O Little Town of Bethlehem
Greenbrier Care Group
O Little Town of Bethlehem Lesson
O Little Town of Bethlehem. Bethlehem was small. It is estimated that at the time of Jesus’ birth, Bethlehem had a population of between 2,000 to 3,000 people. The size of Ridgetop or Chapmansboro. Smaller than Pleasant View. Yet Bethlehem is mentioned 49 times in my NIV translation of the Bible. Here are some of the significant events that happen in Bethlehem:
Genesis 35:19 Rachel dies, and Jacob buries her “beside the road to Ephrath” (that is Bethlehem)
Judges 12:8 The ninth judge of Israel, “ Ibzan of Bethlehem” led God’s people for seven years.
Ruth 1-4 Elimelech and Naomi and their two sons were “Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah” They left Bethlehem for Moab and then Naomi returns to Bethlehem with only her Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth. Ruth gathers grain in the ‘House of Bread’ and marries Naomi’s kinsman redeemer, Boaz, also from Bethlehem.
I Samuel 16:1 The Lord sends Samuel to Bethlehem, to the house of Jesse, to anoint the great king David.
Micah 5:2 The prophecy of Micah:
“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.
Luke 2: 11-15 The angels announce the Savior’s birth, “in the town of David” and the shepherds said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’”
Matthew 2:16 Herod gives orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem 2 years old and under in an attempt to secure his family’s kingship.
Bethlehem is translated, ‘bethleem’ which means “house of bread.” Bread was, and still is today, a staple in almost every diet in the world. It is fitting that Jesus in John 6:35 says, “I am the bread of life.” The Savior, who provides perfect spiritual sustenance, was born and became Immanuel in the ‘House of Bread.’
- How long could you live on only bread and water? (a long time!)
- When the Israelites wandered for 40 years in the desert, what did God provide to keep them alive?
- What does Jesus mean when he says, “I am the bread of life”?
Here are some things to do as a family to help you remember the meaning of Bethlehem and to reflect on Jesus: “the Bread of Life.”
*Decorate a gingerbread house to look like Bethlehem.
*Bake some monkey bread, cinnamon rolls, cookies, or any kind of bread to share with friends, neighbors, the mailman, etc. You can include a card with one of the scriptures about Bethlehem.
Here is a link for a simple Monkey Bread recipe: https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a10982/monkey-bread/