Bethlehem

Come to Bethlehem, and see Him whose birth the angels sang.

In Scripture, Jesus is often addressed as Jesus of Nazareth. And this was often a barrier to His Messianic claims. Because it was said to Him in John 7:42, "Doesn't the Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David's descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?"

There's a bit of an obscure reference in the book of Ruth. And of course, Ruth is in the genealogy of Jesus. But in chapter 4, verse 11, it says:

"The elders and all the people at the gate said, 'We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.'"

On its own, you could miss this. But the woman—that's Ruth. Ruth has a child that's in the genealogy of Jesus. And somehow she would be famous in Bethlehem?

Well, because she's of the lineage of Jesus. That's where Jesus was born.

He's from the lineage of David because His parents, Joseph and Mary, are from the lineage of David. God in His miraculous power caused the Romans, just at the right time, to tax them so that they had to uproot from Nazareth and move to Bethlehem, register, and pay their taxes. And it was there that Jesus was born to fulfill all the prophecies, ancient and relevant.

Come to Bethlehem. It's in Gaza. You might not make that trip this year, but this is not just the city of David.

It's the city where Jesus Christ was born.