Is Micah 5:2 a Messianic prophecy?

Turn now to Micah 5:2. Just as the prophecy of the virgin's Son is recalled in Matthew 1, so this is quoted in Matthew 2, and both are there referred to Christ. Bethlehem was of small consequence in itself, insignificant amongst the thousands of Judah, yet was it to leap into undying fame. And wherefore? "Out of thee shall He come forth to Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."

Here, notice, we have, not the Child born, the Son given "to us," i.e., Israel, but that One who should come forth "to Me," i.e., Jehovah, to be His Ruler in the midst of Israel. As "judge of Israel" he would be rejected as verse 1 intimates, for He was Jehovah's "holy Child [or Servant] Jesus," against whom "both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together" (Acts 4:27). Yet was this holy Servant so infinitely great that His goings forth were from of old, from "the days of eternity" (marginal reading).

Verse 2. This great verse is a parenthetical statement, giving a description of the judge of Israel. It shows forth Him who is to be the Ruler and the Judge, the Redeemer and the King. It is the passage which the chief priests and the scribes quoted to wicked Herod, when he demanded to know where Christ should be born (Matt. 2:4-6). This great prophecy was therefore known when our Lord was born to predict the birth of the Messiah, in fact, the Jews always believed this. But after He was born and lived among them and was rejected by them they attempted deliberately to explain it away, and invented fables to accomplish this. It was Tertullian, and other prominent teachers of the early Church, who argued with the Jews, that if Jesus was not the promised Messiah, the prophecy given by Micah could never be fulfilled, for none of David's descendants was left in Bethlehem.

Micah adds his definite tribute and tells us (Micah 5:2) of One whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting; who, born in Bethlehem, is to rule over Israel — a prophecy which even the unbelieving Jews well knew referred to the Messiah.

The scribes at the time of the NT knew Micah's prophecy as well and correctly referred Micah 5:2 to the Messiah king of Israel's place of birth. When the wise men from the east came to Jerusalem to worship the Lord Jesus they were sent to Bethlehem according to Micah 5:2.

Micah 5:2, although not so shown in the Authorised Version, is in parenthesis (see New Translation), and the context shows this to be so — verse 3 is the judgment of God consequent upon the sin of verse 1, which verse plainly refers to Christ as recorded in the gospels — "they struck Him on the face" (Luke 22:64, etc.). With what delight would the Spirit of God indite this second verse, truly a scintillating gem against the dark background of rejection and scorn. This blessed One — refused and set at nought by His own nation — is the Eternal God, "Whose goings forth are from of old, from the days of eternity." His coming into Manhood amidst the lowly circumstances of "Bethlehem-Ephratah" was the beginning of a pathway of suffering and death and yet of triumph and victory, and He, the risen Lord, shall yet be established and acknowledged as the "Ruler in Israel." Eternal in His Person, eternal in His love, He shall reign supreme in the splendour of the world-to-come and shall be the Object too of eternal praise and worship.

Micah 5. The Jews once despised and insulted, rejected and crucified the Lord of glory, their own Messiah; and this is what brings in the wonderful prophecy that follows: "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel." This is the judge of Israel already spoken of. Thus the second verse is unequivocally a parenthetic description of who this judge of Israel is. Though there may seem to be remarkable abruptness in the way it is introduced here, it is scarcely possible to doubt that what has been already explained gives the object and accounts for the manner of the prophet, and is the key to the passage. Why is it that the Lord allows the last siege of Jerusalem? He says it is because of their conduct towards their ruler and judge. Who was the judge? He was born in Bethlehem, but not this only, for "his goings forth have been of old from everlasting." He was a divine person. He in grace became a babe in Bethlehem; but He was Jehovah the true God of Israel. Then follows the conclusion of the sentence begun in the first verse. "Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travails has brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return to the children of Israel."

Amos, too, foretells how the Lord will "raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen" (Amos 9:11), connecting this with the time of Israel's restoration and blessing. Micah describes Israel as "a woman in travail" waiting for the Lord's redemption. He then goes on to show by whom, and at what time, the deliverance comes. "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Therefore will He give them up, until the time that she which travails has brought forth; then the remnant of His brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. And He shall stand and rule in the strength of Jehovah, in the majesty of the name of Jehovah, His God; and they shall abide; for now shall He be great unto the ends of the earth" (Micah 5:2-4). Here Christ is presented as the Eternal One, and God's chosen ruler. He is born in Bethlehem, but instead of at once taking the dominion, He gives up the people "until the time that she which travails has brought forth," that is, until the time of Israel's redemption. Then "the remnant" are gathered, the nation "shall abide," and the glory and majesty of Christ's rule are beheld on the earth.

In Micah 5:1-3, the One who is born in Bethlehem is said to have His goings forth from everlasting, ascribing thus to the Babe, born in time, eternal existence. The One Person is said to have two goings forth, and this is true in virtue of the indivisible Personality—God and man, one Christ.

Now we pass to Luke 2, and see how all this was brought about. There had been a remarkable prophecy in the Old Testament, which I daresay is familiar to most of you. The prophet Micah had announced: "But thou, Bethlehem-Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting" (Micah 5:2). This scripture plainly declared that Christ should be born in Bethlehem. I do not know whether you have noticed the meaning of the word, but it is very interesting. Bethlehem means "The House of Bread." And, oh, beloved friends, has not Bethlehem been a very House of Bread for hungry sinners for eighteen long centuries? Thank God, it has. From that spot came out the living bread, the bread of God. That scripture was so well known that when Jesus was born, and the wise men came from the East to look for Him, the scribes could quote the passage, and tell Herod that Bethlehem was to be the birthplace of Messiah (Matt. 2:5-6).

Micah 5 Another subject and another Person are introduced before the final blessings of Israel can be brought to them, namely, the MESSIAH, 'the judge of Israel,' whose goings forth had been from of old, from everlasting. Micah 5:2 tells where Christ would be born, and this prophecy was referred to by the religious rulers when Herod inquired of them respecting His birth. If this verse be read as a parenthesis it will make the context clearer. Because the Judge of Israel was smitten on the cheek with a rod, therefore He gave them up until the time of bringing forth, when the remnant of His brethren should return unto the children of Israel; that is, they will no longer be added to the church as in Acts 2:27. "He shall stand and feed in the strength of Jehovah, in the majesty of the name of Jehovah his God; and they shall abide."