Thursday, December 19, 2024
Scripture: Micah 5:1-5

“But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from old, from ancient days.”

Micah 5:2

Micah (740-698 BC) is considered one of the 12 minor prophets. His book is the 6th of the 12 works in the Hebrew Bible. He was a contemporary of Isaiah, Amos, and Hosea – living 700 years before Christ.

The people yearned for the Messiah God had promised to them. They experienced invading enemy armies – Micah warned that an enemy would strike…but their Messiah would come, and come from the tiny town of Bethlehem. This little town was already special to them, as their King David was also born there—Israel’s greatest King, David ben Yishai (1040-970 BC), son of Jesse.

Such a message of hope to God’s people. Micah is the only prophet to name the city of Bethlehem – it is the only reference of the future town of the Messiah’s birth in the Old Testament.

Pam Riley is married to Chuck and has been at Yates since 1979 when our 3 year old daughter, Erin, joined Linda Miller’s Preschool class. Erin declared we should be at Yates weekends too.