In telling us how they replied to King Herod’s
question about where Jesus would be born, Matthew quotes the chief priests and
teachers of the law (Matt 2:5-6). The chief priests and teachers themselves are
quoting Micah, who is himself quoting the Lord, “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of
Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will
come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’”[1]
What Micah actually said is
a bit more comprehensive in it’s entirety; “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though
you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who
will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor
gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. 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 they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.” [2]
Knowing the fuller context
of what Micah said is key to understanding the full impact of what is happening
in Matthew’s account. The King of the Jews to be born will not be a regular
king. Micah is announcing that this king will appear after a time of apparent
abandonment (and at the time of Matthew’s day, there had not been a prophet in
Israel with God’s words for some four hundred years) - a king who will gather
the rest of Israel (the dispersion) back, and will then rule not only Israel,
but the whole world.
Of course, that’s all a
revelation to Herod, and quite likely to most who read Matthew’s account. It
was always there, but anyone who didn’t know all that God had said would’ve thought that Bethlehem was a small town
with no real significance. Anyone who did know what God had said would’ve understood that this small place would become the
birthplace of the King of Kings. That’s a widely different viewpoint – a
viewpoint only seen with God’s words in mind.
People sometimes think
their lives are meaningless and small. But we are made in His image, and He did
not design us for an eternity of small things. What we do is significant,
because who we are is significant. We might
not think so at the present moment, because we have not yet understood all that
God has spoken over us or about us in the past.
But such things will be revealed. Just as God once said to a young man
named Jeremiah, “I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you
were born.” [3] What
He has said is revealed to us in His time, and only as we look and listen.
· What has God
revealed to you lately? Worship Him for that.
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