To the Jew First | 33
translated, “from ancient times”, and the second term, “olam”,
as “eternal”, which often describes the everlasting character
of the God of Israel (Psalm 25:5, 90:2, Habakkuk 1:12). The use
of the term in Micah 5:2 speaks of the eternality of the coming
ruler which was fulfilled in the person of the Messiah Jesus, the
eternal Son of David, spoken of in the New Testament.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has
been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, Land of
Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for
out of you shall come forth a ruler who will shepherd my people
Israel.’” (Matthew 2:5-6)
The Gospel writer indicates that Jesus is the promised ruler. He
is the son of David from the tribe of Judah who was born in the
traditional Davidic homeland, and He will prove Himself to be
the eternal Son of God and Messianic King through His perfect
character and miracles. The “bread of life” would be born in
Bethlehem, as He would be both the bread of life and ultimate
sacrifice for our sin—born to be the Lamb of God who takes
away the sin of the world.
ChoseCnh Poeseonp lPee Moipnlies tMrieinsi s. tcriheoss .e cnhpoesoepnlpee.coopmle .c| o 3m3
JEREMIAH 23:5-6
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will
raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king
and act wisely, and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His
days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; And this is
His name by which He will be called, ‘The Lord our righteousness.’”
What is in a name? In the context of Scripture, quite a bit! The
biblical authors, the ancient Jewish people, and many in the
ancient Near East placed a high value on one’s name. A person’s
character, reputation, occupation, and family connection would all
be encapsulated in their name. We can relate with this in our day.
/CHOSENPEOPLE.COM