December 15

But you, Bethlehem Ephratha, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient of times. Micah 5:2

Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah and Hosea, wrote in the late 700s BC or early-to-mid-600s, yet he prophesied the coming of a ruler who pre-existed himself. We are such time oriented people that we have great difficulty comprehending this! One will come who has always been! Is that double speak? Possible?

Yes, not only possible but fact. From the beginning, the plan had been to send a redeemer for fallen man--God's creationthat pleased him and that he called good, God's creationwho disappointed him but whom he loved and for whose redemption he would die!

I don't know that Micah understood, but he reported faithfully what God had spoken to him..Beginning in Chapter 4, Gd tells Micah his plan, and Micah recorded it for us. From the smallest of the tribes of Israel will come a gift--a baby--who will grow to be the greatest ruler the world has ever known, a strong, eternal ruler. He'll not be just a king but The King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Hallelujah!

Father, thank you for teh King above all kings; thank you for our Lord whose birthday we'll soon celebrate. Amen.