Bethlehem lies in the hill country of Judah, about ten kilometers south of Jerusalem. Small and of little political importance, its name appears in decisive episodes of biblical history.
It was there that Ruth, the Moabite, settled with her mother-in-law Naomi and married Boaz, becoming the great-grandmother of King David. It was also in Bethlehem that the young shepherd David, son of Jesse, was anointed king by Samuel, chosen by God while men still looked at outward appearance.
Centuries later, the prophet Micah announced that from there would come the eternal ruler of Israel, whose origins were from ancient times. The prophecy was fulfilled when Joseph and Mary, compelled by a Roman census, traveled to Bethlehem, and there Jesus was born, wrapped in cloths and laid in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.
Shepherds in the fields nearby were the first to hear the angels’ announcement, and wise men from the east crossed a great distance to worship the child as king. Bethlehem shows that God tends to choose small and forgotten places to accomplish his greatest purposes.
