000 Allen FMT (i-xxii) - The Presbyterian Leader

Fourth Sunday of Advent/Year C 217
which “Bethlehem” Micah intended. “Bethlehem” referred to a village
(beit) le-hem (of bread), so-called because it had a mill for grinding flour.
Joshua 19:15 mentions another Bethlehem in the territory of Zebulun.
That Bethlehem is little reminds us that God’s choice of the people Israel
in the first place was of the most unlikely and insignificant people to
accomplish God’s purposes.
For a time the Lord will allow his people to stay in exile, but will deliver
them “when she who is in labor has brought forth” (v. 3). As with a woman
in labor, the exile will be painful but short-lived and assuredly result in the
return of the people from exile. The “one who is to rule in Israel” (v. 2)
will “stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD” (v. 4). He will
be a good shepherd, in contrast to the wayward shepherds whom Micah
earlier described (3:5–11).
What this promised ruler will do primarily involves bringing peace.
Micah 4 speaks of “days to come” when all peoples shall come to the
“mountain of the LORD’s house” that they may learn the Lord’s ways
and walk in his paths (4:2). “For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (4:2). The Hebrew terms
for way, path, and instruction (torah, halacha) come to mind in reading
this verse. This ruler will “arbitrate between strong nations far away; they
shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning
hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they
learn war any more” (4:3). Micah agrees with Isaiah 2:2–4, to cite one
of many passages, and the royal psalms, for example: “In his days may
righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the moon is no more”
(Ps. 72:7).
All this is caught up in 5:5a: “He shall be the one of peace.” We mention
this because of our Christian predilection, particularly in Advent
and Christmas, to claim that in the Gospels all the prophetic hopes and
forth-tellings are fulfilled. Jesus was born in Bethlehem as Micah foretold,
and did many things which Matthew regards as having been done
in order that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. But those who make such
claims do not mention the fact that the anointed one (messiah) was to
bring universal peace (shalom). They blame those who cannot see that
Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies because their own desire was to have a
military conqueror. Some probably did look for a conqueror. So did
Micah (5:5–6). But what some cannot see, because it is not yet here to be
seen, is universal peace. Jesus’ followers should still seek and work for
that outcome.