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Nazareth (Part 1) Because God is perfect, what he told the prophets in the Old Testament about the coming Savior is exactly the way it happened. While Mary and Joseph were in Nazareth, an angel appear to each of them at different times and told each that the baby to born was to be named Jesus. How then, if both Mary and Joseph, are in Nazareth does the baby Jesus get born in Bethlehem as we were told in the Old Testament by the prophet? Micah 5:2 God put in the heart of Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered in their own city, meaning the city of their ancestry. In both cases, Mary and Joseph were decedents of David and therefore needed to go the the city of Bethlehem which is the city of David. So they went and after arriving the baby was born in Bethlehem is a stable; very humble circumstances. Eight days later we find the child being circumcised and given the name Jesus which was given by the angel before he was conceived. At forty days we find his parents presenting him to the Lord at the temple in Jerusalem. It is here that according to the law they offered a sacrifice; "A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." It was here that Simeon, who was told by the Spirit that he would not see death before he saw to savior, saw Jesus and took him up in his arms and blessed God. He also told Mary that this child would be destined 'for the fall and rising of many in Israel' and that a 'sword will piece Mary's own soul'.
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