The Messiah in the OT:

Continued from Last Week:

A Look at the 8th Century

The Messiah as a Coming Ruler (Micah 5:1-4)

Birth of the King in Bethlehem

[See My Outline on Micah here]

Micah fits in with our current study of Isaiah since he was a contemporary with Isaiah. This point is illustrated in his prophecy in chapter 5.

The messianic predictions of Micah that pyramid to the surprise announcement of a coming ruler (5:1-4) mount up in three stages as we shall see.

Birth of the King in Bethlehem

     1"Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops;
         They have laid siege against us;
         With a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek. 
    2"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
         Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
         From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel 
         His goings forth are from long ago,
         From the days of eternity." 
    3Therefore He will give them up until the time
         When she who is in labor has borne a child 
         Then the remainder of His brethren
         Will return to the sons of Israel. 
    4And He will arise and shepherd His flock
         In the strength of the LORD,
         In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God 
         And they will remain,
         Because at that time He will be great
         To the ends of the earth. 


1. Micah first envisions a day when the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established above the highest mountains (Isaiah 4:1-2). If you remember our current study, Isaiah has already used theses exact words. [See our study on Isaiah 2 here] This is a juxtaposition with his earlier claims that Jerusalem will be a heap of ruins and the mountain of the house of the Lord a forest (3:21). Now Micah tells us that things will not remain that way.

2. The tower of David that lost its ancient dominion will recover its former position. Micah 4:8 addresses the people of Micah's days at two sites: the "watchtower of the flock" and the "stronghold of the Daughter of Zion. The former alludes to Genesis 35:16-21, where the patriarch Jacob returned from burying his wife Rachel just north of Jerusalem to a place about a mile from Bethlehem called "Tower of the Flock." If this identification is correct, the the Tower of the Flock" (Migdal Elder) is the birthplace of David which was marked by a tower out in the field among the flock where he once pastured. Ophel (stronghold), on the other hand is the well known acropolis of the eastern slope of the old city of Jerusalem (2nd Kings 5:24), the city also known as "the Daughter of Zion. Thus, both Bethlehem and Jerusalem are put on notice that their former glory will be restored. Micah christens the Tower of the Flock as the emblem of the future kingdom for the new David who is to come. It will also be the symbol of the royal house of David since he was a resident of Bethlehem and kept the flock there as well. Jerusalem will again turn to David's heir, at the same time as the nations of the earth (Gentiles seek salvation) turn to Jerusalem to worship the king.

3. The greatest stage in this build up of messianic promises will be achieved when the predicted Ruler comes from Bethlehem in that future day (Micah's future). At the same time, the prophet sees Zion in difficult straits, besieged and captured and her ruler treated shamefully, then the royal line of David will recommence its ancient rule. It should be remembered that in 4:1, Micah has already told us when all of this will happen. It will take place in the "Last Days." That is, the Last Days of God's theocratic reign over Israel/Judah.

1And it will come about in the last days
         That the mountain of the house of the LORD
         Will be established as the chief of the mountains 
         It will be raised above the hills,
         And the peoples will stream to it.  Micah 4:1

In 4:11, Micah describes a time period where many nations will be gathered against Israel. This if 70 A.D.. If you remember our study from last week, Jesus lived and taught in the "Last Days." This time period will also include the time of the destruction of the Temple.

 1God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,

 2in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

It should be noted that the purpose of this gathering of nations, (the Roman Army) was solely for the purpose of defiling (polluting) Israel (4:11). The destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. was God's final step in ending His former relationship and beginning a new relationship with not just ancient Israel but the New Israel (Romans 11:26).

Zion is then told in Micah 5:1 to "marshal [her] troops for their king will be insulted with a smarting slap across his cheek. The great day of the Lord (judgment of the Lord) is on." But Ephrathah is special (v. 5:2). God will give a son to the family of David from Ephrathah (known as Bethlehem) and that fulfills God's ancient promises.

In short, this prophecy tells us about the Messiah being born in Bethlehem. There are three things we can know for sure from this prophecy.

1. He will be an ancient Ruler, even though he arrives on the scene in times in the 1st century A.D. This ruler is eternal (v.2, he is going forth from the beginning, see the NIV). The Messiah only has two things going forth: one at the Incarnation and the other applied to his eternal generation.

2. This Ruler will be a unique person, for He will come forth "for me." This new David will not only be a man after God's own heart in a way that even surpasses David, he will do absolutely everything asked of Him by the Father.

3. His birth and coming will signal a new day for God's people (Mic.5:4). His birth will mark the end of the days of abandonment (v.3). When the woman who is with child (see Isaiah 7:14) gives birth the coming Ruler will bring unity to his people as He stands and rules in their midst. The nation can count of peace, security, and success after he is installed as king over both his "brothers" (Jews) and all "the ends of the earth" (Gentiles)" (vs. 3-4).

The Messiah is the great Ruler who will come one day. According to His human heritage, He will descend from the line of David and will be born in the same town, even though He has a divine line of decent that takes Him back to eternity. He will be both human and divine. Yes, the Son of God (one after the nature of God) and the Son of man (one after the nature of Man).


Lane Rogers