Bethlehem - December 24

…And Finally born in Bethlehem.

Saturday December 24 – Bethlehem

Is there more relief then when you see the sign for the destination? Especially when the journey has been long and difficult. You get to the end of it and feel the sense of relief as well as the anticipation of what will happen once you are there.

Micah shares the destination. His prophetic promise aims the journey to Bethlehem. Despite its humble setting, it holds significant promise. The Son of David will be born in the City of David. The eternal Son of God will be incarnated into flesh at Bethlehem. He will be God’s ruler and fulfill God’s will.

That is a destination that is worth all the distance covered on the journey.

The Journey Culminates in Bethlehem: The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

Micah 5:2 Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.

This is a positive message of hope that looks forward to a day when a strong ruler will rise from Bethlehem Ephrathah, the city of Boaz, Jesse, and David. The people would have been reminded about their tradition of the messianic promise of an eternal reign of David’s Son from 2 Samuel.

He will come from one of the smallest families in the tribe of Judah. However, the Messiah will go out for God to fulfill God’s will and to be God’s ruler of all Israel. And we get this powerful statement of the ancient lineage of the promised one. Thoughts would have gone to two places regarding this statement, that the Messiah would have an ancient origin.

First, David’s family line is an ancient one, tracing back to Judah, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. And Abraham’s line is tracked back to Adam. It truly is an ancient line.

However, there is a second thought concerning the Messiah coming from ancient times. This verse has been connected the eternal preexistence of Jesus Christ the Messiah. The Ancient of Days will be born of a virgin in Bethlehem.

Centuries later when magi from the east go looking for the Messiah, the one born king of the Jews, they stop by Herod’s palace and Jerusalem to ask for directions. Herod then asks his scribes and text experts where the Messiah was predicted to be born. Despite misquoting the actual verse to Herod, the experts do get the city correct. Matthew includes this detail to highlight both the fulfillment of prophecy as well as the scribes’ ability to distort the Old Testament.

Jesus, the eternal Son of God, was born in Bethlehem, the City of David. Just like Micah’s prophecy declared.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.” … “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him “because this is what was written by the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” Matthew 2:1-2; 5-6

Father, thank you for sending the divine and eternal Son to come and fulfill your will for the atonement of sins. Thank you for the Savior born for us in Bethlehem. Amen.