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.
Micah 5:2
God acted in space and in time to save His people, giving many specific predictions regarding where and when He would send His Messiah. The place where the Messiah would arrive is found in our verse today, which explains that the promised ruler of Israel would be born in one of the humblest towns in the nation: Bethlehem. Micah wrote these words during the 8th century BC when the northern kingdom of Israel was about to fall and the southern kingdom of Judah was in the midst of a long decline. The prophet gave his oracles to warn the people of the consequences of their sexual immorality and their failure to show kindness and justice to the impoverished. The people of God were buying and selling justice, showing favor to the rich and ignoring the poor in the justice system. Since all of these things are forbidden in the law of God, Micah said they would lead to the greatest and final covenant curse, exile from the promised land, just as promised. That promise of judgment, however, was not the last revelation of God through Micah to Israel the northern kingdom. The Lord said that a new king would come and would be born in Bethlehem. This king would save the Israelites from their enemies. The birthplace of Bethlehem is notable because that is the town where David was born, meaning the promised king and Messiah would be a Davidic ruler. The hopes for David’s line would be restored in the same place where David was born and raised, the little town of Bethlehem. Bethlehem was insignificant in size and influence. It was little more than pasture land for the shepherds and their flocks. David’s birth place was a perfect place of origin for Messiah who would come from David’s line. God often chooses what is small and lowly in order to reveal His glory and power, so Matthew 2:6 reveals how Bethlehem was “least” of all the towns and villages of the region. Even with Bethlehem’s humble state, it did not produce the “least among the rulers of Judah,” for both David and the Messiah were born there. Even being born in a manger in Bethlehem, God exalted that town before the world. It was there that God Himself would arrive, being made incarnate in the womb of the Virgin Mary, for the sake of our salvation. The child of Mary was the “Ancient of Days” described by Daniel who is eternal according to His divine nature. God loves to choose what is lowly and apparently insignificant in order to accomplish His purposes, just as He did when He chose Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah. None of us should think that God cannot use us. Even if we are not well known or important in the world’s eyes, God can still do great things in and through each of us.
Source: S C Ball December 14, 2023
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