Posted by The Round Farmhouse Ministries, December 17, 2024

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2 ESV).

I grew up singing “O Little Town of Bethlehem” in church, but I figured we sang it because it was where Christ was born. That’s where there was no room at the inn, that’s where Jesus laid in a manger, and that’s where the shepherds came to worship Him.

Little did I know that Bethlehem did not just happen to be the place where Christ was born. It was woven throughout His lineage:

• Rachel (Jacob’s wife) died in Bethlehem (Genesis 35:19)
• Ruth and Boaz lived in Bethlehem, where they raised Obed, David’s grandfather (Ruth 1; 4:17)
• David was born in the Ephrathah district in Bethlehem (1 Samuel 17:12)

And it was prophesized that a Savior would be born there: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2).

This prophesy was both questioned and heeded following His birth. The wise men looked for Him in Bethlehem because of the prophesy (Matthew 2:5-6), but later there arose disagreement among the Jews about Jesus’ birthplace and therefore His authority (John 7:40-43).

The town of Bethlehem itself fits into the story of the first Christmas. Two people from modest backgrounds and walked along the fine line of societal acceptability were chosen to be the parents of the King. The shepherds who were cultural outcasts were the first to be invited into the presence of the King. This town that was considered too small to be among the clans of Judah was the birthplace of the King.

And yet, this is the place where the hopes and fears of God’s people collided in one holy night. His people had spent 400 years hoping to hear from Him, hoping for the fulfilment of the prophecies they had heard and read about. At the same time, they lived in fear of a society dominated by Rome and her polytheistic culture. But in one night, the One who is the Bread of Life (John 6:35, 48, 51) was born in the town whose name means “House of Bread”. The One who would “stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God” (Micah 5:4 ESV) entered the world in the town known for shepherding. The One who came to be the final sacrifice (1 Corinthians 5:7) was born in the town where lambs were raised to be sacrificed in Jerusalem.

The little town of Bethlehem was chosen to be the birthplace of Jesus: small, humble, and unassuming. Yet it was in this little town where the fulfilment of a prophecy changed the course of history forever. Here was where our Savior entered the world in human form so that we could “dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth” (Micah 5:4).

Merry Christmas!