The Wise Men came to Jerusalem, to King Herod, searching for where the ‘King of the Jews’ was born.
Herod consulted with the chief priests and scribes who used this 800 year-old prophecy to determine that the King would be born in Bethlehem.
Bethlehem was where the lambs to be sacrificed at the Passover were raised.
Do you think it just a coincidence that Jesus, the Lamb of God, was born there too?
Passover lambs were sacrificed as a reminder of God’s promise of salvation from death.
In the same way, Jesus Christ, our mighty God, chose to allow himself to be sacrificed (killed on the cross) on the very day that the Jews were preparing their Passover lambs.
Isaiah the prophet said of Jesus “He was oppressed, he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, he opened not his mouth”.
Our creator God loved us so much that He voluntarily died on the cross, taking the punishment we deserve, so that anyone who believes in Jesus Christ will not go to hell but will live forever in heaven with Him.
Micah prophesied King Jesus will rule over Israel. This has not yet happened.
The promise is for the future.
When Jesus ascended to heaven, the angels told His disciples, “This Jesus will return in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven”.
Our hope is that soon Jesus will return to rule our world with righteousness.
~ Contributed by Pastor Vivien McPherson of Ignite Life Church, on behalf of the Combined Churches of Deniliquin.
