What does Micah 5:4 mean?
"¶ And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth." - Micah 5:4
"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 old, from everlasting." - Micah 5:4 (KJV)
The book of Micah is a prophetic book found in the Old Testament, specifically the Minor Prophets. It was written by the prophet Micah during the 8th century BC, during a time of political and social upheaval in the kingdom of Judah. The book addresses the sin and idolatry of God's people, as well as the coming judgment and restoration by God.
In Micah 5:4, the prophet is speaking directly to the people of Bethlehem, declaring that though they are small and seemingly insignificant among the thousands of Judah, the promised Messiah will come from their midst. This verse is a powerful testament to the fulfillment of God's promises and the incredible ways in which He works through the most unexpected circumstances.
One of the key themes in this verse is the concept of the unexpected and the overlooked. Bethlehem was a small and seemingly inconsequential town, yet it was chosen as the birthplace of the Savior of the world. This theme of God working through the lowly and humble is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, as seen in the selection of David as king and the ministry of Jesus himself. It serves as a reminder that God's ways are not our ways, and His plans often defy human expectations and logic.
The context of this verse is also significant, as it speaks to the anticipation of the coming Messiah. The people of Israel were longing for a ruler to come and deliver them from their enemies and establish a kingdom of peace and righteousness. Micah's words would have been a source of hope and encouragement for the people, as it reaffirmed God's promise to send a savior to His people.
The symbolism in this verse is rich and profound. Bethlehem, as the birthplace of Jesus, represents the unlikely and unexpected place from which salvation would come. The use of the term "Bethlehem Ephratah" is significant as well, as it distinguishes this Bethlehem from another town of the same name, emphasizing the specific fulfillment of prophecy in Jesus' birth. Additionally, the reference to the ruler whose "goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting" speaks to the eternal nature of the Messiah and His divine origin.
Overall, Micah 5:4 is a verse of great importance and significance in the biblical narrative. It speaks to the faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promises, the unexpected ways in which He works, and the anticipation of the coming Messiah. It is a powerful reminder that God is not limited by human expectations or limitations, and His plans always come to fruition in the most extraordinary and miraculous ways.
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Micah 5:4 Artwork
Micah 5:4 - "¶ And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth."
"¶ And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth." - Micah 5:4
Micah 4:5 - "For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever."
Micah 5:2-5
1 Chronicles 5:5 - "Micah his son, Reaia his son, Baal his son,"
Micah 5:15 - "And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard."
Micah 2:5 - "Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD."
"For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever." - Micah 4:5
Micah 5:11 - "And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:"
Micah 5:12 - "And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:"
Micah 5:14 - "And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities."
Micah 5:9 - "Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off."
Micah 4:4 - "But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it."
"Micah his son, Reaia his son, Baal his son," - 1 Chronicles 5:5
Micah 4:12 - "But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor."
Micah 1:5 - "For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?"
![Micah 4:4
[4]Everyone will sit under their own vine
and under their own fig tree,
and no one will make them afraid,
for the Lord Almighty has spoken.](https://media.bible.art/8a86fa9e-f417-42fe-bc29-f62f431781f4-thumbnail.jpg)
Micah 4:4 [4]Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken.
Micah 7:5 - "¶ Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom."
Judges 17:5 - "And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest."
Micah 5:5 - "And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men."
Micah 4:6 - "In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted;"
Micah 1:4 - "And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place."
Micah 5:7 - "And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men."
Judges 18:4 - "And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest."
Micah 5:10 - "And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:"
Micah 4:11 - "¶ Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion."
Micah 7:4 - "The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity."
Micah 4:9 - "Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail."
Micah 5:1 - "Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek."
Micah 5:13 - "Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands."