The Nativity Church: The traditionally accepted birthplace of Jesus is in a grotto located under the Nativity Church. A grotto or cave is probable because stables were usually on the ground
floor or underneath the inn rooms or underneath rooms for a family. Luke uses the Greek term, "Katalima" which means the guest chamber of a family estate, (he uses the word again as the "upper room"
for Jesus’ last earthly supper). Three Christian churches, the Greek Orthodox, Armenian, and Catholic, hold separate services here and maintain a of birth. The three churches rotate their rights in
using the grotto. Each church’s priests, in turn, bring their own decorative accouterments, adornments, carpets, and curtains to be used during their particular mass or service. After that they must
remove all of their items, relinquishing the temporary ownership during their mass to the next religious group.
Skyline Has Changed: Opposite or close to every Christian church in this Holy Land is a Moslem ; and Bethlehem’s Manger Square is no
exception. Also, across the street are the local municipality offices and souvenir shops. New television antennas stretch up from the aged housetops. The skyline surely is a contrast to what the
village of Bethlehem must have looked like twenty centuries ago. Let’s turn back to that time.
Ruth and Naomi in Bethlehem: Around Bethlehem are numerous hills still grazed by sheep and goats. In the spring, the small fields, supported
by terraces, are planted with wheat or barley. It was to these hills that the widows returned from Moab. Ruth gathered after the reapers; her good fortune was to come to the fields of Boaz, who was a
relative of Naomi’s late husband, Elimelech. ". . . So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess . . . and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest." (Ruth 1:3-22) That is
the spring season when Israelites remember being delivered from bondage, the time of Passover.
The Royal Line: Ruth married Boaz and had a son named Obed. Obed had a who tended flocks and crops in these same hills. It is still the
Middle-East custom for the husband’s family to care for the late husband’s widowed wife. What Boaz did was culturally proper, and it certainly blossomed into a sweet love story. A genetic line begins
as he marries Ruth, a foreign convert, and that set the stage for a line of kings. "So Boaz took Ruth . . . and she bare a son. . . . and they called his name Obed: He is the father of
Jesse, the father of David." (Ruth 4:13, 16-17) In obscurity, in his childhood, he was ordained the king of Israel. Yet he continued to be a shepherd; surely he was a good shepherd. Born at
Bethlehem he was promised by God that his seed would bring the King of Kings, the Messiah – also to be known as the Good Shepherd.
Jews Await a Latter-day David: That ancient David proved himself politically, militarily, and spiritually. In spite of his sinfulness later in
his life, Israelis still sing about the old David, King of Israel, awaiting a new Davidic descendant. Virtually every Bar Mitzvah celebration is enhanced by singing to the Jewish lad being honored. He
is treated as an expected David, one that should come in latter-days, out of obscurity, to reestablish a righteous kingdom. Christians feel that the Davidic prophecies were fulfilled with the coming
of Jesus of Nazareth. But the earthly Davidic Kingdom did not happen. "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace . . ." (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Latter-day David: In considering the words of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Hosea, the Jewish expectation of a latter-day (earthly) David seems to
include a person similar to the ancient David in addition to the (heavenly) Davidic Messiah, the King of Kings. He may also come out of obscurity. ". . . they shall serve the Lord their God, and
David their king, whom I will raise up unto them." (Jeremiah 30:9) ". . . I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it."
(Ezekiel 34:24) "Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days." (Hosea
3:5) If ancient events are any kind of pattern for the future, the latter-day David may be like the ancient David. He probably will prove himself politically, militarily, and spiritually. The
people may then want to proclaim him a king. Although honored as a prince or a noble person, he will introduce and bear witness of the King of Kings, the one who came in the meridian of time and will
return in the latter-days.
Jesus Born on Passover: A simple story that comes out of obscurity is the introduction of the Davidic descendant, the King of Kings. It was
Passover. According to the biblical calendar, Passover always occurs on the first full moon after the first day of spring. By the way, April 6, 1830 is the date the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints was organized. It was also the first full moon after the first day of spring. It was Passover. The Deliverer was born as Israel celebrated the deliverance from Egypt as well as the
expectation of an even greater deliverance. The two deliverances are linked by a journey of time through two millennia.
Most Don’t Even Know of Him: Although most of the six million inhabitants of this little land of Israel do not even know anything about the
Deliverer, I am grateful that I do. Some of my neighbors are shepherds, possibly descendants of ancient shepherds. My family and I have shared their happiness when their babies were born, as naturally
as the baby lambs are born.
Jesus’ Youth at Nazareth, Carpentry or Working with Stone? Jesus’ youth was spent in Nazareth, an obscure town in the region of Galilee. Today
it is a busy twin city of Arabs and Jews. The "Old City" is one of the largest Arab communities in Israel. About twelve hundred feet above sea level and halfway between the Mediterranean and the
waters of Galilee, this out-of-the-way town became the childhood home of Jesus. His upbringing surely included learning the tasks and crafts of his environment. Although western language Bibles refer
to Mary’s husband, Joseph, as a carpenter, the Greek Bible calls him a craftsman. The industry of Nazareth was, and still is, the regional rock quarry. Jesus surely could have worked in the stone
trade. Interestingly, Jehovah in Hebrew, is also called the "Rock of Salvation." "Jehovah Saves" was pronounced "Yehoshua" and later as "Jesus." "The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my .
. . salvation . . . my savior . . ." (2 Samuel 22:3)
Jesus, the Lawgiver: Although it is popular to consider Jesus as a carpenter, He also studied the Law of Moses. In fact, he was considered a
rabbi, one schooled in the law. At twelve years of age he was in the temple – with the lawyers -- answering and asking questions. Was this an apprentice craftsman or an apprentice lawyer becoming a
"son of the law" (Bar Mitzvah in Aramaic)? Nowadays, someone schooled in the law is called a lawyer. Jesus was the lawgiver, our advocate with the Father. "For the Lord is our judge, the
Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us." (Isaiah 33:22)
Bar Mitzvah: An added thought about Jesus’ youth includes his experience at the Temple. It is suggested that Jesus was there at the age of
twelve to become a "Son of the Law." That expression in Aramaic is "Bar Mitzvah," which usually happens at the end of the twelfth year, usually at his thirteenth birthday. In some Jewish circles, a
boy may become a Bar Mitzvah one year earlier if he has no father. Jesus had no earthly father. Gently, bringing them beyond the present, He reminded His parents of His eternal mission. ". . . I
must be about my Father's business." (Luke 2:49)