Nativity

From Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary
Middle English nativite, from Anglo-French nativité, from Medieval Latin nativitat-, nativitas, from Late Latin, birth, from Latin nativus

1. the process of circumstances of being born: especially capitalized: the birth of Jesus
2. a horoscope at or of the time of one’s birth
3. the place of origin

Bethlehem

Bethlehem was a small village with a population anywhere between 300 and 10,000 people in the village and vicinity. In such a population, it has been estimated that there would be approximately between 7 and 20 baby boys under the age of two.

King Herod

The Herod clan was called “the most despicable family that ever lived on the face of the earth” and a nest of vipers that “left their slime on everything they touched.” Since Herod’s family had converted to Judaism under duress, his Jewishness had come into question by some elements of Judean society. Herod the Great was elected king of the Jews by the Roman Senate.

The Shepherds

On the social ladder, shepherds ranked at the bottom. Their honesty and integrity was so questionable that they were not even allowed to testify in a court of law in those days. Shepherds were so far down on the list of social outcasts that the only people lower were lepers. Many first century shepherds ate and slept with the animals. They most likely smelled like them too.

The Stable

We are not exactly sure where Jesus was born. We know it wasn’t really in a stable – there were not stables in Bethlehem – not the way we think of them. That town is on a limestone ridge and caves were carved for the animals to be sheltered. Jesus was most likely born in one of those caves. Over one cave is built the Church Of The Nativity. The door is so low that you cannot just walk in – you must first bow. It’s irrelevant if that’s the true place of Jesus’ birth. It just reminds us that you cannot approach King Jesus unless you are on your knees.

The Star

Scholars have long tried to determine what it was that these men saw. Generally scholars speculate about 3 possibilities:

1. About 11 BC Haley’s Comet was visible shooting across the sky. But 11 BC doesn’t meet the time problem.
2. About 7 BC there was a brilliant conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. Again, 7 BC is the wrong time in history.
3. Between 5-2 BC there was an unusual astronomical phenomenon. Some believe it was a nova – that is – a star which, owing to an explosion, appeared…