A LAMB BORN IN BETHLEHEM: Who were the shepherds of Bethlehem that greeted Jesus at the time of his birth? What were the lambs born in Bethlehem used for? When was the Lamb of God really born? The full article below provides astonishing background information of these things.
The birth of the Messiah was foretold to take place in Bethlehem by the prophet Micah:
Micah 5:2
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”
At one time during his ministry, the Pharisees refused to believe Jesus was their Messiah because they knew the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, and they – in their ignorance – said he came from Nazareth.
John 7:41-43 Some were saying, “This is the Christ.” Others were saying, “Surely the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So a division occurred in the crowd because of Him.
It should strike us as a miracle that God arranged for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem, thus fulfilling the prophetic scriptures, despite the fact Mary and Joseph did not live there.
Bethlehem was a small Jewish town 6 miles from Jerusalem. The name Bethlehem (Beit Lechem) means ‘House of Bread’, and this is where the Living Bread was born. “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” (John 6:51)
According to many articles on the Internet right now, there was another less-known miracle at the birth of Jesus, because he was shown to be the lamb who was ultimately to be offered as the sin-sacrifice for all.
That story is given, in one version, at the page below:
Disclaimer: I am pleased to share this story as is, but I have not been able to find or provide verifiable historic proof of the facts of the story outside internet sources.
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