Sunday-December 8
We now turn to addressing the question of "Where did He
come to?" When thinking about where the Lord could have come to there are
endless locations here on planet Earth. Yet there was a specific location where
the Messiah was to be born. That was the city of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
Bethlehem is five miles south of Jerusalem. It is the home
of Boaz, Ruth, Obed, and Jesse David's father (1 Samuel 16:1, 4) It's importance
was not in its economic power neither that it had a huge population. It
importance is because it is the birth place and the place of anointing of the
greatest King of the Old Testament, David (1 Samuel 17:12; 1 Samuel 16:4-13). It
is the called the "city of David" (Luke 2:4).
This is the village where Jesus was born. Why was it
important for this village to be the location of the birth of the Lord? The
first reason was that it connected Jesus with the kingdom and leadership of
David. His birth in this city connect Jesus with David's birth is the same city!
Thus Jesus qualifies to be the Messiah because of His birth in the city of
Bethlehem. This would fulfill the Old Testament prophecy of Micah concerning
the Messiah:
Micah 5:2 (KJV)
2 But
thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah,
yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel;
whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Secondly Jesus would fulfill the prophecy that was given to
David that one would come from him would sit on the throne of Israel.
2 Samuel 7:12–16 (KJV 1900)
12And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with
thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy
bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish
the throne of his kingdom for ever.
14I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit
iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the
children of men:
15But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it
from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
16And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for
ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
I'm sure that there were several reasons that Joseph was
chosen to be the step-father of Jesus. The man that would be entrusted to raise
the Messiah would have to be a spiritual man and have impeccable character. But
these verse help us to understand that he would have to be a descendent of
David. That would give Jesus the legal right to sit upon the throne of David.
Joseph fulfilled that requirement (Matthew 1:1-17).
As we read the quote of the prophecy of the birth of the Messiah
in Bethlehem of Micah 5:2 something else caught my attention. It was not the
city neither that He would be a ruler but He would be described as one "whose
goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." James Smith
states the following concerning this leader:
The Bethlehem Ruler would be one who had prior existence.
“His goings forth are from of old.” He was active on behalf of his people long
before he appeared at Bethlehem. Jesus did not hesitate to affirm his
preexistence (cf. John 8:58). This prophecy, however, does not merely assert
that the Bethlehem Ruler came forth from heaven, but that he had been actively
involved in the leadership of his people in the distant past. The terms “from
of old” (miqqedem) and “from ancient
days” (mime ‘olam) are used of the
Patriarchal age (Micah 7:14, 20) and even of eternity prior to creation (Prov
8:22f.).[1]
This fits with John's thoughts of Jesus found
in John 1:1-5 that stresses the pre-existence of Jesus not a as a man but as
the Word that was with God and was God!
John 1:1–5 (KJV 1900)
1In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God.
3All things were made by him; and without him was not any
thing made that was made.
4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness
comprehended it not.
The spoken word of a man is the audio able expressions of
the thoughts of the man which are an extension of the man. These thoughts are
produced by the individual and are not separate from the individual. The Word of
God is the same. It is God and cannot be separated from God to be another God
but is the audio expression of the one true God!
John 1:14 states that this expression of God, or God's Word,
which previous was only audio and borrowed physical substance to be visual,
such as the burning bush with Moses, at the birth of Jesus became the Word now
visual.
John 1:14 (KJV 1900)
14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we
beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of
grace and truth.
The human body of Jesus was the means by which the Word
could be expressed visually. Since the Word cannot be separated from God, the
human body of Jesus is the visual expression of God to the mankind. The
following scriptures support this:
Hebrews 1:1–3 (KJV 1900)
1God, who at
sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he
hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express
image of his person...
Colossians 1:12–15 (KJV 1900)
12Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to
be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath
translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins:
15Who is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of every creature:
The human body of Jesus is the visual body of God! As the
human body of a man is the image of the man that is seen by other humans and is
thought by all to be the man, the human body of Jesus is the image of God and
is thought to be God! The man's thoughts, word and body define the man! God's
thoughts, Words, and body define God as being One!
This Ruler who would go out from Bethlehem had already gone
out of heaven on many occasions to lead His people. The One leading Israel from the beginning would continue to do it forever! For He is the everlasting One!
The foundation of our knowledge of God begins and ends with
understanding that He is the everlasting One!
Deuteronomy 6:4 (KJV 1900)
4Hear, O Israel: The Lord
our God is one Lord:
[1]
James E. Smith, The Minor Prophets,
Old Testament Survey Series (Joplin, MO: College Press, 1994). Mic 5:2–3.
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