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Bethlehem

Terrain Day 8 Bethlehem & Nazareth

August 11, 2021 by Brenda Earley Leave a Comment

Terrain Day 8 Bethlehem & Nazareth

Brenda Earley

August 11, 2021

Birth,Equipped,God,Jesus,Journey,Life,Purpose,Worship

Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 2:4-11
John 7:40-52
John 6:22-35
John 15:1-11
Jeremiah 33:14-16

Come journey with me as we navigate the rough terrain Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born! (Luke 2:1-7) Are you ready to unpack the wonderful nuggets God is going to share with us? Let’s go!

Imagine the hot, humid climate of Israel. 
You’ll need plenty of water on this trip. (Here’s where being a camel would be great, haha!)
Feel the sun on your back. 
The sizzle of the water as it touches your lips, and the refreshing relief it brings! 
You’ll also need to pack bread and oil for your meals. 
Just take the clothes on your back, traveling light is a necessity in these parts. 
I think that’s everything on my travel list. Wait, the donkey . . . ok, check!

The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem is roughly 90 miles (144 km) southwest. OK, this doesn’t sound too bad if traveled by car, but during Biblical times, it was tiresome. We may not know exactly how arduous the journey was, but we know it was surely uncomfortable for Mary, who neared the end of her pregnancy. Nothing could have equipped them for this rough, downhill, and very windy terrain. 

Nazareth, which means “the branch,” is just that, a branch, or fork, in the road, a secluded town perched on a hill, located in lower Galilee. It was said to be a “backwards town,” forgotten among other cities. Joseph and his espoused wife, Mary, were to be taxed and needed to travel from their hometown, Nazareth, to their ancestor’s city, Bethlehem, the city of David, or “the Bread.” (John 7:42)

In Bethlehem, this hill country-city located south of Jerusalem, the Messiah was prophesied to be born. (Micah 5:2) At the time of the census, an overcrowded city held no room at any type of suitable lodging. So, our couple resorted to a tucked-in-the-hills cave away from the harshness of the climate. This shelter in the rock, home to farm animals, would have been terribly noisy and odorous. Why would the Messiah be born here? Mary must have pondered so much that night. 

“Bethlehem Morning, is more than just a memory
For the Child that was born
there
Has come to set us free” 
(Bethlehem Morning by Sandi Patty)

After the birth of Jesus, shepherds came from the fields to worship this babe in a feeding trough. (Luke 2:8-20) Then, Joseph and Mary fled with baby Jesus into Egypt to escape the king’s jealous decree of death to all baby boys (Matthew 2:13-18), where wise men eventually came to worship as well. (Matthew 2:1-12) Once the threat was neutralized, Joseph was told by an angel to return to their hometown of Nazareth. (Matthew 2:19-23) Another tiresome journey, this time with a busy little boy!

While Jesus grew up in Nazareth, He would later be rejected by His own people. (Mark 6:1-6, Psalm 118:22) But from this town, Jesus’ ministry began. God’s plan for His Son was to be fulfilled even from the lowliest of places. From this forgotten branch, the Bread of Life rose up! 

You see, the All-Sustaining One born in Bethlehem, “the bread,” was the Bread of Life:
“‘I am the bread of life,’ Jesus told them. ‘No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty.’” (John 6:35)

Though rejected by His own Nazarene people, He grew in connection to those who trusted Him (John 1:11-13) as the All-Encompassing One (the True Vine) from Nazareth, “the branch”:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.” (John 15:5)

Today, He is our All-Sufficient One:
“And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

How many of us feel like there are many forgotten places in our lives? Or, maybe, we feel forgotten? It’s been a tough, arduous journey just to arrive here in our lives. The past haunts us. The past reminds us. Our present life and our future life do not look like what we want. 

Believe me, I understand. For so many years, I felt forsaken by friends and family as a result of abuse I endured. I was ashamed of letting myself believe marriage would solve all the problems in my abusive relationship. But the abuse continued, and I needed to conceal the problems to protect myself. Yet in these lonely times, God was showing me His love and care. You see, abuse doesn’t need to define your lifestyle either. You can reach out for help! It’s one hug away from hope! Restoration is just a prayer away! God became the Bread of Life to me, wrapped me in His love, and sustained me until He fulfilled His plan and purpose for me. And He can do the same for you! 

Oh sweet friends, remember God takes those forgotten places, those forks in the road, and makes our paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6) We can rest assured our forgotten places will become what God has intended for His purpose and His glory!

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

“‘For I know the plans I have for you’–this is the Lord’s declaration– ‘plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)

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Bethlehem,Fulfilled,glory,Joseph,Mary,Messiah,Nazareth,plan,Rough,Terrain,water
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We often read the Bible and criticize the Israelites. But aren’t we often guilty of the same things we fault them for? I can raise my hand here because sometimes I seek the gift more than the Giver. I anticipate the treasure from God more than the treasure that is God. There is even false doctrine that is centered on this very concept. It has fooled many people into the same thinking the Israelites had. But unlike them, we should be like the Psalmist who praises God and thanks Him for who He is, thereby pleasing God.
Dig Deeper!

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Posted in: Birth, Equipped, God, Jesus, Journey, Life, Purpose, Worship Tagged: Bethlehem, Fulfilled, glory, Joseph, Mary, Messiah, Nazareth, plan, Rough, Terrain, water

The GT Weekend! ~ Here Week 3

December 28, 2019 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) The Orient Kings were living their ordinary, regular lives when the Star appeared and awakened their curiosity. Here was a novelty much deeper than a passing, unique light. The unique quality of this star insisted these wise men, give up their everything, costing them time, talent, and treasure on the long journey to find the One the prophecies spoke of. Where is the Lord interrupting you in your ordinary this Christmas? Perhaps more so, are you following that curiosity? Are you allowing that curiosity to lead You deeper into His heart or are you sweeping it away as a passing oddity?

2) Bethlehem was a small village of extreme insignificance with one solitary exception, the prophetic words of promise from a God from Whom no one had heard in centuries. Despite the peoples’ doubt, centuries of waiting, and perhaps forgetfulness on their part, God remained true to His word. Not every Christmas feels celebratory. Sometimes, it feels like we are in an un-ending season of cold, scarcity, and insignificance. Are you Here in Bethlehem this Christmas? Waiting? Wondering if God has forgotten you? Skeptical to think He will notice you? Take heart! Your King is coming! This King has never once broken a promise, and He promises to draw near and redeem as we give ourselves fully to Him! Fear not, Bethlehem, you are valued and loved and intended for His Work!

3) Anna could have been considered fringe, perhaps she even felt that way sometimes. She wasn’t a priest, couldn’t study the Torah, and wasn’t a prophet, or even a prophetess. She was simply a worshipper. A worshipper who had set her entire heart and life on adoring Yahweh with all she had. The Lord blessed her by hand-crafting her presence in the temple courtyard to intersect with Jesus’ arrival and blessing from Simeon. Her response of sharing amazing truth with others flowed from a heart that had long kept the rhythm of praising God. Maybe you’re Here in Anna’s story, having long-given your heart and life, and time, talent, and treasure over in joyful surrender to the Lord. Be reminded afresh that He is indeed your very great reward! His love towards you is intimate and deep. May you experience again the blessing of Your Abba singing delight over you this Christmas!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Luke 2:7 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Prayer Journal
In darkness we, as a people, once walked, and then You came, as a helpless, squealing infant. And You brought Light and life and hope and promises fulfilled. Ah Lord God, the incredible beauty and unfathomable love of Your humble arrival! Shift our hearts, Lord! Train our eyes to worship You, to be amazed at Your grace and enduring love. Awaken us to be awed by You! Then Lord, spur us on with great boldness to proclaim and declare to all around us of Your magnificent light for all people! Thank You, Abba, for Christmas!

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Posted in: Birth, Christ, God, GT Weekend, Ordinary, Promises, Worship Tagged: Advent, Bethlehem, Christmas, delight, Here, His Glory, Orient Kings, Yahweh

Here Day 14 Bethlehem: Digging Deeper

December 26, 2019 by Rebecca Adams 2 Comments

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Bethlehem!

The Questions

1) Such vivid imagery and dramatic beginning of this passage (verse 1)! What does this mean?

2) How does the promise in verse 2 connect with “therefore Israel will be abandoned….” in verse 3?

3) Why is “ruler of Israel” (verse 2) significant and how does it relate to the other benefits prophesied about that would come with the Messiah??

Micah 5:1-6

Now, daughter who is under attack,
you slash yourself in grief;
a siege is set against us!
They are striking the judge of Israel
on the cheek with a rod.
2 Bethlehem Ephrathah,
you are small among the clans of Judah;
one will come from you
to be ruler over Israel for me.
His origin is from antiquity,
from ancient times.
3 Therefore, Israel will be abandoned until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of the ruler’s brothers will return
to the people of Israel.
4 He will stand and shepherd them
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majestic name of the Lord his God.
They will live securely,
for then his greatness will extend
to the ends of the earth.
5 He will be their peace.
When Assyria invades our land,
when it marches against our fortresses,
we will raise against it seven shepherds,
even eight leaders of men.
6 They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
the land of Nimrod with a drawn blade.
So he will rescue us from Assyria
when it invades our land,
when it marches against our territory.

Original Intent

1) Such vivid imagery and dramatic beginning of this passage (verse 1)! What does this mean?
The Jewish nation was struggling to maintain the title “nation”. They had suffered much already at the time of Micah’s prophecies, but would endure much more in the years ahead. The nation had split between Northern Kingdom (Israel) and Southern Kingdom (Judah) following King Solomon’s reign, which was immediately following King David. During Micah’s lifetime, the Northern Kingdom would fall and be dispersed, never to be a nation again. Still to come for Judah was a 70-year exile at the hand of Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. Micah’s short book is packed full of warnings to Judah of all the destruction that was still to come, while also woven through with hope that the punishment would one day end. The “daughter under attack” is the nation of Judah, or Zion, as also referenced in this book. So great was the devastation coming towards her as punishment, that Micah calls for her to “slash herself”. This isn’t intended to read like modern-day “cutting” or suicide, rather it was a call to awareness of how great Judah’s sin was in the eyes of God. A siege was coming (from Babylon), and there was nothing they could do to stop impending judgement from God. Babylon would strike the “judge (or king) of Israel on the cheek with a rod”, meaning it would be shameful for Israel to be conquered and taken captive.     

2) How does the promise in verse 2 connect with “therefore Israel will be abandoned….” in verse 3?
The timing of the Lord is perfect, flawless, and wholly wise. He waited for “just the right time” in the grand timeline of history to send Jesus as an infant. (Romans 5:6) Nothing about His actions were either slow or rushed; they were precise and intentional. Micah had laid out the warning of judgment their sinful actions would bring about. He told of the coming, rightly deserved, punishment on Israel. He had also delivered the word of hope that one day, the Messiah, God wrapped in flesh, would come and rule and shepherd Israel, bringing about peace. Now, God would give space. God would wait. He would wait until the perfect time, for Mary and Joseph to be born and raised waiting for hope, engaged to be married with no expectation for what and how exactly God would intervene. God waited for Caesar Augustus’ call for census so Mary and Joseph would travel to Bethlehem, the prophesied about city of Jesus’ birth. He would wait for Rome to build roads across the eastern world so that missionaries like Paul and Peter could easily reach more people with the message of the cross. He would wait for Greek to be the common language so the gospel would spread quickly. Yes, it looked like God “abandoned” Israel, but He hadn’t, He was waiting. The Hebrew word used for “abandoned” in this verse literally means a setting aside for specific work. God intentionally set Israel aside, deferring their coming salvation, until that very moment when history would forever be divided.

3) Why is “ruler of Israel” (verse 2) significant and how does it relate to the other benefits prophesied about that would come with the Messiah?
Where verse 1 mentioned “the judge of Israel”, meaning the human king, verse 2 speaks of One who would be “ruler over Israel for Me”. The “Me” here is God speaking through Micah. This would not be a human who would speak for God like a prophet, this Ruler would BE God whose “origin is from antiquity”, meaning, exactly like God, He had no beginning, but has simply always existed like John speaks of Jesus (the Word) in John 1:1. This ruler would “stand” with authority, He would “shepherd” Israel with tenderness and care, and all He would do would be done with the strength of Yahweh and all would be done in the Name of Yahweh, which would come to pass by Jesus’ own words of Himself, “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” (John 5:19) He would bring security without fear for His people, and His “greatness” or fame will be endless and known by all. (Isaiah 52:10, Isaiah 45:22) He would be Israel’s peace, their final victory, and mighty rescuer against strongest foes. No human king could attain such lofty goals. Even if someone was able to bring about peace and all these other wonderful things, there is no possible way it would last forever, yet that was exactly Micah’s prophecy. One human being who would come from Judah’s lineage, but was somehow also God, was intended to fulfill each of these incredible prophecies!

Everyday Application

1) Such vivid imagery and dramatic beginning of this passage (verse 1)! What does this mean?
Micah prophesied of an extremely grievous scenario for Judah, but at the time of prophesy, things didn’t seem that bad. They enjoyed relative wealth, and they felt they were “getting away” with their sinfulness. (Micah 2:8) Yet, every act was seen by God, and their debt against Him must be paid. We are not Judah, but the scenario is the same for us! How easy it is for us to justify our sin, to feel like we can get away with it, to ask forgiveness later, and ignore the reality of sin incurring a debt against a holy God. Like Micah warned Judah, telling her to grieve deeply, so should we grieve over our sin. Punishment for our sin must take place, but we could never pay it, which is why God planned to send the Promised One, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to take our punishment for us! Babylon would attack Judah and take what was left of the divided Israeli nation into captivity just as Micah said they would. For us, without surrendering everything to Jesus and trusting Him to pay our debt caused by sin, we too will face a captivity. Ours will be eternal, however, and death will have the final word. There is only one hope, God wrapped in flesh, living our life perfectly for us without sin, and then sacrificing Himself as an atonement for sin, followed by a victorious rising from the dead so that life would have the final word for those who believe in Him! Don’t ignore the warning! Grieve over your sin, and let that grief bring you to repentance! (2 Corinthians 7:10)

2) How does the promise in verse 2 connect with “therefore Israel will be abandoned….” in verse 3?
We are quite familiar with waiting, in fact, it often feels as if that’s the majority of how we spend our lives. Waiting to grow up, waiting to graduate, waiting for the right spouse, waiting for children, waiting for achievement, waiting to be noticed for that position, waiting to be loved well, or waiting for that loved one to turn from their erring ways. Rarely do we consider how God also waits. He waited for just the right time for Jesus’ birth, and only He knew when that fullness of time had come, and all of the intricate reasons why that time was perfect. But that’s not the only time He has waited. Every single time someone turns from darkness, away from their sin, and chooses to walk in the light and love of Jesus, God has been waiting for that moment. He’s been waiting to pour out His Spirit into their hearts and fill them with knowledge of Him. As that person grows in understanding and takes more steps of obedience in Christ, God waits at every pause, holding every tear, celebrating every victory, and waiting patiently while we keep growing. We wait in line, we wait at the microwave, we wait in our relationships, but so does our God. While our waiting can seem pointless and frustrating, His is always intentional and pregnant with purpose. Next time you’re waiting for something, anything, remember God waits too, and He has a set aside, specific purpose for that wait!

3) Why is “ruler of Israel” (verse 2) significant and how does it relate to the other benefits prophesied about that would come with the Messiah?
With such wondrous promises at stake, it’s no wonder that Bethlehem kept holding onto the hope of being the birthplace of “the one”. As the years stretched into decades and centuries, I wonder how many people scoffed at the prophesies made by a long-ago prophet named Micah. But, then, I think about today, and my life, and our time. We wait for the same coming King. Yes, the Ancient One, the Word become flesh, has indeed arrived in insignificant little Bethlehem just as God foretold through Micah, but we wait for another coming Day. The same Jesus will come back again! “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11) It’s been over 2,000 years since this Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and though no one knows the day or the hour when He will come back to “stand” with authority, to “shepherd” His people with kindness we’ve never imagined, and bring a “peace” that will last for eternity because He is God, we know He absolutely will. So, we, like Bethlehem of old, wait with anticipation!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Posted in: Digging Deeper, God, Imagination, Jesus, Perfect, Promises, Prophecy, Salvation, Waiting Tagged: Advent, Bethlehem, Christmas, coming, Here, Messiah, perfect time

Here Day 13 Bethlehem

December 25, 2019 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Micah 5:1-6
Matthew 1:18-25
John 1:43-51
Luke 2:1-7

Here, Day 13

Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah;….
Small indeed.
Truthfully, we barely make the map.
A few hundred people, maybe 300 during high feast times when we have an influx of people. And children? We can only boast less than 10 under the age of 12 months. We may be small, but at least we don’t have a poor reputation like…pfft, Nazareth. Nothing good comes from Nazareth. And I do mean nothing. Impoverished and despised, to come from Nazareth is like walking around with a sign reading “lowest of the low worthless nobody”. Yes, we are small, but we have reason to hold our head high with dignity, for we are the keepers of an ancient prophecy.

….one will come from you….
For 700 years we have protected this prophecy. For 700 years we have waited. For 700 years we have made it known to everyone that we, Bethlehem, would one day be the city of origin for the One. By the power of the Spirit of God, Micah the prophet, spoke these incredible words for all to hear and take to heart. One prophecy tucked into a scroll, foretelling of the One who would indeed come. Seeing as how it’s been seven-hundred years, there have been many who scoff that Micah’s prophecy cannot possibly be true. It’s been too long, they say. Critics, and even some faithful Jews, are wondering…. Will the One actually come? I can’t say I blame them. It’s been 400 years since the last prophetic words were even spoken to Judah. 400 years of silence from Almighty God. Even the most faithful student of the Torah would have reason to doubt the truth, right? But we, Bethlehem, hold fast to our special prophecy… one will come from you.

….to be ruler over Israel for me….
Not just any One. No, this coming One, this Promised One, He about whom rabbis utter in holy hushed whispers, “Messiah”, will be ruler over Israel. Hope spills in with this One. In Micah’s day, Samaria and Jerusalem (the capital cities of Israel and Judah respectively) enjoyed wealth and prosperity, but today, 700 years later, we are ruled by the iron fist of Rome. We are not the nation we once were. Assyrian conquest and Babylonian exile scattered our people, the Jews. Micah warned the Jews of coming destruction, as did his contemporaries, Isaiah and Hosea, but Israel turned a deaf ear. Surely not, they boasted, as they chased their sinful lusts for more. More wealth, more power, more wine, and more women. More of everything except Yahweh, the Lord of Lords.
For this trade of Sin for the Savior, history records their rightfully earned destruction, which brings us to here in Bethlehem. On any given day, shepherds can be spotted across the surrounding hills and plains. Small, dirt pathways are well-worn from calloused, bare feet trodding the same span of miles between shoddy home and meager field. We are poor. We are small. We have little, if anything, to offer, but we do have hope. Hope of the Messiah. Hope that Yahweh’s appointed Ruler will come and overthrow our enemies. Surely, Judah will be great and powerful again!

His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.
Deity.
With eyes full of wonder, from studied priests to young Jewish boys, all who read Micah’s words are hushed to silence with the awesomeness of this description. This One is not ordinary, nor even merely a man full of wisdom beyond his years. No, this One is the One, The Only One. He is God. Only God has existed from antiquity. Only God Almighty is known as the “Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:9). Yahweh alone exists from “everlasting to everlasting”. (Psalm 90:2) Dare we even put words to the thought racing wildly in our minds? God with us? Can it be? Might He dwell again with us as His presence rested in the Tabernacle in the days of Moses and David? Hope ignites in our hearts as we guard this precious prophecy seven-hundred years in the waiting. We wait for the unthinkable. Truly, the impossible. We are scattered. We are a broken nation. We are oppressed. Our sin weighs upon us. How could Yahweh come to us?!

Then, lo, a young girl’s scream of agony, blood splattering hay, animals defecting, a Jewish man turned midwife, a cold cave…our cave, Bethlehem’s cave.
A baby’s tiny fingers shaking in the cool air as his lusty cry is heard for the first time, echoing against the harsh walls and mixed amid the chords of animal noises.
He’s here.
The Promise has come.

Here, in our brokenness, our chaos, our long-awaitedness, in our doubt, in our grasping onto hope….Here.
He is here!

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Posted in: Birth, Christ, God, Hope, Jesus, Promises, Prophecy Tagged: Advent, Bethlehem, Christmas, He is Here, Here, Yahweh

Here Day 7 Shepherds: Digging Deeper

December 17, 2019 by Carol Graft Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Shepherds!

The Questions

1) Why is Bethlehem so important in this passage?

2) Why are there so many references to shepherds?

3) How would the Promised One be our “peace”?

Micah 5:1-6

1 Now, daughter who is under attack,
you slash yourself in grief;
a siege is set against us!
They are striking the judge of Israel
on the cheek with a rod.
2 Bethlehem Ephrathah,
you are small among the clans of Judah;
one will come from you
to be ruler over Israel for me.
His origin is from antiquity,
from ancient times.
3 Therefore, Israel will be abandoned until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of the ruler’s brothers will return
to the people of Israel.

4 He will stand and shepherd them
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majestic name of the Lord his God.
They will live securely,
for then his greatness will extend
to the ends of the earth.
5 He will be their peace.
When Assyria invades our land,
when it marches against our fortresses,
we will raise against it seven shepherds,
even eight leaders of men.
6 They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
the land of Nimrod with a drawn blade.
So he will rescue us from Assyria
when it invades our land,
when it marches against our territory.

Original Intent

1) Why is Bethlehem so important in this passage?
Micah was delivering this prophecy from God 700 years before the birth of the Messiah. Bethlehem was a relatively small village with only about 300 people during a high season, yet we see that a great and glorious event would take place sometime in Bethlehem’s future. That is the thing with a prophecy; it could take place the next day, a week later, or even several hundred years from that point. Scripture reminds that a prophet is known if he is false or true by whether their prophecies come true. (Deuteronomy 18:22) The true prophets of Yahweh were known for prophesying correctly, because Yahweh, our God, is completely trustworthy. The reliability of God’s prophets even made King Herod Herod (of the New Testament) fearful because he felt his throne would certainly be threatened by a “new king”. When wise men, the Magi from the East, came to Herod as they were following the star, the King told them to go to Bethlehem, find the Messiah, and report back to him. (Matthew 2:8) It’s also interesting to note that though Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph later fled to Nazareth for his growing up years Matthew 2:20-23. So, some later dismissed Jesus as being the Messiah because they only knew Him as a Nazarene.

2) Why so many references to shepherds?
Throughout the Bible, shepherds were plentiful as tenders of livestock. Culturally, it was a major occupation, but it was also one of the lowliest, humble, and “least of these” types of occupations. It was also a role everyone understood and had a mental image of; everyone knew what a shepherd did, how they smelled, and how impoverished they were. Standing in contrast, we read in Luke that shepherds were highly esteemed by God to be the first to hear of the birth of the Messiah Luke 2:8-14. In this passage in Micah, verse 4 and verse 6 utilize “shepherd” as a verb giving the image of delivering, protecting, and actively bringing into the sheepfold. This depiction speaks of God as He actively shepherds His people.There are several names and character traits of God, one of which is Yahweh Roi, meaning the Lord is My Shepherd. (See King David’s imagery of Yahweh Roi in Psalm 23!) Micah’s prophecy to the Southern Kingdom of Israel, called Judah, told them that while their sins were many (corruption and evil had infiltrated every level of society), and they would have to face God’s judgement, God wouldn’t leave them. He would return as the Shepherd-King, deliver His people from their enemies, and gather them as a remnant, and bring them back into His sheepfold.

3) How would the Promised One be our “peace”?
The people of Micah’s time were constantly in bondage to sin and continually attacked by enemies. Conflict and invasion from enemy nations were regular, ongoing occurrences that God allowed because of their perpetual sin against Him. Israel continued to choose their sin over the Savior, running from Him, even as He held out life and hope and redemption to them. They did not deserve peace, nor did they deserve God’s kindness towards them, but they did longingly ache for the day when they would live in peace. While they knew that God, Jehovah, was Yahweh Shalom (God of Peace) they neither saw nor experienced that peace because of the rightly deserved consequences for their sin. The peace Micah talks about in verse 5, however, is more than simply having freedom from invading neighbors and the violence those enemies perpetrated. This peace means wholeness, completeness, and signifies an eternal peace that could come only from Yahweh Shalom as the God of all peace restores the brokenness existing between Himself and His people.

Everyday Application

1) Why is Bethlehem so important in this passage?
We often think of small towns and villages as places where nothing happens. We treat the towns themselves, and the people from them, as having little to no value or worth. Rarely are great or famous people from a small town. We generally hear most often about the great and glorious things that a large metropolis has to offer.  Like so much of the Christmas story, God chose the small, insignificant, and seemingly unimportant to bear the greatness of the arrival of God the Son. Shepherds. Peasant parents. Aging prophets in the temple. A town that barely made the map. These are the delight of God to use as He showcases His glory! In the same way, He continues to do the same with the people of His kingdom. Paul writes, “For consider your calling, brothers:  not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-27) If you are feeling weak and insignificant, let the story of Bethlehem remind you that God loves to use the “least” to declare the greatest story ever told to a world desperate for His love!

2)Why are there so many references to shepherds?
Because the visual image was so clear for shepherds in Jesus’ time and culture, He used the role often to help make His point as He explained Who He was to His followers. Jesus even referred to Himself as the Good Shepherd John 10:11-18. In this reference He wasn’t just saying He was really great at tending physical sheep, He was saying He was THE shepherd who was coming in fulfillment of Micah’s prophecy. Since Jesus is the Good Shepherd, we are given free access to know and experience Him as our Shepherding Savior where He actively cares for us and provides for us. He lovingly shepherds us, as His people. We, as His sheep, can run to Him for protection, for nurturing, and deliverance. We also have the eternal, assured Hope of being included in His new sheepfold when He returns. Where do you see evidence of the Good Shepherd in your life? Celebrate and praise Him for shepherding you! If you are feeling bereft and alone, know that your Good Shepherd is here, simply draw near to Him! (James 4:8)

3) How would the Promised One be our “peace”?
We often think of “peace” as the cease fire after a military battle, that moment when striving between two people or parties has stopped. Or maybe it’s simply trading the chaos of the everyday hustle and bustle of life for a vacation to a cabin in the woods or a quiet beach. The peace Micah was prophesying about, however, is much deeper than outward circumstance, it’s about peace with God. This peace can only be found when we wholly submit our lives to Jesus by accepting what He did on our behalf by dying the death we deserve because of our sin. Israel’s sin separated them from God, and ours does too. There is only one way back to having peace with God, and that’s through the blood Jesus spilled on our behalf. When we admit to God that we are indeed sinners deserving eternal death apart from Him and His holiness, and ask Him to forgive us, and give us His own righteousness in place of our filthiness, Yahweh Shalom gives us His Peace! Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and He came to bring peace to us. The peace Jesus offers isn’t necessarily going to stop the outside chaos that often surrounds us, but it will anchor us amid that chaos. Cling to the unshakeable peace of Jesus!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Posted in: Digging Deeper, God, Jesus, Love, Peace, Shepherd Tagged: Advent, Bethlehem, Christmas, Here, His people, Messiah

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And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14