Advent- December 16

Listen: O Little Town of Bethlehem

About seven hundred years before Jesus was born, the Prophet Micah prophecied where Jesus would be born- the town of Bethlehem. The Gospel of Luke tells us how this prophecy was fulfilled:

“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David…” Luke 2:1-4

Adults:

Luke 2:8-11 tells us the story of angels visiting some shepherds in a country field and announcing, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

After the heavenly hosts left, the Shepherds seemed to know exactly where to find this Babe, “Let us go to Bethlehem…” How did they know exactly where to go?

Because of the prophecies in scripture, they knew where to find Him. “And you, O tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, To you shall it come, Even the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.” Micah 4:8

The “tower of the flock” was known as Migdal Eadar (mentioned in Gen 35:21), a military tower at the edge of Bethlehem used to protect the city from enemies. It was also where ewes from a very special flock were brought to give birth- the lambs which would be used for temple sacrifices.

These particular shepherds were no ordinary shepherds. They were the shepherds specially trained to care for these newborn lambs. Because the lambs would one day be used for sacrifices in the temple, they knew these lambs could have no blemish, no injury or defect. The shepherds would care for them, wrap them in swaddling cloths and lay them in cribs called yatnh phatne- or “mangers".”

Because of Micah’s prophecy, the shepherds understood that the Messiah would be announced from Migdal Eder. Although the angels only announced that the Babe would be wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, there was no other explanation needed for the shepherds.

Jesus, the “Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world,” was born as the final sacrificial lamb in the very place where He must be born. Just as Peter declared that our redemption was paid for by the “precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot… Christ, our Passover lamb is sacrificed for us!”

Behold, our lamb… Jesus is the One who ushered in the Kingdom of Heaven in the city of Bethlehem.