Micah 5:2, 5b "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting...and this One shall be peace."
Bethlehem. This is a pretty important city when it comes to the One who was going to be born there. This One is going to be Ruler in Israel. This One is from everlasting. This One will be peace. Who is this One? If we can identify this One you would think that the whole world would shut up and listen. If we can identify this One you would think that all of the other world religions would be proven to be false. An everlasting King who is peace, born in Bethlehem.
But not just Bethlehem, but Bethlehem Ephrathah. Why Ephrathah? Because there were two Bethlehems. One Bethlehem was in Galilee and the other one was in Judea. Just so there was no confusion, this prophecy dealt with the birth of this One who was going to be born in Bethlehem of Judea, a tiny little town south of Jerusalem. It was no big deal other than the fact that King David was born there. Who is this One that Micah wrote about?
About seven-hundred years later this happened: "Joseph, also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea (you see he didn't stay in Galilee where the other Bethlehem was…he left Galilee to go to this place) to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (Ephrathah), because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child." Joseph had to go to this city to be registered for the census. His lineage was from the family of David and he had to go to where his ancestors were from in order to enter his name in the census. "For there is born to you this day in the city of David (Bethlehem Ephrathah) a Savior, who is Christ the Lord...and on earth peace…" Any questions? I mean, give me a break. This prophecy and the fulfillment of it seven-hundred years later shows who Jesus is. The eternal King of peace. The Messiah.
Why are we so dull? Why don't people want to see the obvious? Jesus Christ is the Messiah. Jesus Christ is the everlasting One. Jesus Christ is God and this statement made by Micah nails it.
6 comments:
So a writer of the Torah makes a prophesy. 700 years plus the years of Jesus plus 40 later and after the fact another writer who is speaking of the past, takes that prophesy and fits it into his own narrative in such a way that his main character Jesus would follow that other stories chronology making the prophecy true. But you contend that this is proof of Jesus being the Messiah. Additionally you create a line of descent linking Joseph to David. Also you create a reason for Joseph to be with Mary in this town. The story is a fictitious Roman census. This is what you consider proof of Jesus as messiah?,
You are blind now but one day you will see. This is just one of many prophesies that Jesus fulfilled. I am praying that your eyes would be opened and that you may see before it is too late. One day whether it is in this life or after you perish you will know that Jesus is the Son of God that came to earth to die on the cross in order to save your soul. The bible says "Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord".
Love,
TS
Ah, Gilberto, you need to do some research and read some history. The census ordered by Augustus is recorded in Roman history AND in Syrian history, so it's not fictitious it is a historical, undisputable fact.
And you're right, if there was only one prophesy about Christ (that of His lineage) then it wouldn't be very impressive, it would be a lucky guess. But again a little research would show you there are over 100 prophesies in the Old Testament that pointed to whom the Christ would be, where He would be born, and what he would do during His lifetime. Even you would have to admit that the possibly of all 100 prophesies being fulfilled in one person is mathematically staggering. But a read through the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (four authors, not just one) would show you that all 100 were fulfilled by the Man named Jesus, born in Bethlehem.
By the way, it's not just Joseph's line that ties back to David. Joseph's wife Mary was also a descendant of David. Both parental lines of Jesus can be traced back to David. The Matthew account followed Joseph because the Jews were a bit biased toward the male lineage and it established Joseph's legal line to David. Luke is believed to be following Mary's link to David since Luke was writing to a different audience (Gentiles compared to Matthew's Jewish audience), and their focus would be different.
The line of Jesus came through Davids third son Nathan. Joseph's direct line was tinted because of a cursed lineage of Joseph which made him ineligible to be Jesus' father. That's why Mary's lineage came into play thru her father Heli
Explain a little more clearly your statement: Joseph's direct line was tainted because of a cursed lineage of Joseph which made him ineligible to be Jesus's father.
“Thus saith the Lord, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.”
— Jeremiah 22:30
After Jeconia the reign of the Davidic kings, descended from Solomon, was cut off, God cursed Jeconia promising no more kings from his seed — thus the kingly tree of Jesse (David’s father) was now a stump.
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him
— Isaiah 11:1
Through Jesus a shoot of Jesse’s tree from the branch of Nathan was grafted on to the kingly stump of Solomon (Jeconia) through his adoption by Joseph, redeeming the kingly lineage.
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