Nomadic Christmas Story

I want to show you a slightly different telling of this familiar Christmas story. I have been studying nomadism for many years now, both in the nomadic cultures of Siberia and the nomadism found throughout the Bible and more recently in Northern Australia. Today you will hear a nomadic perspective on the story of the Birth of Christ. I’m not a New Testament scholar, and I’m not a Biblical historian. So, I’m not going to push that this perspective as a correction on what we already know. It’s more about embracing the parts of the story that confirm the nomadic perspective and filling in the gaps that are left in the story with the assumptions that a nomadic culture would make rather than our own urban settled ones do. I’m going to tell the story the way it would be told among nomadic herdsmen. This is going to take a little relaxing of your own perspective and a little opening your imagination. First, a little background…

There is more than one type of nomadism. But the most common form of nomadism, the one that usually comes to mind are the nomadic pastoralists. The shepherds in the story are a great example of nomadic pastoralists. How do I know that these were nomadic herdsmen? If they were locals they would have had their animals in a pen overnight, not keeping a night watch over their flocks on the hills. The occupation of the shepherds is definitely a nomadic element in this story.

I wouldn’t be the first to point out the extreme humility of the Christ-child and his family all through this story but it hasn’t escaped me that when the God of the Universe finally brought his long-awaited Messiah to Earth the first to hear the announcement were not the authorities, not the rulers, not even the religious authorities. The very first to hear about the birth of Jesus were nomadic herdsmen. Why? Well, I tend to think its because God loves nomads! though there are probably other reasons as well.

I’m also going to give you a new perspective on the occupation of Joseph, Mary’s fiance. I’m drawing this from the word usually translated carpenter, and also from some of the geography of the story, and the way others relate to Joseph. Commercial nomads are some of the least respected talented workmen in all corners of the globe.

There is one more nomadic reference to the story I will weave. We know very little about the three noble visitors from the East. We don’t even know that there were 3 of them! We know they came from far enough away that it was not a place easily known to regular people. We know they knew of the arrival of a great ruler because of their knowledge and interpretation of the stars. We know they brought exotic and expensive gifts and that when they asked for an audience with King Herod they got it. Some have called them kings, assuming that is the source of their wealth and authority. Some have called them wise men or scholars, assuming study to be the source of their knowledge. I’m going to make a different set of assumptions. I’m going to assume they were able to easily travel great distances and had a source of wealth that they carried with them. I’m going to assume that they were practiced at noticing and interpreting signs in the stars. And then I’m going to tell it like a nomad would.

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The birth of Jesus happened during the time when Augustus was the emperor in Rome. A census was ordered of all the Roman world which meant that Joseph had to return to Bethlehem because that was where his family came from. He was a descendant of David, an important King and the father of the line of prophesy. The Messiah, when he came would be a son of David. Joseph was a craftsman, he produced fine wooden vessels, elaborate and decorative. His work kept him moving. He got a better price when he moved to new markets regularly. This is the life of a commercial nomad. Joseph's work was of such high quality that it was needed only scarcely and he had to travel a great distance to find enough clients of means. He was happy that he wasn’t going to have to travel alone anymore. This journey back to Bethlehem was the first one that Mary would be with him for. And he hoped both her and the baby, once he arrived would make his travelling life more homey than it had been alone. To think that he had almost lost her! He had nearly deserted Mary when word got out that she was unexpectedly pregnant. After a spiritual vision Joseph had decided to draw Mary closer rather than force her away. She would certainly need help with the little one, and he admired her simple faith and trust that God’s plans were bigger than any of theirs. That was an ideal quality that suited her well for the sometimes uncertain, semi-nomadic life.

Joseph knew as they neared the town that the time for the baby to come was getting closer. He was worried though. Travellers were not always welcome. Everybody wanted the beautiful and useful household items he made but it didn’t mean they wanted his caravan anywhere near they city. Yes, we want your fancy artisan pieces for our homes, but keep your lifestyle to yourself. The best that Joseph could find was a warm dry spot where the animals were sheltered. Not ideal but at least he knew it would be clean. No self-respecting herdsman would risk un-sanitary conditions for their animals, not when they were their entire livelihood. They would be clean, and warm.

That night there was a brigade of herdsmen with their sheep on the hills outside of Bethlehem. The wolves were not out in huge numbers this season but the herds still required attention overnight. Theirs was the shortest migration route, closest to the settlement, and could only pasture a small herd without risking overgrazing. The night was quiet and the stars bright, but the animals seemed jittery, off-centre somehow. The herdsmen were always sensitive to their animals. Their whole lives revolved around the needs of the herd. Their relationship was one of mutual dependancy. All decisions were made to benefit the herds, but in return the herds provided everything they needed; food, clothing, income, and companionship. It was a good life, not in the least because of the independence of it. Much better than general labour, poor fools doing another man’s bidding all day. The animals sure were skittish tonight. It was like there was something in the air.

Far away, a far more prestigious company of nomads were preparing for a long journey. In these eastern regions wealth was measured by the size of ones herd. The size of your tent mattered too, but more in the metaphorical sense of how large a household of adherents it represented and with that one’s military strength. These nomads were accustomed to much larger migrations. The more arid the land the larger the migration routes, and theirs were some of the largest in the world. Today power was being divided because some of the richest were preparing for a different sort of journey. Their shamans had been observing a powerful star since it had risen in the east. It represented a spiritual authority like none they had seen before, and nothing they could match. The shamans’ advice was that a journey be made to find this new arrival and submit to and appease this spiritual power predicted in the stars. A small troupe, including men of authority was chosen to represent the tribe. They set out following the revealing star ahead of them, with gifts, exotic and generous prepared. They knew the general direction they must travel, but it was further than they had ever been. They were uncertain of how long the journey would take, and they were anxious about what would happen on their arrival, hoping their gifts and honour would be acceptable to this unknown power. The survival of their tribe depended on it, because if their interpretations were correct, the one they were on their way to encounter was destined to become the high King above all Kings.

At least it's warm and dry, thought Mary. Joseph had done well finding them a comfortable place in Bethlehem without any personal connections. The town was overcrowded because of the census and Mary was far more content to settle here with the animals than to keep bumping up and down the streets or hold out hope for a corner of a room in a cramped guest house. Besides, it didn’t seem there was going to be time to look elsewhere. This baby was on his way. It was pain like she had never known, but she was comforted by Joseph’s care and she felt the over-shadowing providence of the Almighty like the day she first accepted this role in His redemptive plan. The baby was born. They wrapped him tightly in a clean cloth and once he was contented at his mothers breast, laid him in the soft clean straw in the manger.

Back on the hills the night was reaching its darkest hour. Suddenly, the sky burst open with flashing light that was so bright you could feel it. If the animals had been jittery before now they were frozen in place, silent, as they all were, at this great apparition. An angel of the Lord appeared before the small company of herdsmen. They had known fear, fear of predators, fear of bandits, but they had never known fear like this. The angel spoke to them and said “Don’t be afraid! I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Saviour—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognise him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Before they managed to fully take in the words the angel was saying the vision became even more spectacular. Suddenly there was no longer just one angel but an entire battalion, all of them praising the Almighty God and they sang a chorus that resounds to this day.

“Glory to God in highest heaven,

and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

It seemed to go on forever, but when it was over none of the herdsmen could decide how long it had lasted. One thing they all knew was that they had to get to Bethlehem and find this baby.

The nomadic commission from the East arrived in Jerusalem. This was the closest city of power to where the star was leading them and as men of power they assumed what they were seeking originated in this capital. Looking around they saw animals being prepared for sacrifice, and a great and beautiful temple with a full impressive staff. It was obvious to them that these people took their religion seriously and they determined that the God of this land, the one worshipped in the temple before them, was indeed great and powerful. They decided that their best course of action was to enquire about the great birth from the King here in Jerusalem. They came away mostly disappointed. King Herod and his religious teachers seemed ignorant of the significant birth, saying only that it was prophesied to be expected in Bethlehem, and that much was confirmed by the star they had been following the whole way. Not very impressive really. It was like they weren’t even paying attention to the great story being narrated in the sky and the significance of this time-splitting birth. The world before this occasion and the world after would never be the same. King Herod had sent them on their way, claiming that when they found the baby he too would come and worship, but the nomads doubted this assertion.

The local herdsmen were the first to arrive. They found the young family with the newborn baby in the stables on the edge of town. Just like them, he had been born among the animals. They bowed low and they worshipped him, knowing that this was the promised Messiah that their people had been waiting for for generations. And then the herdsmen took the story of everything the angels had said and they spread it everywhere they went. They told the people in other villages on their migration path, and they told the other herdsmen whose paths occasionally intersected their own. They carried the news of the Messiah’s birth and the miracle that they had witnessed far and wide, spreading it to their own kind first, not as an announcement heralded by official news-keepers like the birth of a King would usually be told, but by the wild fast methods of the people’s natural connections. Mary turned her story inward and collected the stories in her heart. The herdsmen turned it outward and spread the message far. Word of mouth is a nomadic special skill.

The noble nomads arrived some time later. They presented their gifts to the staggered parents of the small baby. They were not surprised to see real authority in such a small package, they trusted what they had seen in the stars and submitted themselves to this up and coming power. They worshipped the baby and gave his parents the exotic and expensive gifts they had brought with them. After completing the task of their journey they felt no compulsion to share this information with the know-nothings in Jerusalem. Having been warned in a dream they went back to their country by another route.

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Mary and Joseph did not stay in one place too long. It was dangerous, King Herod was searching for the boy. The best place to hide was on the move. They had the skills to be comfortable as travellers, and now the Almighty had provided for the journey, easily enough to live on as the established their new life. They upgraded their donkey for a horse and a caravan that housed their new family, and set out Egypt as God led them. They would be fine. The baby would be fine. Besides, on the road there was much to learn (and to teach their child!) about the character of the God of the nomads.