A Child

Pete Kersker - Dec 23, 2025

Jesus was needed since the days of Adam and Eve. He was promised to come through Abraham (~2,000 B.C.) and his descendants. He started to be described in the days of Moses (~1,500 B.C) through king David (~1,000 B.C.). Once the kingdom of Israel split, though, Jesus became anticipated more and more.

"Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble, a place for planting vineyards. I will pour her stones into the valley and lay bare her foundations" (Micah 1:6 NIV).

The prophet Micah lived in a time (~750 B.C.) when the northern kingdom (Israel) was sinning so badly that the LORD was finally saying, "Enough!" They were going to be attacked by the Assyrians, defeated, and the remaining remnant taken into captivity. Micah was given this message to them.

Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel's ruler on the cheek with a rod. "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times" (Micah 5:1-2 NIV).

The message the LORD gave Micah to deliver was not all gloom and doom, though. After being defeated because of their rebellion against the LORD, the Israelites were given a glimmer of hope. A ruler would arise in the future who would bring all Israel together. He would come from the little family group of Bethlehem.

Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites (Micah 5:3 NIV).

This ruler would do more than unite the Israelites. He will watch over them and lead them. His reign will spread out to all the earth. Even as they were being defeated, the LORD gave them hope. They could start anticipating this child who would come from Bethlehem. When he does, things will start getting better.

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth (Micah 5:4 NIV).

Did you know that the Israelites anticipated a ruler from Bethlehem for ~750 years?
How long are you willing to wait for blessings from the LORD?