"House of Bread"

With every good story, there is a beginning. So it is with Christmas. Let’s take a closer look at where this story began…

About five or six miles south of Jerusalem, today located in the Palestinian West Bank, is a small town called Bethlehem. The City of David. The birthplace of Jesus. The picture on the left is the grotto where Jesus is believed to have been born. It is located inside The Church of the Nativity, constructed in the sixth century AD. This building replaced another church, dated from 326 AD. The writings of Justin Martyr, around 160 AD, declare that this cave had long been a venerated site for Christians.

In every instance in the Old Testament, the word for Bethlehem in Hebrew is Beyth Lechem (bayth-leh’-khem) and means “house of bread.” Bethlehem is also linked ten times with Judah in Southern Israel (Heb. Y’huwdah (yeh-hoo-daw’). There is another Bethlehem closer to and on the west side of the Sea of Galilee, so it's important to make this distinction.

What are some Biblical events that happened in Old Testament Bethlehem, prior to Jesus' birth?

a) Rachel, wife of Jacob, after giving birth to her son Benjamin, dies and is buried in Bethlehem:

16And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.
17And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.
18And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.
19And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
20And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day. Genesis 35:16-20 KJV

b) Jacob is sick and near death. His son Joseph comes to visit and mentions Rachel’s tomb.

7And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem. Genesis 48:7 KJV

c) The next time Bethlehem is mentioned can be found in the book of Ruth, where Ruth settles with her mother in law Naomi. She meets and marries Boaz and ultimately becomes the great, great grandmother of King David.
d) Bethlehem is the town where David was raised and grew up. 1 & 2 Samuel mentions Bethlehem in several verses ( 1 Sam. 16:4; 17:15; 20:6,28; 2 Sam. 2:32; 23:14-16,24) when David became King of Israel instead of Saul. 1 and 2 Chronicles also mentions Bethlehem in reference to King David (1 Chr. 11:16-18, 26 & 2 Chr. 11:6).

To me, the most interesting reference to Bethlehem in the Old Testament is found in Micah 5:2-3 KJV.

2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
3Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.

Micah was written in the latter half of the 8th century BC, more than 700 years before the birth of Christ. The Jews clearly believed this revealed the birthplace of the Messiah, as evidenced in Matthew 2:5. “Ruler in Israel” refers to a king from David’s line. “From of old, from everlasting” clearly refers to the eternality of the one who is to be born here in Bethlehem. “She which travaileth hath brought forth” is a reference to Mary, the human mother of Christ.

In the New Testament, Bethlehem is only mentioned eight times, all in the Gospels, primarily in Matthew and Luke and once in John and all in reference to Jesus birth:

1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.
12And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Matthew 2:1-16 KJV

1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. Luke 2:1-15 KJV

42Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? John 7:42 KJV

It is also interesting that Jesus refers to himself as "the Bread of Life" in John 6.

In 1867, Phillips Brooks wrote this famous Christmas carol, which you can listen to here:

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is giv’n;
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His Heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

Where children pure and happy pray to the blessèd Child,
Where misery cries out to Thee, Son of the mother mild;
Where charity stands watching and faith holds wide the door,
The dark night wakes, the glory breaks, and Christmas comes once more.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

I hope that you all have a Merry Christmas.