Day 262

Day 262

Pray (ACts)

Read - Micah 5:2-5a

Message - Alan Burke 
We continue today looking at this prophecy, as the Lord God speaks to his people though Micah. Already we have learnt of the iniquity of the people of God and how they would face being ravaged by their enemies in the coming as Divine judgment, yet there is hope. The hope of a ruler that would come in Bethlehem Ephrathah, a place of little worldly significance, but there God would bring forth a new ruler from the line of David (5:2). Even though God’s people would face being abandoned until that time because of their sins and transgressions against the Lord God Almighty, it would not last forever. It would come to an end when she who is in labour gives birth (5:3). The Labour is that of the remnant, those of the covenant community who have remained faithful to God. It is through the faithful that the Lord Jesus Christ Comes, the family of Jesus were characterised by faith, prayer, and the fullness of the God in their lives.  

We in the present do not face abandonment, the Lord has promised to us that he will never leave us or forsake us, we can have confidence that in the present, what ever we face that the Lord is our helper, as the Holy Spirit, dwells and works within us (Heb 13:-6-7), he has set his seal upon us, he has put his Spirit in our hearts as a repost, guaranteeing what is to come (1 Cor 1:22). It is by the means that we are children of God, those who are born by the work of God within us (Jn 1:13). 

And the hope that God was directing his people to in the day of Micah was that the Messiah would come and do this, that the day would come when those who were scattered in the wake of the Lord’s abandonment will return from exile, the people of God will be united around their new ruler. This is supremely fulfilled in Christ, in whom the whole building is joined together, as in his flesh, the dividing wall of hostility so that there is neither Jew of Gentile, but one body through the cross (Eph 2:14).  

This one to come would be a shepherd 5:4), the one who is the Good Shepherd who lays his life down for his sheep. The coming rulers devotion is far greater than any ruler before or since. His devotion is to the majesty of the name of the Lord, his God. He comes as the Word of God incarnate, the Son of God, fully God and fully man. This ruler will be able to keep the demands of God’s perfect law, keeping the covenant obligations and in doing so brings blessing to his people. It is because he has perfectly kept the law of God, the covenant obligations on our behalf those who are his, his flock, the sheep of his pasture can live securely. The people and nations of the world find their security in status, wealth and even military might but our security is in him. It is a reminder to us, that our security should be found solely in Christ, our security does not come from status, wealth or might, it does not come from how good we are, our own merits, what church we belong to, what building we worship in but solely by faith in his righteousness. 

If you know the Lord Jesus Christ then be confident in all that he has done, our hope is secure because of him as his grace is sufficient. He stand as the good shepherd guiding and ordering his flock, watching over it and at all times he is ready to defend those who are his. Be confident when you face temptation, be confident when you face trial because the Lord Jesus Christ rules over all and he dwells in all those who believe through his Sprit. 

Pray (acTS)

Sing

WSC
Q 37 What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?
The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, (Heb. 12:23) and do immediately pass into glory; (2 Cor. 5:1,6,8, Phil. 1:23, Luke 23:43) and their bodies, being still united to Christ, (1 Thess. 4:14) do rest in their graves, (Isa. 57:2) till the resurrection. (Job 19:26–27)