The book
of Ruth is about a Moabitess who follows her Jewish mother-in-law (Naomi) back
to Israel. The city Naomi goes to is Bethlehem (Ruth 1:22), and the majority of
Ruth is set within Bethlehem’s jurisdiction. It is a beautiful book, talking
about the redemption of one of Israels’ most hated enemies (Moab), set in a
place that has a long and colorful history in the Old Testament. Bethlehem was
the same place that Rachel (Joseph and Benjamin’s mother, the favorite wife of
Jacob, aka Israel) died some thousands of years earlier (Gen 35:19). It was the
place the Lord sent the prophet Samuel to pick out a new king. As 1Samuel
declares, “The
Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected
him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am
sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
[1]
So the writer of the book of Ruth notes this about Ruth’s
son, “And
they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.” [2] Jesse is
specifically named 25 times in 1Samuel alone. Jesse is important for the same
reason Bethlehem is – it is from these unlikely origins that the Messiah will
rise. As Isaiah prophesied some 700 years before Christ, “A shoot will come
up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit
of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the
Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the
Lord— and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.”[3]
Matthew 2 begins, “After Jesus was
born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east
came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born
king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.””[4] In
these two verses, Matthew tells us where Jesus was born, what time Jesus was
born, and that the circumstances of His birth included Gentiles coming to
worship Him. Each of these is a
fulfillment of prophesy, but the most obvious is Jesus’ birthplace. Not only
because of Isaiah (quoted above), but because Micah 5:2 specifically called it out
as the birthplace of Messiah, “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.” [5]
That Jesus was born in Bethlehem is a fulfillment of prophesy. Prophesy given
by Isaiah, prophesy given by Micah. That He was born in Bethlehem was planned
by God long ago – before David, before David’s grandfather, even before Jacob
(1Pet 1:20, Acts 17:26).
That you were born, and
when you were born, and where you were born, and the manner in which you were born,
is also part of His plan!
· Worship God
through Christ the Son. You are part of
God’s great plan!
[1] The Holy Bible:
New International Version. (1984). (1 Sa 16:1). Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan.
[2] The Holy Bible:
New International Version. (1984). (Ru 4:17). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
[3] The Holy Bible:
New International Version. (1984). (Is 11:1–3). Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan.
[4] The Holy Bible:
New International Version. (1984). (Mt 2:1–2). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
[5] The Holy Bible:
New International Version. (1984). (Mic 5:2). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
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