A Baby Gem 💎 about the “Manger” of Baby Jesus

[Beggar for the Spirit]

Here is hopefully a very encouraging and motivating thought to really consider during this memorial season. In the JWBroadcasting 2025 update #1  there was an example shown of an update to the “Study Pane” in the JW app. It explained how our personal notes will come first in this study pane. But I stopped the video in order to see if I could read the personal study note someone had written in the example that was being shown, and it turned out to be a little gem💎.   This personal note turned out to be a quote from a WT article based on LK 2 which tells us that Baby Jesus had a “manger” for a bed. What was this manger? Was it a very soft and beautiful crib made for a prince? Here is a picture from the Study Notes in LK 2 of what this manager may have looked like?

Spoiler

 

 

Wow, so what was the 1st bed that the Messiah, the precious Son of God slept in as a newborn baby, a “feeding place” for animals, made of rocks or stone! How many parents who are unbelievers in the world today would have been content in providing a crib of hard stone for their precious newborn? So with all this in mind, now here is the quote of the personal study note from that video:

Quote

(Personal Study Note). “Had Jehovah wanted to, he could in any number of ways, have provided better accommodations for the birth of the son. What mattered to Him, though, was the spiritual environment in which Jesus would be cared for and raised.”

 

I thought this was an excellent point!

While Jehovah had to protect His son, the Messiah, from certain dangers/attacks by Satan and the demons, Jehovah did not shield His Son from many challenges, including poverty. Jehovah, the best Father imaginable, did not provide great accommodations for his son who was to be royalty, a future King! Why? What can we learn from Baby Jesus’ bed of stone, a “manger”?

 

At times a brother or sister may feel that Jehovah should be providing more for them. For example…

• A brother’s car is older and has problems, and when he sees others in the congregation who have better cars he wonders, “Why doesn’t Jehovah provide better for me as I am one of His loyal servants, I need a better car”
• Or a sister is tired of her job, and in recent months she has heard of several sisters getting good jobs, so she complains to herself asking, “I do my best to attend all the meetings, go in the ministry regularly, so why doesn’t Jehovah help me get a better job?”

Jehovah tells us in the Bible that “…having food* and clothing*, we will be content with these things”  (footnotes: sustenance, covering, shelter)

But there are multiple degrees or definitions of what being “content” means, let’s look at 3 degrees and ask ourselves, “Which definition or degree is Jehovah wanting to see in us when He is asking us to be “content” for now with basic necessities?”

1. “content” = accept as adequate despite wanting more or better
2. ”content” = willing to accept a particular thing
3. “content” = a state of happiness, peaceful

It would seem that Jehovah is hoping we are #3,  being in a state of peace and happiness with “the daily bread” we have received. To a non-believer, this kind of thinking might be considered unacceptable as the culture of today has a mindset of always reaching for more and not being satisfied. In fact, many famous athletes, entertainers, CEOs, claim in their books or in interviews that the mindset of never being satisfied, never being “content”, is what helped them to achieve their dreams and goals. But is not definition #3 of “content”  the mindset of a truly appreciative person? Yes, our Father wants us to be at peace, happy with what He has provided. So a spiritual person is “content”, being very grateful and appreciative for what our Father in the Heavens has provided for us, and not just “accepting as adequate despite wanting more or better“.  So I need to ask myself sometimes, “Am I content, at peace and happy with the “manger” or “daily bread” that Jehovah had provided for me?

 

And 1 final thought based on that personal study note from the video:

Have not many wealthy or powerful people throughout history, including Kings, provided the very best for their child? So then why didn’t the greatest King, Jehovah provide much more for His beloved son?

 

Far greater in importance than a comfortable lifestyle is being surrounded with love and peace and with those who love Jehovah. That describes the human parents Jehovah chose for His son right? Jehovah knew that not many years after his son was only a newborn, that even as just a child, Jesus would begin to be involved in the greatest legal court case in history! So Jehovah giving His precious son better accommodations, providing a more comfortable lifestyle was not even close to what the FDS says is of more, “supreme importance”, spiritual matters!  Baby Jesus was going to become the primary Witness in this grand court case, that was of “supreme importance”.  And so here is the wisdom we can gain from how and why the greatest Father Jehovah provided for his beloved newborn son a life surrounded with 95% love, peace and spirituality but with only 5% basic material needs. 

 

(Several articles are combined that I put in quotes)

Spoiler

While at times we may forget they we are directly involved in this universal court case in which the most serious issues are at stake, the FDS said that, “Satan has not forgotten the issue of integrity”.   So if for any reason, we start to wish we had a better life, a better job, better things, if we are tired of a certain trial or becoming so impatient because of suffering in some way, then let us remember how Jehovah the Father provided very little for his son in a material way and instead we can use the gift of our imagination in this way…

 

“When you struggle with adversity, therefore, imagine this invisible scene. Satan and his demonic followers are on one side, pointing to your struggles and alleging that you will buckle under the pressure and give up. On the other side are Jehovah, his reigning Son, the resurrected anointed ones, and myriads of angels. They are cheering you on, delighted by your daily endurance and support of Jehovah’s sovereignty.”

 

“…“…each one of us is personally involved in the issue of integrity. When a servant of Jehovah faces a trial, there is much more at stake than one person’s suffering. By the way we react to our trials, we demonstrate whether we really view Jehovah as the Universal Sovereign. According to Satan, no one serves Jehovah out of unselfish love. Has Satan changed since he made that claim? Not at all!

 

“Why is it comforting to reflect on the value of our faithfulness? Because it means that our trials serve a purpose. Far from indicating Jehovah’s displeasure, they provide for us a means to show that we support God’s sovereignty. (Prov. 27:11) Our endurance produces “an approved condition” and strengthens our hope. (Read Romans 5:3-5.) The record of Job bears out that “Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful.” (Jas. 5:11) So we can be sure that he will reward us and all who uphold his sovereignty. Knowing this helps us “endure fully with patience and joy.”—Col. 1:11.”

 

“What is the lesson for us? Primarily this: Let us not become so absorbed in our own lives that we lose sight of this big issue—the vindication of Jehovah’s sovereignty. And let us appreciate that our role in this vital issue entails remaining faithful even under difficult circumstances, as did Job.”

 

Edited March 9, 2025 by Beggar for the Spirit

[JayMusicGirl]

Very interesting topic, thanks for sharing!

[coony77]

A very nice gem, thank you (and you have a good eye for noticing that detail in the video!).

 

9 hours ago, Beggar for the Spirit said:

So Jehovah giving His precious son better accommodations, providing a more comfortable lifestyle was not even close to what the FDS says is of more, “supreme importance”, spiritual matters!  

 

This also applies to us today. As we are imperfect, it is possible that this desire for "a better lifestyle" arises in us. Then we should keep reminding ourselves that what matters is what is said in Proverbs 10:22: "It is the blessing of Jehovah that makes one rich".

[Watching and Waiting]

This is in line with the scenes in the Believe the Truth About Jesus—His Birth—Bible Evidence @2:05  which illuminated the scenes in the Drama The Good News According to Jesus Pt. 1   The extent of research that goes into presenting things factually is tremendous and well documented.  

 

Believe the Truth About Jesus—His Birth—Bible Evidence

 

The word 'manger' has different connotations according to location. When I was growing up, my father called the wooden box  or trough he constructed a 'manger' and it was where we placed the hay for our cows after they were milked.  It was accessed by the cows on the corral side.  It was deep enough around the outside to keep the hay in when they were tossing it around while eating. The hay stack was next to the manger.  Our 'manger' was made of wood, as there were no rocks anywhere near our ranch. But in Palestine and other countries, a stone manger was common.

 

22 hours ago, Beggar for the Spirit said:

THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS ⬇️

(Personal Study Note). “Had Jehovah wanted to, he could in any number of ways, have provided better accommodations for the birth of the son. What mattered to Him, though, was the spiritual environment in which Jesus would be cared for and raised.”

 

And how beautiful that we recognize Jesus in his position as Jehovah's appointed King, who is 'subduing in the midst of his enemies' and not Jesus, the babe in a manger, that false religion is fixated on.

 

[Hanah45]

Thank you so much, this thought really lifted me.