Happy week before Christmas!   We are gearing up toward Christmas vacation around here.  Today was my last day of my middle school geography class for semester.  And today’s topic might be one of my favorites: Nativity geography.  And one of the significant places in the story: the city of David.

Until I started teaching geography, I had not really understood the significance of all of the places involved in the Christmas story.  How Jesus could be called a Nazarene, be born in Bethlehem and still called out of Egypt does not make sense on paper.  Only God could write a story that made so many prophetic details come true.

A few songs do talk about the place of Jess’ birth, most noticeably “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”  This song also reference Bethlehem although the words talk about David’s city.  His hometown would become Jesus’ hometown.  Definitely significant.  I am glad that Jill Phillips and Andy Gullahorn recorded this song that is not often heard.  While I could not find their official video, someone had created a lyric video.  I think you will enjoy this song.

Lyrics to Once in Royal David’s City (Lyrics by Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander)

Once in royal David’s city,
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby,
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ, her little Child.

He came down to earth from heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall:
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Saviour holy.

He was little, weak, and helpless,
Tears and smiles, like us He knew;
And He cares when we are sad,
And he shares when we are glad.

And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love;
For that Child so dear and gentle,
Is our Lord in heaven above:
And He leads His children on,
To the place where He is gone.