(5) Temple Prophecy, Foreign Kings, Herod's Rage. Later, 4 BC … The shepherd Samuel was back at his home in Hebron so I had a chance to visit with him and get the latest. They named Mary’s Baby, “Jesus” [Yeshua, Joshua, “the Lord saves”] ( Lk 2:21 ). I asked Samuel about the welfare of the little family – oh!, this winter has been so cold! His shepherd partner, Elijah, it turns out knew many people in Bethlehem, and a widow he knew gave the family a welcome in her home (cf., Mt 2:11 ). Oh, I couldn’t imagine a young woman giving birth in a stable and using a feed trough for the baby’s cradle! Ugg! ( Lk 2:7 , 12 , 16 .)  “But wait until you hear this!” Samuel said excitedly. “The Lord spoke again through prophets!” It seems Samuel was at the Temple in Jerusalem when Mary came for her purification and Jesus’ presentation as the firstborn male. ( Lk 2:22-24 .) Old Simeon was there. I met Simeon years ago – amazing he could still be alive – but, oh!, that’s right! He always said he...

(4) The Shepherds. The narrator, back home in Hebron now, Winter of 5-4 BC, and is telling his neighbors the story ..... How amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Yes, Samuel – you know the shepherd here in Hebron – he was there! He saw it all! Remember Elizabeth’s cousin Mary who was here last Spring helping them out when baby John was born? She is the mother! Samuel saw her, her husband Joseph, and the Baby! We were coming on the road home from the census and ran into Samuel and he told us the whole story! Ok, yes, yes, I’ll start from the beginning.  Samuel was with about a dozen shepherds and one of them, Elijah, had been with his flock earlier in the day when he said Mary – very much expecting! – and Joseph, her husband, came along the road. Elijah let their donkey pasture and got fresh milk from his ewes for Mary. When he learned they were going to Bethlehem for the census, he told them how crowded it was. But in case they can’t find shelter, he told them about the caves used as sta...

(3) Letter from Hebron.       Continuing our imagination of how God’s preparation for the coming of His Messiah might have been experienced at the time, we imagine another letter sent in the Fall of perhaps 5 BC....       Dear Friend, good to hear from you! Yes, indeed, I got word of the census also. Enrollment for a loyalty pledge to Rome. What next?! I was hoping that Herod’s moratorium on Caesar’s enrollment would be extended longer – two years was hardly enough! Herod’s paranoia hasn’t cooled. First he executes his wife, and two years ago their two sons. Good grief! Who will be the next victims of his paranoia?!       So now Rome appoints Varus as governor, but he can’t arrive for some time, and we have this temporary guy, Quirinius. Do you know anything about him? I guess he’s doing Rome’s bidding. Herod’s bound to be doubly paranoid now. Plus with the massive movements of people returning to their ances...