Day 11 – Place of birth is prophesied.
Micah was another Hebrew prophet that was a contemporary of Isaiah. He was a great communicator and known as a prophet to the common people. If Isaiah had been the only prophet to prophesy about the coming Messiah then it might have been less believable, but when there are multiple witnesses and sources, it becomes even more credible.
Micah’s writings were still being read and studied by kings several hundred years after his death, and they also appear in the United States Government today. In this next prophecy from the book of Micah, he actually names the place of birth for the Messiah – Bethlehem!
Micah 5:2
Bethlehem Ephrathah,
you are small among the clans of Judah;
One will come from you
to be ruler over Israel for Me.
His origin is from antiquity,
from eternity.
These are the same words the wise men read that led them to the Star of Bethlehem. They had studied Micah’s writings, where it was prophesied 700 years earlier that the coming Messiah would be from the small town of Bethlehem, from the tribe of Judah, and with an origin from the beginning of time lasting for eternity. What incredible faith they must have had to travel such a long distance to a foreign land with nothing more than these ancient prophecies. God clearly rewarded their faith.
Today, if you look in the Library of Congress next to the U.S. Capitol building, you will see these other words from the prophet Micah inscribed above one of the reading alcoves.
Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you:
But to do justly, To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
Judeo/Christian principles can be found everywhere in the beginning of the U.S. Government:
In God We Trust is imprinted on the U.S. currency.
The Liberty Bell is inscribed with Leviticus 25:10 (proclaim liberty throughout all the land).
A large bronze statue of Moses holding the Ten Commandments is located in the Library of Congress
Reading Room, along with over a thousand rare Bibles including an original Gutenberg Bible.
All 50 State Constitutions reference God.
And there are many other historical references. God rewards faithfulness
This Christmas season, may you have the faith of the Wise Men, the prophets Micah and Isaiah,
the founding fathers, and countless numbers of others who have gone before us.
May God bless you for your faithfulness during this special season of celebration
– from a little town of Bethlehem long ago.
* Merry Christmas *
A Christmas Story Devotional: 31 Days of the Christmas Story from Genesis to John
Follow along for the 31 days of December and experience a new and exciting appreciation for the ancient Christmas story we celebrate today. The story of Jesus and the meaning behind the celebration of Christmas is woven throughout the entire Bible – from the beginning of mankind in Genesis to the resurrection of Jesus as told by the apostle John some 4000 years later.
Paperback and Kindle versions are available from Amazon.
