He’s God Of The Details

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. — Luke 2:1-7

This is the only recorded account of the birth of Jesus in the Bible. And the details are stunning. It appears that the most powerful man in the Roman Empire was demonstrating his power by the demand of a worldwide census. But a greater power is at work. Caesar Augustus was not dictating this moment — God was. This is because God is the ruler of every detail, even the most finite details. Old Testament predictions about this event are not in short supply. Here are just eight of them that coincide with this moment declared hundreds of years before it happened. The probability that any single person would satisfy these eight prophecies was just 1 in 10 to the 17th power.

Here they are:

1. Micah 5:2 — The place of birth as Bethlehem.
2. Isaiah 7:14 — The virgin birth of a boy.
3. Genesis 3:15 — A seed that would be human and divine.
4. Micah 5:2 — A ruler from Israel is yet to be born.
5. Isaiah 9:6-7 — A man from David's lineage.
6. Isaiah 11:1 — From the lineage of Jesse.
7. 2 Samuel 7:16 — Lead a kingdom that would never end.
8. Jeremiah 23:5 — A new king that will reign justly and execute righteousness.

Now, if you wonder what real power and influence look like, it looks just like Jesus. Because God is the supreme ruler of every detail. Even over the demands of one of the greatest Ceasars who ever lived.

ASK THIS: Are you letting God rule all the details?

DO THIS: Let him reign.

PRAY THIS: God, reign over all things in my life.

PLAY THIS: He Reigns.