A Promised Ruler
Micah 5:1–9
By Lee Nourse
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 was an Old Testament prophet in Jerusalem who spoke of God’s judgement and forgiveness towards His people. Micah told of how the Israelites were rejected for a season but how out of them would come the One who will save them all. This is Jesus, “who is, and who was, and who is to come” as it states in Revelation 1:8. Jesus was with the Father in the beginning and God knew, from of old, that His people would need a Savior. You see, Jesus was coming in human form to share in and experience what mankind experienced, though through the strength and majesty of the Father, Jesus’s name would be proclaimed throughout the world as our Lord and Savior.
Micah’s prophecy was realized when the Messiah was born in Bethlehem. He wasn’t just for the people of this small town but for all of the world. The overflowing grace of our Father provided for us a Shepherd-King to lead us and to teach us to lead others. Just like out of that little town of Bethlehem came the deliverance of the Savior and God’s Word, our small town of Apex or Cary or Holly Springs can come the Word of God through you and me, sharing just how much the Father loves us and has delivered us from our sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. Imagine how God could use us through our obedience to Him.
This message of hope has been delivered from the very beginning of time and unlike a game of telephone where the message gets diluted or changed as it gets passed along, we can be confident in the message of our Lord Jesus Christ through the Bible. His story has stood the test of time and will forever because he is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The mighty and majestic Shepherd is here and our confidence of peace in the everlasting rests with Him.
Father, help us to deliver your word to the world around us, making disciples who make disciples.