In yesterday’s passage (
Isaiah 9:6-7) we are given the amazing prophecy that a specific, unique child would be born who would be a son, a ruler, a Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace!
Micah 5:2-4 presents the same type of progression in His identity but also adds some more dimension to His identity. He would be from a small, “podunk” town. And, He would not only be a son but also a brother. He had siblings! That might make you happy for Him, or based on your own family dynamic, you might be feeling sorry for Jesus right now.
We also know that Jesus was a carpenter. I have tried my hand at carpentry. I tell people that if you need something “ugly” built, I’m your guy - meaning if you want something built from pallet wood or old scrap lumber, that’s in my wheelhouse. If you want a beautiful piece of furniture, better roll with someone else. I could give it a shot, but you wouldn’t be happy, and I’d be frustrated. In his book, The Legacy Business, Christian author and entrepreneur, Mike Fransen, uses Jesus, the businessman, as his legacy-building model: “I love the notion that Jesus was a carpenter while He was here on Earth. I have a feeling His work and the way He went about it would have made for a must-see HGTV series. It is hard to imagine that His ministry in and around His own community would have taken off the way it did if His reputation as a carpenter didn’t reflect hard work and excellence.”
So, this prophecy makes it clear that this coming Messiah and Savior of the world would be very much human – a son, brother, carpenter, friend – fully relatable. In
Matthew 12:46-50 (NIV) we read, “While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.’ He replied to him, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?’ Pointing to his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’”
This small town boy from Bethlehem has called His followers “family” – even with all our quirkiness and dysfunction! He has chosen to be a shepherd over all of us wayward sheep. And He is committed to finish His “remodeling” work in us as the master carpenter of lives. There are no better hands to be in. Greatest of all, this small town boy ends up being the Savior of the world and Lord of all! And of His kingdom there shall be no end!