Read: Micah 5:1-4
"But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel."
Micah 5:1-4
Bethlehem is about 60-70 miles south of Nazareth. At the time of Jesus’ birth, it was a small village. In fact, Luke uses the definite article “the” to reference “the inn” that was full during the census (Matthew 2:7)–indicating that there was only one Bethlehem inn. Though a small and obscure city, it was well-known. It was the birth city of David and the prophet Micah had declared that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (“you, O Bethlehem”). Bethlehem means “house of bread.” Thus, the bread of heaven (John 6:33-35) was born in the house of bread, so that all who would, can feast upon the “bread of life.”
Few, if any, would have thought much about the night Jesus was born. If it wasn’t for the heavenly heralds, it is unlikely any but Jesus’ family would have known of His birth. The world was anticipating the arrival of the Messiah. In prophecies, such as the one given in Micah, we read of a people longing for the Messiah to come and “shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace” (v. 4-5). The people of Israel wanted the Messiah to come, but He ended up being different than what they expected. His ignoble Bethlehem arrival was counterintuitive to a human conception of a royal advent, but such an entrance was necessary for His ultimate mission. He did not come to rule on a human throne. This shepherd would bring peace to the world by offering spiritual renewal to all who come to Him. He would shepherd His people with His life and blood; offering His own body as a sacrifice for His wandering sheep.
It is amazing that Micah predicted the birthplace of the Messiah almost 700 years beforehand. Who could have known such a fact without the inspiration of God? When the time was right, God set His plan into motion; fulfilling long held prophetic voices and accomplishing the mission predestined before the world began.
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Prayer: Shepherd my heart, Lord Jesus, so that I may follow you as you command. You did not come in ostentatious pomp and circumstance. Please give me a mind and desire that is content with you and you alone. May you be my peace and my joy!