Micah 5:2-4: The Promise of Christmas

2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you one will go out for me, to be ruler in Israel; and his origins are from of old, from ancient days. 3 Therefore he will give them up until the time of she who is with child has given birth. And the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel. 4 And he will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God. And they will live, for now he will be great unto the ends of the earth.

Introduction

It is Christmas Time Again. Time for Spending Money. Time For Depression. For Gifts, Giving, Family, Cooking, Cleaning, Remembering and Celebrating

It is time to celebrate the birth of Christ and to remember God’s Promises.

What has God Promised

Micah was written some 700 yrs before Christ give or take 50 yrs. Yet at this time he predicts that out of Bethlehem would rise a messiah figure. Bethlehem is the small town in which King David originated from. It is a small country town, that does not even have a lot of people today. At that time it couldn’t even send 1000 men to battle.

The word Bethlehem means, “House of Bread”. In the prophecy, he tells us that this new king will be different from the ones that have come before. He will be a Shepard who is concerned with his flock. He will be a man of peace. So much so that he will be considered “Great” to the ends of the earth.

There are many that would argue this interpretation for this passage speaking that Micah was speaking of a much earlier event not the birth of Jesus. Prophets do bring a timely message with timeless meaning. Of the idea that the mentioning of Bethlehem is speaking of a tribe and not a place.

There are those also that are still waiting for this passage to be fulfilled in a man whose armies are able to conquer and defend Israel. There are those who are still waiting. I can’t imagine spending my whole life waiting for something that was right there. But we do it all the time. We pray God to heal my body and He says you can’t live forever use your story for my Glory. We say my knees hurt. And he says well if you would eat like my body is my temple, not your temple (guilty).

What's that old joke:

A storm descends on a small town, and the downpour soon turns into a flood. As the waters rise, the local preacher kneels in prayer on the church porch, surrounded by water. By and by, one of the townsfolk comes up the street in a canoe.

"Better get in, Preacher. The waters are rising fast."

"No," says the preacher. "I have faith in the Lord. He will save me."

"Come on, Preacher. We need to get you out of here. The levee's gonna break any minute."

Once again, the preacher is unmoved. "I shall remain. The Lord will see me through."

After a while, the levee breaks and the flood rushes over the church until only the steeple remains above water. The preacher is up there, clinging to the cross when a helicopter descends out of the clouds, and a state trooper calls down to him through a megaphone.

"Grab the ladder, Preacher. This is your last chance."

Once again, the preacher insists the Lord will deliver him.

And, predictably, he drowns.

A pious man, the preacher goes to heaven. After a while, he gets an interview with God, and he asks the Almighty, "Lord, I had unwavering faith in you. Why didn't you deliver me from that flood?"

God shakes his head. "What did you want from me? I sent you two boats and a helicopter."

Are You waiting for something?

Matthew 2:6 LEB

‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for from you will go out a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”

Matthew uses this passage to support that Jesus is the Messiah. Through all the arguments and through all the debate. God gave a man a glimpse into the future. Showing that a messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Someone who is greater than the greatest king Jerusalem has ever known King David.

God gave a man a glimpse and then He fulfilled His promised and then followed through some 700 yrs later. God is great like that, unlike mankind. He never lies, backs out on a promise or says well things just didn’t work out like I thought they would. I just can’t right now but I will forget later. That sounds like something we would do. We make plans that don’t work out all the time. Some of it is no fault of ours we don’t see somethings. We can’t.

We serve a God that does. He doesn’t have to take time off to go to the bathroom or visit another land. He is everywhere, and all-knowing. And He always keeps his promises!

And what has he promised?

He promised that Eternal Life

Which comes from The Bread of Life Jesus Christ. Will come from the house of Bread. He has promised that for all who accept Him as Lord and Savior. Ask him to be in there life and reign as King, ask for forgiveness of sins and admits that publicly through baptism. Will have eternal life.

What a concept live forever, not here on this earth but on a new one. Not on the moon either, but with him in his kingdom that is now and coming. A new age in which he reigns Heaven and new paradise.

If that is not a reason to celebrate… To Celebrate Him.

We worship because of who He is, we praise because of what He has done, is doing, and will do. So this Christmas we have reason to praise Him.

It is on Christmas that Christians have set apart a day to celebrate Jesus' birth. It was established some 200 years after Christ died as a day to remember the saviors birth. It isn’t his real birthday just a day set aside to celebrate it. So on Christmas, we have reason to praise Him. God sent us His son to die for our sin, Mine, and Yours so that you and I don’t have to pay the price of our sins instead we can be with him in Heaven.

What a reason to celebrate Christmas.

Next Steps

Have you a reason to Celebrate Christmas?

Gifts are great

Family is wonderful

But these things are not eternal

Gifts will break and fade

The family will change and die

God is eternal

Do you have a reason to celebrate Christmas

Are, you a Christian? If you are then CelebrateAnd tell someone Merry Christmas this season and tell them why it is a Merry Christmas while you still can