"Oh Little Town of Bethlehem" is a well known Christmas hymn. The name of the town, Bethlehem, actually means "House of Bread" in the original Hebrew.
Bread is a part of nearly every culture. Most have a signature bread. There are different breads mentioned throughout the Bible. God provided the Israelites manna - a daily bread from Heaven- for forty years in the wilderness.
Unleavened bread is associated with Passover, as the people did not wait for the bread to rise before leaving captivity in Egypt.
The Bethlehem prophecy in Micah 5:2 states:
"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."
Bread is humble and basic. It helps sustain life for many across the globe. In the little town of Bethlehem, a baby was placed in a manger over 2000 years ago. A manger is a place the sheep and other animals feed. Coincidence? We must decide for ourselves what we believe.
"Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." - John 6:35
Today, I am grateful for the house of bread.
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