Consider: Who was born in Bethlehem, besides Jesus?
Learn: Read Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:5-6; Luke 2:4-7. Just as we learned last week, so again this week we see prophecy fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. Our candle represents the light of the prophecy of Micah. He prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
It’s amazing how many details had to come together for Mary and Joseph to even go to Bethlehem. First, Joseph had to be a descendant of David. God had to plan far enough in advance so that the human father of Jesus was of David’s line.
Then the events of the registration of the people had to take place. Caesar had to call for a registration. All of the leaders under Caesar had to enforce the registration. And this registration had to take place at the exact time when Mary was about to give birth.
Even before all this was the prophecy of Micah. Micah wrote of the place where the ruler would be born, more than 700 years before he was born. Bethlehem was a small but important place, for another unlikely ruler had been born in Bethlehem in the past, and that was David. Jesus was born here not only to fulfill the prophecy, but also to show that he would be a ruler in the line of David, and not just a ruler but also the final and greatest ruler. He would be born in the same city as the great ruler of the past, David.
The leaders of the time of Jesus knew of this prophecy because they told the wise men of this place. They knew this was God’s plan, but they didn’t want to accept it.
Apply: Rejoice in this plan, told of long ago and fulfilled in a miraculous way by the birth of Jesus.
I Commend Joy! 