But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting. (Micah 5.2, NKJV)

The prophet predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Then God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus, and she was from Nazareth! No problem…

During those days, the Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, ordered that the first census be taken throughout his empire. (Quirinius was the governor of Syria at that time.) Everyone had to travel to his or her hometown to complete the mandatory census. So Joseph and his fiancé, Mary, left Nazareth, a village in Galilee, and journeyed to their hometown in Judea, to the village of Bethlehem, King David’s ancient home. They were required to register there, since they were both direct descendants of David. Mary was pregnant and nearly ready to give birth. (Luke 2.1 – 5, Passion Translation)

If you need someone to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, why not get the Roman emperor to order it!

It’s as easy for God to steer a king’s heart for his purposes as it is for him to direct the course of a stream. (Proverbs 21.1, Passion Translation)

This is amazing. We serve a powerful God. Caesar Augustus thought he was god. And, as Andy Stanley said, if you told first-century believers, hiding in the catacombs, that within 300 years every building in Rome would have a cross on it in honor of Jesus, they would have thought you were crazy. 

God [is] the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords… (1 Timothy 6.15, ESV)