You’re from Where?

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. ~Micah 5:2

Have you ever met someone from a town with which you’re familiar? Maybe even your hometown? Immediately you think of what you know about that place. Perhaps it’s known for high school sports, so you size the person up, wondering if they were an athlete back in the day. Maybe it’s known for a particular industry, so you imagine their father working in the coal mine, for example.

It’s always interesting to meet someone who doesn’t fit the image we have of a particular place. We meet someone from a less-than-reputable location and find them to be remarkably distinguished or accomplished. Or, perhaps, the opposite has been your experience. Either way, whether or not we should judge a book by its hometown cover is for another time… the point is, we often do.

Imagine, then, the shock that would have reverberated throughout Israel when Messiah was prophesied to be born in Bethlehem! You see, when Micah wrote these words, Jerusalem was in chaos. Assyria was attacking and the kingdom was crumbling. The people needed hope. They were looking for a ruler who would deal with their enemies and restore to them security and blessing. It would be natural to look to Jerusalem, expecting a majestic king on a white horse coming to save them.

But does God promise to send this Ruler from Jerusalem? Will He come riding in on a white horse with a large army? Quite the opposite. He tells His people to look to the smallest town — a village, really. This is where their Savior will come from. A nowhere town with a nowhere reputation. So small it’s hardly worth numbering among the villages of Judah.

But if you remember, this is where King David was from (1 Sam. 16)— another unassuming king, born in this same unassuming town. He was disregarded by his father and despised by his brothers (1 Sam. 16:11, 17:28), yet the Lord set him as ruler over His people to bring them peace and blessing. And at Christmas we see the same thing happening, once again, in Bethlehem. An unassuming King (Isa. 53:2), despised and rejected by men (Isa. 53:3; John 1:11), coming from an unassuming town (Matt. 2:5-6), but sent to bring peace (Micah 5:5) and blessing (Gen. 22:18). Just like His great, great, great… grandfather, King David (Matt. 1:1).

Have you overlooked this unassuming King? Does His humble birthplace disappoint you? Do you secretly wish the Savior had been born in Jerusalem, with all the fanfare that a royal birth deserves? If only He were more to look at — more powerful, more king-like. Yet God sent forth His Son to be born of a virgin, in a nowhere town, to save people who themselves are humble and lowly. So this Christmas, let’s not judge this King by His hometown, but be thankful to God for sending Him to us, that we might live forever in His heavenly city.

Rev. Kyle W. A. Lockhart, Associate Pastor