Micah 5:2-4 * December 21, 2003 * Advent 4 * Pastor Leyrer

Dear Friends in Christ,

The Scottish poet Robert Burns is credited with this well-known saying (or a variation of it) that just about all of us will subscribe to and have maybe even quoted: The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.

The reason this little statement resonates with us is because most of us have experienced it. No doubt we could all tell stories of how certain plans we made – sometimes with great financial or emotional investment – have fallen through. As a result, many of us learned a long time ago (sometimes sadly, yet other times happily) that life rarely proceeds according to the script we have written…

Our great comfort as Christians, of course, is knowing that God is in control. In fact that knowledge changes our perspective on everything. But on the human side of the ledger, those who understand and have incorporated the concept of “flexibility” into their personal philosophy seem best equipped to navigate through life…

Gratefully, what may be true of us and for us is not true of God. And so today, on this final Sunday of Advent; today, as we once again stand on the threshold of celebrating the birth of our Savior, it is our great comfort to know that God’s plans for us and for the world never fall through. And when it comes to carrying them out, He is completely inflexible.

This will become abundantly clear as we turn our attention to our text. It is one of the best known Messianic prophecies associated with the Christmas season. And what we learn from it, among other things, is that when it comes to God’s plans for the world and us, everything went – and continues to go –

ACCORDING TO PLAN

1. In regard to our Savior’s birth

2. In regard to our Savior’s work

Just a moment ago I referred to our text as a “Messianic prophecy.” Before we work our way through it, it might be helpful to spend a moment or two on this terminology.

At the root of the word “Messianic” is the Old Testament Hebrew word “Messiah,” (the equivalent New Testament Greek word is “Christ”), which means “the Anointed One.” To be “anointed” in Old Testament times meant to be set apart by God for a special duty. Consequently “the Anointed One” was a clear reference to the One God had set apart for the special duty of saving mankind from the rightful consequences of its sin. When an Old Testament believer heard the word “Messiah,” it would mean the same as when we hear the word “Savior.”

A “prophecy” in its most basic sense was a proclamation of God’s truth, but at certain times these prophecies looked past the present and into the future. So for Old Testament believers a “Messianic prophecy” was essentially a prediction about the Savior who was to come. Therefore it can be correctly said that Messianic prophecies for Old Testament believers were like the Gospel message is to us – the promise of life and salvation.

And there were a lot of them. Over three hundred, to be precise, ranging from the first book of the Old Testament, Genesis, to the last one, Malachi. Some are rather vague while others are quite specific. Some are found in unlikely places and come from unlikely sources. Others, like bright stars in a dark sky, are interspersed among God’s threats of judgment upon His straying children. But all in one way or another provided information about the work and character of the Messiah. And all provided hope for God’s people and gave them something to look forward to, so they clung to them tightly in anticipation of their fulfillment just as tightly as we cling to them in view of their fulfillment.

In our text for today the prophet Micah tells God’s people of all ages and both testaments where to look for Him and what it is He’ll do for them. This well known Messianic prophecy is somewhat involved, but certainly worthy of spending our time dissecting as we watch and wait for its fulfillment four days from today. Let’s turn to it now…

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be the ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

Bethlehem, which in Hebrew means “House of Bread,” is located approximately six miles southwest of Jerusalem. Micah simply refers to it as small. Even today with an estimated population of 20,000, Bethlehem is not a large town. “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” as we just sang, is an apt description.

“Ephrathah” is the name of a larger area around Bethlehem inhabited by a particular clan of people who lived there. The name of the town and the clan seem to be used interchangeably. For example in the book of First Samuel (17:12) we are told that “David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem.” Because of his connection with it, Bethlehem would later come to be known as the “City of David.” But David, great as he was, would not be the greatest ruler Bethlehem produced…

That was reserved for the One whom God would appoint “the ruler over Israel.” To get the full impact of this statement it would be best for us to see “Israel” not only as an Old Testament nation, but through New Testament eyes. In the Book of Romans and Galatians the Apostle Paul refers to all true believers of any nationality as being members of spiritual Israel. What Micah foretells, then, is that Christ will graciously rule over believers from every nation, tribe, language or tongue…

Furthermore, Micah speaks of this ruler as unique in that his “origins are from of old, from ancient times” – or as one Bible translation puts it: “from the days of eternity.” We are reminded that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, did not first come into existence on Christmas. On Christmas God the Son took on our flesh and blood and entered our history as true Man, but as true God Jesus is eternal, has always existed, and is without beginning or end.

Malachi provides us with more information on the Messiah: “Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.”

Micah says “Israel will be abandoned.” What does he mean by this? Earlier – always as the Lord’s spokesman – Micah had warned God’s Old Testament people and foretold them of the destruction and hardship God would bring upon them because of their unbelief. Although God loved them deeply and in spite of the fact that among God’s wayward people there was always a faithful remnant, from this time forth there would no longer be unmistakable examples of God’s presence among them as there had been in former days. No parting of the Red Sea. No manna from heaven. No miracles, etc.

And this would continue until “the time when she who is in labor gives birth.” Though we may understand it more fully in hindsight than they did in foresight, this is nonetheless a clear reference to another great Christmas truth, and reminiscent of the great Messianic prophecy found in Isaiah 7:14: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” He whose birth we are soon to celebrate is indeed Immanuel – “God with us.”

When the Messiah comes, Micah says, “the rest of his brothers [will] return to join the Israelites.” He’s talking about New Testament times, the times we live in. When Messiah comes there will be a reunification and gathering of God’s people from every nation, tribe, language and tongue around Him. And Christ will rule over all those who are brothers and sisters in Him – all who make up the true spiritual Israel. Which causes us to rejoice, because we are among them.

So far this prophecy has told us where to look for the Messiah and what His birth would mean. Now Micah goes on to tell us about the character of the Messiah and what He will do. This again causes us to rejoice, because we’re personally involved here…

“He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.”

Micah tells us what the Savior does. He shepherds His flock. Psalm 100 fits in nicely here. There we are told: “Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” As a shepherd feeds… and cares for… and protects… and guides… and loves his flock, so the Messiah, Jesus, feeds… and cares for… and protects… and guides… and loves us. In other words, He does not rule us with fear as a tyrant, but with gentleness as a shepherd.

But meekness certainly does not denote weakness, because He does all this “in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord.” These words speak of His power and authority. And so along with the Apostle Paul we can ask the rhetorical question confidently already knowing the answer: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Micah concludes by pointing out the final outcome for those who fall under the gracious lead of the Messiah-Savior- Shepherd- King: “And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace.”

In the mid 1970’s a Christian philosopher by the name of Francis Schaeffer wrote a popular book at that time which looked at the history of an ever changing culture and society. The title of it was: “How Should We Then Live?” I believe the prophet Micah provides us with a one word answer: securely. And accompanying security is “peace.”

Even in the midst of change and personal plans falling through and things not going the way we thought they would or society challenging our beliefs or the world just generally throwing us some curve balls, those who are in Christ “will live securely” and in peace.

Think about it. Certainly we are sinners. But we live securely and are at peace in the knowledge that we are forgiven sinners because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We live securely and are at peace in the knowledge that we don’t have to perform our way into heaven, but that the reservation has already been made thanks to an empty cross and a bare tomb.

As far as life up to that time goes, certainly things don’t always go according to our plans. But we live securely and are at peace in the promise God makes us that our lives will go according to His plan for us. And really, who’d you rather have in the driver’s seat, you or Him?

Generally speaking, what we live securely and are at peace in is the unchangeable and inflexible love that God has for us. What our text and every other Messianic prophecy demonstrates is that when it came to the arrangement God devised for saving mankind from its sins – the sending of a perfect Savior who would live and die in our place and our behalf – everything went according to plan.

And four days from now – just as Micah foretold – we’ll hasten once again to Bethlehem, to see this thing which has come to pass. And we will find comfort not only in our salvation in Him, but in our relationship with Him.

And we will be struck once again on how God followed through on His plan, and that His plan includes us – each day, every day and for eternity. The best laid plans of mice and men may often go astray, but we can and will rejoice because God’s never do. Amen.