In the photograph located in the upper right hand corner of this page, Bedouins are using caves to "house" their sheep. In Biblical days, caves were used for houses. They were used because they offered protection from the elements and had cool interiors. They were also used by shepherds to protect their sheep at night. The land of Israel contains many caves which are still used for this purpose. The cave made it possible for the shepherd to lie across the entrance at night to form the "door" which offered even greater protection for his sheep (John 10:8). It was in such a cave, no doubt, that Joseph and Mary stayed while in Bethlehem. It was in this cave that our Lord, Jesus was born.

Beth is a prefix on many Israeli villages. For example, in Hebrew, "beth" means house and "lehem" (lechem) means bread. When the two words are joined you get Bethlehem which means "house of bread." This is particularly important to know when studying the geography of Israel. Bethlehem is the area where wheat and barley are grown. Bread is made from these grains. Therefore, the village is well named for this contribution to nearby Jerusalem. Located immediately east of Bethlehem is a village of shepherds. The gospel story of the shepherds with their flocks (Luke 2:8-20) has all the features discussed above. Jesus, "the bread of life," is born in a cave in the village called the "house of bread." He also went to nearby Jerusalem as the "lamb of God" which took away the sin of the world.

Bethlehem is also the village of the story of Ruth and Boaz. In the Book of Ruth (Ruth 2:1-4), Ruth is allowed to glean grain from the fields of Boaz who discovers her after returning from Bethlehem.

Beth is placed as a prefix before the Hebrew word phage (paggim – which means "green figs"). Therefore, Bethphage means the "house of figs." It is a little village located on the southern of three hills on the top of the Mount of Olives. It is to this village that Jesus sends his disciples to get the foal of an ass upon which he rode into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-17). The fig tree is peculiar in that it puts fruit on its branches before it does its leaves. The leaves then grow large and cover the ripening fruit in the hot sun. When a person sees leaves on a fig tree, he assumes there will be fruit under the leaves. If there is no fruit under the leaves, the fig tree is uprooted and destroyed. The reason is that this "sick" fig tree will leach the soil and rob nutrients from other nearby plants.

Two things about Bethphage (the house of figs) give us Biblical insight. Number one, fig leaves cover. Adam and Eve "covered" themselves with fig leaves. Could this be why Jesus chose Bethphage to "uncover" the fact He was the foal riding Messiah? Number two, sick fig trees need to be destroyed. It is very interesting that immediately following our Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, He cursed the fig tree. Is Jesus trying to teach Believers not just to look good on the outside but rather be "fruit bearing" to those who part our leaves?