Why Bethlehem?

Matthew 2:1a

It has become an important part of the Christmas story: That Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem, in the southern part of Israel which was called Judea. We learn about it in Christmas church plays and quite often during one of the Advent sermons during the season. We are told about how Joseph and his pregnant wife Mary had to travel from their home in Galilee because Caesar Augustus ordered a census of all the world, forcing everyone to go to the city of their family lineage. (Luke 2:1-5) But why Bethlehem, a city of little significance? What made this area so special that it was chosen by God to be the scene for the birth of His only begotten Son?

We know that God chose Bethlehem based on the words of the prophet Micah spoken around 700 years before Jesus’ birth:

“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)

As a prophet, Micah was delivering a message that came directly from God, with the early chapters of the Book of Micah speaking of God’s judgment on Israel and Judah. By chapter 5, Micah describes the coming restoration of the people which includes the birth of, “The One to be Ruler in Israel,...”: One ordained to be the savior of us all. As a representative of God, Micah is letting us know that God chose Bethlehem long before Jesus’ birth, shining a spotlight of importance on the City of David.

Before moving on, let me acknowledge that in the Old Testament the City of David was Jerusalem, whereas in the New Testament it is Bethlehem. Jerusalem became the City of David after King David conquered it, taking it from the Jebusites as described in 2 Samuel 5:6-9. According to verse 5 of the same chapter, King David ruled over Israel and Judah with Jerusalem as his capital city for 33 of his 40 years as king. Bethlehem, located just south of Jerusalem (according to Britannica.com), was near the area where David was born and grew up. It was also near where David was anointed king (1 Samuel 16). As the city of his birth it is easy to see why Bethlehem might be called the City of David just like its cousin to the north.

According to a number of sources the word Bethlehem comes from Bet Lehem in the Hebrew language, which means “House of Bread.” The writers at Biblestudytools.com believe this is due to the climate of the area which helped it constantly have bountiful harvests. For Christians the name is an instant reminder of Jesus describing Himself as the bread of life in John 6:35. The “House of Bread” was also an area where the sacrificial lambs were raised for use in the temple in Jerusalem according to a number of sources. And here we are reminded that Jesus was the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29), set apart to be sacrificed for all of our sins. So there was quite a bit of significance to Bethlehem being the city of Jesus’ birth.

Why Bethlehem? By God’s divine authority and perfect will, the insignificant farming community became one of the most significant towns on earth. Its name and history would foreshadow the One who  came to save us all from our sins. Bethlehem: the City of David, the House of Bread and most important, the birthplace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that is why we talk about Bethlehem every year at Christmas.

Can They See the City on the Hill?

It was really kind of strange looking, sitting there in the midst of the other train cars. I noticed it as we passed through the railyard early one morning. It was dark outside and all of the other train cars had their lights on both inside and out. But then there was this one, sitting there waiting to go in for repairs. I’m not sure what was wrong with it but it was the only one with all of its lights turned off. The passenger lights on the inside? They were turned off. The lights on the outside that let other trains see it? They were turned off too. Even the signs that normally light up to tell waiting passengers where this train was going were turned off. It was just there among its siblings, completely dark and it really looked very strange.

If that one train car looked so strange sitting among the others with its lights off, how odd would a city look if it were completely dark when it was supposed to be all lit up? Imagine, we would likely be able to see that something was there: perhaps a building or two or three. But without light would that city be the least bit inviting? Would it hint at the existence of life or just leave us wondering what happened? I suspect it would look very strange, not unlike that train car sitting there dead in the rail yard. It definitely wouldn’t resemble anything that Jesus talked about.

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matthew 5:14

This is how Jesus describes His followers. We are the light of the world: a brightly lit city on a hill where all can see. That light, shining brightly through those who love the Lord, is the light of God Himself. Its impact is a result of His presence, changing the believer from the inside and then drawing others who are in turn changed by His love. We should stand out but not because of our own efforts. In fact, I fear that many who call themselves “Christians” simply look weird because they are like that dark train car, not relying on the true light of Christ. They should be the city on a hill but instead they are hidden behind a blanket of self-effort and erroneous teaching.

I confess that there have been many times in my Christian walk where I think the lights were all turned out…by me. I’d much rather be that city that cannot be hidden and to do so I know I must be fully surrendered and reliant upon my Lord Jesus Christ. How about you? Can those around you see the city on the hill?

Book Review: Daydreamers

Full disclosure: The author of Daydreamers (Gary R. Hamilton) is my brother-in-law.

Daydreamers is the first book written by new author Gary R. Hamilton and while there are times in the book where you can tell that it was written by a rookie, those moments do not detract from a very compelling story.

Crime is up on the Caribbean Island of Acia Maj and a local news reporter thinks he has a lead on who is behind the violence. With the support of his family and help from a family member with whom he shares a special gift, David Kennington risks his life (and his family) to save the nation that he loves. And while this may sound like standard fare, a number of small twists (including the mystery behind the daydreams) are enough to make this story slightly different. Plus, Mr. Hamilton’s descriptions of the island and its people work to take you on a journey, holding your attention as if you had stumbled into a mystery while on vacation or even while visiting family.

My only knock on the story is that early on it is hard to tell who the story is really about but that is a minor quibble as things become very clear as the story progresses. I give Mr. Hamilton credit for exploring his characters' gifts in a way that allows them to contribute to the story as opposed to becoming a distraction. This makes for a good read and I recommend it for anyone who likes mystery and drama with a touch of travel to far away places.

Daydreamers by Gary R. Hamilton, Published by Austin Macauley Publishers Copyright 2024