“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2
When the Christmas season approaches one of the first things we do is break out the decorations, including our nativity sets. We carefully place the pieces of the set, making sure that the focal point is the manger. We have no way of knowing how accurate our sets are regarding the setting of the birth of our Savior. Mangers were often simply a hollowed-out log or stone, able to hold water or food for the animals. Jesus’ birth could have taken place in a house or extra room or even a cave. The Old Testament mentions a manger or “feeding trough” three times (Job 39:9; Proverbs 14:4; Isaiah 1:3).
The term manger is also found three times in the New Testament but in a narrative unlike that found in the Old Testament. We see it strategically distributed in Luke’s Christmas story (2:1-20), informing us of God’s blueprint of salvation. Though the less-than-ideal circumstances of our Lord’s birth may lead us to sentimentalize or even avoid investigating the manger scene, Luke wants us to be aware that the manger tells us all we need to know about who Jesus is and what He came to do (why else would Luke use the term three times!).
Borrowing a quote I used in last year’s Advent devotional:
God does not often choose what is exalted and honored in the eyes of the world. Instead, He loves to choose what is lowly and apparently insignificant in order to accomplish His purposes, just as He did when He chose Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah. 1
And to that we should add “and a manger for His Son to first lay His head.”
What I hope to show in three subsequent devotions is that Luke strategically places the term in his narrative to show us God’s plan, His saving power, and His glory. These and many other topics await the reader of this devotional as its contributors share their own insight into the beauty and attraction of the Advent season.
Submitted by Dr. Rich Menninger
Prayer
Dear Lord, though the world awaited the regal birth of its Savior, in Your wisdom, You chose humble beginnings, an obscure manger in a little-known town. May we not miss Your majesty, in similar situations we encounter, as we celebrate this Advent season. In Name of the Babe of Bethlehem. Amen.
1 https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/bethlehem-ephrathah