Caesar Decree

Inside one marble palace for Rome, di most powerful man for di whole world sign one order. E never hear about Nazareth. E never hear about Mary or Joseph. But im order go soon send dem for road go Bethlehem.

Luke no start di story of Jesus birth for stable, e start am for di big stage of di world. Di emperor na Caesar Augustus. Im real name na Octavian, di heir wey Julius Caesar adopt. After many years of civil war, e become di only ruler of Rome, and di Senate give am di title Augustus, wey mean di one wey people dey respect like god. Im empire stretch from Spain reach Syria, from di edge of Germany reach Egypt. Im face dey for coins. Dem build temples to honour am. People dey call am di man wey bring peace. And Judea, di small land of di Jews, na just one small corner of im world.

Luke write say: For dose days, one order comot from Caesar Augustus, say make dem register everybody for di whole world. Di word mean to enrol or register. Dem go write names down, count households, record property, so dat di empire go know who dey live where, and who owe wetin. For emperor, registration na about numbers and money. Na about control. Augustus wan know how big di tin wey e dey rule be.

Luke add one note to help im readers know di time of di story. Dis registration, e talk, na di first one wey dem do when Quirinius be governor of Syria. Syria na di big Roman province for di north, and im governor na one of di most important officials for di east. Then Luke tell us wetin happen for ground. Everybody go register, each person to im own town. Picture di roads. Farmers dey leave dia farm. Families dey load donkeys. Old men dey waka go back to towns wey dem never see since dem be small pikin. Whole villages dey empty, and others dey full again.

See di wonder wey Luke want make we see. Augustus think say e just dey count im people. E no know at all say im order dey serve King wey big pass am. Many hundred years before, di prophet Micah don talk say one ruler go comot from Bethlehem, di small town of David. And now, because of one paperwork for Rome, one carpenter and di woman wey e promise to marry, wey dey carry belle, must travel di long road from Nazareth go Bethlehem. Di most powerful man for di world dey move pieces for top one board wey e no fit see.

Augustus leave im own account of im reign behind, wey dem call The Deeds of the Divine Augustus. Dem set am up for bronze pillars outside im tomb for Rome, and one copy still dey for di wall of one temple for Ankara, for di country wey we dey call Turkey today. Inside am, Augustus dey boast say e carry out three census of Roman citizens. To count people na something wey e dey proud of. Historians still dey discuss exactly how Luke registration under Quirinius take fit with other old records, but registration like dis na real part of life under Rome.

Caesar decree dey Luke chapter two, verse one reach three. Emperor order, one whole empire wey dey move, and hidden inside am, God dey keep im promise to one small town. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Where God fit dey work quietly through di ordinary tins wey dey happen for your life, even di ones wey dey vex you?