BEN F. VICK, JR.
Micah was a young contemporary with Isaiah and Hosea. Like Isaiah's prophecies, Micah's messages look down through the centuries to Christ and the Gospel Age. A characteristic of the prophets is that often amid proclaiming to the people of their day, a prophecy would be given that pointed forward to the time of future people and events. However, the prophecies were not written in a vacuum. They are not without connection to the context in which they were written.
For instance, Micah wrote, "But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." (Micah 5:2.) This Messianic prophecy is not unrelated to the context in which it is found. Assyria, along with affiliate nations, had gathered against Jerusalem. Fear filled the hearts of Judah. Even the King of Judah, Hezekiah, rented his clothes and went into the house of the Lord. He took the threatening letter from the King of Assyria, laid it before the Lord, and prayed (Isa. 36-37). When troubles come our way, we should take them to the Lord (1 Peter 5:7: Heb. 4:14-16). Though Judah was under great travail and seemed to be without strength or hope, God promised that she would leave the city of Jerusalem, go to Babylon, and one day be delivered from there. (Micah 4:8-13).
Jerusalem would be besieged. "The judge of Israel," that is the King of Judah, would be smitten, but many years later, a ruler would arise from Bethlehem (Micah 5:1-2). This prophecy would give hope to those in Micah's day. The prophet alludes to Judah's return one day from Babylon (Micah 5:3). What does the prophecy say?
Personification is used in addressing Bethlehem – "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah…." Bethlehem Ephratah pinpoints the exact city in which the event would occur. There was a Bethlehem in Zebulon (Josh. 19:15-16). Bethlehem means "house of bread." Ephratah means "fruitfulness.” The city is located six miles south of Jerusalem.
There is some history that is tied to the town. Bethlehem was near where Rachel died, giving birth to Benjamin. She was buried there (Gen 35:16-19; 48:7). Ruth, the Moabitess, went with her mother-in-law, Naomi, to Bethlehem after losing their husbands (Ruth 1:19). She gleaned from the fields of Boaz around Bethlehem. She later married Boaz of Bethlehem. Her great-grandson was David (Ruth 4:18-22). Bethlehem was the birthplace and home of David, the second king of Israel (Luke 2:4). When David was a soldier hiding in the cave of Adullum, a garrison of Philistines was in Bethlehem. He harked back to his younger days and longed for a drink of water from the well at Bethlehem. Three of David's mighty men broke through the garrison and brought the water to David. Because they jeopardized their lives for David, he was so moved he could not drink it but poured it out to the Lord. The water represented the blood of these men who ventured the danger to please David (2 Sam. 23:13-17; 1 Chron. 1:15-19).
Though we look back on the history of Bethlehem, it was not a large town. However, little among the thousands of Judah, yet a ruler in Israel would come forth. The English Standard Version reads, "who are too little among the clans of Judah." Jacob had prophesied the scepter would not depart from Judah until Shiloh came (Gen. 49:10). Nathan had prophesied to David that one of his seed from his loins would build his house and God would establish his throne (2 Sam. 7:12-14). Isaiah prophesied of a child to be born of a virgin and a son given. The government would be on his shoulder. His name shall be Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." (Isa. 7:14; 9:6-7.)
Of this Ruler to come forth, Micah says, "Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." One translation renders this: "His origins are from of old, from ancient days."
This Ruler would be "from everlasting," a Hebrew expression meaning "the days of eternity." Though he was to be born in Bethlehem, he was in eternity before the beginning of the world. Sometimes I hear preachers speak of the "preexistence" of Christ. I know what they mean, but did Christ exist before he existed? Perhaps a better way to express it would be the "pre-fleshly" state of Christ. He has always existed.
Since He is God, it can be said of Him, "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." (Psalm 90:1-2.) John wrote, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:1-3.)
Paul said, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." (Col. 1:15-17.) To the young preacher Timothy Paul penned, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Tim. 1:17.)
The apostle John on the isle of Patmos for the Word of God, having been directed by the Spirit, wrote of Christ, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Rev. 1:8.) This emphasizes the eternality of the Ruler who was to come forth from Bethlehem. He was not a mere man (1 Tim. 3:16).
The Babe's star was seen in the east by the wisemen, which led them to Jerusalem. The star and the Scripture (Micah 5:2) led them to Jesus (Matt. 2:1-9.) Today, no star will lead one to Jesus, though one may be impressed by the starry sky (Psa. 8; 19:1). However, it is God's Word that is to guide us (2 Tim. 3:16-17). It is our GPS to Christ and, ultimately, to heaven.