Advent December 14

December 14

“Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; One will come from you to be ruler over Israel for Me. His origin is from antiquity, from eternity.” Micah 5:2

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.” Luke 2:1-6

In the passage above, we find the prophecy in Micah telling us that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. God chose this little remote village to be the birthplace of His Son. In His sovereignty He arranged for a census to be taken so that when Mary was nine months pregnant, she and Joseph would have to leave their home in Nazareth and travel 90 miles on rough terrain to be counted in Bethlehem. He could have just as easily delayed the birth until after they returned or even caused the census to be delayed till later. But instead, God chose that time and that place for Jesus’ birth.

At first glance, Bethlehem seems to be an insignificant town where Mary and Joseph just happened to be when it was time for her to deliver. But if we look at it more closely, there may actually be a deeper meaning. The first time Bethlehem is mentioned in the Bible is found in Genesis 35 when Jacob and his family return to his homeland after spending a decade running from his brother, Esau. Jacob settled near Bethlehem and remained there until Joseph brought them to Egypt during the famine. It is also the hometown of Boaz, who married the Moabite widow, Ruth. In the story of Boaz and Ruth we see a picture of Jesus. In ancient times, it was the custom that the closest family member could become a kinsman redeemer by buying back an individual who had been sold into slavery. Upon learning of Ruth’s situation, Boaz became her kinsman redeemer, married her, took her into his home, protected and provided for her and her mother-in-law Naomi. This is a beautiful picture of how Jesus is our Redeemer.

Bethlehem means “house of bread.” Bread held great importance in biblical times. It was a staple in their diet and was also used in Temple worship. During their time wandering in the wilderness God provided manna, a bread-like substance, teaching them that He alone was their provider and sustainer. Jesus reiterated this in John 6 when he told His disciples, “I am the bread of life.” Jesus’ ancestral roots can be traced to Bethlehem through Ruth and Boaz and all the way back to Jacob. We have a beautiful picture of Jesus who would become our kinsman redeemer in the story of Ruth and Boaz and then Jesus who is the bread of life, was born in “the house of bread.” Bethlehem is indeed the perfect location for the birth of the Messiah and God orchestrated all the events necessary to ensure that is where it happened. May the little town of Bethlehem be a reminder to us that He is our Redeemer, Provider and Sustainer.