THE PROMISED SHEPHERD KING: How God Kept His Promise to Give Us Peace (Micah 5:1–5) Chapel Advent 2025

WHY WE TRY SO HARD TO FEEL “CHRISTMAS PEACE”

I love my daughters. And I especially love how, every July, they start playing Christmas music. At first it’s subtle—just a few jingle bells drifting from their room. By October, they’re fully committed. My house turns into “Prepare Him Room” radio, and honestly… I love it.

But it’s not just my girls. Walmart starts Christmas before Halloween. Amazon launches Black Friday deals in October. It’s like the whole world is hungry for “the most wonderful time of the year.”

Christmas is wonderful—lights, music, the cocoa on the stove, family, gifts. And for a few weeks, everyone tries to be happy, peaceful, kind.

But we know in this world, all good things come to an end.

That peace disappears as fast as the Christmas tree goes in the attic.

Why?

Because real peace can’t be bought. Real peace doesn’t last for only a month. Real peace doesn’t come from a holiday mood.

Real peace comes from a person— from the promised Messiah— from the Shepherd King God sent into the world.

And today we’re opening one of God’s promises about that King in Micah 5.

“1 Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. 2 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. 3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. 4 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. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. 5 And he shall be their peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men;” Micah 5:1–5

Here is the big idea:

God kept His promise to raise up a Shepherd King who secures our peace forever.

Micah shows us this truth by contrasting two kings. One king destroyed his people’s peace. One King restores it forever.

Let’s start with the first one.

1. A BROKEN KING: When Sin Steals Our Peace (Micah 5:1)

“Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.” Micah 5:1 “

God expects his people to live in a way that honors what he honors and love what he loves. Toward the end of the book, Micah tells Israel what God expects from them.

Micah 6:8 ESV

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

The reality is, this was not a reality in Israel at the time.

Micah was a prophet who lived in Judah 750-700BC. Israel was divided into two kingdom's, north and south. Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom Israel and Jerusalem was the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah. Both violated God’s covenant and rebelled against his Torah. Micah was called by God to declare Israel’s sin and transgressions.

Micah begins with accusations and warning in the first two chapters. He accuses the leaders of idolatry, covetousness, and perverted justice. In Micah 1:6, God says that he will beat their images into pieces and lay waste to her idols. Israel’s leaders coveted other people’s houses and fields and would seize them illegally (Micah 2:2,3).

The leaders would become wealthy by exploiting the poor through theft and greed. This led to severe injustice. The prophets who were charged with God’s word and keeping Israel’s integrity intact, became corrupt by taking bribes which led to perverted justice (Micah 3:9-11). Idolatry, covetousness, and perverted justice always leads to ruin.

This is no way how God’s covenant people are to act toward each other, nor is it pleasing to God. It was a direct violation of his Torah and Covenant. For 500 years God warned his people that if they remained in their wicked ways he would bring his judgement.

Teenagers today know what it feels like to lose peace—stress, pressure, guilt, anxiety, and temptation. Micah shows us why the people lost their peace: because they replaced God with their idols.

Micah lived when God’s people were full of idolatry, covetousness, and injustice. Leaders abused the poor (Micah 2:2). Prophets took bribes (Micah 3:11). Their hearts wandered far from God.

Sin always ruins peace.

So God allowed a foreign army—Assyria—to surround Jerusalem.

Micah says:

“They strike the judge of Israel on the cheek with a rod.” (Micah 5:1)

In ancient culture, hitting a king on the cheek was the ultimate humiliation. The “conquered king” couldn’t protect his people. He couldn’t protect himself.

This broken king represents our problem: Sin ruins peace. Sin humiliates us. Sin leaves us powerless.

Idols ruin your peace, humiliate you, and leave you powerless because they have no power and offend God.

The Phone That Controls You

It’s like when you’re “just checking one notification,” and suddenly an hour is gone. You didn’t control the phone—the phone controlled you.

Idols do the same thing. We think we’re in charge… but the thing we love more than God eventually controls us, drains us, and steals our peace.

If sin shatters peace, and if human kings can’t fix it, then what hope is left? Micah answers with one of the most stunning Christmas prophecies in the Bible.

2. A SHEPHERD KING: God’s Surprising, Splendid Promise (Micah 5:2-4)

Micah 5:2–4 “2 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. 3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. 4 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. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.”

In the middle of all the darkness, Micah announces something breathtaking:

This is the splendor—the glory—of Christmas:

A. God Uses Small Places and Small People to Show His Greatness

God chooses Bethlehem—a tiny town, almost too small for a map.

Why? So nobody could brag. So everyone would know this peace is God’s work alone (1 Cor. 1:27–29).

The Hidden Hero

Think of the sports movie Rudy. He wasn’t the strongest. He wasn’t the tallest. He wasn’t the star. But his smallness made his moment shine brighter.

God loves doing that. He uses the “small” to shine His greatness. God uses the little to reveal the infinite.

Bethlehem. A teenage girl named Mary. A carpenter named Joseph. A manger. A cross.

God often uses the weak, the small, and the insignificant to reveal His greatness.

B. God Sends a Savior-King Who Shepherds His People

Micah tells us three things about this promised King:

1. He shepherds with God’s strength (v. 4)

Not human strength. Not political power. Not military force.

Isaiah says:

“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him.” (Isaiah 11:2)

Jesus’ strength is perfect. He never sins. He never fails. He never abandons His sheep.

2. He shepherds with God’s authority

Micah says He rules “in the majesty of the name of the Lord” (5:4).

Remember David and Goliath?

“I come to you in the name of the Lord.” (1 Samuel 17:45)

Jesus doesn’t come in human authority—He comes with God’s authority.

3. He shepherds with worldwide, unending rule

“He shall be great to the ends of the earth” (Micah 5:4).

This King will rule forever (Isaiah 9:6–7). No enemies left. No sin left. No fear left.

But what difference does all this make for your peace? Micah tells us exactly what this Shepherd King comes to bring.

3. THE PEACE YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR

(Micah 5:5–6)

Micah writes:

“He shall be their peace.” (Micah 5:5)

He’s not saying : “He will give you peaceful vibes.” “He will try to bring peace.” “He will bring temporary holiday peace.”

No—He SHALL BE your peace. Peace is a person. Peace is Christ Himself.

Christmas peace is not a feeling—peace is a Person.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who gives the Bread of Life and the Living Water.

Jesus secured our peace by defeating sin and death at the cross.

Peace that Jesus gives is eternal and cannot be taken away.

When the Coach Walks In

Think about when your team is stressed or nervous before a big game. But then the coach walks in—calm, confident, steady. Suddenly everything feels different.

Nothing in the room changed except who walked in.

That’s Christmas.

Jesus—the Shepherd King—steps into the world. Into Bethlehem. Into a broken world. Into broken hearts. Into your anxiety, fear, guilt, and sin.

And when He steps in, everything changes.

JESUS IS THE SHEPHERD KING WHO SECURES OUR PEACE

When Jesus was born, the magi asked where the King was. The answer came straight from Micah 5.

“From you shall come a ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.” (Matt. 2:6)

Jesus is the Shepherd King.

He gathers the lost.

He takes our sin and gives us His righteousness.

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13).

And He secures peace in the only way sin could be destroyed:

He died and rose again.

At the cross, Jesus:

defeated sin (2 Cor. 5:21)

defeated death (1 Cor. 15:55–57)

defeated Satan (Col. 2:15)

satisfied God’s justice

gave you His righteousness

and opened the door of eternal life

This is why the angels declared at Christmas:

“Glory to God… and on earth peace.” (Luke 2:14)

Real peace. Forever peace. Peace nothing can take away (Phil. 4:7).

CHRISTMAS PEACE IS OFFERED TO YOU

So here’s the question:

Do you know the Shepherd King? Or are you living under a conquered king—your sin, your idols, your distractions?

Are you trying to live under the rule of two kings?

Jesus offers you Himself. His forgiveness. His leadership. His protection. His peace.

The Bible says:

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

He is your peace. He is the true meaning of Christmas. He is the King who came to rescue you.

All He asks is that you come to Him— repent, trust, and follow.

And when you do… you’ll discover a peace that doesn’t fade on December 26th. A peace that is stronger than fear, stronger than death, and stronger than anything this world can throw at you.

Jesus is the Shepherd King. Jesus is the peace you’ve been looking for. And Jesus is the center of Christmas.

Amen.