count for Christmas #8

Count for Christmas #8Hoping and Praying Luke 1 part 1Over four hundred years had passedsince Malachi had warned the Jewishpeople to be ready for the day whenGod would visit them. And they hadbeen hard times. Greek conquerorshad followed the Persian emperors.After one glorious burst ofindependence  under the great Jewishfreedom fighter Judas Maccabeus
the Jews were now once more underforeign rule. Rome had conquered
Greece and the emperor hadmarched into Jerusalem itself.
Roman soldiers were stationed
throughout the land.
How the Jews longed for
another national herowho would throw outthe hated Roman legions
and set up a Jewish kingdomagain. If only God wouldsend his promised King tobring them freedom.