11/15/11 Bethlehem Micah 5

¹ Marshal your troops, O city of troops,
   for a siege is laid against us.
They will strike Israel’s ruler
on the cheek with a rod.
² “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans^[b] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.

(Bethlehem star0

Thoughts: Micah 5 narrows its vision on the leadership of the people.  Micah's vision is of a leaderless people.  Jesus looked at the people and saw they were like sheep without a shepherd.  This is what Micah foresaw.  But in the leadership vacuum the ruler comes from Bethlehem- the city of David.  A baby is to be born that brings hope.  Today my grandbaby came to our house and it was like light was brought into a dark place- a baby brought hope.  Isaiah said a similar thing when he said, "Unto us a child is born unto us a son is given."  A little child shall lead them.  It is as if when one generation is ruined, God raises a young child up to be a future ruler. Jesus did not come as a forty year old man, but was born as a baby- a child, that changed the world.

Prayer: May I not lose hope, Lord.  May I remember that even when one generation fails, you raise up a new one with new hope.