Bethlehem was well known as the hometown of David, Israel’s greatest king, yet it was never a great or influential city. It was truly little among the thousands of Judah. Yet God chose it as the birthplace of the Messiah, the Ruler in Israel. What lessons can we learn from this?
In the Old Testament we read this prophecy in Micah 5:2, “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.” What does this prophecy reveal about Jesus?
Additional scriptures referenced include Genesis 35:16, 19; Genesis 48:7; Ruth 1:1, 16–19, 22; Ruth 2:4; Ruth 4:11, 13, 17–22; 1 Samuel 17:12; 1 Samuel 16:1-13; 1 Samuel 17:15; Luke 2:4,11; Jeremiah 41:17; Ezra 2:21; Nehemiah 7:26; Matthew 2:5-6; Revelation 22:13; John 17:5, 24; Luke 1:31; Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:1-3; Genesis 16:7-13; Genesis 18; Genesis 32:24-32; Joshua 5:13-15; Judges 6:11-24; Judges 13:8-24; and Daniel 3.
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