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A Shepherd King

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One of the arresting but often overlooked aspects of the Christmas story is that not Herod, nor the priests with whom he consulted, had any doubt, or were in any way confused about the fact that the well known reference in Micah 5:2 (c.f. Mt.2:5-6) alluded to a person, that he would come from Bethlehem, and be the Messiah.

“But you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel”

The final line in this verse finds its parallel in 2 Sam.5:1/2:

‘Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, ‘Behold, we are your bone and flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’’

“All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron” to make him their king. It was there this son of Bethlehem was crowned, and the parallels with the life of Jesus are so striking as to be prophetic. The Sanhedrin, or Supreme Court of the Jews, applied these words in Micah and 2 Samuel to the Messiah and prophecy came true before their eyes.

David was born in Bethlehem–1 Sam.16

Jesus was born in Bethlehem–Luke 2:4-7


David was beloved–1 Sam.16:13 (David means “Beloved”)

Jesus was beloved–Mt.3:17


David was anointed of God–1 Sam.16:13

Jesus was anointed of God–Lk.4:18-21


David received position and honour–2 Sam.7:13

Jesus received position and honour–Lk.1:32-33


David passed through humiliation to exaltation–2 Sam.22:17-20

Jesus passed through humiliation to exaltation–John 18

We have often seen in our studies how God has brought about his purposes from the most unlikely and unexpected of circumstances yet here there is a clear understanding of what God was going to do, and yet a blind determination to prevent it.

In his Commentary on Matthew William Hendriksen observed:

“When anyone reads such precious Old Testament passages – and this includes also Gen.3:15; 22:18; 49:10 2 Sam.7:12,13; Isa.7:14; 8:8; 9:6 and many, many others – without seeing the Christ in them, is he not reading them blindly? (See Lk.24:25-27,32)

The world today, and indeed the church in the world, is crying out for a shepherd. The Bible says of God’s Son that he is that shepherd, and we are invited to join him at Hebron, metaphorically speaking, and pledge our allegiance.

We must trust that when circumstances seem impossible to us nothing is impossible to God; we must believe that God is true to his promises and not appoint our own “saviours” in this world; we must know those promises intimately so that when his anointed Saviour appears we will know him and rejoice in his appearing, for this is the gift of Christmas, and the promise of the fulfilment of everything God purposed from the beginning.

Have a blessed and peaceful Christmas



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