Paul McKenzie

Memory Verse, Sunday, December 7, Micah 5:2

"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 old, from ancient days."

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."

"When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

"'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'" (Matthew 2:1-6)

There is no wiggle room for the unbelieving Bible "scholars so-called" for this one. They can't spiritualize this Ruler to come, "whose coming forth is from old, from ancient days."

Micah, who was called in the same period as Isaiah, had seen and prophesied about the destruction of the northern kingdom by Assyria, and was living in the threat of that awful nation desiring to swallow up Jerusalem as well. And during this time they were given this beautiful chapter of a future Shepherd to rule over the land.

So, in Micah, we see both their sure destruction because of their unbelief in the near future, but also a time where Messiah will come, destroy their enemies and rule over the nations. The book ends with this:

"You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old." (Micah 7:20)

Amen. As they consistently break their agreement in the Mosaic covenant, reaping the consequences, God is faithful to remember His covenant with Abraham, and will be sure to fulfill it. And that assurance is found through the Davidic covenant reiterated in this prophecy of Micah 5, where the Messiah, from the Root of David, will also be born in the City of David: Bethlehem. And He will be the Ruler of Israel, and

"It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." (Micah 4:1-2a)

Bethlehem: a city "too little to be among the clans of Judah", the city where Messiah would come. As in Isaiah, born in poverty, eating "curds and honey", and raised to be the Good Shepherd of Israel.

Bethlehem, translated "the House of Bread", brings forth Christ, who said: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)

And He came, just as it is written. And He left those who believe this great assurance in 6:37 of John:

"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever come to me I will never cast out."

Do you sense that call? Turn to Him today and find with us: "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." (40)

Look on the Son today!

Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart.

*ESV used unless noted*

Memory Helps:

"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 old, from ancient days."

Again, in a word picture, you could see all the clans of Judah looking at the little town of Bethlehem (maybe have them in shirts labeled "Judah"). In the next frame, show the Messiah coming out, holding a ruler's scepter (or just a ruler), and behind Him the ancient, old prophets (maybe having shirts labeled "Israel").

To link the numbers, I always use a "microphone" for Micah. For chapter 5, I can use a large "5-fingered hand" holding this microphone. And for all verses "2" I use good old Noah, since N=2 in our phonetic alphabet, vowels fillers. So this great ark comes out of that little Bethlehem town with Noah, with his extra-large "5-fingered hand" holding an extra-large Mic announcing the ruler of Israel coming forth from old! This way our verse is linked to Micah 5:2.