The Gospel of Matthew 2:5-6 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, Art not the least among the princes of Juda: For out of thee shall come a Governor, That shall rule my people Israel.” (Matthew 2:5-6 KJV).

These passages tell us that the chief priests and scribes answer King Herod's question about where the Messiah is to be born, by declaring Bethlehem from the Old Testament prophecy in Micah 5:2. He is the coming king and ruler of Israel that comes from the least of the princess of Judah in the un-presumptive little town of Bethlehem.

Key point to note from these passages tells us that during the time of our Lord Jesus’ birth, there were two Bethlehems in Israel—one in Galilee (of Zebulun) and the famous Bethlehem Ephrathah (Bethlehem in Judah). The prophecy specifically pinpointed Bethlehem Ephrathah, the ancestral home of King David, also called the "house of bread".

This highlights that though Mary and Joseph lived far away in Nazareth, God used a Roman census decree to send them to Bethlehem, ensuring the exact fulfillment of Micah's prophecy written hundreds of years earlier.

The irony of the religious scholars, the chief priests and the scribes is that they possessed deep scripture knowledge and immediately knew the correct answer from Micah’s writings. Yet, they lacked a real heart or faith to yield to grace in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. They use their knowledge instead to help a hostile King Herod who is trying to locate and destroy the Child who is born to save them and the world.

The verses highlight that God declares out of Bethlehem would come as prophesied a "Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel". It stresses that our Lord Jesus comes not just as a historical figure or a baby in a manger, but as the eternal Shepherd and King whose origin is "from eternity past" and reigns “eternity hereafter”. It is written, our Lord declares: ““I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”” (Revelation 1:8 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

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