Micah 5:2-5
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
are only a small village among all the people of Judah.
Yet a ruler of Israel,
whose origins are in the distant past,
will come from you on my behalf.
3 The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies
until the woman in labor gives birth.
Then at last his fellow countrymen
will return from exile to their own land.
4 And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord’s strength,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
Then his people will live there undisturbed,
for he will be highly honored around the world.
5 And he will be the source of peace.
We’re not used to hearing prophecies. We do hear plenty of promises, politician pledges, wedding vows, claims from brands that their products will make our lives better. But so many of these promises end up broken that we start to believe they don’t mean much. And maybe we think the same about prophecies. There’s no way they could actually come true… right?
Please do not let your doubts about promises cloud your reception of this prophecy: from Bethlehem will arise a ruler, not like promise-breaking ruler, but a ruler who will be like a shepherd. He will speak and act with integrity, never neglecting his people. This leader will care for his people like a shepherd loves his flock, standing strong and guiding them with the Lord’s strength.
Here is an important point for us to remember, the people who heard this prophecy for the first time worried about the same things we do: what to eat for dinner, how to make amends with family members, whether their homes and land would be secure. It seems to me that this prophecy offers us the same comfort, the assurance that we will live in safety and peace. The same Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, fulfilling Micah’s words, will return to reign as the Prince of Peace.
Come, Lord Jesus!
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