Born a King

What, really, was promised in Micah 5:2 as Micah foretold of “One” coming “to be Ruler in Israel?” From the time of that prophecy, things only went downhill for the nation. They went into exile in Babylon in 586 BC. For over 500 years to the time of Jesus birth, there had not been a descendent of David sitting on the throne. Israel had been ruled be a series of foreign invaders. So for one of David’s descendents to rise to the throne again, it would take a miraculous restoration. So the prophecy itself first of all brings hope to a downtrodden and discouraged people.

But second: It speaks of a special king. He will not one of many, but the ONE Ruler - the rightful and legitimate monarch of Israel. Yet, isn’t that what Micah promised?

Look at the precise wording of the prophecy:
Micah 5:2 – “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, 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.”

How can this “One” be “from of old, from everlasting?” How can a baby born in a stable and laid in a manger fit that bill? It can only if the prophecy is speaking about the eternal Son of God.

Yes, Jesus would be a true man, born of a human mother. Yes, He would be a descendent in the kingly line of David. But, He would be so much more. He would also be the eternal Son of God.

Isaiah 9:6 speaks of that:
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. (Meaning He shall be a king) And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Do you see? “A Child is born” – that speaks of His humanity. He would be born in the usual way of all babies, although born to a virgin by the Holy Spirit. But, “a Son is given” - that speaks of His deity. Jesus is indeed, the “Mighty God.” And as such, He would be given as God’s greatest gift to us.

That is John 3:16 right there:
“For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

God gave His Son. And God gave Him for a special purpose - first to redeem us with His death on the cross, then to rule over us at His second coming.

But notice something else: It calls Him something strange when it calls Him the “Everlasting Father.” Doesn’t that sound odd when we think of our theology of the Trinity? How can the Son also be called the Father? But that is the essence of Micah’s prophecy: The one coming would indeed be God Himself, the one rightful ruler of Israel, the one entitled to be King.

An old hymn contains this line describing Jesus:
“Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a king.”

Born a king? Babies are born as a prince or princess. Not a one of them is born a king. But Jesus was. The reason for that is simple. Jesus had been a king from eternity past. He had ruled form heaven over His creation as Sovereign Lord.

Even when the angel came to Mary to tell her she would carry this special child, the announcement highlights that Jesus is king:
Luke 1:30-33 –
30 “Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

The promise of forever is given to the Son of the Highest – to this Jesus who would sit on David’s throne. And the prophet said, “And of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Micah’s prophecy was so well known that when the wise men arrived in Jerusalem following the star and they inquired where the newborn king could be found, Herod consulted the elders who immediately told him – Bethlehem.

You can read all about this incident in:
Matthew 2:1-6 –
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Amazingly none of the Jewish leaders bothered to go look for Him. But they knew where to find Him. They knew because the prophecy told them.

The point I want to leave you with is this: If Jesus is sovereign ruler over His creation, are you a subject of His? Have you bowed your knee to Him as Lord over your life? If not, why not make this Christmas Season when we celebrate His birth as the time you start?

In the hymn, O, Little Town of Bethlehem, the 4th stanza says this:

“O holy child of Bethlehem,
Descend on us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel.”

Is He your Lord?

As James Montgomery Boice put it: “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could sing it honestly and with understanding?” Hopefully today, you understand a little bit more about this one who was born in Bethlehem. Hopefully, you can sing it honestly, because today Jesus is your Lord, because you have bowed your knee in submission to Him as your King.

But where does that start? It starts by recognizing that Jesus came the first time to be your Savior - that He came to offer His life a sacrifice for your sin. That is why He came.

He could rule just fine from heaven. But He had to come, to be born a man, to die; because death was the penalty for sin. And He came to take your penalty, my penalty.

But, you must acknowledge that sin in your life, and you must recognize that you need a savior. And when you realize that He purchased your life from hell with His own blood, it will be easy to bow your knee to Him in submission. He will be your Lord and Savior.