Micah 5:1-4 · A Promised Ruler from Bethlehem
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Micah 5:2
Sermon
by James Merritt
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Every person's existence can basically be summarized with three words: birth, life, and death. When you think of the birth, life, and death of the Lord Jesus Christ, three cities instantly come to mind: Bethlehem is where He was born, Nazareth is where He lived, Jerusalem is where He died.

Each one of those cities conjures up a different picture. When you think of Bethlehem, you think of the cradle. When you think of Nazareth, you think of the carpenter. When you think of Jerusalem, you think of the cross.

But the story of Jesus began at a quaint little town called Bethlehem. What otherwise would have been an unheard of Palestinian town, shrouded in anonymity, has instead become the theme for poets, the subject for artists, and the goal for pilgrims.

Bethlehem, even to this day, is still relatively a "little town." But Bethlehem is living proof that indeed big things do come in small packages. Because there are three facts about the city of Bethlehem that make it one of the most unique and indeed greatest cities in all of the world.

I. A City of Fulfilled Prophecy

Micah 5:2 is one of the clearest, most concise, and concentrated messianic prophecies in all of the Bible. Keep in mind that what Micah wrote here was penned 750 years before the Lord Jesus was ever born.

Imagine someone in the year 1199 making this statement: "From Hope, Arkansas will come the 42nd President of the United States." That is exactly what happened here. We have in this verse pinpointed several identifying characteristics of the coming Messiah.

a. The Identity of the Messiah

He is identified as "The One to be ruler in Israel." Immediately we now know that the Messiah, who is to be born, was to be both a sovereign and a shepherd. He was to be the anointed one who would indeed be the ruler over the nation of Israel.

Now the Jews recognized that this prophecy indicated the birthplace of the Messiah. For when the wise men came to Jerusalem seeking the newborn King, Herod, the king, gathered together the chief priests and the scribes to find out where the Christ was to be born. Here is what they said to him in Mt. 2:5-6:

"So they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.'"

So whoever the Messiah was to be, he was to be born in Bethlehem.

b. The Divinity of the Messiah

Micah also tells us that this One who is to be born, is the One "whose goings forth are from of old from everlasting." The Hebrew word for everlasting literally means "the days of eternity." In other words, the Messiah was going to be born, but he was not going to be created.

From eternity to eternity the Messiah has always existed. What happened was that the Creator was going to become the creature. The one who said, "Let there be light," was going to become the Light of the World. The one who hung the stars in place, was going to become the "Bright and Morning Star." The one who created man was going to become a man.

We know this is exactly what the Scriptures teach. John said:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (Jn. 1:1)

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (Jn. 1:14)

The Apostle Paul spelled it out even more plainly when he wrote:

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist." (Col. 1:15-17)

c. The Humanity of the Messiah

Micah also prophesied that this Messiah would not be just "dropped" from heaven as the dew on the grass. But he would literally come from a city. "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me." (5:2) Now this refers to the fact that the Messiah was not only divine, but he was also human.

The Son of God was also the Son of man. As a man, He was baptized in water; as God He baptized with the Holy Spirit. As man, He was thirsty; as God He walked on water. As man, He was hungry; as God He fed five thousand with a few loaves and fishes. As man, He wept at the tomb of Lazarus; as God He raised him from the dead. As man, He was crowned with thorns; as God He is crowned King of Kings and Lord of Lords. As man, He died on the cross; as God He came forth from the grave.

d. The Activity of the Messiah

In v.2 we are told He is to be the Ruler, but in v.4 we are told "He shall stand and feed His flock." In other words, the Messiah was prophesied to be a Sovereign that would lead His people, and a Shepherd that would feed His people. We see in this verse the identity, divinity, humanity, and activity of the Messiah. Now I want to show you something absolutely fascinating.

In Luke 2:11 we see how this prophecy was fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. Watch it. First of all, we see his humanity: "For there is born to you"; then we see his activity: "this day in the city of David a Savior" (Remember his name was called Jesus, for He would save His people from their sins); then we see his identity: "who is Christ"; then we see his divinity: "the Lord."

Micah announced it seven and one-half centuries before, and the angel affirmed it. It all happened in Bethlehem, a city of fulfilled prophecy.

II. A City Of Familiar History

In Luke 2:4 we are told how it came about that the Messiah was born in Bethlehem.

"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David."

Now when you study the history of this little city called Bethlehem, you find out some interesting truths:

a. A History of a Divine Preparation

Bethlehem is a town six miles southwest of Jerusalem, 2,500 ft. above sea level in the hill country of Judea. In those days it was on the main highway that led to Hebron and Egypt.

In Jacob's time it was called Ephrath, and it was the burial place of Rachel. After Israel conquered Canaan, the name was changed to Bethlehem—Judah.

It became known as the city of David. Because it was here that David's great grandmother, Ruth, met David's future great grandfather, Boaz. It was here that David's father, Jesse, was born. It was here that David was a shepherd who kept watch over his flocks by night, and later was anointed king by Samuel the prophet. All of this was divinely prepared by a Sovereign God. Because this is where the Messiah was to be born.

b. A History of a Divine Presence

"And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city." (Luke 2:1-3) God came to earth for the first and only time as a man to a certain place. This place was Bethlehem.

Now the reason why Jesus was born in Bethlehem is because Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken. Now the fascinating thing is that historians tell us that this census that was ordered, was the first of its kind in the history of the Roman Empire.

You can believe one of two things: It was either coincidence or it was providence. I believe that Caesar Augustus was a tool in the hands of a Sovereign God to bring about the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ in the right place. Otherwise, He would have been born in Nazareth.

But not only did Jesus come to a certain place, He came at a certain time. Notice Luke 2:11 specifically says, "there is born to you this day." Gal. 4:4 says, "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son…" God is never early, God is never late, He is right on time, and for Jesus the time was now.

c. A History of a Divine Praise

The greatest praise gathering in the history of this world took place in that little town called Bethlehem. Because immediately both heaven above and earth below began to sing out the praises of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This praise was in three parts: First, there was the proclamation of the angel. "Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'" (2:10-11)

Then there was the celebration of the choir: "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!'" (2:13-14)

Then there was the adoration of the shepherds: (2:15-18)

"So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.'

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.

And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds."

If you think about it, Bethlehem really does tell us what Christmas is all about. It's first of all about proclamation, because we ought to be sharing the Lord Jesus. Then it is about celebration, because we ought to be singing about the Lord Jesus. Then it is about adoration, because we ought to be about the business of serving the Lord Jesus.

III. A City of Fabulous Mystery

Micah 5:2 said that Jesus would come from "Bethlehem Ephrathah." The city actually had two names: Bethlehem, which means "house of bread" and Ephrathah, which means "the fruit fields" or "fruitfulness."

I want to tell you why it was so important to be born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem refers to bread. Ephrathah, fruit fields, refers to wine. Because Bethlehem has always been a place of fruitful vineyards.

Now let me repeat it, and see if God does not speak to your heart. Bethlehem refers to bread, Ephrathah refers to wine. Does that trigger something in your heart? Bethlehem refers to the body of Jesus, Ephrathah refers to the blood of Jesus. Jesus gave his body to be the bread of life, and He shed his blood to be the wine of salvation.

Jesus is our "house of bread." He said in Jn. 6:57-58:

"As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.

This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever."

But not only is Jesus our house of bread, He is also our field of fruit. Did he not say in Jn. 15:1: "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser."

Listen again to what he said in Jn. 6:54-55: "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed."

God knows what He is about, and even down to the very names of the city where Jesus was born, God had it all planned so that we would always be pointed back not only to the birth of Jesus, but the body of Jesus and the blood of Jesus.

Phillip Brooks was one of America's greatest preachers of the 19th Century. He was often referred to as "The Prince of the Pulpit." In 1865 Phillip Brooks made a pilgrimage to Palestine. On Christmas Eve he rode on horseback from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and visited the usual sights in the village. Then he went east to the traditional Field of the Shepherds.

As darkness fell, he stood for a while by the cave where the shepherds saw the angels and the glory of God. He then went to a worship service in what is now known as the Church of the Nativity, which was built in AD 326, and worshipped from ten at night until three in the morning. He said it was one of the greatest experiences in all of his life.

Three years later in 1868, he was searching for a new Christmas carol for his children to sing in their Sunday School Christmas program.

He gave a copy of his text to his organist and Sunday School Superintendent, Lewis Redner, and asked him to compose a simple melody that children could easily sing. Redner struggled with this for several days. Finally, on the evening before the program was to be given, he said he awakened in the middle of the night and sat down and wrote the music and the melody. He said until he died, he knew it was a gift from heaven.

We now know that song as "O Little Town of Bethlehem." That song perfectly captures the beauty of Christmas.

Little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie;
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by;

Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.

Then we all know the last stanza:

Holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us today!

We hear the Christmas angels,
The great glad tidings tell;
Come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Immanuel!

As we think about "The little town of Bethlehem" may her prophecy instruct us, her history inform us, and her mystery inspire us to give Jesus our lives, our loyalty, our love.

ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., Collected Sermons, by James Merritt