LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil
Thursday 16th December 2021
THE BIRTHPLACE OF CHRIST
Scripture Reading: Micah 5
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” Micah 5:2
This prophecy pointed to the place of Jesus’ birth. It shows us the place of His birth, the position that place occupied in Israel and the promise that the place carried.
- The place: the town in which Jesus was born had two names:
• Bethlehem: Meant a house of bread or meat. The name of Bethlehem indicated that it was a place of supply. It was seen as a place where people would find food.
• Ephrathah: A place of fruitfulness. The literal word is ‘double fruit’. When you put the two names together, it presents Bethlehem as a place of abundance. The expectation, therefore, was that everything should be blossoming in Bethlehem, but Bethlehem was not a prosperous town at the time of Jesus’ birth.
The passage points to Bethlehem’s insignificance: ‘Little among thousands’. In comparison with the other towns in Judah, Bethlehem was a little town or village. It wasn’t prominent. Though Bethlehem’s name suggested that it was ‘fruitful and blossoming’, it was, in reality, an ordinary village.
- The promise. Micah’s prophecy speaks about the promise of Bethlehem. It was small, but it had great promise. It had a great future. The promise of Bethlehem was the promise of rulership.
Bethlehem’s greatness was inside her. Outwardly, the town appeared inconsequential, yet inwardly, it carried the Messiah. Similarly, outwardly, you may be small, but on the inside, you are mighty through Christ.
Today as we reflect on this Christmas message, I want you to look beyond where you are and how you are perceived – look within. If you are a believer in Christ, the Holy Spirit lives within you. Within you sits a ruler. Within you sits greatness. Within you sits royalty.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, you have shown that you can raise greatness from unexpected places. Let greatness come out of me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.