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archaeological evidence that ties Bethlehem in Judaea to the period in which Jesus would have<br />
been born. 217<br />
It appears that the ―little town of Bethlehem‖ is an interpolation created to fulfill prophesy from the Old<br />
Testament. We can see the relationship clearly when comparing Genesis 49:10 and Micah 5:2 with<br />
Matthew 2:1-6:<br />
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the<br />
ruler‘s staff from between his feet, until he comes to<br />
whom it belongs; and to him shall be the obedience<br />
of the peoples. (Gen 49:10)<br />
But you, O Bethlehem, Ephrathah, who are little to<br />
be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come<br />
forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whole<br />
origin is from old, from ancient days. (Micah 5:2)<br />
Jesus is a descendant of Judah... After Jesus is<br />
born in Bethlehem, Herod asks the wise men<br />
where he is. They answer that he is in Bethlehem,<br />
―so it is written by the prophet: ‗And you, O<br />
Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means<br />
least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall<br />
come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.‘‖ (Mt<br />
2:1-6)<br />
Concerning this issue, Murdock concludes, ―Like so many other places in Israel, Bethlehem was first<br />
situated in the mythos and then given location on Earth.‖ 218<br />
28. There is another very interesting phenomenon that occurs around December 25 th ,<br />
or the winter solstice. From the summer solstice to the winter solstice, the days<br />
become shorter and colder. And from the perspective of the northern hemisphere, the<br />
sun appears to move south and get smaller and more scarce. The shortening of the<br />
days and the expiration of the crops when approaching the winter solstice<br />
symbolized the process of death to the ancients. It was the death of the sun. And by<br />
December 22 nd , the sun’s demise was fully realized, for the sun, having moved south<br />
continually for six months, makes it to its lowest point in the sky. Here a curious thing<br />
occurs: the sun stops moving south, at least perceivably, for three days.<br />
Regarding the motif of the three-day entombment and rebirth of the sun, Murdock summarizes:<br />
...many of the world‘s crucified godmen have their traditional birthdays on December 25 th<br />
(―Christmas‖). This date is set because the ancients recognized that (from a geocentric<br />
perspective in the northern hemisphere) the sun makes an annual descent southward until after<br />
midnight of December 21 st , the winter solstice, when it stops moving southerly for three days and<br />
then starts to move northward again. During this time, the ancients declared that ―God‘s sun‖ had<br />
―died‖ for three days and was ―born again‖ after midnight of December 24 th . Thus, these many<br />
different cultures celebrated with great joy the ―sun of God‘s‖ birthday on December 25 th . 219<br />
The significance of this solar death/rebirth and its allegorical connection to various godman is confirmed<br />
by many scholars, including astronomer Dr. Krupp as concerns Osiris:<br />
The myth of Osiris involves his own death and resurrection, a theme that echoes the daily cycle<br />
of the sun‘s death and its rebirth at dawn. 220<br />
Concerning the annual solar death and resurrection, Frazer relates:<br />
In the Julian calendar the twenty-fifth of December was reckoned the winter solstice, and it was<br />
regarded as the Nativity of the Sun, because the day begins to lengthen and the power of the sun<br />
to increase from that turning-point of the year. The ritual of the nativity, as it appears to have been<br />
celebrated in Syria and Egypt, was remarkable. The celebrants retired into certain inner shrines,<br />
from which at midnight they issued with a loud cry, ―The Virgin has brought forth! The light is<br />
217 Larson, ―Bethlehem of Judaea—or of Galilee?‖<br />
218 Acharya, CC, 190.<br />
219 Acharya, CC, 154.<br />
220 Krupp, EAS, 16.