Where Was Jesus Born? – Glorify Blog

It’s that time of year when we love to get caught up in the magic of Christmas again. This is an opportunity to relive the story of Jesus’ life through the Gospels, plays, and movies that give us a true picture of His life while He was alive. But where was Jesus really born?

Well, the Bible says that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in present-day Palestine. Luke 2:1-7 explains that Joseph went from Nazareth to Bethlehem because he belonged to the house and line of David. He had to return to his birthplace, the City of David, to register for the census, and while he and his wife Mary were there, “she gave birth to their first son.”

The Prophecy of Bethlehem

Matthew 2:1-2 also tells us that “Jesus was born in Bethlehem.” The account in Matthew chapter 2 goes on to explain how the Magi saw the star in the East and came to worship the King of the Jews. They told King Herod of Micah’s prophecy:

“And you, Bethlehem… though you are small… from you will come a man who will rule over Israel.” Micah 5:2

After King Herod heard the prophecy, he ordered all the boys to be killed. He must have seen the promise and appearance of this infant king threatening.

John 7:42 confirms these accounts by repeating the promise from Micah; “Didn’t the Bible say that the Messiah would come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the city where David lived?”

Was Jesus Born In A Cave, A Barn Or In A House?

The Gospels tell us that after Jesus was born, Mary “wrapped him in a towel and laid him in a manger, for there was no room for two.” (Luke 2:7)

The Gospels do not tell us where Jesus was born, but we do know that Bethlehem will be very busy as crowds return to the city of their birth to investigate. Roman population. We also know there is no living room for them. Mary and Joseph may have tried to stay with the family that didn’t have a spare room. This is probably more likely than they are trying to find a motel room as we often imagine.

What is a lawn trough?

The passage in Luke says that Mary put Him in a manger. A manger is a feeder for animals that can be made of wood or stone. From this, we can infer that Mary and Joseph were in the stables or section of the animal house, usually the ground floor, with the family living upstairs. Jesus will be wrapped in a towel and placed in a manger, lined with hay.

We will never know the exact details of Jesus’ birth, but we do know that it was a humble and simple appearance. And what a mysterious way for the King of heaven to come to earth.

Bethlehem today

Today, the small town of Bethlehem is home to 25,000 residents and attracts about two million visitors a year. The Church of the Nativity marks the place where Jesus is said to have been born. Some say that Jesus was born in a cave that was supposed to be used as a shelter for animals. In AD 335, Emperor Constantine agreed that the site should be turned into a holy place and today pPeople consider it to be one of the holiest sites in the Christian faith.

His birth was foretold

What’s surprising is that none of this is random. When we zoom out and examine the Bible as a whole, we can see the pattern emerging. We can see prophecies coming together to paint a story of God loving His world and restoring all things.

Speaking of Biblical patterns, have you seen the Bible Infographic? It represents the Bible graphically and visually displays the intricacies of prophecies and their fulfillment. It was a fascinating read.

I like the passage in Luke 24 that describes Jesus walking along the road with two disciples after He died on the cross. They were discouraged, thinking that all their hopes were going nowhere, but Jesus explained to them how all Scripture must be fulfilled in this way; “Didn’t the Messiah have to endure these things before entering into His glory?” Later, when He disappeared among them and they finally realized who He was, they said, “Isn’t our hearts burning when He talked to us on the road and explained the Bible to us?”

It’s all in God’s plan. In His humble beginnings, even until His death on the cross, we see the hand of God weaving it all together.

Light of the world

Although there have been many prophecies that foretold the birth of Jesus, it is still surprising. Who would have really thought that the King of all creation would be born in a manger?

But what really happened on that wonderful holy night was that God came down to be with us on Earth. He took on the flesh and walked among us. What a time to be alive.

The angel told Mary that she would have a son and that His name would be called “Immanuel,” which means “God with us” (Matt. 1:23).

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the Father’s only begotten Son, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

Jesus came to be with us. That’s what happened in Bethlehem.

Good News For Us Today

So what can we learn from this story? That for God, there are no small beginnings. That no matter how humble our beginnings, He is weaving it all into a plan. That Jesus is still the light of the world, just as He always has been. The nations are still coming to His light:

“Nations will come to your light, and kings with your dawn light. Isaiah 60:3

The plan of redemption that God worked on that holy night continues to this day.

Lord Jesus, you are the dawn, you are the eternal hope. Thank You that You are the light of life and in You there is no darkness. Amen.

Have you seen our other Christmas blogs here? Or why not download the Glorify App for a helpful Bible reading and meditation plan.

Juli Kosolapova’s photo on Unsplash