though you are small among the clansa of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose originsa are from of old,
from ancient times.\u201da

Herod, Magia from the east came to Jerusalem2 and asked, \u201cWhere is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the easta and have come to worship him.\u201d

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.\u2019a\u201d

time the star had appeared.8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, \u201cGo
and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to
me, so that I too may go and worship him.\u201d

Our final prophecy is from Micah \u2013 a contemporary of Isaiah. He gives us a
prophecy that is clearly alluded to in the New Testament which pinpoints
the place of Christ\u2019s birth.

voice, \u201cIf anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.38 Whoever
believes in me, asa the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow
from within him.\u201d39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed
in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given,
since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Still others asked, \u201cHow can the Christ come from Galilee?42 Does not the
Scripture say that the Christ will come from David\u2019s familya and from
Bethlehem, the town where David lived?\u201d43 Thus the people were divided
because of Jesus.44 Some wanted to seize him, but no-one laid a hand on
him.

At a time of national danger the Prophet of God gives a promise that will only be fulfilled in the Coming Messiah - who will be born in Bethlehem \u2013 the town always associated with David.

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.

God planned not only the time of Our Lord\u2019s coming \u2013 but also His lineage and the place of His coming \u2013 and He gave these words of promise at a time of great national need \u2013 a reassurance for that age and for this.

\u2022The Place
\u2022The Person
\u2022The Promise

Nowadays of course many folk know the place but not the One who was
born there.
The carol sees to that:

O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by;
Yet in the dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.

This is the town to which David\u2019s forbear Ruth came at the time of the Judges, the town from whose well David desired to have water when the Philistines occupied the land \u2013 and, much, much earlier it was the burial place of Rachel \u2013 Jacob\u2019s wife (Genesis 35 19).

because he belonged to the house and line of David.5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged
to be married to him and was expecting a child.6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be
born,7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn. LUKE 2

I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.11 Today in the town of David a Saviour
has been born to you; he is Christa the Lord.12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in
cloths and lying in a manger.\u201d