Bethlehem sits on a hill and is now surrounded by an Israeli security wall. Still, it is possible to see the little town of which we all sing at Christmas time. It seems Bethlehem as often been a place that attracts strong walls. The walls of the Church of the Nativity, a Crusader style building, look as though they could repel an army. The church was not built for beauty but for strength.

Beneath the altar is a cave where it is believed Jesus was born. Now adorned with decorative wall covering and decorations befitting a prince, the cave is hardly recognizable as the stable we all grew up imagining. But it was here (or a place near here), that Jesus was born.

For More Information Visit:
http://www.bibleplaces.com/bethlehem.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem

Genesis 35:16-20
16: And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. 
17: And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. 
18: And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin. 
19: And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. 
20: And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day. 

Genesis 48:1-7
1: And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 
2: And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. 
3: And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, 
4: And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession. 
5: And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. 
6: And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance. 
7: And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem. 

Ruth 4:8-13
8: Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. 
9: And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. 
10: Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. 
11: And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: 
12: And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman. 
13: So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. 

I Samuel 16:4-13
4: And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? 
5: And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. 
6: And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him. 
7: But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 
8: Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. 
9: Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. 
10: Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. 
11: And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. 
12: And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. 
13: Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 

I Samuel 17:12-15
12: Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. 
13: And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 
14: And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul. 
15: But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. 

Micah 5:2
2: But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 

Matthew 2:6-12
6: And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 
7: Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 
8: And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 
9: When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 
10: When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 
11: And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 
12: And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. 

Luke 2:4-19
4: And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 
5: To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 
6: And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 
7: And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 
8: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 
9: And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 
10: And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 
11: For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 
12: And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 
13: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 
14: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 
15: And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 
16: And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 
17: And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 
18: And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 
19: But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 
 

Bethlehem - birth of Christ, fulfillment of prophecy

The incarnation of Christ on earth is a fulfillment of all of the Old Testament prophecies and promises (see 2 Corinthians passage) starting with Genesis 3:15 through many more, of which only a few related to his birth and its timing, are listed below.

II Corinthians 1:20-22

20: For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 
21: Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 
22: Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 

Daniel 9:24-26

24: Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 
25: Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 
26: And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 

Malachi 3:1

1: Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to this temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

Jeremiah 23:5-6

5: Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 
6: In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

Micah 5:2

2: But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Isaiah 7:14

14: Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.