“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.”

Micah 5:2

Micah wrote in 742-687 B.C., 700 years before Christ was born. All of Israel knew the prophecy, that Bethlehem was to be the birthplace of the Messiah. The chief priests and teachers of the law knew it when King Herod asked where the Christ was to be born (Matthew 2:4-5). Simeon knew it as he waited in the temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:25); so did Anna (Luke 2:38). That origins of Messiah were from of old, from ancient times, was a given to those waiting for His birth.

But what were the odds? “No members of the family of David were living in Bethlehem any longer” (McGee, online Thru the Bible). It was quite remarkable that this one family in the line of David, from Nazareth, would be making the trip anywhere so close to mother Mary’s due date. 

The I AM statement of Jesus in John 8:58, “before Abraham was born, I am!”, totally dismayed the Pharisees. They knew exactly what He meant: I am one with God; I am divine; I have always been—reminiscent of God’s “I AM WHO I AM” to Moses (Exodus 3:14). John wrote about it: In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning (John 1:1-2).

Matthew 2:6 adds the shepherd imagery to Micah’s prophecy: “‘For out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” And Jesus completes it: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). There is that I AM statement again. In fact, it was peppered all through John 10:1-21 causing even more consternation to the Jewish elite.  

And so the ruler over Israel takes on the role of the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. Intentionally. “This passage describes substitutionary atonement for sin, the supreme sacrifice of Calvary” (Holman New Testament Commentary). We are made right with God. We just need to believe. I do.

Nancy P

All Scripture quotations are from the NIV 1973,1978,1984, unless otherwise noted.