#DailyDevotion Jesus, The Fulfilment of Micah’s Prophecy

Micah 5 But now, gather in troops, you people invaded by troops. We are besieged. With a stick they will strike the cheek of the judge of Israel. ²“You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too small to be one of Judah’s clans, from you there will come out for Me, One Who is to rule Israel Who comes from eternity.”

Now this first verse is often seen as belonging to the previous prophecy of the previous chapter. The LORD calls for Judah to gather the troops for they are besieged. Who is it though that strikes the cheek of the judge of Israel? In context of the times, the judge of Israel would be either the king of Israel or the king of Judah. If it is those laying siege, it would be the armies of Assyria or Babylon doing this striking. Perhaps though the troops gathered are the ones referenced in the immediate context. Then perhaps they are correcting their erring king. On the other hand, the judge of Israel could be referencing the “One Who is to rule Israel” in the next verse. In which case, this would be the Sanhedrin and the Roman soldiers as they arrest and try Jesus.

Now 5:2 is definitely referencing the coming Messiah. The Scribes in Matthew 2 quote this when asked when and where the Messiah would be born. They said, ⁵“In Bethlehem, in Judea, because the prophet has written: ⁶And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are not at all the least among the leading towns of Judah, since from you will come a leader Who will be the Shepherd of My people Israel.” Now Bethlehem is where David, the king, the man after God’s own heart, was born. The future and everlasting King would be from the seed of David and would be born there. Hence, the Roman census is called during the time of Jesus’ birth in order to bring Mary and Joseph down from Nazareth.

Now perhaps the Scribes who reported to Herod paraphrased verse 4 skipping verse 3. On the other hand, since they searched the Scriptures to answer Herob, they may have gone to Isaiah 40, “¹¹Like a shepherd He takes care of His flock; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them at His bosom.” Perhaps they had Ezek. 34 in mind, ²³“I will raise up one Shepherd over them, My Servant David, Who will feed them. He will feed them and be their Shepherd.” The King would come from Judah as Jacob prophesied in Gen. 49, ¹⁰ “The scepter will not pass away from Judah Or a ruler from between his feet Till SHILOH [Man of Rest] comes, Whom the nations will obey.”

This ruler, this shepherd comes from eternity. Who else comes from eternity but the LORD God. So the LORD God is the One who joins Himself with Judah and David, to become man to rule, govern and save His people Israel. So John writes in ch. 1, “IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Again he writes, “¹⁴And the Word became flesh and lived among us for a time and we saw His glory, the glory of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Paul writes of Jesus in Col. 1, “¹⁷He was before everything, and He holds everything together.” Jesus speaks in Rev. 1, “I am the Alpha and the Omega (the A and the Z],” says the Lord God, Who is and was and is coming, the Almighty.” So this prophecy speaks of Jesus of Nazareth. He is the faithful One who has come to rule His Israel. If you put your faith in Jesus and are baptized into His name, you are Israel. (Rom. 9:7, 8)

Heavenly Father, You fulfilled Your word through the prophet Micah in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Always keep us faithful to Him so we may be included in faithful Israel under His rule and protection. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.