Advent Reading- Micah 5:2-5

There are hundreds of prophecies related to the Messiah that must be fulfilled. Each and every prophecy must be fulfilled perfectly, or that person is not the Messiah. This prophecy in Micah includes the location of the Messiah's birth.

Bethlehem in the day of Jesus was small town of a couple thousand people located about 6 miles away from Jerusalem. The name Bethlehem means "house of bread". Don't forget Jesus is the "bread of life". Bethlehem was known as the "City of David". It seems like the right place for the rightful, long-expected heir to David's throne to be born. Bethlehem was an area where the lambs were raised that would be used in temple sacrifice. Jesus is the lamb who was sacrificed for the sins of the world. Bethlehem was seemingly an unusual spot for the Messiah to be born because it was small and so ordinary in many ways. Yet, God had planned long before for this to be the right place for Jesus to be born. No place is insignificant when God's hand is at work.