We Found Him in the
Fields of the Forest
A Sermon About the Lord’s Birth in Bethlehem
The Rev. Jeremy F. Simons
Lessons: Psalm 132: 1-14; True Christianity 226-228, 259
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“Lo, we heard of Him in Ephrathah, we found Him in the fields of the forest.”
(Psalm 132.6)
phrathah is an old name for Bethlehem. Today people might be surprised
to hear it described as a forest, but up until fairly recently there was a dense
pine forest there in the five miles between Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
In this old prophecy the forest – or “the fields of the forest” – is described
for spiritual reasons, because of what a forest represents. David is speaking
here about where the Lord was to be found, prophesying that He would be
born in Bethlehem.
The thought of the Lor d being born in the forest, or that He is to be found
in the woods, is a poetic one to many people. People often love to walk in the
woods, and many of us feel the Lord’s presence there among the trees. And of
course pine trees are an important part
of our Christmas celebrations.
Our topic today is the meaning of
woods and forests, and why the Lord
is said in this Psalm to be found there.
The spiritual forest of your life is where
the Lord is to be found.
Just as forests are not only
beautiful, but also places where you
can lose your way, the spiritual forest
has its dangers and people cannot find
the path safely through it without the
Lord’s help. So our topic is how to find
Our topic is the meaning
of woods and forests,
and why the Lord is
said to be found there.
The spiritual forest of
your life is where the
Lord is to be found.
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