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Luke 2:1–7

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria (vv. 1–2).

In last week’s studies, we witnessed God establishing His covenant with David. Like all of God’s covenants, this one included a great promise—David was told that his throne would be established forever, a promise that was fulfilled when God Himself came in human form as one of David’s descendants and successors. Of course, this was not just a great promise for David and Israel—it was a great revelation, one that gave a new degree of specificity to God’s redemptive plan. For reasons of His own, God saw fit to keep His plan for the salvation of His people largely shrouded in mystery, gradually revealing more and more as the centuries passed. For this reason, as we read through the Old Testament, we find a series of prophecies that fill in blanks in the picture of how redemptive history was to play out. These are known as messianic prophecies, for they foretell the circumstances of the coming of Christ. God’s revelation to David ranks as one of the most significant of these prophecies, but it is good for believers to be familiar with the others, that they might see that God has been working out His purpose since the fall of man. Therefore, we will use this week to look at some of these redemptive revelations with the help of Dr. R.C. Sproul’s audio teaching series The Coming of the Messiah.

At the outset of this short study, it is important that we understand the Biblical view of history. This view is reflected in Luke’s words in his account of the event to which all me messianic prophecies point—the advent of Jesus Christ. Luke writes, “And it came to pass….” In saying this, he is affirming that something happened in history. He is very specific—it happened while Caesar Augustus was on the throne in Rome and while Quirinius was the Roman governor of the province of Syria. Clearly, Luke understood himself to be recording real historical events. In this he reflected the Jewish view that history is linear, that it has a beginning and progresses toward a consummation. But like other Jewish writers, he was not concerned to record each and every moment of history. Instead, he focused on those moments that held special significance. And the birth of Christ was that most significant of moments, that supreme event that happened in “the fullness of time” after centuries of prophetic promises and patient waiting by the people of God.

Coram Deo Living before the face of God

The ancient Greeks believed that history was cyclical, that it had no specific beginning and no definite end. The Bible’s view is totally different—it presents a beginning and a consummation, with events being guided by a sovereign God. Thank Him today that He is working out His purposes in real history, including your day-to-day life.


For Further Study
  • Deut. 32:35
  • Rom. 5:6
  • Gal. 4:4–5
  • Eph. 1:9–10

    When God’s Answer is “No”

    The First Announcement

    Keep Reading The Way of Glory: Persecution and Martyrdom in the Christian Life

    From the September 2003 Issue
    Sep 2003 Issue