We don't often associate Jesus life on earth with Africa - but the scriptures record that as a baby, following his birth and subsequent visit by the Magi, - Mary, Joseph, and Jesus took an extended leave of absence to Egypt, after things settled down they skipped around Bethlehem and moved back to Nazareth.
Other than Jesus birth in Bethlehem we often skip around the other seldom told stories of Bethlehem - some of which are gruesome (ex. deathly concubine from Bethlehem Judges 19-21).
“O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see they
lie…” Though this carol is one that we
have come to adore, there is an extended biblical narrative, a prequel that we
often neglect or forget. The lowly means
to which Jesus was born in the stall of a stable and placed in a manger has
deeper roots than our contemporary nativities – a holy incubation.
Bethlehem is first mentioned in Genesis: it
was the no-name city where Rachel died and was buried as the patriarch Jacob
and his clan were passing through. What
did she die from? Giving birth to a boy
– Benjamin (the full brother of Joseph).
The book of Judges mentions Bethlehem in passing: Ibzan led Israel for 7
years – his means of authority came thru the birth & loyalty of his thirty
sons – born most likely in Bethlehem.
Also during the lengthy period of judges (before Israel had a king) the
book of Ruth records another baby boy of seemingly insignificant birth, born in
Bethlehem: Obed was the son of Ruth & Boaz. A prophetic word was spoken over this birth. “The
LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah,
which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and
be famous in Bethlehem: And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom
Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young
woman.”
So Obed stuck around Bethlehem
and another baby boy was born: Jesse.
Jesse keeping in line with family tradition had lots of sons born to him
in Bethlehem, yet again it was the youngest, and seemingly insignificant son
that gets our attention: David the shepherd boy, who would one day become the most famous King of Israel...
To be sure there are other times where
Bethlehem pops up in the Biblical Narrative, but I think it is sufficient to
say the stage was set for the prophet Micah to announce, “thou Bethlehem, in
the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of
thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.”
And so Jesus,
the son of Mary, with Joseph as his step dad, was born and incubated in Bethlehem. He came to a seemingly obscure village at the culmination of the ages. In the stillness of
our lives we may not see the incubation of what God has and is preparing for us. Trust Him.
In the culmination of our own linage and heritage He has an epic story
that we get to be a part of.
