(A Christmas Letter from Satan)

Micah was concerned with Israel’s disobedience to God’s instructions. He fears that Israel’s captivity by the Assyrians is God’s judgment! He is writing around the time frame of Isaiah, during the 8th century, and they both note of God’s unhappiness with His people. Therefore Israel’s ability to survive was first in Micah’s mind. God’s people were feeling insignificant and needed the hope of a movement to accomplish a magnificent mission. Micah is asking the same question we ask today: Why would God allow bad things to happen to His people? Micah scratches his head, because he knows Israel is the chosen people of God! What unfolds is the prediction of seemly insignificant events that will accomplish the arrival of the King of Kings, thus bringing to the world a magnificent purpose!

v.1 It seems as if Israel is about to prepare for war. They want to overthrow the King of Assyria and escape captivity! In reality, isn’t that what Christ does, He demolishes the kings of this world and removes the sin that bounds us into captivity! He liberates our hearts to love Him and others!

Magnificent Placement v.2

Bethlehem seems insignificant; in fact to be born in a manger is very humble! If we fast-forward to the NT, we see the arrival of the King of kings to be announced to a very low social class, the shepherds! But God has a magnificent plan. God has sovereignly placed you where you are for His glory!

John 7:42 they ask, “Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

God uses the most unlikely circumstances for His glory!

1 Corinthians 1:27-31. “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.… Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

“God uses little towns and youngest sons and slingshots to magnify his glory by contrast, to show that he is not the least dependent on human glory or greatness or achievement.” John Piper

I believe God uses the most insignificant so that He alone will get the magnificent glory!

Magnificent Power v.3-4

Look at verse 3: “Therefore he [God] shall give them [Israel under God’s rule] up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth [referring to the time of the coming of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah]; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel.” This is what we know: The Messiah is coming, and His coming will mean something powerful for Israel. But according to Romans 11, it’s not only referring to the place Israel, but even those grafted into the people of God through the power of God! Jesus does that!

The connection between Micah 5 and Jesus Christ is crystal clear. In Matthew 2:1-6 it says:

Matthew 2:1-6 “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

So both the leaders and the people knew that Micah chapter 5 predicted the coming of the Messiah. This ruler who would be the King of kings! I pray He is King of your life! Do you arrange your life to fit Christ or do you ask Christ to rearrange your life?

He came to be our magnificent power! According to Romans 11:8, the same power that rose Jesus from the grave lives in you!

Magnificent Peace v.5 Jesus Christ is the only true way to find peace. The only way peace on earth, peace in families, peace in the Middle East, or peace from terrorism is through one finding peace with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ. There must be peace between us and God. Our unbelief and his wrath must be removed. That is our deepest peace–and our deepest need at Christmas. The greatest gift is a relationship with the Almighty Giver!

So this Christmas and for the rest of your life, don’t buy the lies of Satan! Run to comforting arms of the King and find placement, power, and peace! He is good!