The set of three ox
a part of the nativity set animals collection. The family of Ox figurines are made of a durable molded poly resin material that resists brakeage! The family of ox figurines are tan and antiqued to give dimension to their fur. The ox has rows of curly fur on their forehead and on their body. Each nativity scene figure is hand painted in the rich colors and antiqued for a distinctive carved look.
The OX:
He was the smallest of his herd… a tiny, almost-life-less baby animal, born in the spring of a particularly hard year. When his mother’s owner inspected this newborn and discovered that he was a male, great care was given to assure his survival. You see, oxen were valuable beasts nearly two thousand years ago. This fragile baby ox would be treasured by his owner, an innkeeper in the city of Bethlehem.
Because of the tender care given the ox, he survived the spring. His owners looked forward to the day when he would take on the most important jobs: pulling a plow through the wheat…making sure threshing sheds were moved from place to place…and (if he was a very strong animal) perhaps operating a water wheel. His future was very bright.
But as the fall moved the Holy Land from a sun-drenched desert to a wind-swept terrain in anticipation of winter, the little ox began to show signs that his difficult birth had taken a toll on his health. He wasn’t growing quite as rapidly as the other oxen born at about the same time. His owner thought and thought about whether to sacrifice the animal before more precious gain and water were used up by an ox that might never work of the family.
Fortunately for the ox, the inn-keeper’s son cried and pleaded for his life…and his father listened. “We will wait out the winter and see if the beast rallies,” he told the boy, tethering the ox to the inside of the stable. Sadly, the ox understood that his time might be limited.
On a late, winter night, the darkness of the stable was interrupted by two travelers. From the ox’s vantage point at the edge of the stable, it appeared that the man and the woman were about to take up residence. He watched intently as the man worked diligently to make a place on the straw for the woman and tried to understand their whispers and haste.
A short while later, the stable’s only lantern went out. When the glow returned the ox thought he saw movement from what had been the trough he and his fellow animals fed from each day. Up on his legs rose the ox, walking with great caution toward the two (almost expecting to be driven back by the couple’s words).
But they allowed him to come, and over the edge of the makeshift cradle, the ox saw a sleeping baby wrapped in light cloths in that cold stable.
“This baby must be kept warm,” thought the ox, as he gathered all of his courage and inched toward the crib. Closer and closer to the child he moved, his warmth radiating toward the little one. And as if to reward so great an effort, the baby opened his eyes and gently touched the ox’s face.
Select this link to view our Christmas nativity scene.
Select this link to view our Christmas Nativity Scenes and Nativity Sets.