A Word in Season: The Ruler in Israel (Micah 5:4–5)

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From the first gospel promise, the whole Bible points toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

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He himself testified that all the scriptures spoke of him. And so as you work your way through the

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Bible, you find building up this composite portrait of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Here a shade, there a tone, there a dash of color, there a splash of light, so that by degrees this glorious portrait of Messiah is built up before our eyes.

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He has in the New Testament a name and a face, Jesus of Nazareth.

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But until then, there are these pointers, these signposts, and they are found scattered on every page of the

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Bible. We need to learn to see them, we need to learn to delight in them as Christ is set forth for us.

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We find one such glimpse in Micah chapter 5, where we have described him whose goings forth are of old from everlasting, who is the ruler in Israel.

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And there's this beautiful little picture of him as he stands and feeds his flock in verses 4 and 5, in the strength of the

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Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God, and they shall abide, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth, and this one shall be peace.

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Micah points to the shepherd, the great king of Israel, who stands and feeds his flock in the strength of the

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Lord. There is a dignity there already, there's a stability, there is that inherent majesty of one who stands in strength, in God's strength, in order to feed his flock.

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He is caring for his people, he is providing for them, and he is doing so with the spirit of God upon him.

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And again, when we begin to read these words, how can we not see the face of Jesus Christ in this picture?

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And he comes in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. There is this authority that is with him, the one of whom it was said that no one ever spoke like this man, and that his authority so far exceeded that of the scribes and the other teachers of the law.

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He spoke as a man from God, he was manifestly a messenger of heaven, the true son of God, witnessing and witnessed to by the things which he said and did.

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And this is how he fed his people, it's how he gathered his flock, it's how he guided and guarded them and provided for them every step of the way.

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And consequently, they shall abide. God's sheep are not lost,

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Christ's flock cannot be destroyed. When once he has his hands upon us, when once he has his arms around us, we are safe and secure forever and forever.

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He never lets go those whom he calls. He is well able to provide for us every step of the way and to protect us, for this is our

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King. And now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. Yes, the kingdom of Christ shall extend, though he comes as the son of David, though he comes as David's seed and David's Lord, though he is there born in Bethlehem, Ephrathah.

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Yet nevertheless, his kingdom shall be great, and both Jews and Gentiles shall come to him.

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When this sun arises, many shall come to the brightness of his rising.

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To the very ends of the earth, as we still see that good news of this

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Messiah, this ruler in Israel, who nevertheless rules over the world, to whom all authority has been given, who stands in dignity and in majesty, with strength and in glory, to gather and provide for and protect all of his people.

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Yes, he is great and shall be great to the ends of the earth, and this one shall be peace.

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Yes, it's difficult to know what those words mean in the precise context, but we do know that our

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Lord Jesus Christ was indeed the one who gave peace, who was himself the one who secured peace with God and bestowed peace, even in a world that was rocked by troubles and trials and that was against his people.

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And if you then are of God's Israel, if you have put your faith in the

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Lord Jesus Christ and become one of his new covenant people, then this is your king.

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This is your shepherd. This is your God and your Lord, who stands to feed his flock in strength and in majesty and whose glory is great, now and forever, here and in every place.