The Babe in Bethlehem

Micah is one of the "Minor Prophets" - minor, not because they are, in some way, less worthy than the "Major Prophets" (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel), but because the books named after them are much shorter in length.

To confirm the importance of Micah's little volume, we need look at only one verse:

"But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days." (Micah 5:2)

This is an amazing prophecy, explicitly predicting, more than 700 years before He finally came, that the future King of Israel would be born in the little village of Bethlehem. And, to assure its fulfilment, the great Emperor Augustus had to decree a comprehensive census, compelling Joseph to take Mary with him to Bethlehem for her child to be born.

 

That the prophecy involves an actual birth is clear, not only from the phrase "come forth," but also from the succeeding verse which warns that God will "... give them up until the time when she who is in travail has brought forth;" (v. 3). We may also note that the preceding verse had  predicted that "... with a rod they strike upon the cheek the ruler of Israel." (v. 1), speaking of His initial rejection and execution.

 

But that is not all. The prophecy not only foresees the birth of the Christ-child in Bethlehem, His repudiation by His own people, and His eventual installation as King over all Israel (not merely the southern kingdom of Judah), but also that this same remarkable person was none other than God Himself! His "origins" had been "from of old, from ancient days." That is, He is eternally proceeding forth from His Father. He did not become God’s Son when He was born in Bethlehem; He has been coming forth eternally.

 

There is still another truth implied in the remarkable Hebrew word for "come forth." It is also used for such things as the flowing of water from a fountain or the radiations from the sun. Thus, the never-ending coming forth of power from God the Father, through the Son is nothing less than the sustaining energy for the whole creation, as He is "upholding the universe by His word of power" (Hebrews 1:3). And this was the Babe in Bethlehem! 

As we anticipate the celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus (which we should really have done in Sept/Oct, but that's another message!), let us give thanks that the Babe of Bethlehem became the Christ of the Cross, and that He will soon return as the conquering King. Are you ready for that world-shaking event? May all of us see beyond the tinsel, the turkey, the other trappings of the "festive season", and commit ourselves to the service of the Lord.

"Eating" the Word!

In Lewis Carroll's well-known book, "Alice in Wonderland", there is a scene in which Alice shrinks, and then grows. There is a potion that makes her shrink, but it is a cake that makes her grow. So it is eating that causes her growth.

On Sunday, I was preaching on, among other things, the importance of the written Word of God for the growth of both the individual believer, and the local fellowship. However, our attitude to that Word is of paramount importance. The prophet Jeremiah stated that: "Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;" (15:16). Ezekiel had a similar experience: "And He said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it; and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey." (3:3).

In both cases the Word of God is viewed as pleasant food for our spiritual lives, satisfying our spiritual hunger and, like Alice's cake, causing us to grow - albeit, not physically! As we meditate upon that living Word, that is "...  sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Heb.4:12), our craving for spiritual knowledge, divine wisdom, and clear guidance, is fulfilled.

There are those who maintain that, for proper digestion, every mouthful of physical food should be chewed a minimum number of times (the precise number varies, according to who is asked!). The same is true of the Word of God. James M Gray, a former president of the Moody Bible Institute, commented on Jeremiah 15:16 by saying: "There is a great difference between finding the Word, and eating it. ... Putting the Word into your mind is like holding food in your mouth; it allows you to get the first full taste of it. ... Turning a Scripture around and around; thinking of it from many points of view; asking questions about it; and searching for its meaning in a commentary, is like chewing. It makes good assimilation possible."

Dr Gray continued: "The only way to hold the Word in your mind is to memorise it! Make this task as easy for yourself as possible by fixing your attention on ony a small portion at at time. This way, it can be recalled throughout the busy day. You will find that concentrating on the meaning of each word and phrase will give you new strength and joy, and help you to become fruitful for the Lord."

That advice, given 100 years ago, is just as relevant today! One of my very close friends, here in France, has often said that the Church in the West is dying of ignorance - ignorance of the Word. I agree! Many are spiritually weak because they are not 'eating' the Word on a daily basis. We would not expect to live, physically, on one meal per week, provided by another. Why should we expect to be spiritually alive, and in good health, if our only Biblical input is a Sunday sermon?!

May I encourage you, if you are a disciple of Jesus, to ensure that you feed every day. It's the only way to growth!