There is an intriguing phrase in Micah 5, that’s worth revisiting. After speaking to the elevation of Y’shua’s origins for being the birthplace of the Messiah, the prophet cited a very important description of the one called to be Saviour. Let’s visit Today’s Holy Nougat to see what that is about.
Micah 5:2 CEB
[2] As for you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, though you are the least significant of Judah’s forces, one who is to be a ruler in Israel on my behalf will come out from you. His origin is from remote times, from ancient days.
Remote Origins
In the original text, we are told that the place Ephrathah (fruitfulness) of Judah would result in many turning to God, and the One having [true] dominion from ancient or prior time would reign eternally. The phrase ‘ancient or prior time’ has been transliterated as remote origins in the Common English Bible. This may not seem significant to us until we recall that John’s Gospel presents Y’shua as being ‘at the beginning’ with God.
What we see therefore, is that John’s ‘no frills’ Christmas story actually depicts fulfilment of prophecy.
I was wrong folks.
It may not be as clear as some other prophecies with which we’re familiar – but this was hidden in plain sight. Not only does this phrase ‘vindicate’ John’s obscure telling of Jesus’ origins, but we can also see in it the connection between John and the other Gospels.
Self-Check
How often has God’s word and plans been hidden from our sight simply because we failed to pay attention?
Digging Deeper
In Daniel 7:9-10, Daniel presents the Ancient of Days as the eternal judge seated in heavenly places. Daniel’s vision includes a picture of the Son of Man approaching the Ancient of Days on the throne. The vision continued, with the Ancient of Days according authority to the Son of Man (i.e., Y’shua). Christ speaks of that authority accorded Him by God in Matthew 28:18. Revelation 1:13-18 merges the images of the Ancient of Days with the Son of Man, affirming Christ’s I AM self-description.
Siblings, if the one born in Ephrathah of Judah is the Ancient of Days who is God and was at the Beginning with God, then that person is worth all the glory and honour we can offer. It underscores our eucharistic song, ‘Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!’, inviting us to not only commemorate Christ’s birth, but to also see ourselves as part of the story. For Daniel’s vision included the Son of Man being Lord over all people, not just the Jews. Therein lay the fruitfulness of Judah’s scepter.
How then do we live?
We live as a people of hope rooted in the past, present, and future glory of Christ.
– We live in the hopeful past, seeking understanding of biblical prophecy.
– We hopefully live in the present, ensuring compliance with God’s will for our lives
– We live in the future hope, confident in the knowledge that the prophesied ruler of remote origins is none other than our Messiah, and He will come again for us all.
Point to Ponder
Which aspect of Micah’s prophecy offers us the greatest hope? Let’s share that hope with someone soon.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
