Msg #2350 O Little Town of Bethlehem Ephratah

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah,... out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel …” (Micah.5:2). Ephratah means "ash-heap & place of fruitfulness" It is common in life that “out of the ashes” comes “fruitfulness.” Bethlehem picked up the name Ephratah because when Benjamin was born there, Rachel died there. “And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni (son of my sorrow): but his father called him Benjamin (son of the right hand)” (Gen.35:18). Out of ashes came fruitfulness.

Bethlehem means “house-of-bread.” Naomi left Bethlehem in a famine, and returned saying “Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me” (Ruth.1:20). But when Ruth bare a son by her Kinsman Redeemer, “the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel … and Boaz begat Obed, And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.” (Ruth.4:14,21-22). Out of ashes came fruitfulness.

A Benjaminite, Saul, looking for stiffnecked asses, was chosen to be king (note the irony), and told by Samuel, “When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s sepulchre (in Bethlehem) in the border of Benjamin” (1Sam.10:2). Saul was a dismal failure, but David, the Bethlehemite, was a man after God's own heart (1Sam.13:14, Acts.13:22), and God promised his throne would continue forever. Out of ashes came fruitfulness.

In Bethlehem, the House-of-Bread, God was made flesh and said, "I am the Bread of Life." He came to die, and there is now “one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Out of ashes came fruitfulness.

An Essay for week #50 - Dec 10, 2023

Pilgrimage to Israel Journal www.GSBaptistChurch.com/israel22

Msg in audio at www.GSBaptistChurch.com/audio/gs231210.mp3

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