Bethlehem: A Place of Sorrow

Published by Olivet on December 1, 2020. Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem? For many reasons as we'll see during Advent.

The Biblical History of Bethlehem

The first three times Bethlehem appears in the Bible, a tragedy occurs there. Why is this important? What does God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit want us to learn from this as we survey the Scriptures?

The following references provide the context for these occurrences as seen in the draft material:

Scripture Reference Contextual Theme
Gen. 35 Bethlehem: A Place of Sorrow
Ruth 1 Bethlehem: A Place of Sorrow
Heb. 4 Bethlehem: A Place of Sorrow

The Message of Suffering and Grace

Through these tragedies, we learn that Jesus identifies with our suffering. Exploring these passages allows us to focus on several essential biblical themes:

  • Forgiveness
  • Grace
  • Jesus Christ
  • Prayer
  • Suffering
  • Trials
  • Trust