born in Bethlehem

Born at Bethlehem

 

One of the prophecies fortelling the coming of Jesus is that of the birthplace of Jesus.

This is probably one of the most well-known prophecies of all time, even though people may not realize that Jesus’s birthplace is a matter of prophecy. We remember it through hymns such as “O Little Town of Bethlehem”.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem due to a census that required that Joseph, the guardian or foster-father of the family to travel to Bethlehem for the census.   Jesus as miraculously conceived within the virgin Mary by God, so Jesus could by pass the sin nature passed down from Adam and accomplish the work of redemption.  However, Joseph was the legal guardian, husband, and foster-father of Jesus by marriage.  But he was not the father.

By whom and when was this birth place prophesied? It was prophesied by Micah. Who was Micah and when did he live? Micah is called one of the twelve minor prophets, meaning his writings compose one of the twelve smaller books of prophecy found towards the end of the Old Testament. Micah lived approximately 737 to 696 BC. He was a contemporary of the prophet Isaiah, as well as two other prophets, Amos and Hosea.   Minor prophets refer to the fact that their books are shorter in length than those of the major prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel who all wrote longer books.

His prophecy concerning the birthplace of Jesus is this:

Micah 5:2  Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Micah’s prophesy was fulfilled in the New Testament.

Matthew 2:6  And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

 

If you have ever watched a movie dramatizing the birth of Christ, you will see King Herod questioning advisers as to the prophetic scripture regarding Jesus.  King Herod learned that Jesus might be a threat his throne and therefore subsequently killed all children two years old and under.  However, Jesus was saved because Joseph had been warned to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt for protection for a season until Herd was dead.

The long-awaited Messiah would be born at Bethlehem. It would be Jesus, who would be heralded by angels singing, shepherds visiting, and later, Wise Men bringing gifts.

This is why the study of Messianic prophecies is important.  It is remarkable that about 737 years before Jesus came, Micah prophesied where He would be born. What is even more remarkable is that there are 353 prophecies referring to Jesus.

Some of the 353 prophecies have already come to pass, and some are in the process of fulfillment. ForTo example, Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

A chairman of mathematics and astronomy once calculated the probability of just 8 prophecies coming to pass.   “That probability is 1in 1017 or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.”  Source

But there are far more prophecies about Jesus.at People play state lottos hoping to match a few numbers for a monetary prize.

In the case of Jesus, the numbers already match, the prize he won is offered to mankind.  There is only one who matches all the prophecies and that is Jesus Christ.  The prize that he won for the price he paid of his life fulfilling the prophecies is the prize of everlasting life for those who believe.

This is why the life of Christ and the message of Christ must be taken seriously.  The odds are so astronomically impossible, that only God can fulfill them, which He did in the person of Jesus Christ.  And if one person fulfilled those odds, which Jesus did, then he must be taken seriously and not discounted.

If you “believe the science” or “believe the math” or “believe in probability” then the message of Jesus Christ must be taken seriously.

Jesus was sent at his birth on a mission which he fulfilled with his life, death, burial and resurrection.  All who believe may inherit everlasting life instead of everlasting death.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

 

Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)

7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)

8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

 

 


A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.

Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
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What is Revelation Knowledge?

Jesus and Nicodemus

Revelation knowledge is knowledge that is not apparent to the senses.  You cannot learn revelation knowledge by interaction with the natural world through the five senses:  sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing.

The gospel, the message of Jesus Christ, is revelation knowledge.

Revelation knowledge is the knowledge that God has given in the Bible.  This knowledge was given to holy men who spent time with God, who listened to God, and who were able to communicate messages from God.

II Peter 1:21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

 

For example, Moses was on Mt. Sinai for 40 days and nights when he received the Ten Commandments.

Exodus 24:16 And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

17 And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

 

David who slew Goliath, King David, was another man who sought the Lord. It is notable that when David makes reference to himself, he doesn’t give as credentials, or as we might say today, doesn’t give as his brand, that he killed Goliath, or that that he was King of Israel. Instead he makes reference to his worship of God…the sweet psalmist of Israel.  

II Samuel 23:1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,

 

Another example is Jesus.  Jesus would withdraw from the crowds to pray.

Luke 5:15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

 

There are other examples in the Bible that could be cited as well.

Born out of relationships with God, revelation messages were given to the world.

We would not know the significance of a baby born in Bethlehem, who grew up to teach and heal and later, being innocent, finally be betrayed, scourged, die on a cross in a death that would offer redemption to all who would receive it, and then resurrect from the dead… we would not understand that message without revelation knowledge.

Prophetic revelation knowledge helps us “connect the dots”.

Revelation knowledge from God is dealing with things unseen.  The Bible deals with the things of eternity.

The fact that all knowledge cannot be understand through mental study only is brought out with Jesus’s conversation with Nicodemus.  Nicodemus was highly trained as far as the Jewish scriptures and his mind could take him.  Yet, he still had trouble grasping what Jesus was saying.

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.


A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.

Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
Continue Reading