Text: Micah 5:2-5a

Second Sunday: Emphasizes peace and preparation. John the Baptist calls us to “prepare the way of the Lord” (John 1:23).  Isaiah 40:3; “A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”   (A voice calling out)

* A three-year-old was helping his mother unpack their nativity set. He announced each piece as he unwrapped it from the tissue paper. “Here’s the donkey!” he said. “Here’s a king,” and “Here’s a camel!” When he finally got to a one-piece tiny infant molded to his crib, he proclaimed, “Here’s baby Jesus in his car seat!”

Title: “He shall be their Peace.”

Theme: “As we study the biblical truth found in Micah today, I hope that you will see that God doesn’t need a lot to work with to accomplish great things. In fact, our God is so great He simply spoke, and nothing became everything. If He can create the world and the universe out of nothing, He can give us peace even as the world falls apart around us.”

* This morning, I would like to share with you the following lessons.

1. Peace is not about circumstances.

Micah 5:1-3; “Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. ² But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. ³ Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel.”

* Micah 5 begins with a picture of war being waged against Judah, even to the point where it would come to its destruction and a subsequent and continuous external rule over it from that time on.

* The “judge of Israel” spoken of here is its leader. He is set in contrast to the Lord, Jehovah, who is called their King in verse 2:13. Micah 2:13; “He who opens the breach goes up before them; they break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king passes on before them, the Lord at their head.”

* It may even be a sort of pun that the prophet is relaying. The King of Israel is Jehovah who breaks forth before the people. But the judge of Israel is a man in a city-besieged and who is struck with a rod on the cheek.  It is the greatest of insults to be so struck. Time and again, a strike on the cheek in Scripture indicates this.

* Note with me in verse 2, “Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel,” The words are formed in such a way as to show motion leading to an outcome. The One coming who would be a marshal, or ruler, in Israel.

* The word signifies to have dominion over. The Lord’s name is not stated here, but it is implied. The prophet is not speaking of himself, but the One who is speaking through him. His going forth is from of old and He is everlasting.  This can only be said of God.  There is no beginning to His coming. Instead, it simply is. The author then further defines this by saying “from the vanishing point,” meaning from the place where nothing is known of it.

* In verse 2, we see two names of a town: Bethlehem and Ephrathah. These are the names of this small town.  Well, it was big enough for two names. “Bethlehem” means ‘house of bread’ – John 6:35; “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

* Ephrathah, means “Fruitful.” Bethlehem is mentioned 53 times in Scripture.

Trivia question:  Who is Rachel?  A: Israel’s (Jacobs) wife. Genesis 35:19; “So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem),” Genesis 32:28; “Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,

* Before she died, she called her child “Benoni” which means ‘son of my sorrow’, because of the pain of his birth. But after Rachel’s passing, Jacob changed his name to “Benjamin” which mean ‘son of my right hand’. Little did they know they were casting a shadow of what was to come.  In Bethlehem would be born a son, born as the ‘Son of Sorrows’, but the Father would highly exalt Him and make Him the ‘Son of my Right Hand.’

* Trivia question: where was Ruth redeemed?  A: Bethlehem. Ruth 4:11; “Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem,” Once again Ruth and Boaz probably did not know they were a living picture of God the kinsman redeemer.  This time God would redeem the world through Jesus Christ.

*Triva question: Where was David anointed king?  A. Bethlehem. I Samuel 16:1; “The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”

* Let’s look at verse 3, It is also obvious that Israel is the subject who is being given up. But the good thing is that this is only temporary.  God is now in the process of bringing Israel back to the Promise Land.

2. Peace is something everyone needs.

Micah 5:4; “And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.”

* There is dual meaning in these words. The first is that He shall stand as a King and yet he shall do so in the tender lovingkindness of a Shepherd over His people. A great description of Jesus is found here - he is someone who shepherds his flock in the strength of the Lord… and they will live securely.

* For those believers in the day of Micah, looking for security, they were looking in all the wrong places. Micah was telling them look to the Messiah. They wouldn't find financial security, or political security or social security or health security. But they would find spiritual security, and that is the best thing anyone could find.

* And the same thing is true for us today. Money, power, relationships, health, love - all these are blessings from God. But none of them bring you that real and lasting sense of peace. You can only find it in Jesus Christ.

John 10:14-18; “1⁴ I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. ¹⁷ For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

* Jesus is the good Shepherd who has the authority to lay his life down and to take it up again.

3. Real peace come from knowing Jesus.

Micah 5:5a; “And he shall be their peace…”

* The word “peace is common in the Bible. It translates the Hebrew “shalom” over two hundred times in the Old Testament and nearly one hundred times in the New. The Hebrew idea of “peace” is an overall feeling of well-being, often in relationship between God and his people.

Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

*  The second part of the peace Christ gives is an emotional peace. It is an internal sense of well-being and order. Peace that Jesus gives is not the absence of trouble but is rather the confidence that He is there with you always. Source Unknown.

* Webster’s defines peace like this: a state of tranquility or quiet; freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions; harmony in personal relations; and a state or period of mutual concord between governments.

* In Isaiah 9:6, one of the titles of the coming Messiah is Prince of Peace. The Hebrew there is ‘sar shalom’. These words signify a leader, a captain, or an officer. It is someone who is in charge of something. In the case of the Messiah, He is the Prince of Peace. He is the one in charge of it. He grants it to those under Him.

Isaiah 53:5; “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

John 14:27; “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

* For the believers back in the days of Micah. And for the believers today, in the 21st century - Jesus is our peace.

* If only I had more money, or power, or popularity, or more love, then I would be at peace. All these things can be blessings from God. But none of these things bring a lasting sense of peace.

* Since size does not matter, and out of insignificance comes greatness, what might we achieve as individuals for God? What might we achieve as a church for God? What might God bring about if we were loyal and faithful? Do you dare to do great things for God? God can do great things through you.

A young man was eager to grow in His Christian life. He got a piece of paper and made a list of all the things he would do for God. He wrote down the things he would give up, the places he would go to minister and the areas of ministry he would enter. He was excited. He took that list to the church and put it on the altar. He thought he would feel peace, but instead he felt empty. So, he went home and started adding to his list. He wrote down more things he would do and wouldn’t do. He took the longer list and put it on the altar, but still he felt nothing. He went to his pastor, told him the situation and asked for help. The pastor said, “Take a blank sheet of paper. Sign your name at the bottom. Put that on the altar.” The young man did, and then peace came to his heart.

* When you give all of yourself to Jesus you will find the peace He has to offer.