Micah’s Prophecy of the Messiah’s Birth
Written by David W. Hegg | Senior Pastor
Micah was a prophet of God who proclaimed a message of judgment combined with the hope of future restoration to his contemporaries in both Judah and Israel. During Advent, his prophecies concerning restoration center on the coming of Israel's Messiah, particularly his birth.
The text we read most often is found in Micah 5:2:
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.
Certainly, Micah's audience would have been shocked to hear that the Messiah–God's King!–would be born in a small, insignificant village whose population was so sparse that it was not named in the original division of the land among the tribes of Israel. Bethlehem Ephrathah was the birthplace of King David, and not the Bethlehem in the land of Zebulun (Joshua 19:15). But, more shocking still was the prediction that the Messiah would be born out among the shepherds guarding the sheep in the fields outside Bethlehem Ephrathah.
Our modern depictions of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus being adored by the shepherds and various animals are certainly more regal than true.
“Certainly, Micah's audience would have been shocked to hear that the Messiah–God's King!–would be born in a small, insignificant village whose population was so sparse that it was not named in the original division of the land among the tribes of Israel.”
Previously in Micah 4, the prophet had declared that, one day, the Lord would "reign over them in Mount Zion from this time forth and forever more" (4:7). And in the following verse, he gives a significant clue concerning the location that would announce the coming ruler (4:8).
And you, O tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, the former dominion shall come, kingship for the daughter of Jerusalem.
The phrase "tower of the flock" (Hebrew: Migdal Eder) refers to a well-known watchtower located near the village. Its location meant it was not used by normal shepherds who tended the wilderness sheep in the barren sheep ground beyond Bethlehem. Instead, this watchtower was used by the Levitical shepherds who tended the sheep whose lambs would be used for Temple sacrifices.
All this also fits well with Luke's narration of the birth event in Luke 2. We read that the shepherds were out in the fields tending their sheep at night. Why were they not in the sheepfolds? Almost certainly because the season of lamb-bearing was happening. We also read that, when Jesus was born, he was "wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” This fits perfectly with the way the newborn lambs would have been cared for. And where would Joseph and Mary find such cloths and a manger? Almost certainly, not finding lodging in the village, they had taken refuge in one of the many caves in the fields adjacent to the town. It was in these caves that the shepherds would take ewes in the early stages of birthing. And in the caves, they would store the cloths used to swaddle the lambs, which would be sold at a high price to those offering sacrifices at the Temple in Jerusalem.
Once again, it is the irony that must capture our attention. God's king was born in a cave. God the Son was born in the cold of winter. The announcement of the Messiah's birth was first made, not to the wealthy and mighty, but to the shepherds.
And yet, much more powerful was the truth that "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" would be cared for by those trained to care for the sacrificial lambs. And, we must add that the birth narrative of our Lord Jesus exudes humility, as we would expect from the One who would later call his followers to be "pour in spirit" (Matthew 5:3) and have the mind of their Savior who calls them to:
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4).
“It was in these caves that the shepherds would take ewes in the early stages of birthing. And in the caves, they would store the cloths used to swaddle the lambs, which would be sold at a high price to those offering sacrifices at the Temple in Jerusalem.”
So, as we slow down to reflect on yet another Advent season, let us see in the lights the light of the world, and in the gifts the gift of saving faith, and in the music the song of righteousness, all provided to us by the God of love who sent his Son, the Lamb of God, to us so that we might be brought back to the God who created us in the first place.