The Nativity Puzzle

“Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:1-7 

In this depiction of the birth of Jesus Christ we see the Holy Family surrounded by animals found in a barn. The infant Jesus touches the extended finger of Joseph reminiscent of God extending His finger to Adam in the Sistine Chapel depiction of the Creation. The donkey is depicted as a symbol of Jesus one day entering Jerusalem on a foal of a donkey. The white horse is a depiction of His eventual return as it is described in the Book of Revelation.  Joseph and Mary are painted in royal robes as the parents of a King, though in reality they were extremely poor. 

Jesus the Messiah’s miraculous birth was foretold by prophets for generations before His birth. In the Book of Isaiah, He is called Immanuel, God with us, and the reason we celebrate God’s miraculous gift of His own Son at Christmas every year.