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The Greatest Love Stories of Bethlehem
​Part 1

Some of the greatest love stories in history took place in Bethlehem Ephrata. The four major events that occurred in Bethlehem were displays of incredible love.

The first love story of Bethlehem is the story of Rachel and Jacob. It is a tragic love story that is forever memorialized in Rachel’s tomb. Jacob was traveling with his beloved wife Rachel, his family, and all of his servants and flocks to Hebron to see his aged and failing father before he passed away. Although he was also married to Rachel’s sister Leah, his true love was his wife Rachel. It was love at first sight when they met almost 20 years earlier. They had been passionately in love since they had met. Rachel was pregnant with her second son, Benjamin. They were close to Hebron when Rachel went into labor. Jacob made a bed for her on a large flat rock in Zelzah. Rachel did give birth to Benjamin there but she died in childbirth.

Jacob was heartbroken. The love of his life was gone. Instead of burying her with the rest of his family in Hebron, Jacob made a special tomb for her. He buried her beside the road on the top of the hill in Bethlehem Ephrata, which is near Zelzah. Her tomb was not near the city where most prestigious people were buried but in the midst of the pasture fields of the lambs. Rachel was a humble shepherd (which was normally a man’s job) with a kind and gentle soul. Her name means ewe lamb. There could have been no more appropriate place for her tomb than Bethlehem Ephrata. Her tomb stood in a place where all could see and remember her life. Jacob erected a pillar on top of her tomb so no one in the area could overlook the memorial of his only one and true love.

Rachel’s life portrays God’s love for us. He loves us and desires the best for us so much that He died so that we might live. Like Rachel gave her life for family, God gave His life for His family.

The second major love story that took place at Bethlehem Ephrata is the story of a wealthy older man and a young widow who was considered an outcast. Naomi and her husband, Elimelech, lived in the city of Bethlehem and owned a field in the village of Bethlehem Ephrata just down the hill from the city. When a famine struck the area, they left with their two sons and their flocks. They moved to Moab so their flocks had green pasture in which to graze. While they were there the two sons married two young Moabite women.

A short time after their arrival in Moab, Naomi’s husband died and so did both of her sons. Naomi was left alone with her two daughter-in-laws. One daughter-in-law returned to her parents, but Ruth stayed with Naomi. Naomi returned to Bethlehem taking Ruth with her. Ruth worked in the fields of one of her deceased husband’s relatives. She gathered grain so she and Naomi could eat.

The owner of the filed was an older gentleman named Boaz, who was in line to redeem all that belonged to Ruth’s husband. There was one man who was closer in line to redeem Ruth and her possessions. Boaz confronted him about his right to redeem Ruth but he passed on his right to redeem her. Boaz then married Ruth making her part of the royal line of Israel.

This love story is about redemption. The essential part of this story lies in the fact Ruth was a Moabite. God had cursed the Moabites because they did not give the Israelites bread or water when they passed through their land afterthey came out of Egypt (Deuteronomy 23:3). No one could lift the Moabite curse from Ruth … except God! God did lift the Moabite curse and Ruth became the great-grandmother of David, the greatest human king in history.

The love story of Ruth and Boaz communicates God’s love for us. We are a cursed people without hope or a future. In His love for us, He redeems us from the curse of sin and makes us part of His royal family.

It is important that we understand the significance of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem Ephrata. The history of the city conveys the love of God for His people. In the next article I will write about the other two love stories of Bethlehem.

© Dr. Steven L Smith 2016
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