Bible Study Seattle

“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 bears a son,
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.” Micah 5:2-4

This is the great passage quoted by the chief priests and teachers of the law to Herod when he inquired where the Messiah was to be born. But it says even more. It says Israel will be abandoned. It was effectively abandoned from 70AD to 1878AD by the Jews. Who is ‘she who is in labor’? At first glance it may look like Mary who bore Jesus, until you see that the birth happens after Israel is abandoned. This she is the church, who will bare Israel and all the second born. That’s why it says ‘and the rest of his brothers return’. This return is the resurrection! The fact that ‘they will live securely’ shows that this is still future to us. And also that this happens when ‘His [Jesus] greatness will reach to the ends of the earth’! That’s future to us! These three verses show us 3,000 years of history!