Tag: Ruth

Christmas carols in the Scriptures – O Little Town of Bethlehem

Why is Bethlehem referred to as “little” in the Christmas carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem”? Find connection to the Scriptures and the significance of this little town.

O Little Town of Bethlehem

As I’ve become more familiar with the content of the Bible, words and phrases from Christmas carols take on new meaning as I recognize references in scripture. “O Little Town of Bethlehem” is one such carol whose lyrics speak more deeply the more I read my Bible. Let’s look at a few noteworthy observations as we seek to find significance in this song about a small town.

Christmas carol

This may not be the most well-known Christmas carol. Songs like “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” or “Silent Night” tend to top the list of a Christmas carol sing-along. “O Little Town of Bethlehem” is more likely to be a song some singers in the group know but not all. The other two songs clearly sing of the angels or nativity scene with mother and child. “O Little Town of Bethlehem” focuses on a location. What’s so important about that and why is it described as “little”?

That’s precisely what caught my attention this year as I pulled out holiday tunes to play on the piano. Let’s look at the name of this song to discover some details about its significance.

O Little Town

Why little?

This description of “little” comes from a reference in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew:

“And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
    are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
    who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.” Matthew 2:6 NLT

This is actually a reference to words of the Lord through the prophet Micah in the Old Testament:

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    are only a small village among all the people of Judah.
Yet a ruler of Israel,
    whose origins are in the distant past,
    will come from you on my behalf.” Micah 5:2 NLT

Did you notice the contrast of how these are both written? The Old Testament excerpt describes Bethlehem as “only a small village among all the people of Judah.”

Then the Lord continues to proclaim, “Yet a ruler… will come from you on my behalf.”

The New Testament passage from Matthew declares, “You, O Bethlehem… are not least among the ruling cities of Judah.”

Then continues to announce, “For a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.”

The Old Testament passage from Micah helps us understand the label “little”. But we also see that in spite of Bethlehem’s small stature, this little town was chosen for a great purpose.

Bethlehem and a ruler

This ruler, a shepherd, points forward to Jesus. The Son of God sent from the Father. Jesus the Good Shepherd. (John 10:11,14)

Bethlehem is the birthplace of the Messiah. Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem, the town of Joseph’s lineage.

“And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.” Luke 2:3-5 NIV

David, a shepherd, who also happened to be the least of his brothers. When the Lord sent Samuel to the house of a man named Jesse to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as king, no one expected the youngest son David to be chosen.

“Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, ‘The Lord has not chosen these.’ So he asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’

‘There is still the youngest,’ Jesse answered. ‘He is tending the sheep.’” 1 Samuel 16:10-11 NIV

Bethlehem and provision

In the Old Testament book of Ruth, we find another connection to Bethlehem and to David. A widow named Naomi returned to her people in Bethlehem. Accompanying her was her faithful daughter-in-law Ruth, also a widow who was from Moab.

Ruth met and married a man named Boaz, a guardian-redeemer (Ruth 2:20) whose act of redemption brought Ruth into his family and provision for the widow. From this union a woman on the outside joined the family line of Judah and became an ancestor of Jesse and of David, the shepherd who grew to be king. (Ruth 4)

From this family line came the One who would be ruler and shepherd, Jesus.

Bethlehem’s significance

Bethlehem, the place the shepherds journeyed to after a visit from an angel gave them word of the Messiah, the Savior born there. (Luke 2:8-15)

While Bethlehem may have been small, her role in history is far reaching. And who came to Bethlehem but shepherds, the outcasts of society, and a pair of widows, easily forgotten were it not for the presence of a redeemer.

And who came out of Bethlehem but a shepherd David, the youngest of his brothers, and a Savior, Christ the Lord.

What of your story? Do you see yourself with a small part to play? What greater role might God have for you that’s bigger than you imagine? Your part may be more significant than you realize. Take a cue from a small home town that birthed the greatest gift from God.

Looking for more Christmas carols?

Christmas Carols in the Scriptures – Angels We Have Heard on High

Christmas Carols in the Scriptures – O Holy Night

Christmas Carols in the Scriptures – Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Christmas Carols in the Scriptures – The First Noel

Christmas Carols in the Scriptures – O Come O Come Emmanuel

Wondering how to get started with the Bible? Here are five simple steps to get into the Bible.

A bike and the Bible – Joshua to 1 and 2 Samuel – part 8

From Joshua to 1 and 2 Samuel, familiar stories bring recognition and maybe a little comfort, much like the stretch of the bike trail that was out in daylight after the long dark tunnel.

Shared road

After 1.661 miles of darkness, I was glad to see sunlight and begin the stretch of the ride that was on a shared road. This section carried bikes, cars, and buses. A gravel road worn smooth from the weight of many tires and frequent use.

Though varied vehicles meant we had to watch for traffic in both directions, I welcomed the open expanse and chance to see something familiar.

Bigger view

Outside the entrance of the tunnel I could see the panoramic view of evergreens, blue sky, and sunshine. We were still near the start of the bike ride, but this was the first we could really see where we were going.

The next few books of the Bible – Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel – offer a similar perspective.

Joshua

Joshua, Moses’ successor, leads the Israelites as their journey continues. To recap, Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt (the Exodus) and gives his farewell speech in Deuteronomy. Joshua takes over leadership in the Book of Joshua.

The Book of Joshua includes the story of Rahab who hid the spies (chapter 2), the crossing of the Jordan River (chapter 3 and 4), and the fall of the wall at Jericho (chapter 6). These were stories I heard about at church when I was a kid. They read pretty quickly if you want to give them a look.

Rahab’s name is good to remember. Her name comes up in the New Testament in some pretty remarkable ways. (See Matthew 1:5 and Hebrews 11:31).

The Battle of Jericho is one of many battles that takes place in this action-packed book. The second half of Joshua covers the division of land among the tribes.

Before Joshua passes on, he gives a farewell warning to the people reminding them to obey God. (Joshua 23:6)

In chapter 24 the people swear they will be faithful to God, but the next book, Judges, tells a different story.

Judges

The Judges ruled or led people. The people would do things their own way, “did right in their own eyes,” until they really messed up and God sent a judge to lead them out of their predicament.

Some of the noteworthy names are Deborah (chapter 4 and 5), Gideon (chapter 6-9), and Samson (chapter 13-16). Don’t worry if you don’t recognize their names. Their stories only take a few chapters to read. Here are a couple of highlights from Gideon’s story.

Gideon

I so appreciate Gideon. God whittles down all Gideon’s resources to show God’s strength, not the strength of the Israelites. (Judges 7)

Gideon also has a few trust issues and asks God to do a lot of proving of His role in Gideon’s survival. (Judges 6:36-40)

Ruth

The Book of Ruth is a short four chapter self-contained story that packs a punch when you realize how significant Ruth’s role is in the bigger story of Jesus. (Read Ruth chapter 4, then compare Ruth 4:18-22 and Matthew 1:1-6)

1 and 2 Samuel

1 and 2 Samuel, once one long book split into parchment part one and two, 1 Samuel starts with the story of a woman longing for a child. We learn the story of Samuel from before he was born to boyhood to first job and God’s calling.

1 Samuel presents the rise and fall of Saul as king and the introduction of David who complicates the dynamics of Saul’s kingdom.

When the giant Goliath enters the scene, this adversary defines David’s popularity. David’s story comes to the forefront in the rest of 1 Samuel. His reign as king begins in 2 Samuel.

How to remember what’s in 1 and 2 Samuel?

Samuel anoints David as king. 1 and 2 Samuel contains the story of David.

In these five books of the Bible we find narratives and stories that are easy to follow and in some cases familiar. A breath of fresh air in the Old Testament murkiness.

Easier

On the bike ride we shared the road with automobile traffic and buses, as well as bikes moving in both directions. But because of all of this traffic, the road was smoother. All of that gravel had been worn down and was therefore easier to ride over.

These stories are either well-known, shorter, easier to comprehend, or to follow. We also find a few distinct references to the New Testament showing the two-way traffic between the Old and the New.

Hopefully like the bike path that opened up after the tunnel, you are finding a clearer view through the Old Testament with insights from Joshua to 1 and 2 Samuel.

Want a quick review of the first five books of the Bible, Genesis through Deuteronomy? Find it here:

A bike and the Bible – long dark tunnel – part 7