He was a contemporary of the great Isaiah, a peasant whose work is a mere seven chapters. Micah’s writings have been described as rugged, but clear and intelligible. And it is unlikely that we will experience any Christmastime without hearing or quoting from his book.
Never, in all my years of reading through the Bible, have I been aware of the presence of Jesus throughout scripture like this year. Signs of Him, symbols of Him, whispers of Him—and shouts. They are everywhere. He is the Word of creation, in covenant promises, in the rich symbolism of the tabernacle in the wilderness, in the abundant forthtellings of His prophets. He is everywhere.
And so, in Micah 5, this passage appears like another glowing ember in the banked fires of Old Testament Messianic prophecy:
But you, Bethlehem of Ephathah,
though you are small among the thousands of Judah,
yet out of you shall come for Me the One to be Ruler in Israel,
whose origins are of old, from ancient times.
Therefore Israel will be abandoned [no prophetic word for 430 years]
until the time when she who is in labor has given birth;
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 He will be our peace.
That night, in that little village, Jesus’ arrival was announced in glorious angelic pageantry. But He Himself lay newborn and tender in the candlelight of a stable.
His ministry will, in the years to come, spread like wildfire, and the outpouring of His Spirit will explode across the known world, and throughout the ages.
I am thinking about this today, wondering what, if I am willing, the Savior would ignite in my life for HIs kingdom work. What embers are glowing and just need the ignition of His Spirit to make a difference in my sphere?
Has the Holy Spirit been urging you to some area of service, or exercise of your giftings or abilities, or some never-before-frontier of faith? Now in the glow of Christmastime with its incredible fulfillment and the rich promises of Jesus, the Spirit will, if we are willing, fan those embers of possibility.
Be born in me, O Holy Spirit,
and let my life be lost in Thine
And may the world see only You, Lord
Be born in me, O Life Divine