“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans[b] of Judah, out of you will come for me  one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old,  from ancient times.”

   
Micah 5:1
Drie wijzen

Prophecy

In some places in the Old Testament, something is announced about the birth, life or death of Jesus Christ. Here in Micah 5:1 it is about the place where He will be born: Bethlehem. And further, the prophecy tells of His divine origin.

The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, the city of King David. Although the prophecy may seem somewhat mysterious to us, it was clear to the Jews that this was about Israel's Messiah.

Over seven hundred years later, the prophecy is fulfilled. We can read about this in the New Testament.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?

We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Mattheüs 2 : 1-12

Of divine origin

The prophecy from Micah also tells of the lineage of this leader over Israel.

"Its origins lie in times long gone, in the days of yore."

As Son of Man, He was born around the year 0 of our era. But as the Son of God, He was eternal: 

“The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old;
I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, when there were no springs overflowing with water; before the mountains were settled in place,  before the hills, I was given birth,
  
Proverbs 8:22-25