A Ruler from Bethlehem
June 27th, 2008
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans 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. ”
Therefore Israel will be abandoned
until the time when she who is in labor gives birth
and the rest of his brothers return
to join the Israelites.
He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.
And he will be their peace.
Micah 5:2-5
This passage follows just one chapter after the swords-into-ploughshares passage, prophesying an end to national conflict, saying even that the people will not “train for war anymore”, and – my personal favorite aspect – “no one will make them afraid” (4:3-4). I tend to read verse five, “he will be their peace,” personally or metaphorically; he will be their interior peace, the peace that they can have in the midst of conflict or trouble.
The placement of this particular passage, however, seems to suggest that while such a reading is applicable, so is a more literal one. The leader sent from God will bring actual, quantifiable peace, allowing his “flock” to “live securely” (v. 4). At least, that’s what it looks like to me.
How can I live more fully in the peace of God? How can I promote peace?
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