Title: Song of the Heavenly Army
Contents
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1. Gather your flock, daughters, for they have surrounded us; they will strike the judge of Israel in the face with a stick.
2. Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of ancient times.
3. Therefore, the pregnant woman will keep them until she gives birth, and after that the rest of her brothers and sisters will return to the children of Israel.
4. He will stand in the power of the LORD and in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God, and he will feed the herds, that they may dwell in peace; and now he will be great and extend to the ends of the earth.
5. This man will be our peace. When the Assyrians come into our land and trample our palaces, we will raise up seven shepherds and eight princes against him.
6. When they destroy the land of Assyria with the sword and come into the land of Nimrod and tread our territory, he shall deliver us from him.
7. The remnant of Jacob will be among many people, and they will be like dew from the LORD, like rain on the grass, and they will not wait for a man or wait for a man.
8. The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations and among the peoples, like a lion among the wild beasts, like a young lion among the flocks, and if they pass by, they will trample and tear them, and no one can save them.
9. May your hand be lifted up over your foes to annihilate all your enemies.
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8. Around that time shepherds were outside watching their flocks by night
9. And the angel of the Lord stood by, and the glory of the Lord shone about them, and they were greatly afraid.
10. The angel said, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will come to all the people.
11. Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord.
12. This will be a sign for you, and you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
13. Suddenly, a great host of heavenly hosts were with the angel, praising God, saying,
14. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased.
Content
Title: Song of the Heavenly Army
Text: Micah 5:1-9, Luke 2:8-14
Around 700 BC, Micah from the village of Moreset, belonging to the tribe of Gad, receives a prophetic calling. The calling he received has nothing to do with the meaning of his name. ‘Who is like Jehovah?’ Of course not. This is the end of his prophecy. “Where is a god like you? You pardon iniquity, and pass over the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance, and because you delight in kindness, you do not always harbor anger. He will have mercy on us again, and will tread our iniquity under his feet, and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and kindness to Abraham, as you swore to our fathers of old” (Micah 7:18-20). The sins committed by Israel (South and North), chosen by God, made judgment inevitable. Because religious corruption and ethical injustice have gone too far.
Micah, who cried out for “justice,” “mercy,” and “humility,” realizes what God wants of His people. “Man has shown you what is good in the Lord; is not the Lord asking you only to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). This is the attitude to take before the scourge of God that has become inevitable. “The LORD calls out to the city, and perfect wisdom is the fear of your name. Receive the rod mildly, and obey the one who appointed it” (Micah 6:9). The siege of Jerusalem (Micah 5:1) presupposes this historical reality. But even here, ‘love in spite of this’ appears. As the world obeys the Law and the Word of Jehovah, the world order is reorganized. The result is ‘the happiness of all mankind’ (Micah 4:1-5). It means 'each one sits under his own vine and under his fig tree'.
Of course, it begins with the birth of the Messiah. However, the birthplace of the Messiah was in Bethlehem, the smallest of the towns in Judah. ‘Bethlehem’ (bread house) and ‘Ephratha’ (abundant fruits) were villages that did not meet the minimum administrative requirements (population of 1,000). It was an unsuitable place for the birth of the Messiah. It is the truth that salvation depends only on God's absolute sovereignty, regardless of worldly conditions (Jon 1:9b). “Bethlehem Ephrathah! Though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come one who will rule over Israel. His origins are from ancient times, from the beginning” (Micah 5:2). Suffering is mentioned before and after the birth prophecy (Micah 5:1,3). The reign of the Messiah that follows (Micah 5:4-9) is compassionate, clear and certain. It means ‘magnificence’ (verse 4), ‘peace’ (verse 5), ‘rain rain on the grass’ (verse 7), and ‘young lions among the flock’ (verse 8).
Today's New Testament text (Luke 2:8-14) is the message of the Messiah's birth, which was fulfilled according to the prophecy, and the song of the angels. It tells the story of how Joseph and Mary who lived in Nazareth gave birth to the baby Jesus in Bethlehem through historical facts (Luke 2:1-7). The Messiah's birth in Bethlehem, which was prophesied 700 years ago, was fulfilled “according to the word.” That very night, the shepherds who were keeping their flocks outside hear the news of the angel's birth of the Messiah, along with Shekinah, a sign of God's presence (Luke 2:10, 11). They are commanded to go into Bethlehem to see a sign (Luke 2:12). And you will hear the songs of angels singing hymns to God. “Glory to God in the highest. On earth there is peace among men with whom he is pleased” (Luke 2:14). The mission of the heavenly army was in this hymn. It was to sing 'Glory to God and peace among men', which begins with the birth of the Messiah.