5 Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops;
siege is laid against us;
with a rod they strike the judge of Israel
on the cheek.
2 [c] 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.
3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of his brothers shall return
to the people of Israel.
4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth.
5 And he shall be their peace.
When the Assyrian comes into our land
and treads in our palaces,
then we will raise against him seven shepherds
and eight princes of men;
6 they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
and the land of Nimrod at its entrances;
and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian
when he comes into our land
and treads within our border.
A Remnant Shall Be Delivered
7 Then the remnant of Jacob shall be
in the midst of many peoples
like dew from the Lord,
like showers on the grass,
which delay not for a man
nor wait for the children of man.
8 And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations,
in the midst of many peoples,
like a lion among the beasts of the forest,
like a young lion among the flocks of sheep,
which, when it goes through, treads down
and tears in pieces, and there is none to deliver.
9 Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries,
and all your enemies shall be cut off.
10 And in that day, declares the Lord,
I will cut off your horses from among you
and will destroy your chariots;
11 and I will cut off the cities of your land
and throw down all your strongholds;
12 and I will cut off sorceries from your hand,
and you shall have no more tellers of fortunes;
13 and I will cut off your carved images
and your pillars from among you,
and you shall bow down no more
to the work of your hands;
14 and I will root out your Asherah images from among you
and destroy your cities.
15 And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance
on the nations that did not obey.
Advent Devotional 2
Pastor Dennis Schlappi (Retired)
Micah is one of the minor prophetic writings in the Old Testament. It is not because the prophet’s words are unimportant. It is simply because it is among the shorter prophetic books. Nevertheless, the message of Micah provides a panoramic picture of prophecy which includes the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians and the ultimate fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. The judgment is an ugly end to the generations of idolatrous ways in which God’s people had turned away from him. It reminds us that sin brings suffering and sorrow. Micah foretells the coming of the conquering armies of the Assyrians and Babylonians who would carry away the people into captivity.
It is in the midst of this frightening forecast Micah interjects the all-important conjunction “but”. That is the little word that connects two similar but contrasting thoughts. For example, in Romans 6:23 we read, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Ephesians 2:1-4 reminds us that we were once dead in our sins, but God through his mercy and love made us alive in Christ Jesus. Although the kingdoms of Israel and Judah would be destroyed in judgment, hope would reign in the form of God’s child. He would be born in a most unlikely place, tiny Bethlehem Ephrathah. These prophecies of judgment and the messianic promise have been amazingly fulfilled. That brings us to Christmas.
With all the talk of peace, joy, and goodwill we must admit that many of us view Christmas with a sense of dread. We live on the wrong side of the “but.” The curse of sin has brought much heartache and sorrow into the world. The Christmas season gives us an occasion to focus on memories of pain and loss. The world around us portrays a spirit we may not share, and despair overcomes every effort to overcome it. But Micah’s prophecy has been fulfilled. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and he gives us hope beyond anything the world can offer or provide. If you are one of the multitudes who are lost in your losses, put off the past and put on the sure hope provided by the babe in the manger of Bethlehem.
Micah speaks of judgment and of hope, but there is more–God’s enduring love. Even in times of extreme judgment and loss God never ceases to love his people. Not all of Micah’s prophecies have been fulfilled. The best is yet to come. He will restore his kingdom on earth, and he is preparing a place in Heaven where we will rejoice in his presence. Make the most of Christmas. Join in the joy but remember that Christ is the central character, and he is the source of our hope. Love him with the same devotion with which he loves you and have a very merry Christmas.
Do you look forward to Christmas with bright anticipation or does dread and despair overshadow it?
How can fixing your focus on Christ make your spirit bright?
How can you celebrate the enduring love of Jesus as you share God’s promises with others?
Write a message to God in which you relate all the joys and sorrows you experience as you anticipate Christmas. Thank Him for His steadfast love that always surrounds you. Confess anything that draws your attention away from Him and the gracious gift of His Son. Ask Him how you can spread the hope of Jesus to your friends and family.
