Heaven in a Crude Stable at Bethlehem………

Heaven in a Crude Stable at Bethlehem………

Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus is one of the centre figures in the Christmas narrations and nativity plays. God in human form touched the earth at a particular geographical location at Bethlehem. The fertile wheat fields that once surrounded the town gave Bethlehem its name, "House of Bread." God’s redemptive journey through Jesus Christ began here.

A Brief History In times past, Bethlehem was also called Ephrathah or Bethlehem-Judah. It was first mentioned in Genesis 35, as the burial site of Rachel, Jacob’s favoured wife. The story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz from the book of Ruth is set primarily around the town of Bethlehem. King David, the great-grandson of Ruth and Boaz was born and raised in Bethlehem. The village became his family home and this may be part of the reason why the prophet Micah says that a new king would one day come from Bethlehem to lead the Jewish people. By the time of Jesus’ birth, Bethlehem had declined in significance to a small village. Three gospel accounts (Matthew 2:1–12, Luke 2:4–20, and John 7:42) report that Jesus was born in the humble town of Bethlehem.

Divine Interventions at Bethlehem

1. A King from Margins - Bethlehem witnessed the enthronement of a small shepherded boy (David) who was in margins with sheep (1 Sam 16:1-13). God has chosen a neglected, rejected, or ignored boy towards the Kingship. When human beings search for great persons towards great responsibilities, God appoints weak, rejected, side-lined people who were loyal and faithful to God and fellow beings.

2. Royal Family from a Nomadic Family - Bethlehem portrays a great history of the settlement of a nomadic family. Book of Ruth portrays about a family who lost everything and later settled in Bethlehem and God elevated them towards a family from where David, a great king, musician born.  Bethlehem talks about how God can intervene in the lives of the common people so that they can be the protectors of life.

3. Struggle of the Messiah in Utero - A poor husband and wife was searching for a place to give birth to the Messiah who was in Utero. Joseph, a poor carpenter pleading to everyone so that his wife will have a decent place to give birth to the Messiah in Utero. Bethlehem describes the stories of the struggles of a family who took a divine responsibility and also it foretells about the very nature of the life of God’s own son’s life and struggle.

4. A place of Heavenly Worship - Bethlehem became a worship place after the birth of Jesus. Shepherds, wise men, heavenly hosts worshipped the Messiah in a crude stable. The sacredness of this earth revealed through the birth of Jesus in a small village called Bethlehem.

Lowliness is the quality God seeks, not power, strength and Money….

God’s eschatological reversal order continues even today…….

“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world…..” (1 Corinthians 1: 27, 28)