Caesar decrees, but God has decided and declared.
Luke records that Caesar Augustus, the first emperor of the Roman empire issued a decree that everyone in the empire was to travel to their town of birth to be registered in a massive census. This meant that people all over Europe, North Africa and the Middle East had to undertake arduous journeys at the behest of one very powerful individual. Joseph and Mary had to travel almost 150km from their home to the place where Joseph was born, Bethlehem in Judea. The world has seen many empires and powerful leaders like Caesar, but not one of them acts outside of the foreknowledge and control of our Father in Heaven. Daniel’s prophecies show just how perfectly God holds this universe in His loving control.
Scripture
Daniel 2:31-35 ESV “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. 32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
Luke 2:1-7 ESV In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.