The Bible does not give us a specific date for the birth of Christ, nor does it tell Christians to celebrate it. What we are told to do is live in such a way and to remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. One way we do this is by partaking of the emblems representing the body and blood of the Lord, each Lord’s Day (Acts 20:7).
Nevertheless, Christmastime holds a special place in the hearts of many believers. Every December 25th, people around the world celebrate Christmas Day as the birth of Jesus. Rather you approve of that or not is between you and God, but it doesn’t change the fact that the birth of Christ is one of the three most significant events in human history (the other two being his death and resurrection). John 1:14 tells us The Word became flesh, and this miraculous event forever changed humanity’s future.
Since the world is focused on the birth of Jesus this time of year it’s a good time to go to the Bible and see what it has to say and what we can learn from the story of Jesus’ birth. There are numerous lessons that could be done on the birth of Jesus and numerous angles to each lesson. Today we will take a break from our series on Joseph and look at an aspect of the birth narrative that is often overlooked.
The Word became flesh in an unlikely place, but not by accident. Where was Jesus born? The Gospels of Matthew and Luke state very clearly that the location of Jesus’ birth is Bethlehem. But let’s look in the Bible to see God’s miraculous plan of redemption unfold through Scripture and time.
Micah 5:2 (NIV) “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
The prophecy in Micah 5:2 speaks of Bethlehem, a small and seemingly insignificant town, as the birthplace of a great ruler for Israel. This ruler, identified as the Messiah, is described as having origins “ from of old, from ancient times,” indicating His eternal nature. Despite Bethlehem’s humble status, it is chosen to be the birthplace of the Messiah, who would not only be a king but one with divine and ancient origins. This prophecy foretells the coming of Jesus, who fulfills this role as both ruler and Savior.
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke tell us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1-12; Luke 2:4-20). But how did Mary and Joseph find themselves so far from their hometown of Nazareth at a time so close to Mary’s delivery? The explanation begins with Caesar Augustus, the Emperor of Rome, who ruled from 27 BC-14 AD. Historians have branded Caesar Augustus as the greatest Roman Emperor of all time. His most notable act, the one that left his mark on history, was his census plan. This census would prove successful in Augustus’s overall plan to collect taxes and transform Rome from a brick-and-mortar city to a marble empire.
Luke 2:4 (NIV) So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. The biblical account tells us that Jesus was born during the time the Israelites were called to participate in Caesar Augustus’ census. Joseph and Mary had to travel from the town of Nazareth to Bethlehem so that they could fulfill their duty (Luke 2). Why would the couple have to travel more than 80 miles to be counted? Roman law required people who lived in Judea and the surrounding area to return to their ancestral homeland for census registration. Since Joseph belonged to the house and line of David, Bethlehem was his designated census hub.
Luke 2:4-7 (NIV) So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Matthew 2:1-2 (HCSB) After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” Today we are going to look at the significance of the town where Jesus was born. Seven Things to Know about the Birthplace of Jesus.
1. Bethlehem means house of bread. Bethlehem is in the hill country right outside of Jerusalem. A mild climate and plentiful rainfall ensure that the town’s fields, orchards, and vineyards thrive into consistently bountiful harvests. The fertile land is probably why the area was first called Bethlehem or Beit Lehem, which means, “house of bread.” In His divine sovereignty, God would later appoint this town as the birthplace of His Son who would declare in John 6:35 (NASB): Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty.
2. Bethlehem was considered a tiny, insignificant town. Instead of choosing the holy city of Jerusalem as Jesus, the King of Kings, birthplace, God selected a town so small that it wasn’t even listed in the registry of towns in Joshua 15 or Nehemiah 11. Not only was this unusual act the fulfillment of messianic prophecy (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:6), but the Savior’s humble birthplace demonstrates God’s greatness. God chose a place that was small, quiet, and out of the way, and did something there that changed the course of history and eternity.
3. Scripture foretold the Messiah’s Birth in Bethlehem. 700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Micah prophesied that Bethlehem would be the Messiah’s birthplace. Micah 5:2 (NKJ) “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.”
4. Rachel gave birth to Benjamin and Jacob buried Rachel near Bethlehem. During Jacob’s long journey back to his homeland, his beloved wife Rachel died while giving birth to their second son, Benjamin. Instead of burying Rachel there, Jacob chose to lay his wife to rest right outside Bethlehem (Genesis 48:7). Rachel is mentioned in the nativity story when Matthew quotes the prophet Jeremiah. Matthew 2:18 (NIV) “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Matthew quotes Jeremiah 31:15. Rachel wept for her children because they were in exile and in desperate need of a deliverer. Benjamin was the last son born in the twelve tribes of Israel. The next Son given to Israel would be the Messiah, Jesus Christ—the One who would deliver Rachel’s children and the whole world from our sin-bought exile into death. Some believe that Rachel’s tomb still stands near the entrance to Bethlehem and is considered a holy site to the Jewish people.
5. Naomi and Ruth returned to Bethlehem. After the death of her husband and sons, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem, the home of her ancestors. Naomi’s Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth, insisted on accompanying her saying in Ruth 1:16 (NIV), “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” When the two arrive in Bethlehem, Naomi sends Ruth to work in the field of a wealthy relative named Boaz. He becomes their kinsman redeemer, marries Ruth, and they have a son named Obed, who was the grandfather of King David (Ruth 4:13-17) and the forefather of Jesus.
Jesus became the kinsman redeemer for all who come to Him. He purchased us as His bride with His own blood, delivered us from the curse of sin and death, and gave us His name, which is above every other name. Philippians 2:9-10 (NIV) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…
6. Bethlehem is known as the City of David. Scripture tells us that the prophet Samuel went to Bethlehem in search of a new king, just as the magi would years later. At God’s direction Samuel found and anointed a young shepherd boy named David (1 Samuel 16:4-13). The city of Bethlehem would eventually bear the title of the new king. The prophets foretold that another King would rule and reign forever from David’s line. After 400 years of silence, God held true to His promise and sent His son, Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, to be born in the same town as His servant David. Isaiah 9:7 (NIV) Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
7. Bethlehem was the place where lambs were raised for temple sacrifice. Because the fields surrounding Bethlehem were a short distance from the Temple, they were designated as holy pastures for raising sacrificial lambs. At Migdal Eder, the Tower of the Flock, generations of shepherds tended their lambs. According to Exodus 29:38-46, two lambs had to be sacrificed every day. Before David was king, he raised sheep in the same Bethlehem pastures that were likely home to the shepherds from Luke 2. In fact, the reason Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem was that they were required to pay taxes in their ancestral hometown and Joseph was a descendant of King David. Is it any wonder that God chose Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Savior? He is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
The exact location, date, and time of Jesus’ birth is not clear, but it is traditionally thought that he was born in a stable or a cave. According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus was born in a manger, as there was no room in the inn (Luke 2:7). While many imagine this as a barn, some scholars believe the “inn” might refer to a guest room in a private home, and the manger was likely in a space where animals were kept, such as a stable. In first-century Palestine, it was common for animals to be sheltered in caves, leading to the belief that Jesus was born in a cave.
Early Christian writings, including those from Justin Martyr (2nd century), mention a cave near Bethlehem as the location of Jesus’ birth. This tradition has been preserved over the centuries, with the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem marking the spot as a significant pilgrimage site. The cave tradition aligns with how many ancient Palestinian families kept animals in caves or lower parts of homes, adding plausibility to this scenario.
Bethlehem Today: Today Bethlehem is the home to over 27,000 residents. Those who live in Bethlehem are considered citizens of Palestine. Two million tourists provide 65% of the town’s wealth. Christians from all over the world travel to Bethlehem to see and experience the birthplace of Jesus Christ. The Church of the Nativity, built around AD 327, still stands in the heart of Bethlehem and is visited by thousands every year. According to extra-biblical sources, the cave under the church is the actual spot where Christ was born.
What we need to remember about the birth of Jesus is that He was born to die, so that we might live. 1 Timothy 1:15 (NIV) Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
Jesus came to save sinners, not those living under the illusion of their own righteousness. As Jesus taught, it is the sick who need a physician (Mark 2:17). Since Jesus came into the world to save sinners, this is the first necessary qualification for being a child of God – being a sinner. Sinners are not disqualified from coming to God, because Jesus came to save them. And Romans 3:23 reminds us that we are all sinners (for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God).
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). He completely fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17). He faced every temptation we face yet did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). He shared in our humanity so that by his death he might break the power of death and free us from the slavery of the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15). He willingly laid down his life, no one took it from him, and he had the authority to take it up again (John 10:18). And he took it up again when he walked out of that tomb early on a Sunday morning some 2,000 years ago (He has risen Matthew 28:6). This is the significance of Jesus’ birth, eternal life for those who are in Him. Romans 8:1-2 (NIV) Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.