MICAH 5: A RULER FROM BETHLEHEM

 A Ruler From Bethlehem

Micah prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. He was a prophet at the same time as Isaiah. He is mentioned in Jeremiah 26:18 as prophesying to King Hezekiah. 

Micah is probably best known for the passage we study today. This passage includes a prophesy of destruction, but also of the coming of Christ.

Impending Judgment

5:1

Micah spoke of the coming invasion by Babylon. Verse one says the siege is laid against them. Micah says the Babylonians will strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. “Judge” here is a symbol for the king. Slapping the cheek was an insult. The picture is of the defeat of Israel and the humiliation of the current king. 

Some think this passage likely contains prophesy spoken by Micah during the reign of Hezekiah. Jerusalem was under constant threat and, ultimately, attack from Assyria. Assyria had conquered most of Judah, but not Jerusalem. Micah 1:9 says “For her wound is curable and it has come to Judah; it has reached to the gate of my people in Jerusalem”. 

Jerusalem was initially spared because Hezekiah came to the Lord for protection from Assyria. (2 Kings 19) However, as the subsequent kings became more and more evil, God brought Babylon to destroy Jerusalem and take the population into exile.

I, however, think it applies to Babylon because Assyria did not reach the king to strike him, but Babylon did. 

Prophecy Of A New and Eternal King

5:2

Micah 5:2 contains a very specific prophesy about Christ. This is a message of hope for future restoration and redemption. 

Micah prophesied that a new ruler, or king, would come to rule Israel. This king would be born in the little town of Bethlehem.  We know it was little at that time because verse 2 says the town is too little to even be in the clans of Judah. 

Why Bethlehem? It was the City of David, the place where David was born and lived in his early life. In 1 Samuel 16:1, God said to Samuel “Fill your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” Jesse was David’s father. 

This signifies that God is keeping his covenant promise to David to make his house the line of kings. (2 Samuel 7:16) Although God has punished Israel for its covenant violations, led by the Davidic kings, God was not finished with them yet. 

The Jews understood this prophesy as Messianic. That is why Matthew begins his gospel calling Jesus the Son of David. 

Additionally, after the Magi came seeking “the king of the Jews”, an upset King Herod sent for the chief priests and scribes. He asked them where Christ was to be born (Matthew 2:3-4). 

The priests and scribes cited Micah 5:2 and told him Christ would be born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:5-6). Matthew related the story so as to show Jesus’ birth fulfilled this prophesy.

There were other occasions when people called Jesus “Son of David”, recognizing him as the Messiah. One example is the story of Blind Bartimaeus. As Jesus was walking by him, Bartimaeus called out to Him: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47).

This king may have been born in Bethlehem, but that was not the beginning of his existence. Verse 2 says his coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. This is an expression of eternal existence. The term “from ancient days” is similar to the title “Ancient of Days”, that refers to the eternality of God the Father.

This title appears 3 times in Daniel 7. In 7:3, Daniel wrote:

As I looked, thrones were placed 

and the Ancient of Days took his seat;

his clothing was white as snow

and the hair of his head like pure wool;

his throne was fiery flames;

its wheels were burning fire.

A stream of fire issued 

and came out from before him;

a thousand thousands served him

and ten thousand times then thousand stood before him;

the court sat it in judgment

and the books were opened. 

This is a picture of God sitting in judgment on his throne in heaven. The image is picked up by John in the Book of Revelation. (Revelation 4)

Christ took on human form at his birth in Bethlehem. But he has always existed. John also expressed this idea when he wrote “In the beginning was the Word”. (John 1:1)

Verse 3 refers to the fact that God did not allow a king in Israel from the time of exile until the birth of Christ. Then, those who believe in him shall become part of Israel, the people of God. 

The Messiah would be the shepherd of all who believed in him. Verse 4 says “And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.” Jesus referred to himself as the good shepherd in John 10. Through faith in Jesus, one could enter the flock and be saved (John 10:9). 

Those who do are secure. No one snatches them from the hand of the Good Shepherd. (John 10:28) He is our peace, resolving our estrangement from the Father and with each other. 

Out of Bethlehem came a savior, a king and a shepherd. Phillips Brooks wrote the well known hymn about Bethlehem in 1868. He went there and was inspired by the view of Bethlehem at night from the hills outside the town. I like these words in the second stanza: 

O morning stars together Proclaim the holy birth And praises sing to God, the King, And peace to men on earth. That would be a worthy endeavor for us the Christmas. 

Proclaim Christ.