Birthplace of Jesus

QUESTION: Was the birth place of Jesus significant?

ANSWER:

The birth place of Jesus is the fulfillment of just one of the many prophesies concerning the coming Messiah that were fulfilled during the first advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. We find the prophecy concerning the birth place of Jesus in the book of Micah. "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" (Micah 5:2). The fulfillment of this prophecy is found in the gospel of Luke. "In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. 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. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:1-7).

Therefore, the name of the birth place of Jesus is Bethlehem. The word means "house of bread." The city over looks the main highway to Hebron and Egypt and is still a city today .

Another significant thing about the birth place of Jesus is the very interesting fact that King David was also born in Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16:1) and therefore Bethlehem is known as the "city of David." Jesus' earthly mother and her husband were also of the royal linage of David and so it is to this city that they return to be counted and of course "when the time had fully come" (Galatians 4:4), Jesus was born. Is it not proof of the wonderful sovereignty and the completeness of the plan and purpose of God that the One who was born to occupy the throne of David, the Lord Jesus Christ, was born of the line of David in the very same city as was David himself? Therefore, what we have in Micah's prophecy about the birth place of Jesus, the Messiah, is a prophecy that can be applied to David who became the king of Israel and then also applied to the birth of Jesus Christ, "David's Son" (Luke 20:41-44).

Isaiah 9:6-7 says, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase 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" (Isaiah 9:6-7).