Mensa Otabil - A Ruler of Israel
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Today we look at another prophecy from the Book of Micah, chapter 5, verse 2, and it says: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrata, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to me the one to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting."
This is a very interesting prophecy because it's talking about somebody who is everlasting, an eternal being, and it calls a person a ruler of Israel. So definitely, it will not be a physical, natural ruler of Israel because none of them are from everlasting; each one of them comes, serves, and moves on. So this is a very heavy prophecy talking about an individual who would emerge from Israel and would have an everlasting heritage. That means an eternal being that will be coming to be ruler of Israel, and that is why this is seen as a Messianic prophecy, because it's not just talking about a normal, natural leader of Israel.
It says that this person will be born in Bethlehem Ephrata. Bethlehem Ephrata was a town among the tribe of Judah, and of course, that was the place where David came from, the second king of Israel. This Messiah would also come from the city of David, Bethlehem Ephrata. So the town is associated with two names: Bethlehem means " House of Bread," suggesting it was a place of supply, a place where people find food; thus, in its history, Bethlehem was likely a place where people got bread and there was an abundance of bread. Ephrata means fruitfulness, a place where things flourish. So Bethlehem Ephrata is supposed to be a flourishing place, a fruitful place, a place of bread.
Then the passage goes on and states that it is little among the thousands. In other words, among the towns of Judah, Bethlehem Ephrata is little; it's insignificant. It's not a very major city and not the most important city in Judah. So how come that God chose Bethlehem Ephrata? That's the thing about God: His promises always come to us in ways that beat our understanding. Sometimes you think that somebody is in a small town, someone is in a small place, someone is small, or doesn't have much, and yet God puts His eyes on that person. That's what He did to Bethlehem Ephrata, not to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, which was also in Judah, but to Bethlehem Ephrata, a small town-insignificant. Yet He says, "Out of you shall come this everlasting one who shall bear rule over Israel."
When you know the Jesus story, that is where Jesus was born-in Bethlehem Ephrata. His parents had to journey there for Him to be born. But God had spoken about it way ahead of time-that the everlasting one, the eternal one, will emerge as a ruler and will be born in Bethlehem Ephrata. So wherever you are in life, whatever situation you are in, Jesus and the story of Christmas tell us that God will not despise you because of the insignificance of your life, your birth, your hometown, your parentage, or your own achievements. God is able to bless you, make you fruitful, and make you a supply center so that you can also be the Bethlehem Ephrata of your family, your nation, your community-that you will become the house of bread and the place of fruitfulness.
May the Lord's blessing come upon you this Christmas season. Let's pray. Say with me: "Heavenly Father, you have made me with potential and purpose. Let greatness come out of me in Jesus' name. Amen and amen."