“But you, O Bethlehem (בֵּית־לֶחֶם beth-lehem)…from you shall come forth (יָצָא yatsah) for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth (מוֹצָאָה motsa’ah) is from of old (קֶדֶם qedem), from ancient days (עוֹלָם olam)…then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel…they shall dwell secure…and he shall be their peace (שָׁלוֹם shalom)” (Micah 5:2-5).
The Christmas message is one that our world urgently needs. With the horrific murders that took place last Sunday at Bondi Beach we were again reminded that we are in the midst of a great conflict between good and evil, light and darkness, truth and deceit. The devil knows that his time is short, and so he is becoming more and more desperate, using the tool of Islam, to create havoc and chaos. However, his efforts are useless. The more he fights the more light and truth shine forth. Peace is already here and will ultimately be victorious.
The Christmas message demonstrates that God is both faithful and compassionate. God is faithful in fulfilling His word (promise), and at the same time God is compassionate because His word (promise) is one of life and peace.
The prophecy in Micah 5:2-5 was given around 700 years before the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The prophet Micah uses personification and addresses Bethlehem with surprise and wonder. The future salvation of God’s people will be intertwined with this little town, which is called Bethlehem (בֵּית־לֶחֶם beth-lehem), and which in Hebrew means “the house of bread”. The coming Ruler will be for Israel “the house of bread”, He is the one who will provide real and everlasting sustenance for God’s elect. It is interesting to note that the word “Christmas” comes from Latin and refers to the sacrament of eating bread in memory of Jesus. The Christmas message reminds us that only Jesus can meet our needs and give us abundant life and peace.
God is always faithful and will bring all His promises to complete fulfilment. God did not just remember His promise for 700 years, but from the beginning of time (in fact from eternity past!). We read that the coming of this Ruler is “from of old, from ancient days”. In the Hebrew text, the verb “to come forth” (יָצָא yatsah) is very significant in salvation history. God brought His people out (יָצָא yatsah) from the bondage and slavery in Egypt. In the same way, this coming ruler will save God’s people, and “his saving activities” (מוֹצָאָה motsa’ah) are from of old. The term “old” (קֶדֶם qedem) in Hebrew also means “east”. The garden of Eden was in the east, and the sun rises in the east. The east reminds us of the beginning of time and light. So too, right from the beginning God ordained that our salvation and light would come from the Ruler to be born in Bethlehem.
But there is more. His saving activities (מוֹצָאָה motsa’ah) are also “from ancient days”. In Hebrew the word is “eternity” (עוֹלָם olam), i.e., God’s plan of redemption or the origin of the rule from Bethlehem stems from eternity. From before the creation of the universe, the eternal triune God already ordained the salvation of His elect through the Ruler from Bethlehem. Amazing grace! In the Christmas story, in the baby lying in the manger, we have the junction of eternity and time, of God and man, of the infinite and the finite, of theology and history, of truth and mercy. The Christmas message, which we so desperately need, is the tangible proof of God’s truth and compassion in history.
At Christmas time we may reflect on what God has done in history, what God is doing today and what God will still do in the future. Our hearts may rest secure. Jesus is our Ruler who brings peace (שָׁלוֹם shalom) to the ends of the earth. And, if we have opportunity, may we share this message with our Jewish and Muslim friends. The Christmas message never changes:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14).
At the same time the Bible says,
There is no peace for the wicked!” (Isaiah 48:22).
0 Comments