They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek. “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting” … He shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; and they shall abide, for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth; and this One shall be peace. Micah 5:1–2, 4–5 NKJV
The prophet Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah and Hosea, had the honor of prophesying where the Messiah would be born. Directly after foretelling how men would most shamefully treat Him, God through this prophet makes known where the Messiah would be born. He emphasizes the preexisting dignity of this Ruler who would stoop to be born in the little town of Bethlehem in Judah.
He goes on to speak of how great this One will be. We already know Him as our Good Shepherd. In a still-coming day, He will be the Shepherd of Israel who, as Ezekiel also tells us, will “gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land … There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel” (Ezek. 34:13, 14).
In Matthew 2, when wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, seeking the One born King of the Jews that they might worship Him, they were directed to Bethlehem from this passage in Micah. They found the young Child in a house “with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him,” and presented rich gifts to Him.
Whether as Babe in the manger, young Child in the house, Boy of twelve in the temple, our Savior on the cross, or soon-to-be Ruler in Israel—He is “Worthy of homage and of praise; worthy by all to be adored: exhaustless theme of heavenly lays,” and object of our thanks, worship, and adoration now and throughout eternity.