OPINION:
A promise was perfectly fulfilled in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago.
Many of the promises we know: a virgin conceiving, a Son given, a Prince of Peace reigning. And yet, nestled in Bethlehem’s cradle lies the fulfillment of hundreds of promises regarding Christ’s coming. And so, to strengthen your faith and settle your soul in the busyness of the season, we’ll uncover five of these lesser-known promises, all pointing to the brilliance of his appearing.
Below is the fourth in a series of excerpts from “Tracing His Promise,” which guides readers through the promise of Christ in the Old Testament, making it a meaningful addition to the Advent season. Read the first, second, and third installments.
God is in the details
I believe this is no better demonstrated than in the study of prophecy. It’s a powerful reminder that though we can’t see the big picture, God does. And because our all-knowing God is also all loving and all powerful, we can rest, knowing he orchestrates events to further his divine purpose.
Micah’s Prophecy
SEE ALSO: Tracing His Promise, a Christmas Advent: The Jesse Tree
A prophecy from Micah unveils a fascinating detail about the place of Christ’s birth. Like other prophecies we’ve studied, Micah’s is written in poetry, where inanimate objects are often personified: the sun smiles, the trees clap their hands, and the hills rejoice. Fun, right?
Micah’s prophecy is no different, as he personifies a small yet significant town in Israel — Bethlehem. But the town doesn’t speak, smile, or clap. Instead, Micah addresses the town as if it were a person to prepare it for what would come:
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. – Micah 5:2
Here, Micah speaks to the town of Bethlehem, saying that from it shall come the “ruler in Israel.” Notice how the verse ends: “Whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” Other translations say “from everlasting” or “days of eternity.”
Days of eternity. This brief phrase unlocks the significance of Micah’s prophecy. The One born in Bethlehem would be no ordinary ruler. He would be from eternity past. Not only that, God said the ruler would be “for me.” That is, He would come to serve God’s purposes.
I marvel at how Micah while prophesying Christ’s physical birthplace, captured both the heart of Christ’s purpose (for God) and the eternality of His existence.
SEE ALSO: Tracing His Promise, a Christmas Advent: Lessons on Jesus from King David
Peek into the New Testament
We understand the significance of Micah’s prophecy now, but what about the people during the time Jesus was born? Did they know? Come with me to the New Testament, where shortly after the birth of Jesus, King Herod asked the Jewish leaders about the Christ child’s location.
[King Herod] inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: ‘And you, O Bethlehem … from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” – Matthew 2:4–6
Don’t you love how Scripture comes together? Seven hundred years after Micah spoke of Bethlehem, the Jewish leaders remembered this prophecy and used it to answer the question of Jesus’s birthplace.
He performs His word
You may think Micah’s prophecy isn’t that unusual. After all, King David was from Bethlehem. It would only make sense that Jesus would be born in the same town as David. But this is where it gets interesting. At the time of Mary’s pregnancy, Joseph and Mary were not residents of Bethlehem. Not even close. They lived in Nazareth — 90 miles away.
But Micah said the Christ child would be born in Bethlehem. To fulfill this prophecy, God would need to compel the couple to make a multiday trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem at the precise time of Jesus’s birth.
What would cause Joseph and Mary to make this journey, especially with Mary so close to delivering? The Christmas story tells us what was happening in that part of the world at the time:
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered… . And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up … to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem. – Luke 2:1, 3–4
These verses may be familiar, but what they tell us is important. Caesar’s taxation required everyone to travel to their ancestral town. Because Joseph was of the lineage of David, he and Mary had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem to fulfill Caesar’s decree.
If Joseph and Mary had not gone to Bethlehem, Mary would have given birth to Jesus in Nazareth, not Bethlehem. But God, at the perfect time, moved Caesar Augustus to issue widespread taxation. What appeared to be a political mandate from Caesar was a sovereign act of God, transferring the woman carrying His child to the prophesied location of the Messiah’s birth!
Isn’t this incredible? God relocated Mary and Joseph 90 uncomfortable miles to fulfill a promise He had spoken 700 years earlier. God would not let His promise go unfulfilled.
Or to view it from another faith-building perspective: the all-knowing, all-seeing God knew Joseph and Mary would be in Bethlehem during the taxation and gave that revelation to Micah 700 years in advance. Let’s just let that sink in a moment.
God has a perspective we do not have, and He does what He says He will do. His promises have power. He knows all and sees all. We don’t have to wonder and worry if God will act. He watches over His word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12).
Truth and trust
The events surrounding Micah 5:2 demonstrate a timeless truth: God orchestrates events to fulfill His divine purpose. What we may interpret as a natural event or unexpected setback could be a supernatural God at work.
Never think that the specifics of where and when you live are without purpose. Your street, school, church, job, and relationships are all part of God’s plan. Just as God sovereignly arranged the details for Mary and Joseph, He sovereignly designs the details of ours. Paul said this perfectly:
[God] made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us. – Acts 17:26–27
God is the one who determines when and where we live, placing us in the exact location of His choosing. And it’s not without purpose. We may think we live somewhere because of a job opportunity, family relationship, school situation, less traffic, or good weather. Paul revealed the real reason: that we would seek after God and find Him.
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Donna Amidon is a speaker and author with a passion for engaging others in the rich truths of Scripture. A graduate of Southern Evangelical Seminary, Donna has served in diverse roles as a Bible teacher, worship leader, and small group director. Donna’s book, “Tracing His Promise,” guides readers through the promise of Christ in the Old Testament, making it a meaningful addition to the Advent season. In her role at Back to the Bible, Donna provides biblical teachings that inspire others to center their lives on Christ. Visit her at www.donnaamidon.com or on social media at https://www.instagram.com/donnaamidon_/ or https://www.facebook.com/ignitetheheart
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