Micah 5:1-5
A Promised Ruler from Bethlehem
1 Marshal your troops, O city of troops,
for a siege is laid against us.
They will strike Israel's ruler
on the cheek with a rod.
2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times. "
3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned
until the time when she who is in labor gives birth
and the rest of his brothers return
to join the Israelites.
4 He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.
5 And he will be their peace.
Micah is describing a leader that will come from the same town as Israel's greatest King David...The small town of Bethlehem would be the birthplace, not only of the greatest king, but also the greatest Leader and King of all times, Jesus...
The Messiah is the one who would come and teach us His commands...He would not be one to overthrow a government... In fact, He said little about government and government intervention(s)...His government was one of relationships...We are to be close to and love our God, the One and Only...We are to love our neighbor as ourselves...We are to forgive others as our Father will forgive us...In His government, our souls will rest and find peace...
Humanity sins...Our sins leave us apart from God...Jesus is the High Priest who would reconcile our sins to God...He would atone for the sins we have done with His death on the cross...We then can be close to God, with this reconcilement of our sins...Our souls then will find a peace, that we can only imagine...
Out of the small town of Bethlehem a child was born...He would teach His flock, in the strength of the LORD...His name will reach every corner of the earth and He will bring peace to our souls...