Little Town That Became Birthplace to Something Great

We’ve heard it said that big things often come in small packages. This time of year, that could refer to a towering inflatable Santa Claus for the front lawn, a cute little puppy that will grow into a humongous Labradoodle, or an engagement ring that leads to a marriage and five kids. And who can forget that from little acorns great oak trees grow?

However, for the true essence of Christmas, there’s nothing bigger to have come out of a small package than the quiet, obscure village in Israel called Bethlehem where 2,000 years ago a baby was born who grew up to become the Savior of the world.

 

Back then, for those who studied and analyzed biblical prophesies, Bethlehem becoming the birthplace for the promised Messiah wasn’t a total surprise. After all, this had been foreseen in an Old Testament book: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2).

 

And when wise men from the East arrived at the doorstep of a tiny house in Bethlehem where Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus were still residing, they had determined their destination and timed their arrival in part because of what the prophet Micah had written. The fact that this long-awaited fulfillment of prophecy didn’t experience His nascent moments in a large metropolis, such as Jerusalem, didn’t seem to bother them in the slightest.

Frequently we hear of a legendary athlete who was raised in some humble hamlet, or a celebrated starlet who spent her youth in a nondescript town. But in all of human history, there never was any to compare with Immanuel – “God with us” (Matthew 1:23) – who was given the earthly name of Jesus, or in. the Hebrew, Y'shua. 

 

He grew up not only to become an unparalleled teacher and role model, healer and miracle worker, but also to perform the most selfless act of all time: “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

 

Singing the beloved little carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem, inspires visions of a small stable sheltering a young couple holding an infant swaddled in cloths that had been intended to protect sacrificial lambs, and some curious visitors – shepherds, barnyard animals, and perhaps a multitude of angels staying out of sight. But there was no press corps to cover the event. CNN, Fox News and the networks weren’t even figments of someone’s wild imaginations. Was this a miscalculation by God?

 

It was no mistake in the least. It was the perfect plan of the Creator God, desiring to rescue – redeem – His people from having to pay a price they could never pay. As Philippians 2:7-8 declares, “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!”

 

Jesus’ incomparable, yet hardly noticed birth became the pivot point for all of humanity. He came not only to die in our place, but also to live in human form so that He, more than anyone else, would be able to say when we pray and share with Him our pain, struggles, adversities and fears, “I understand.” As we’re told in Hebrews 4:15-16,

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way – just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

And that is why we can all remember a quaint little town and say, with one accord, “Merry Christmas!”