Opening illustration: Abraham Lincoln’s humble beginnings have become part of American lore. But one historian says that the most difficult part of young Abraham’s life came not during his early years in a Kentucky cabin, but after Thomas Lincoln moved the family to Indiana in 1816. The family arrived in Indiana during early winter, needing immediate shelter. Thomas and his son built a three-sided log shelter called a ""half-faced camp,"" the only protection on the fourth side being a fire that burned day and night. The Lincolns began building a log cabin after finishing the shelter, and the family moved in during February, 1817.
Many of the world’s great rulers came from humble beginnings, but none more so than earth’s rightful Ruler, Jesus Christ the Messiah. Actually, Micah’s famous prophecy in verse 2 speaks both of Jesus’ earthly beginnings as the Son of Man and of His eternality as the Son of God.
Let us turn to Micah 5 and catch up with the prophecy of Christ the King becoming a humble servant and our deliverer.
Introduction: Having showed how low the house of David would be brought, a prediction of the Messiah and his kingdom is added to encourage the faith of God’s people. His existence from eternity as God, and his office as Mediator, are noticed. Here is foretold that Bethlehem should be his birthplace. Hence it was universally known among the Jews, Matthew 2: 5. Christ’s government shall be very happy for his subjects; they shall be safe and easy. Under the shadow of protection from the Assyrians, is a promise of protection to the gospel church and all believers, from the designs and attempts of the powers of darkness. Christ is our Peace as a Priest, making atonement for sin, and reconciling us to God; and he is our Peace as a King, conquering our enemies: hence our souls may dwell at ease in him. Christ will find instruments to protect and deliver. Those that threaten ruin to the church of God, soon bring ruin on themselves. This may include the past powerful effects of the preached gospel, its future spread, and the ruin of all antichristian powers. This is, perhaps, the most important single prophecy in the Old Testament: it respects the personal character of the Messiah, and the discoveries of himself to the world. It distinguishes his human birth from his existing from eternity; it foretells the rejection of the Israelites and Jews for a season, their final restoration, and the universal peace to prevail through the whole earth in the latter days. In the mean time let us trust our Shepherd’s care and power. If he permits the assault of our enemies, he will supply helpers and assistance for us.
What qualified Jesus to be ‘The Servant King?’
1. The Humble Ruler (vs. 1 – 2)
a) He has laid siege against us: Israel will be humbled by foreign powers, and even her judges will bear insults.
b) But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah . . . out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel: In this time of humiliation under foreign powers, God will raise up a great Ruler from a humble place - Bethlehem.
• Bethlehem was well known as the hometown of David, Israel’s greatest king; yet it was never a great or influential city. It was truly little among the thousands of Israel. Yet God chose it as the birthplace of the Messiah, the Ruler in Israel.
• This passage from Micah 5 was quoted by the chief priests and teachers of the law when Herod asked about the birth of the Messiah (Matthew 2: 5 - 6).
• That was the old name of the place which the Jews retained and loved. The meaning of it is, ’fruitfulness,’ or ’abundance.’ Ah! Well was Jesus born in the house of fruitfulness; for whence cometh my fruitfulness and thy fruitfulness, my brother, but from Bethlehem? Our poor barren hearts never produced one fruit or flower, till they were watered with the Savior’s blood." (Spurgeon)
c) Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting: This glorious promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and Micah’s prophetic voice declares that though Jesus came from Bethlehem, He did not begin there. His goings forth are from eternity past.
(i) The Bible tells us that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. (Revelation 22: 13) This means from the very beginning, Jesus was there. There was never a time when the Jesus did not exist.
(ii) Before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, He existed as the Second Person of the Trinity (John 17: 5, 17: 24). These passages tell us that there was a relationship of love, fellowship, and shared glory that the Father and the Son shared in eternity past. The name "Jesus" was not known as a name for the Second Person of the Trinity until the angel Gabriel announced it to Mary (Luke 1: 31). But the eternal Son existed before He revealed Himself as "Jesus."
(iii) Before Bethlehem, Jesus was the creator of all things (Colossians 1: 16 - 17, John 1: 1 - 3). "He was before all things. As he is the Creator of all things, so he is the Eternal, and no part of what was created. All being but God has been created. Whatever has not been created is God. But Jesus is the Creator of all things; therefore he is God; for he cannot be a part of his own work." (Clarke)
(iv) In the Old Testament, Jesus appeared as God made visible or "The Angel of the LORD." There are many instances in the Old Testament where individuals are shown to have had a face to face encounter with the LORD. (Genesis 16: 7 - 13, Genesis 18, Genesis 32: 24 - 32, Joshua 5: 13 - 15, Judges 6: 11 - 24, Judges 13: 8 - 24, Daniel 3). In each situation, the Person is given different titles, but in all cases the person is plainly referred to as the LORD Himself, but appearing in a human form.
(v) From eternity past, God’s plan of the ages included Jesus (1 Peter 1: 20, Ephesians 1: 4).
(vi) Knowing that Jesus’ goings forth are from of old, from everlasting shows us some important things:
• It shows us the glory of Jesus, that He is far more than a man
• It shows us the love of Jesus, that He would leave the glory of heaven for us
• It shows us the nature of Jesus, that He would add humanity to His deity
• It shows us the sympathy of Jesus, that He remains fully man and fully God
Can meekness and majesty exist in the same person? Amazingly, they co-existed in the God-man, Jesus.
He was humble and meek. He didn’t insist on luxury or seek for material possessions. In fact, He didn’t own or possess any property except for the clothes He wore. In terms of pursuing fame and glory, He walked away from more crowds than He called together. He was the leader, but He knelt to wash the feet of His disciples (John 13).
Yet, with such beautiful humility, there was also an awesome majesty about Jesus. One word or look from Jesus could quiet a crowd, calm a storm, or make a disciple weep. Thousands followed Him as He lived and taught with unequaled power and authority. Although He died bearing our sin and shame, He rose from the grave in glory. One day He will return in majesty as King of kings and Lord of lords, vanquishing His foes and judging the nations.
2. The Good Shepherd (vs. 3 – 5a)
a) He shall give them up, until the time: Micah anticipates a future time - partially fulfilled in the Babylonian exile and return, ultimately fulfilled in the Great Tribulation and restoration of Israel - when the LORD will seem distant from Israel until the time for restoration is ready.
b) Then the remnant of His brethren shall return . . . He shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of the Lord: After the time of Israel’s trial the LORD will restore gloriously. The Ruler born in Bethlehem will tenderly care for His flock in the strength of the LORD.
c) They shall abide, for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth: The greatness of the Ruler from Bethlehem becomes the standing of His people. They abide because of His greatness.
d) This One shall be peace: It isn’t just that the Ruler from Bethlehem brings peace; He is peace. As Paul wrote of Jesus in Ephesians 2: 14, He is our peace.
HE that comes from Bethlehem Ephratah, leaving a trail of light that conducts the eyes of all generations back to the little village, "the least amongst the thousands of Judah," is the Everlasting Jehovah, whose goings forth have been from of old.
What majesty is His! He shall stand amid the swirling waves of change, the shifting quick-sands of time, and the drifting cloud wrack of revolution; erect, unchangeable, unmovable. And not He alone, but His flock which has gathered around Him out of the windy storm and tempest. No common majesty mantles that gentle form; it is the majesty of the Name of Jehovah, the glory that He had with the Father before the worlds were.
What tenderness is His! He feeds His flock like a shepherd, and gathers the lambs in His arm. Though He is great to the ends of the earth, He is the Prince of Peace. He makes peace; does His work calmly and tenderly; lays the foundations of peace by yielding His life to the death of the Cross without resistance or complaint.
What strength is His! Strong with the original strength of Deity, with the acquired strength of perfect obedience, with the strength that accrues from the successful prevalence over His foes. His strength is ours, because He loves us perfectly; and it is the boast of the strong to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to seek its own.
And this Man is our Peace ~ He came and preached Peace to them that were far off, and Peace to them that were nigh. He has made Peace by the Blood of His Cross. He is the Prince of Peace to loyal and loving hearts. He sheds abroad in our hearts His own Peace, which the world cannot take away.
3. The Passionate Deliverer (vs. 5b – 6)
a) When the Assyrian comes into our land: After the pattern of the prophets, Micah blends near and distant ages in his prophecy. The threat of the Assyrian would come against both kingdoms shortly, but Micah also uses the idea of the Assyrian for any pagan nation or empire set against God’s people.
b) We will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princely men: Though the enemies of God’s people come against them, under God’s blessing leaders will raise against them. God often works this way to deliver us from our enemies.
• The “shepherds” are manifestly inferior, spiritual, shepherds, acting under the One Shepherd, by His authority, and He in them. The princes of men are most naturally a civil power, according to its usage elsewhere Joshua 13: 21; Psalm 83: 12; Ezekiel 32: 30. The “seven” is throughout the Old Testament a symbol of a sacred whole, probably of the union of God with the world , reconciled with it; eight, when united with it, is something beyond it . Since then “seven” denotes a great, complete, and sacred multitude, by the eight he would designate “an incredible and almost countless multitude.” Rib.: “So in defense of the Church, there shall be raised up very many shepherds and teachers (for at no time will it be forsaken by Christ;) yea by more and more, countlessly, so that, however persecutions may increase, there shall never be lacking more to teach, and exhort to, the faith.”
• Not they, the subordinate shepherds, but He, the Chief Shepherd until the last enemy shall be destroyed and death shall be swallowed up in victory, shall deliver, whether by them or by Himself as He often so doth, - not us only (the saying is the larger because unlimited) but - He shall deliver, even from the most dangerous or treacherous enemy, absolutely.
Conclusion: Jesus Who was from upon high and a holy God, came just for us to redeem and save us. He came in meekness and born in lowliness. He took all our sins and forgave and forgot our past. He did not become the redemptive Savior and servant King just like that. He exemplified a character of being the humble ruler, the good shepherd and the passionate deliverer. What will we do with this? Should we really care about this at all? Why was God so mindful of us? Why should He have cared? Are we really worth it? Do we really deserve it after being so unfaithful to God? What is important here is how we respond to what Christ did for us even when we were yet sinners, He gave His life for us so that we will not end up in eternal damnation but have eternal life through Him.
