The story of Christmas is often symbolized by the simple nativity scene of Mary and Joseph gazing over a manger with the new born baby lying in the straw. There are many prophecies which were fulfilled when Yeshua came into the world including His being born in Bethlehem of Judah. We know that Bethlehem is the city of King David and that the Messiah would come from the line of David, however, why was Yeshua born in this location?

What is the significance of Bethlehem of Judah for the Messiah?

In last week’s article, Awakening of God’s Word, we saw in the Hebrew text how the specific word that is used when Pharaoh awoke from his dreams, יקץ – Yakatz, is consistently used throughout the Bible to signify something prophetic. In every occurrence of this Hebrew word in the Bible there was a prophetic reality that followed either immediately after or sometime in the future. 

One of the Scriptures which contains this word, which we looked at last week, speaks of God’s choosing of David as king:

Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep, like a warrior overcome by wine. He drove His adversaries backward; He put on them an everlasting disgrace. He also rejected the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, but chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved. And He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which He has established forever. He also chose His servant David and took him from the sheepfolds; from the care of the ewes with nursing lambs He brought him to shepherd Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance. So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them with his skillful hands. – Psalm 78:65-72 

In this text from the book of Psalms it states that the Lord chose David as king from the tribe of Judah but it does not explain a reason for this. Why did God chose a king from Judah over and above the tribe of Ephraim, a son of Joseph? What significance does the tribe of Judah play in the life of King David and later the Messiah? The answer to these questions is found in this week’s Torah Portion reading as we continue in the story of Joseph and his brothers. 

Standing Before Joseph

In Genesis chapter forty-three, we read that the sons of Jacob, Jospeh’s brothers, journeyed down to Egypt for the second time, this time with their youngest brother, Benjamin. At first Joseph dealt kindly to them and prepared a huge feast for them to eat in his house while still hiding his identity from them (Gen. 43). Then Joseph sent his brothers on their way while having his goblet planted in Benjamin’s sack as a means of being able to keep his full-blooded brother with him in Egypt. 

Jospeh’s house steward overtook the brothers on their journey out of Egypt and found that Benjamin’s sack contained the goblet. They all immediately returned to Egypt to the house of Joseph to beg mercy from him on behalf of their brother Benjamin. When the brothers realized that Joseph intended to keep Benjamin as his slave while releasing the others, Judah spoke up on behalf of his brothers:

Then Judah approached him and said, “Oh my lord, may your servant please speak a word in my lord’s ears, and do not be angry with your servant; for you are equal to Pharaoh. – Gen. 44:18

It is Judah who emerged as the leader of his brothers at this time to defend their brother Benjamin. Despite being the fourth-born son of Jacob, Judah arose to the occasion and took on the role of the eldest son.

VaYigash – ויגש – “Then he approached…”

The Hebrew word for “approach” in the above verse is נגש – Nagash and it simply means to come near or approach. The Hebrew word itself is common but the object of this word in this sentence is significant. At this point in the narrative, Judah and his brothers still did not know the true identity of their brother Joseph. Judah only knew that the man whom he was approaching held significant standing in Egypt. In his own words, Judah stated: “…for you are equal to Pharaoh…”

Judah and his brothers bowed down before Joseph whenever they came into his presence (Gen. 44:14). This practice of honoring those of high esteem by bowing before them was a common practice at that time and in that culture. The king or ruler of a land had absolute authority to kill or let live and Judah understood this reality as he approached Joseph while asking permission to speak to him as if he was speaking to Pharaoh himself, the king of Egypt.

Approaching The King

The power of kings and rulers to kill or grant life at their bidding is well founded throughout history and is still a practice in some cultures and nations in the world today. In the book of Esther we see a clear example of this executive power by the king:

All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king in the inner courtyard, who is not summoned, he has only one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days. – Esther 4:11

Taking initiative to come into the presence of a king without being summoned is a genuine risk to one’s life. Esther took that risk in order to save her own people, even though the king was her very own husband. In the same manner, Judah took this risk when he approached Joseph, a man who possessed the power of Pharaoh in Egypt (Gen. 41:41-44).

When Judah approached Joseph to plead with him on behalf of their brother Benjamin, he had full knowledge and understanding that he was literally placing his own life at risk by simply coming into Joseph’s presence and asking to be heard. Judah was not making a rash decision when he chose to approach Joseph, but rather, he was fulfilling an oath that he made to his father on behalf of Benjamin before taking this second journey to Egypt. It was literally while Judah was standing before Joseph that he related some of the details of this oath to Joseph:

Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life, when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die. Thus your servants will bring the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then let me bear the blame before my father forever.’ Now, therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me—for fear that I see the evil that would overtake my father?” – Gen. 44:30-34

Judah had given his word to his father by becoming surety, a guarantee, for the life of Benjamin. It was based on Judah’s pledging his life for Benjamin’s life that Jacob permitted Benjamin to go down to Egypt. Judah could not return to his father Jacob without Benjamin by his side. Therefore, Judah was fully ready to give his own life in place of his brother Benjamin’s life in service to this Egyptian leader.

It was the reality of Judah’s commitment to ransom his life for Benjamin’s life that literally brought Joseph to tears and caused him to reveal himself to his brothers:

Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried, “Have everyone go out from me.” So there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they came closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt…” – Genesis 45:1-4  

Twenty-two years earlier, Judah led his brothers in selling Joseph into slavery (Gen. 37:26-27). Now Judah was willing to give up his own life for Benjamin and Joseph became broken before them. 

The Ransomed Life

Joseph and his brothers were finally reunited as a result of Judah’s willingness to lay his life down for the sake of Benjamin’s life. It is this principle of a ransomed life that God chose a king from the tribe of Judah to be king over Israel. Judah illustrated the heart of God for humanity by being willing to lay down his own life for the sake of his brother.  

It is this principle of the ransomed life that pleases God and sets the standard for the leader whom God sets over His people. In the book of Jeremiah we read a Messianic prophecy which describes the one whom God would choose to rule over His people:

Their leader shall be one of them, and their ruler will come out from their midst; and I will bring him near and he shall approach Me; for who would dare to risk his life to approach Me?’ declares the LORD. – Jeremiah 30:21

Just as a man risks his life when approaching an earthly king, even so a man risks his life when approaching the LORD. We know that Yeshua is the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy; the eternal Ruler who came out of Israel. Yeshua not only risked His life by coming into this world but He literally gave up His life on the cross by approaching the Father on our behalf while bearing our sin. 

The man Judah proved himself more worthy than his brothers by becoming a ransom for Benjamin. The tribe of Judah was elevated above all of the other tribes of Israel based on this principle of a ransomed life. Both King David and the Messiah came through the tribe of Judah to fulfill the ultimate plan of God. 

Bethlehem of Judah

One day when Yeshua had explained to His disciples that He would be condemned to death by the chief priests and be resurrected three days later, James and John asked Yeshua if they could have seats of honor in His kingdom. After a short discussion with James and John informing them that He did not have the authority to grant this wish, Yeshua addressed His disciples:

Calling them to Himself, Yeshua said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them; and their people in high position exercise authority over them. But it is not this way among you; rather, whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant; and whoever wants to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:42-45

While His disciples were discussing potential positions in the future kingdom, Yeshua reminded them the greatest among them was to be the servant of all. He then continued to explain to them that His own life was to be given as a ransom for many.

As we remember the birth of the Messiah each year in the month of December, we are reminded that the Messiah had to be born in Bethlehem according to the prophets (Micah 5:2). Herod himself discovered this when he volunteered to help the wisemen find the location where the Messiah would be born:

And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for from you will come forth a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.’” – Matt. 2:4-6

Yeshua was born in Bethlehem of the land of Judah to fulfill prophecy, however, there is more to the story than this. Yeshua was also born in Bethlehem in the land of Judah to mark the mission for which He was born, to give His life as a ransom for many. 

Shabbat Shalom!

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*All Scripture take from NASB Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

**The Hebrew name “Yeshua” is used in the biblical quotations in place of the English name “Jesus” to give emphasis to the meaning of this name, salvation. The word “Messiah” is also used in place of the word “Christ” to bring clarity to the office of Yeshua.

Torah Portion: Gen. 44:18-47:27

Haftara: Ezekiel 37:15-28 

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