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.
If I had no other verse than Micah's on which to base my faith in God, I would still be a believer. For in this verse we see Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son. Knowing my Bible as I do, I am keenly aware that this is Whom Micah is speaking of.
The prophecy is spoken over the town of Bethlehem, which translates to House of Bread. A few hundred years later Jesus would refer to Himself as The Bread of Life, The Mana from heaven which God had sent down for people to partake of. We do this when we believe on The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation.
But in this comparatively small town The Ruler of Israel would be born. He was sent from heaven by God to accomplish God's purpose until His return to God. The Bible tells us that "God's Word does not return void to Him" (Isaiah 55:11). Christ is The Word (John 1:1;14). And He is not void, empty. He is Truth. He is Life. He is Love.
As Ruler in Israel, He is also Governor (Isaiah 9:6), and reigns with Justice. His kingdom is wherever He is and He is in the heart of every believer for we have partaken of His salvation and in His salvation is His suffering, His anguish at the task which God had set before Him and now sets before us. In His salvation is God's mercy and compassion for the lost and the dying. This, too, is in the heart of the believer when Christ lives there.
His 'goings forth from of old, from everlasting' is just one of the most peaceful verses I know. For Jesus Christ is The Beginning (Revelation 1:4,8; John 1:1-3; Proverbs 8:23; John 8:58; John 17:5; Revelation 22:13). Age to age, beyond the realm of time is Christ The Messiah. And He's coming soon to reward His faithful, His righteous people and to punish the unfaithful, the unrighteous, the unbeliever (Revelation 22:12-17).
GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO (I keep singing this one. It is in my thoughts when I close my eyes and with me in my dreams. I awaken and it is still there. My spirit worships even when I am in the unconscious dream realm).
