Micah 5:2 (NIV)
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”
“O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie…”
When Rev. Phillips Brooks penned these opening words to his familiar Christmas carol in 1865, Bethlehem was still a “little town.” Today, however, it boast a population of almost 30,000 people. Under the control of the Palestinian Authority, Bethlehem lies within the West Bank, about 6 miles south of Jerusalem.
Modern day Bethlehem is an interesting mixture of Muslim and Christian cultures. Though the populous is predominantly Muslim, there are still a large number of Arab Christians who call Bethlehem home. Many Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches, as well as mosques and other historic sites, attract Jewish, Muslim, and Christian tourists alike. All of these factors would seem to make Bethlehem a very inclusive city. Yet the tall wall that defines it’s eastern border, separating Israeli and Palestinian territories, speaks of healing yet to be accomplished.
Bethlehem means “City of Bread” in Hebrew. During the days of Ruth and Boaz, that name was quite appropriate, as most of their love story takes place during the wheat and barley harvests in Bethlehem. Ruth is from Moab. She is a Gentile. She comes to Bethlehem as a widow and foreigner, willing to devote her life to care for her dear mother-in-law, the Jewess Naomi. She chooses to follow Yahweh, the God of the Israelites. And though she enters Bethlehem poor and empty, her joy is full to over-flowing by the end of her story, having an abundance of food, a good husband, and a son. She has hope and a future. And she is “grafted” into the people of Israel. Amazingly, she is honored to actually become an ancestor of the Lord Jesus.
Centuries later, Jesus is born in Bethlehem, just as the prophet Micah foretold. He came for all people, both Jew and Gentile. And He called Himself the “Bread of Life.”
John 6:35 (NIV) Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
Jesus is declaring this several days after miraculously feeding the 5000. The people following Jesus keep asking Him to prove He is the Messiah by giving them more bread. But He has already proven to them that He can meet their physical needs. He wants them to take notice of their poverty of spirit. They have spiritual needs, too, that they are neglecting. And He is the source for meeting their spiritual needs, as well.
Consider who He is. He is their Creator. And at creation, it says in Genesis 2:7 (KJV) that “the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground…” He made man’s physical being. And then it says He “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Contrary to what some modern scientists may say, we human beings are more than just physical beings made up of molecules and atoms and DNA. We also have a spirit, a soul, which is our life. And the source of our soul is the “breath of life” from God.
Our soul needs nourishment just as much as our physical body needs nourishment. No wonder children fail to thrive if they do not have the loving and caring support and interaction they need from their mother or caregiver. You can meet a child’s every physical need, but if you do not give them love and attention and mental stimulation and interaction, they will not develop as they should.
Here is Jesus, the Creator and source for meeting our spiritual needs, saying: “I am the Bread of Life,” the nourishment that feeds your soul. He has a never ending supply of everything your soul needs to thrive and grow.
It is as though Jesus is saying: Wake up! Pay attention! Your soul has needs, too. Nourish it well. Don’t feed your soul on junk food, temporary pleasures to dull your senses and forget the emptiness inside. Come to me, all people, Jew or Gentile, and find nourishment for your soul, and your soul will never hunger or thirst again.
How do we come to Him? We come to Him through prayer. Talk to God. We come to Him through the Word of Life, by reading His words in the Scriptures, the Bible. And then, we put into practice what He says. That’s how we grow. You eat food and drink water each day for your physical body. You need to nourish and feed your soul daily, as well.
John 6:45 (NIV) “It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.” John 6:33 (WEB) “For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”
This Christmas season, when you think of the little town of Bethlehem, the City of Bread, remember Jesus is the Bread of Life, and commit to nourishing your soul on Him.
Isaiah 54:13 (NIV) “All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.”
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