“When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.”
Matthew 2:4 (NIV)
We should have no doubt regarding the identity of the ruler and the remnant, as we read Micah 5 because the answer given to King Herod was Bethlehem in Judea, for the chief priests and teachers of the law knew that the prophet Micah wrote in 5:2 thru 4 “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 labour bears a son, 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."
the earth."
The ruler that Micah sees and describes is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ, which means the remnant must be all of us who have placed our faith in Him as our Lord and Saviour. The use of Micah 5 by the chief priests should change the way we read and understand Micah 5.
How crazy was Herod’s response to the wonderful news from the wise men and the prophecy of God’s Messiah being born in Bethlehem.
The pride of a human - I will destroy God’s ancient plans – I will raise my fist to the God who rules the stars- I will kill this one sent from God.
In some ways Herod had more belief than the vast numbers of people today who yawn and laugh at the story of the King of kings being born in Bethlehem – he killed those babies in Bethlehem because he believed the Word of God. Far better to have believed and humbled himself before the King, as the wise men did.
What will we do this day?
Raise our fist to God or bend our knee?
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