms of my young days. One of my jobs was to empty the stinky commodes every morning, and wash them out if they were used at night. But of course, this method was gotten rid of also in my later days when I was a young man. So in my day, just as it was gotten rid of in Jesus day, we rid ourselves of the stench and smell in the very same way even though Jesus' time, when he was yet a babe, was thousands of years before my day. Think on this a while to see how things were, and how people lived, before you could walk into the warm heated bathroom that Jesus didn't have, witch on a light so you could see, sit on a water filled stool, clean yourself with what is called toilet paper, push a metal handle which flushed water and disposed of all the waste that was in the commode and cleaned it at the same time. Then you could go to the wash basin, take the sweet smelling soap, turn on a faucet, and wash you hands in clean fresh warm water. Then you could wipe your hands in a clean towel and return to the kitchen to make Christmas cookies for the kids. "OH" how things have changed since I was a young lad on the farm. No electricity in the house or in the barn, we only had coal oil lamps, very similar to the Oil lamps of Jesus day, and they gave light in the barn and in the house also. There was no bathroom in the house, no big bath tub, and no running water in the house either. We had to carry water into the house from the outside hand pump, even in the cold winter months when we had to prime the pump with hot water to be able to draw water from the well, but we did have an outside wooden outhouse or toilet, and the pages of a sears catalog were used to clean ones self.
When in the field working it was no different then in Jesus day, dig a hole, go in it, and cover it up with the soil. No one in our day was as standoffish or as private seeking as are the people of today when it comes to privacy, and even back then, one would naturally turn their head the other way when someone did what came naturally.
Food was no problem for travelers in that day. The traveler always had foods with him, and if he ate it all or got hungry, he could always ask others for a bit of food, as some travelers did that came walking down our gravel road at times. Or, they could work for food, and in Jesus day, if the traveler rode a camel or milk producing animal, he could milk the animal and be fed that way. Some travelers drank the blood of cattle when they ran out of other foods.
All Farmers were to leave some of their crops in the field also, and in Judea any traveler could go and Pick some fruit or glean in those fields if they were hungry. Gleaning what was still standing of the crops for food was a common practice of Jesus day, even for travelers or if they were just plain hungry. (And just as Jesus and the disciples did in the fields when they were hungry).
I remember coming home with my parents from town one winter evening, and finding people in our house getting warm. We never locked our doors and travelers were always allowed to come into the house when ever they got in trouble on the road. It was a standing thing in my young day, that when travelers got into trouble (by either a break down , flat tire, sleigh or their carriage broke down, or they got stuck in the snow, or ran into the ditch or got stuck in the mud, whatever, they were always welcome to enter our house to find comfort and warmth, ,and that was whether we were home at the time or not.
Once we had a woman that gave birth to a baby come into the house. She was a young woman and mom told me to run quick and get a full pail of water, (from the pump outside). I got the water for mom, and then mom told me to go outside which I did. Later I heard the baby cry, it had just been born in our house.
We always fed those who were hungry. Even my single aunt Ethel, had three men and one woman in her farm house in the 30s when there was a very bad snow storm. They were all snowed in for a three full days and nights, and their cars and or horses couldn't make it through the huge snow drifts and got stuck in the snow. My aunt Ethel took them all in and gave them bedding, beds, and food to satisfy their hunger. One of the men was a well known champion boxer of that year, and she wrote about having him staying in her house that winter through the snow storm. People in my young years were, just as in Jesus day, very kind and caring when it came to other peoples welfare, especially people caught in weather conditions while traveling or in mishaps common to their day.
There were times when travelers asked to sleep in the barn because they didn't want to put you out. They would crawl up into the hay mow and sleep there all night. In the morning they would come down and thank you for letting them stay over night and then be on their way. Barns and stables aren't really as smelly as one might think, especially if he or she hasn't ever lived on a farm or been a farmer. If it was really cold out you could always snuggle up and lay with you body against a cow on the fresh bedding of clean fresh straw. She would keep you warm all night long, but you had to remember to get up quick if she started to get up. Our mattresses on our beds in those days, were fresh straw, or corn husks, and they were warm and fresh smelling. Other wise we could have chicken feather mattresses that started to smell soon after they were about 3 months old, I preferred the straw mattresses.
I wonder how it all smelled near the manger location- it seems to be implied that the setting was amongst the very real stench and reality of a working barnyard- with or without animals present.
MH. It probably smelled very fresh and good to Mary and Joseph. Fresh hay and straw have a very unique pleasant smell about them. The manger would have held the Hay and the straw would have been the bedding for the animals to keep them clean and warm. You see here, Jesus wasn't born in any building spectacular, nor in a rich built abode with mankind of the greatest importance here on this earth, but to the contrary, he was born in the nature setting of God, with the very things created by God. NO Jesus wasn't born in mans rich abode amongst rich mans trappings. Jesus was born in a humble setting, with Gods meek (humble,) and mild (gentle,) created beings and animals around him, and in the setting of poor peoples abodes and lifestyles.
Yes he came to serve mankind, not to be served, and if he had been born into a very rich family, he would more then likely have been one that was SERVED, rather then one that did the serving.
Ellysia, the barn yard is outside the barn or the stable setting, it isn't in the sheltered part of the barn, it is the adjoining field outside of the barn itself, no, Jesus wasn't born in a BARNYARD setting at all, but in the barn or stable itself where it was very warm, comfy, and dry.
Yes, the BARNYARD could possibly smell if no one took the liberty to keep it clean and dry, or change its area to a better place.
Just like today, cattle keep the barn warm in the winter by the heat of their bodies, and in Jesus time it was no different in the barn (housing for a families animals which were used for making foods, butchering, milking, riding, or for work.)
Many homes had a room built into the house for the housing of their personal animals, and these rooms (called barns) were kept clean and fresh daily, morning and night, so the home wouldn't smell of any waste.
Cattle feeders of today could care less if their cattle's hides were all packed with the feces of the cattle. Many do not clean their cattle at all and let them wallow in their feces and mud until they sell them to the butcher. These people that do this kind of raising cattle for meat markets, care only for the money it brings them and do not care for the animals welfare at all. Their pens are filthy and smell so bad when you drive past them that it makes one gag at the smell, but this is not, the way , place, or kind of stinking smelly place that our Lord and Savior Jesus was born in. Jesus was born in a very well kept area, and the cattle were clean, and the hay was indeed fresh smelling and cut from the fields of Gods creation. No friends, God took better care of his son in that barn or stable, then some couples of today take care of their offspring in their very own homes with all the convenience's.
I wonder how it felt to the parents to arrive after a long journey and find themselves displaced without comfort and the offering of normal hospitality.
MH. I believe that Mary and Joseph were shown hospitality by the barns owners. They were invited in and were given shelter and I would expect even some milk, cheese, and bread, the staple of all poor people.
I can't imagine these Israelite Hebrew farmers, not offering Joseph and Mary food as well as shelter as a common courtesy of their ancestry. There was no place else to go, all places were filled to the max, but this farming family freely offered what they could, and that was warmth, a bed of fresh straw and sweet smelling hay, and they could either lay in it or sit on it, and it kept them warm and comfy in the fresh smelling barn. This was normal hospitality in the days of Jesus, just as it was when I was a young man on our farm, and God the Father saw to it that his son would be born in the fresh smelling hay of humility and peace, and among some of the meeker animals of his creation. Remember, the stable (barn) was a lower part of the home itself, it wasn't in a rocky den in the hillside.
What does it mean that Jesus the Divine was born in this humble location and was willing to take on human form as a precious new born? How does this communicate " Immanuel, " with us, God with us? Matthew 1:23
MH. Our God came down to the earth of his creation when Jesus was born. He had come down once before to bring his people out of Egypt and to lead them to the promised land PERSONALLY. But at that time, after acting against Gods commands ten times in a row, God left off leading his people personally and ascended back into his heavens, less he said, "I will consume them all because of their disobedience to my commands these ten times." God was merciful here to his disobedient Hebrew people, and he left them rather then destroy them all because of their disobedience.
It was with Abraham and Isaac that we see the promise of Gods only son being given as a sacrifice to redeem mankind, as God had said and the bible teaches, he says to Abraham, Genesis 22: 12 and 14 , it is said, "In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen." i.e. you shall see it done on Mt Mariah" Note - Mount Mariah is the mount that the son of God, the Lord Jesus, was crucified on. Also see verse 16 - 18. The seed of Abraham brought the blessing to mankind and that main blessing was the only begotten son of God (Only son taken out of God) for mankind's redemption.
God sent his only son in human form to be born on this earth as a human being, thus the son, Begotten, or taken out of God, is still GOD, and he came to earth a human, yet Divine being, without sin, to be the scapegoat or redeemer of Mankind, so that mankind would be taken back, by grace, into God the Father's arms from the condemnation of sin and death. Thus God came down to embrace those who love him and believe on him, and are baptized in his name as his redeemed and freed people. Yes, God through Baptism, sheds his grace on us for our forgiveness, washes us clean once more, thus making us inheritors of his kingdom of heaven, and his own, all through the water and the word, ad through the water and the word he sends us the Holy Spirit to instruct us and bestow on us the heavenly gifts from our heavenly Father. Through believing in Jesus life, Death, and Resurrection for us, we become believers of Gods word, and through the Holy sacrament of Baptism, through the water and the word, we receive the promise of God to be excepted by him and washed clean from sin and are given the Holy Spirit, and we are once again called the sons and daughters of God. God is with us then through all we can possibly get into, weather we encounter either good or evil during our life hereon earth, God is our Emmanuel, or God is with us to the end of this miserable human life on earth. God sent his newborn son that who so ever believes on him shall be saved. How else could he have ever overcome Satan's grip on the human race, and that is why God came as a newborn human child, into the human world of sinful mankind, to die the human death, and to triumph over Satin by paying for our sins and the sins of the world in full and once and for all time.
Jesus was born in a farmland setting, and the humblest of places was the stable itself. And remember, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever should believe on him should have everlasting life.
What was Mary thinking and feeling when she gave birth in this setting and had to do so without the comfort of a mother, family, or perhaps even the help of a midwife?
MH. In Mary's days a woman gave birth just as some of the Asian women do today. If the woman is walking on a path to the store and isn't at home, and her water breaks, she squats and gives birth where ever she is. She uses her teeth to cut, and then tie the umbilical cord herself. Woman of the early days were very hearty women. they walked miles to towns to shop, they did hard labor in the fields and in the community around them. My great Grandmother walked ten miles to Green Bay just to get a 25 pound bag of flour, she put it on her shoulders and walked back home the ten miles before dark. Is it any wonder that she gave birth at home. Some gave birth while out in the fields working, some gave birth while traveling, but many women of today also give birth wherever they are at the time of birth, especially those in Asian countries, or third world countries, and many do not have midwives to help them. It was very common for women in Mary's day to give birth and still keep doing whatever it was they were doing when the baby came. Women were all taught or informed in some manner, as to what to do and how to do it when the time came. Mary couldn't have someone helping her a lot either, because she was considered as being unclean for 41 days after she gave birth, and any one she touched, or would touch her, would automatically become unclean and have to go to the priests' in Jerusalem to offer sacrifice for their uncleanness after a certain period of time.
What was Mary thinking? I believe she was thinking about what her newborn child would be like. Seeing the Angel of God told her that the child would be called the Son of God. We see that Mary was quiet about what the Angel had told her after the Child's birth. Luke says "and she kept these things in her heart and pondered them", in other words, she didn't boast about bearing the Son of God into this world, but she kept these things in her heart, and thought about all that the angel had told her about the Child himself, and what the Child's name was to be called.
How surprised were Mary and Joseph when the Shepherds found them?
MH. I suppose Mary and Joseph were really surprised to see the Shepherds come into the stable to see the Child. These Shepherds would have told Mary and Joseph what the angels had told them, I am sure. The Shepherds were amazed themselves as to the shining burning light that came over them, and shined light all around them. Then they heard the angelic choir singing praises to God in the highest, peace, good will to men. " Mary I am sure was elated, but her quiet nature would not boast or brag about the things of God. Mary it is said, was dedicated and brought up in the temple of Jerusalem till she was the age of marriage. (Around 15 or 16 years.)
Seeing Mary had all this information under her heart about the child, I think she was more pleased to see the Shepherds sent to worship the child , because that confirmed what she had been told by the angel about her virgin conception, and as to what the child would be and do.
The shepherds also told every one what they had seen and what they had heard, and I am sure they told every one about the baby laying in the manger in the stable . Thus I expect that there were many visitors that came to the stable to see this wonderful event of their savior having been born for them as the shepherds had told them. But Mary again kept these things in her heart and pondered them (Thought about them).
Hey Ellysia
I am tired and sleepy tonight, but not done writing.
I love answering your inquisitive questions, they are deep thought generating questions, and at the same time learning questions that makes anyone reading and answering them, go deeper yet, by thought and study, into the birth story of our lord and Savior Jesus, the Christ child. I love it.
The babe has come, Hallelujah.
More coming when I get to it, on your 8th question of interest.
Merry Christmas to you and yours Ellysia.
You really made me think and remember my past, as well as the days of Jesus.
Blessings,
Marve
Jan 1, 2014
From Marve
to Me
I sat and wondered.
The last few questions of Ellysia.
Responses by Marve (MH)
Did they all recount their own experiences about their angelic visits? The shepherds were included in the intimate group with Mary and Joseph. The shepherds had also experienced angelic visitors when first an angel spoke and then a sky full, a multitude (thousands) delivering the most amazing birth announcement in human history? Luke 2:17-18, 20.
MH. Here comes a question. Would you go out and tell everyone that you have just had a visitation from the angles of God? What would all these people think about you telling such an unbelievable story; such as angles coming down to you and your fellow shepherds, and announcing to you and them, that the Savior of the world had just been born in a manger in Bethlehem? Why, who would ever believe it? Would any one even stop to listen to what you had to tell them? Would they ever believe that you actually saw Gods angels in their glory? Would anyone ever believe that you actually heard their message and their song with your own two ears, as they announced the birth of the Savior and Messiah? I believe there were some who would listen a bit, but then walk speedily away from you while shaking their heads in disbelief.
I also believe there would be those who would listen closely and intently, they would be moral, spirit filled people, pious and devout religious persons, being those who were truly waiting for their Redeemer to appear upon the earth as promised to them by almighty God. All these then, would ask you many questions about what you had actually seen and heard, and I believe they would take into their heart what you just told them about seeing their promised Messiah, and about the angles who told you this wonderful news. I believe that devout Jews, knowing their Messiah would some day come, would quickly grasp the whole angelic massage and situation, and run to Bethlehem and to the manger to see this Holy child, the promised king of Israel who had just been born. Any that saw the Glory of the Lord (Shekinah) shining down light upon the area of the shepherds, or heard the angelic choir singing, would also be asking the shepherds about what was happening on the hillsides of Bethlehem.
There were many Israelites waiting for their redeemer to come, as were Simeon and Anna. Simeon = Luke 2:25-35, and Anna = Luke 2:37-38. Anna especially had spoke of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. Yes, Anna the prophetess, of the tribe of Asher, spread the good news far and wide also, just as the shepherds must have done.
Who may I ask, could keep from telling the whole world that the Messiah, the promised King of Israel, had finally come. I am sure that others also saw and heard things when Jesus was born.
The glory (Shekinah) of the Lord shone round about them Luke 2:9 And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon (over) them, and the Glory (the Shekinah) of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore (very) afraid. Yet is it any wonder, that the king of shepherds, Jesus, the good shepherd, should be worshipped and honored by lesser shepherds here on earth? Jesus indeed, led his lost sheep (sinners,) to a heavenly safety, and to new pastures of Eternal Life.
I think all the shepherds had something personal to say that the others may have missed or didn't think about telling. Each one has their own way of telling a story and I am sure there were tidbits added or subtracted as the people that the shepherds told their story to, also related the story to others. I also believe the Jewish people would naturally tell the story the way it happened, mainly because of their manner of teaching their youth the things of God b word of mouth, such as the Hebrews flight from Egypt and the Exodus and crossing of the Red Sea, or the reason for the eating of the Passover meal before their Exodus out of Egypt.
Angles are mentioned many times in both the Old and New Testaments, and here their multitudes sing praise to the new born babe Jesus, for all the world to hear.
What happened during that shepherd visit to the manger? How long did they stay? Did they just observe in awe and wonder... or was there a time of worshiping the Messiah?
MH. The Shepherds went to the small town of Bethlehem in a hurry. It is good to note here that Bethlehem is surrounded by some of the best sheep pastures on all sides. Bethlehem is in a valley, and the town is surrounded on all sides by the hills, so it wasn't a very long way to go for the shepherds to go to see the babe in the Manger.
I believe the shepherds found Mary, Joseph, and the babe Jesus just as the bible reports. They actually hurried to get to the manger site to see if what the Angels had told them was true. When they got there they found it as the angel of the Lord had said. Then, after seeing that the angelic message was indeed true, they made known abroad the message that the angels had told them concerning the new born babe in the manger, Luke 2:17.
I would also think that they told Mary and Joseph exactly why they came running into the barn to see the babe who was the Messiah and Savior of the world. Luke 2: 18 says, "And all they that heard it (heard what the shepherds voiced around to all those who came to be taxed, and were still in or around the town of Bethlehem) wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds."
I think the shepherds were very excited, and in a surprised state, because of their experience with the angelic host and the special angel of God, and then over come with wonder by the presence of their messiah laying in a manger. Yet knowing who he was, and hearing the angels praise him, leads me to believe the shepherds also worshipped the babe Jesus as their Messiah and king, with both Joseph, and Mary, present.
What happened after the shepherds spread the news to others and all were amazed? Luke 2:17-18, 20.
MH. After the shepherds spread the news in Bethlehem, many people from all over the lands of Judea, as well as any Jews living in Roman occupied territory who had come to Bethlehem to register and pay their taxes, went back home repeating the story in their home towns about a baby born in a manger at Bethlehem, and that he was reportedly the long awaited Messiah, and that angels had announced to the shepherds of Bethlehem, that he was their Savior, Christ the Lord.
Yes, it is an amazing historical fact, that Jesus was born as Lord, King, and Savior, of all people on the face of the earth, and so the news spread throughout the known world of that day, by word of mouth, as it does even to this day.
Well Ellysia, I tried my best,
Blessings,
Marve
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Jan 8, 2014
From Me
to Marve
Marve,
You amaze me. Thank you so much for this email and your additional responses. You answered them all! Wow!
I enjoyed reading your thoughts and it helped me learn in new ways. Thank you my friend.
Ellysia
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