The little town of Bethlehem was important long before the birth of our Savior. This is the very town where King David was born. Although it was never a city of political or military importance, God has shown it immense favor. Those familiar with the prophets would have known that a ruler was coming from Bethlehem, and it would hopefully be the one who would conquer the world and set Israel free.
Yet, as always, no one expected God to fulfill this prophecy in the way He did.
Christ in the Old Testament
But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
His times of coming forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity.” (Micah 5:2)
In a culture where it’s assumed that a ruler would come from a strong or prosperous city, Bethlehem would never seem like the place to look for a king. Yet God gives a prophecy through Micah that this town would be the future home of a leader who would be unlike anything the world had seen. This ruler would be born in Bethlehem, but He wouldn’t begin there. That’s because this ruler would be eternal, who has existed since time began.
It took several centuries, but God never forgot His plan for Bethlehem.
Fulfilled in the New Testament
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 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.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;
For from you will come forth a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:1-6)
The importance of this prophecy is clear from Herod’s reaction. Whether or not He believed in God or the Messiah, he was aware that his authority was in danger from the child these magi were seeking. This wasn’t some vague prophecy that anyone could fulfill – if Christ was truly the Messiah, He would be in line with this very specific prophecy and be born in Bethlehem.
Everything leading up to Christ’s birth shows that God isn’t just a fortune teller, but the sovereign God of the universe. Most of Israel may have forgotten or refused to believe the truth of Micah’s prophecy. Herod tried to use all his power to stop God’s plans from playing out. Yet God doesn’t depend on our faithfulness for His plans, nor can we do anything to stop them. If God declares it, we can trust that it will happen in His perfect timing.
Even the reason for Joseph and Mary being in Bethlehem at this time shows the hand of God. After all, this family was actually traveling to Joseph’s home city to take party in a census. Had Caesar Augustus not required the census, Joseph and Mary would likely have been responsible parents and stayed in Nazareth until the birth of their child. Yet we can see God’s hand moving behind the scenes, putting the Messiah exactly where He needed to be at just the right time.
This God who fulfilled His promise of Christ’s birth is the same one who promises us salvation through that same Christ. Despite His birth seeming impossible, God effortlessly kept His word. Likewise, the salvation of such a rebellious and sin-loving group of people may seem impossible, especially since God doesn’t demand any effort on our part to fulfill His plans.
However, we can fully trust Christ for our salvation specifically because it’s left up to the almighty God of the universe to make it so. Saving ourselves is impossible. Only God is able to take His enemies, pay the debt for their lifetime of crimes, and make them His children.
As the objects of His grace and mercy, we can rest in the knowledge that all the work for our salvation was done on the cross. If the God who arranged all of history to put Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem has declared us free, then we are free indeed.
