Micah 5:2

Verse of the Day Devotion: Micah 5:2

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” – Micah 5:2

The scriptures tell us where the coming Messiah will be born.  From a verse in Genesis, we know this is Bethlehem.  “So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). Genesis 35:19. Now, we see some interesting things regarding Bethlehem.

First, it was too little to be among the clans of Judah.  Here is how this is explained by Albert Barnes in his commentary on the book of Micah.  “Each tribe was divided into its thousands, probably of fighting men, each thousand having its own separate head. Places too small to form a thousand by themselves were united with others, to make up the number . So lowly was Bethlehem that it was not counted among the possessions of Judah. In the division under Joshua, it was wholly omitted . From its situation, Bethlehem can never have been a considerable place.”  It was too small to be on its own, therefore it was merged with other small places in order to amass the thousand needed.

However, though it was small, a great event would happen within this town. One would come forth from there who would be the ruler in Israel, one however whose rule would never end.  This is the one who would fulfill the Father’s will and purpose from eternity.  Jesus Himself said this was His purpose.  “Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” John 4:34.

Lastly, we see that His goings forth are from long ago, from eternity.  His coming was known from before time began. His coming was known before this universe was created.  “knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you ” 1 Peter 1:19-20.  Also, this one knew us from the foundation of the world, for because He foreknew us; those who would accept Him and follow His ways, our names were put in there from the foundations of the world.  “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.” Revelation 13:8.

This was no normal child who would be born in this small town of Bethlehem, one so small it was not even considered a clan of Judah on its own.  However, from this small; at the time insignificant, town would come the greatest gift God could give us; the means of salvation by the sacrifice of this not yet born ruler of Israel. Nothing today from any town, city or metropolis, can compare to what happened in Bethlehem.  Praise God.  He let us know through the prophet Micah.  However, many of the rulers could not accept this prophecy, and thus ignored it.  What a shame, for they missed the fulfillment of the most significant and important prophecy of all time. The birth of the only begotten Son of the Father.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Matthew 12:24

Verse of the Day Devotion Matthew 12:24 

“But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.” –  Matthew 12:24 

Today we will look at the Parable regarding Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit.  Here is this parable as found in Matthew’s gospel.

“But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons. And knowing their thoughts He said to them, Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?  And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Consequently they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” Matthew 12:24-30.

First, it is importance to note that the Jewish leaders repeat their earlier charge; for Beelzebul, also called Beelzebub. Interestingly, this charge persisted as a common view of Jesus among Jews in the early centuries of the Christian era. They did not deny the genuineness of his miracles but ascribed his power to the devil, so that he was branded worthy of death.  Therefore, these Pharisees publicly pronounced the same charge after Jesus cast a demon out of a man. “Then there was brought to Him a demon-possessed man who was blind and dumb, and He healed him, so that the dumb man spoke and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed, and began to say, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” Matthew 12:22-23.  Here, we see the people amazed and questioning whether Jesus could be the Messiah. The Pharisees could not allow this to happen, so they came forth with their blasphemous accusation. “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.” 

Jesus, knowing their thoughts and purposes, answers them.  “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?” Matthew 12:25-26.  What He essentially was saying is that internal conflict within a country, city, or even a family will tear it apart, or leave it ruined, if left unchecked.  Jesus concludes that because demonization promotes Satan’s designs, Satan would not himself seek to cast out demons. He would be undermining his own work.

Moreover, Jesus is not the only exorcist in the area. “And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Consequently they shall be your judges.” Matthew 12:27.  Other Jews practiced exorcism as well. In the schools of the Pharisees, a so-called higher magic was taught, by which demons were to be expelled and drawn out of the noses of persons possessed, by means of certain roots, by exorcism and by magical formulas, supposed to have been derived from king Solomon. Without evaluating this state of affairs, Jesus points out that the logic of the charge against him condemns those making it. If Satan is the one who enables exorcisms, then other Jewish exorcists must also be devilish. Jesus’ accusers judge their own sons/disciples by their accusations. 

Then He adds, “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Matthew 12:28.  What this implies is that the coming of the kingdom is to be discerned in Jesus’ defeat of the demons. Mostly Matthew speaks of the kingdom as future, but here it is a present reality.  He then ends this with two analogies.  “Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.” Matthew 12:29. One cannot attack a well-protected home without first rendering the guard powerless. So, too, Jesus must first bind Satan before he can plunder or lay hold of his house, for example cast out his demons.  And finally, He declares that “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” Matthew 12:30.  This must be balanced by “For he who is not against us is for us.” Mark 9:40.  The point here is that Christ leaves no room for neutral ground. If people cannot accept his teaching and work, they are in danger of God’s judgment.  And the last part of this. “and he who does not gather with Me scatters” has the idea that He who does not help the true shepherd to gather his flock into the fold is, most likely, one who wishes to scatter them, that he may have the opportunity of stealing and destroying them.

The thought here is that He is explaining to the Pharisees that He casts our demons by the Holy Spirit and not by Satan, as they said to Him.  This was basically saying that the power by which He did this was Satan himself.  And by alluding to the Spirit in Him as Satan was essentially blaspheming the Holy Spirit.  And when this is done, this cannot be forgiven. “Therefore, I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in the age to come.”  Matthew 12:31-32. 

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Micah 5:2

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Verse of the Day Devotion:  Micah 5:2 

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.” – Micah 5:2

Our next verse this Christmas season refers to the place of His birth.  First, let us look at the situation from where this prophecy comes from.  We read in verse one the following, “Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops; They have laid siege against us; With a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek.” Micah 5:1.  They have been besieged by another kingdom, whom many see as the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar.  This was a very difficult period for Jerusalem, for Babylon was a cruel and harsh conqueror, and the failure of Judah’s king only made this situation worse. 

Moving on to our focus verse, God, through Micah, brings about a glorious prophecy.  “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” Micah 5:2.  First, he refers to Bethlehem Ephrathah.  There were two Bethlehem’s in Israel.  There was one in Zebulun which is not the one referred to in this verse.  “The border circled around it on the north to Hannathon, and it ended at the valley of Iphtahel. Included also were Kattah and Nahalal and Shimron and Idalah and Bethlehem; twelve cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.” Joshua 19:14-16.  Micah uses the name Bethlehem Ephrathah to distinguish which Bethlehem was meant, for, as we see in Genesis, there was a town named Ephrathah which also went by the name Bethlehem.  “So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).” Genesis 35:19. 

We know that Bethlehem is a small town, for it is stated as ‘Too little to be among the clans of Judah’.  The tribes of Israel were divided into groups called clans.  Many times, towns had enough to be a clan in themselves.  If not, they were grouped with others to produce a clan.  Bethlehem was too small to be a clan of itself, so it was combined with others to create one.  However, even though they were so small, out of them would come a king, the Messiah.  This king would be a descendent of David as shown in the psalms. “My covenant I will not violate, Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. His descendants shall endure forever And his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever like the moon, And the witness in the sky is faithful.” Psalm 89:33-37.  And finally, it says what He would do was set up from eternity.  Not from a period of time, but before time in eternity.  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1, 14.

Moving on to verse three we read, “Therefore He will give them up until the time When she who is in labor has borne a child. Then the remainder of His brethren Will return to the sons of Israel.” Micah 5:3.  He will give up the disobedient and rebellious Jews into the hands of other nations, till she who is in labor gives birth.  This is Mary who will give birth to Jesus.  And when this happens, the remainder of Christ’s brethren will return to the sons of Israel.  This refers to both families, that of Judah and of Israel.      

In closing, the Messiah was prophesied to be born in a small, somewhat unimportant city according to the Jews, call Bethlehem Ephrathah.  And this was fulfilled because, for though they were living in Nazareth in Galilee, Caesar Augustus declared a census of everyone under his rule, which required them to register in Bethlehem since Joseph was of the lineage of David.  This definitely was the work of God who knows the end from the beginning.  And He assured His people that their strife and misery would end because the one to be born was the Christ.  It is amazing when we look back how God uses everything to fulfill His purposes.  And we must remember that He is doing the same today.  So, take heart.  All will happen as He says, and He cannot be thwarted.     

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.