MICAH 5.2-5: But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. (3) Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. (4) And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. (5) And he shall be their peace. (ESV)
The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem is the coming of a King. And specifically it is the coming of the King of Kings, as the book of Revelation refers to Jesus. The importance of Bethlehem goes all the way back to Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, a grandson of Abraham, and the son of Isaac, chosen by God to be heir of His promises, and chosen to be entrusted with the Word of God and receive His favor.
Prior to Jacob’s death, he blessed his sons individually, as recorded in Genesis 49. In some cases he pointed out the failures and violence and bad judgment of particular sons. But in the case of his son Judah, Jacob blessed him in such a way that he proclaimed that Judah will be a king who will have an enduring kingdom, and will hold the ruler’s staff.
And as the history of the nation of Israel advanced, God revealed that the throne of the Messiah would be established upon the throne of King David, who was of the tribe of Judah. In the eighth century Isaiah prophesied that the coming Messiah would be established, “on the throne of David and over his kingdom” (Is.9.7).
And at approximately the same time in the eighth century, the prophet Micah would prophesy the verses above and communicate that God’s Messiah will be born in the City of Bethlehem. This is a city located within the territory allotted to the tribe of Judah and it was David’s home town, and the place where David was anointed to be the future King of Israel by the prophet Samuel.
This prophecy was about seven hundred years prior to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and all other related events that will unfold and be recorded in the gospels of the New Testament. As we will see in the gospels, God will work by and through the Roman government exercising its authority over the people of Israel to place Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem at just the right moment for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem.