The Coming Christ: Located

Micah was a prophet to Judah around the same time as Isaiah. That places this prophecy at over 700 years prior to the birth of Jesus.

God, Speaking through the prophet Micah, Gives additional details about the promised coming of the Messiah.

Through Micah we are given the location of the birth of Christ. That place is Bethlehem.

Bethlehem is located about six miles south of Jerusalem. It is the place that family of King David came from.

Ruth and Naomi traveled to Bethlehem. It is where Boaz fell in love with Ruth. Ruth was the great grandmother of David.

Bethlehem certainly has a rich Biblical history.

Ephrathah was added to distinguish David’s Bethlehem from other towns with the same name. It simply refers to the region in which Bethlehem is located. Ephrath is simply one of the clans that make up the tribe of Judah.

Despite the fact that it was David’s home town, Bethlehem was so small, that it was considered insignificant and unimportant. This is very important to the context.

Why Bethlehem?

That it is small and insignificant only serves to magnify God’s power and glory.

It is characteristic of God to use the small and weak in a big and powerful way. In fact, Scripture is full of examples of how small things produce produce huge works.

Think of the five loaves and two fish, or the widow’s mite, or maybe Zacchaeus.

Then there are Gideon’s three hundred, or David and his sling.

Bottom line: God has a tendency to use small things for great purposes. And he has the ability to take the ordinary and turn it into the extraordinary.

In the same manner, this little place would bring forth an unimaginable gift.

No one would’ve expected the Messiah to have His roots in such a tiny village. The Messiah, who Micah says is from ancient times, surely would make His habitation in one of the great cities of the world.

Could a king possibly be born into such lowliness? conventional wisdom says no. We would expect a king to be born into luxury, and to have all that he could ever want at his beck and call.

However, God often defies conventional wisdom. He has a tendency to take small, insignificant things and use them in mighty and powerful ways.

As such, the Christ child was born into very humble (even lowly) circumstances, in this small city of David - Bethlehem.

That’s just like God. He didn’t come with pomp and circumstance, just purpose and humility.

He used what was small and insignificant to change the world, to bring forth “The One” to be ruler in Israel…eternally.

Isaiah 9:7

Isaiah 9:7 (NKJV)

Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

From small and insignificant comes a kingdom with no end, an eternal kingdom.

Christ’s Government

How will He rule?

He will rule completely

Matthew 28:18

Matthew 28:18 (NKJV)

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

He will rule with a rod of iron

Revelation 19:15

Revelation 19:15 (NKJV)

Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

He will bring all of the nations to their knees, strike down the evil and replace it with righteousness. No one will be able to resist.

He will fulfill the prophecy of:

Psalm 2:9

Psalm 2:9 (NKJV)

You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

He will rule in righteousness and justice

Isaiah 32:1

Isaiah 32:1 (NKJV)

Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, And princes will rule with justice.

Isaiah 11:4-5

Isaiah 11:4–5 (NKJV)

But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist.

Isaiah 16:5

Isaiah 16:5 (NKJV)

In mercy the throne will be established; And One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, Judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness.”

He will rule in peace

Isaiah 11:6-9

Isaiah 11:6–9 (NKJV)

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea.

He will rule forever

Daniel 7:14

Daniel 7:14 (NKJV)

Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.

Luke 1:33

Luke 1:33 (NKJV)

And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Revelation 11:15

Revelation 11:15 (NKJV)

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

Are you ready?

God’s people had a lot to look forward to, as we still do today. The signs that God gave were unmistakeable!

He gave them the manner of the birth of the coming Christ (virgin).

He gave them the name of the coming Christ.

He gave them specific characteristics of the coming Christ.

He gave them the location of the birth of the coming Christ.

How could anyone have missed it? Yet, many did!

Even today, we can be just as certain of His return. God has given us assurances and signs as well.

We know how He will appear when He returns. We know how He will rule when He returns.

His appearance will be absolutely unmistakeable.

When He came first, He brought salvation to us. When He returns, He will bring righteousness and justice, and we must be ready!

The opportunity for salvation will end when He returns, which means that it is an urgent matter today.

Are you ready for His appearing? It’s not a matter of if He will return, it is a matter of when He will return.

Are you doing your part to see that others are ready? Are you sharing the Gospel, thereby providing the necessary opportunity.

He has already done all of the work, and it all started with a baby in a manger 2000 years ago. All that is needed is Faith in Jesus Christ!

Romans 10:9

Romans 10:9 (NKJV)

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.