Key Bible Verse: Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past (Micah 5:2). Bonus Reading: Matthew 2:1-6

If you pour over the Rand McNally Road Atlas, you will find thousands of small towns across North America. Some of our presidents, prime ministers, and great leaders have been born in these small towns, but who could have anticipated it? In the year A.D. 1200, for example, who would have guessed that Dwight D. Eisenhower would be born in Denison, Texas?

Yet the Bible provides astoundingly precise prophecies of Christ's birth. Writing 700 years before His birth, Micah predicted that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, so small and insignificant that it wasn't included in the official list of towns in the book of Joshua. Christ's prophesied birth in Bethlehem was well known, however, for when the Magi came to Jerusalem and inquired of the chief priests and scribes, the answer was readily available.

Zechariah added (9:9) that He would present Himself to the nation, riding into Jerusalem on an unbroken colt. But sadly, although even nature was submissive to the Messiah, His people rejected Him (Psalm 118:22)—leaving in abeyance His promised blessings to the nation.

—Paul Enns in Approaching God

My Response: I'll thank the Eternal One for Micah's announcement 28 centuries ago of a Ruler whose reign is still future.

Thought to Apply: It was not suddenly and unannounced that Jesus came into the world. He came into a world that had been prepared for Him. —PHILLIPS BROOKS

Adapted from Approaching God (Kregel, 1991) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Lord, keep my familiarity with the trappings of Christmas from blinding me to its quiet but explosive significance.

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