When you hear the song "Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem" during this Christmas season, pay special attention because that little village was the community in which Jesus' family of origin lived. Situated on top of a green hill, the people who lived there could look across a fertile valley and see the Dead Sea and, in the distance, the hills beyond. It was in a field near Bethlehem that Jesus' ancestor, Boaz, carefully courted the beautiful Ruth, until she managed to get him to arrange for their marriage. (see The Book Of Ruth in the Old Testament).
In the vicinity of Bethlehem, David, a great grandson of Boaz and Ruth, guarded a flock of his father's sheep and kept them safe from wild animals such as bears and lions that were native to Israel at that time. In the fields near Bethlehem David practiced using the sling shot with which he later killed the giant Goliath with a single stone. Because young David grew up in this little town and was anointed king of Israel it was called the city of David.
After many generations had passed a descendent of King David was born into an humble family and was named Jesus.
On the night of Jesus' birth shepherd's were guarding their sheep in a field just outside of Bethlehem when ...but let's let the historian Luke describe what happened next:
"And, Lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men.
Luke 2:9-14 KJV The Bible
This was the great event foretold by the prophets and hoped for by the Hebrew people for many centuries. Micah wrote, "Bethlehem, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come ... one who will be ruler over Israel. Micah 5:2 NIV The Bible. After many years of suffering under foreign rule the Jew's fantasy was that the Messiah would be a mighty military and political leader who would deliver them from oppression and give them freedom.
The Jews were in no frame of mind to accept a Messiah of humble origins who taught that his disciples must bring peace on earth through their love for all humankind; even for those who might despise them and count them enemies. Still, there were always a minority who felt sure the Messiah would have the wisdom to establish a kingdom in which peace and joy would flourish.
After Napoleon's defeat and banishment he is said to have observed, "I built my government upon war and bloodshed and it has ended. Jesus Christ built his kingdom on love and it still stands." Political power and military might cannot achieve the kind of peace on earth the angels proclaimed that night in the field near Bethlehem. The heavenly messengers did, however, give us the answer. The remedy for mankind's spiritual problem was given in the form of a tiny baby who became a man and showed us the way. The field of dreams have not faded; they come alive in each of our lives each day to the degree that we practice our love for God and for one another.
©Copyright 1998 Dr. Stanley Watson and VideComp, Inc.
Other columns by Dr.
Watson...
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace..." Isaiah 52:7.