Where Was Jesus' Birthplace?

Where the Bible tells us Jesus was born.

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It’s that time of year when you’ll hear the sweet, blaring sound of Christmas music no matter what store you enter.

Many of these songs mention Jesus - you probably also notice the word “Christ” in the word “Christmas.” Maybe I’ll write an article soon about how Christmas came to be widely celebrated as the time of Jesus’ birth - but that’s not what this article is about.

I know many people are thinking more about Jesus - especially His birth - right now. So, let’s think a little more about Jesus’ birthplace.

Did you know the Scriptures tell us where Jesus would be born?

A Prophecy About Bethlehem.

The prophet Micah prophesied about 700 years before Jesus was born. One of his prophecies from God matters quite a bit to our study of Jesus’ birthplace.

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)

This prophecy was made as the northern kingdom of Israel was about to fall to Assyria because of their rebellion against the Lord, while the southern kingdom of Judah was declining because of their unfaithfulness as well.

Amid all these wicked, failed kings, God promised to send one from Himself “to be Ruler in Israel.”

A Brief Background of Bethlehem.

Bethlehem Ephrathah was located a few miles south of Jerusalem and was David's birthplace. It was a small town situated in the fertile hillside country. You get an idea from a modern picture of Bethlehem below.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bethlehem-Nativity-215.jpg

David was a shepherd and guided his family’s sheep over these green hills (1 Samuel 16:1-12). With such abundant, fertile pasture land, raising livestock in a place like Bethlehem makes sense.

Perhaps when David wrote about lying down in green pastures as a sheep under the care of the Lord (Psalm 23:2), his mind went back to the rolling, green hills around his hometown of Bethlehem.

The Christ Would Be Born in Bethlehem.

When the wise men from the East came to Jerusalem and started asking around about the location of the “King of the Jews” - or “Ruler in Israel” - the current king, Herod, was pretty upset (Matthew 2:1-3).

He asked the chief priests and scribes - the experts in the Scripture - where Christ was supposed to be born. They replied by quoting Micah’s prophecy.

So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 'BUT YOU, BETHLEHEM, IN THE LAND OF JUDAH, ARE NOT THE LEAST AMONG THE RULERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.' " (Matthew 2:5-6)

So the Scriptures said that Christ - the Ruler in Israel - would be born in Bethlehem, and that’s what the Jewish religious experts in Jesus’ day believed.

Jesus Was Born in Bethlehem.

Joseph traveled with Mary - who was “with child” (Luke 2:5) by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20) - to Bethlehem to be registered according to the command of Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1). You had to go back to your family’s hometown to be registered for this census.

So Joseph - a descendant of David - traveled back to Bethlehem (Luke 2:4).

Jesus was born while they were in Bethlehem.

So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:6-7)

Angels came and told shepherds about the good news in the fields around Bethlehem.

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 

Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." (Luke 2:8-12)

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, just as the prophet Micah foretold some 700 years earlier. He is the “Ruler in Israel.” He is the “Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

And that is certainly “good tidings of great joy!”