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Micah 5:2, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of oki from everlasting."
Matt 2:5-6 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. (KJV)
It is standard doctrine in Christianity that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and fulfills this prophesy thereby proving his Messiahship. He, as well, is described as being in existence before his earthly birth, Christianity says.
Answer for yourself: But does the above passage really say that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem?
Micah is ONLY stating the Davidic heritage of the Messiah. "Out of thee" is not the same as "born in." It merely means that the Messiah's Davidic ancestors are from Bethlehem and it is NOT stating that the Messiah has to be born in Bethlehem. We see this in I Samuel 17:12, "Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judith, whose name was Jesse. ."
Even if the passage were inferring that the actual birth of the Messiah would occur in Bethlehem, it still would not signify it was Jesus being described by Micah. Many thousands of births over the many centuries have occurred in Bethlehem since Micah. Even though the New Testament went into special detail to describe Jesus birth in Bethlehem, it proves absolutely nothing. The Messianic function will indicate the Messiah, not his birthplace.
If the Messiah is to have a birth connection to Bethlehem, he also has to be a ruler, as indicated in the verse. But, we know that Jesus never ruled the land of Israel. In all honesty as believers in Jesus as well as "Christians" we cannot pick and choose. All verses pertaining to the Messiah's qualifications and activities have to become reality.
Let us focus on Micah verse 3 ". . . the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel." The ingathering of the dispersed Jewish people to the Holy Land did not occur in Jesus' time. The opposite happened when the Temple was destroyed, about forty years after his death. Also, see Micah verse 5 following, "And this man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land:. . ."
Jesus did no such thing. Fulfilling one verse out of context does not a Messiah make or prove. His birthplace is inconsequential when viewed against his nonperformance in Messianic matters and the non-occurrence of Messianic expectations in Jesus' lifetime. The so-called second coming Judaically was not to happen and Christologically did not happen as specified, in the lifetime of the generation then alive.
Christianity's miracle birth in Bethlehem was not hidden. The New Testament states that three wise men came from the east.
Answer for yourself: Did they say nothing of their remarkable journey? The New Testament reports that King Herod killed many Bethlehem children under the age of two because the Messiah was rumored to have been born there then.
Answer for yourself: Did not all Bethlehem shake from this?
The Christian Scriptures tell that Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, knew of Mary's miraculous baby.
Answer for yourself: Was nothing said by Elizabeth of this to others?
She was not asked to keep this a secret. Also, shepherds knew of the birth. They even are said to have told people. In Luke 2:17-18, ". . . they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning the child. And all they that heard it wondered. . ." Still, the multitudes following Jesus' ministry were totally unaware of his miraculous birth as related. Finally, Jesus' family should have known of his miraculous birth. Nevertheless, with all this disclosure and lack of secrecy, the population of the Holy Land knew nothing.
Answer for yourself: What can be made of this seeming ignorance of the Christmas birth?
The important supernatural event of Christianity is unknown to the people of Israel. It is even specifically stated that the people were still awaiting the Messiah while Jesus was among them. Let us just look at John 7:41-42,"... But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee (Nazareth)? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?" Look here. If the Christmas story were true, the people would be seeking him who was already born, not waiting for him who was still to come. Certainly, the fabulous news of the birth of the Messiah would quickly have been passed from village to village, had the Christmas story been true.
One last explanation is given now concerning, "whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting?" The Messiah is not from everlasting. It is G-d's preparing for the coming of the Messiah which is from everlasting. Messianic expectations are in this manner described as being his plans eternally. Any other explanation of this phrase would be lacking Biblical basis. Judaism's understanding of this verse by Micah is comfortable and meaningful in context.
Bennoah1@verizon.net