Thinking it Though: Unto Us–Whether High or Lowly–a Child is Born
By Thomas J. Schetelich
During the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, two prophets ministered in the kingdom of Judah: Isaiah and Micah. Their ministries overlapped for 50 years, and their messages were remarkably similar (compare, for example, Isaiah 2:2–4 and Micah 4:1–2). But their styles were completely different.
Isaiah centered himself in Jerusalem and moved in the halls of power. His prophecies were elegant and refined. He became King Hezekiah’s trusted confidant and adviser. Micah was decidedly outside the Beltway. His was the style of a country preacher, and his audience was the cities and towns of Judah. He names Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah in the first verse of his book to set the time, and he never mentions them again.
The Spirit of God spoke through each prophet a prophecy telling of the Messiah’s birth—famous verses that have been quoted at Christmas programs without number. Neither is an isolated marker, but rather, each is part of an integrated prophecy of God’s salvation.
In Isaiah 9:6–7, we read: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever.” Isaiah began his message, which this prophecy is part of, in the previous chapter, speaking about people living in darkness and fear until the light of the Messiah dawns all around them and a new kingdom is established on His shoulders.
Micah’s words are also part of a larger prophecy concerning Israel, the nations, and the coming Messiah. Micah presents crafted and nuanced prophetic imagery that tells the story of a woman delivering a baby. In Micah 4:9, she is going into labor (“for pangs have seized you like a woman in labor”), and in Micah 5:3, the baby is born (“she who is in labor has given birth”).
Micah tells the story of a time in Israel’s history that is about to begin, what Jesus called “the time of the gentiles”—a time when Israel is ruled by the gentile empires, when it is deprived of its freedom, and when there is no king from the line of David on the throne. Its cities are besieged. The temple is destroyed, and the temple mountain is bare. The nation is deported to Babylon. Its holy things are defiled. The understanding of God’s ways is lost. With each of these, the nation convulses in pain like a woman in labor (Micah 4:9–12).
But, if a woman is in labor, then a baby is going to be born. And so it is here. Out of the throes of Israel’s national labor pains, the Lord God will bring forth the Savior of the nation and the world. “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. . . . He shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of the Lord.” (Micah 5:2, 4)
Isaiah and Micah delivered these two famous prophecies at about the same time. Isaiah, ministering in the halls of power, spoke concerning the government and the throne. Micah, ministering in the towns and villages, spoke of tiny Bethlehem.
Isaiah described the Christ as a king like David. Micah described Him as a shepherd like David. Isaiah saw far into the future, a future yet to be, and prophesied that the Christ would reign “from that time forward, even forever.” Micah, looking far into the past, a past as deep as eternity, said that His “goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.”
The Spirit of God said both, at the same time. The wonder of it amazes us to this day.
Thomas J. Schetelich is a CMML director.
Originally published in Missions magazine, December 2022. For more content, sign up for a free subscription (US) to Missions at CMML.us/magazine/subscribe.
