Chapter Two
Peace in the In-Between

Lesson

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace.” Micah 5:2-5 

Peace is something that we all crave but often do not know where to find. 

The Israelites had been looking for their Messiah after all that they had endured because of the judgment of God and His promises of the future. The Messiah would come to bring an end to the suffering of God’s people. They knew the prophecies of old and they were anticipating God’s salvation. 

Advent is a time of waiting. Can you imagine living in a time where you are living in a foreign land with no one you know, and there is strife all around you? There are many in our world that are living out this reality, but for those of us in much of the western world, we have no idea. 

Then again, peace is something that we all crave but often do not know where to find it. This is true even for those that live in the western world. 

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, there are some 400 direct references to peace, not to mention a volume of indirect allusions. While there are various words in the original languages of the Bible that refer to peace, the deepest roots stem back to a consequential word known as shalom. Shalom, at its core, means “to be whole or complete.” While a common greeting among Jews around the world to this day is the simple word, “Shalom,” the full meaning of that word of peace is thick with substance that goes well beyond a mere feeling of calmness.  

Shalom literally means: “God’s highest and most complete good be upon you and all associated with you.” Thus, the peace of God goes well beyond merely a cozy feeling or even the absence of war; it includes a relational harmony that seeks a deep commitment to the work of justice in truth and righteousness. The peace of God is a full, satisfying, and rich fruit of His Spirit to His people and creation. The shalom of God is intended for relational goodness and harmony through and through. 

The people of God waited for His peace. The promises of the prophet Micah told of the place where the Messiah would come and what He would come to do. Though Bethlehem was small, the Messiah would come from there. The ruler of Israel would come from this little, seemingly insignificant place. In fact, Bethlehem would not have ever made the top ten list of cities of Israel. His coming is from old, from eternity. The Eternal One was coming. 

There would definitely be hard times before this Redeemer came, and it would last until “she who is in labor has given birth,” and the people were unified again. The birth of the Messiah would unify the people of God in ways that they would not see and could not fathom. The Messiah would not come to take away the oppression of people, though His presence would lift the spirits of the oppressed. The Messiah would not give earthly riches, though His providence would give His followers everything they would need. The Messiah would not end the strife that happens in a fallen world, though His peace would fall on His people in ways that would be beyond understanding. 

This Messiah would stand up and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD. His flock would see the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. God’s people would dwell securely because the Messiah would be great over all the world.  

Yet, wait, has this actually happened? 

The people of Israel still would suffer under the rule of the Roman Empire. In fact, even worse was coming for the Jewish people hundreds of years later during the Crusades and then, ultimately, during the Holocaust. We can look at what we go through today in wars and rumors of wars, a nation fighting against a nation, families breaking apart, abortion running rampant, people being abused in so many ways, strife, arguments, canceling others when disagreement reigns, polarized political parties, and quite simply, hate. I have tears streaming down my cheeks as I write these words. 

How long, O Lord? How long? 

This is our longing for peace as we live in the in-between. However, there is a final phrase in the promise from Micah that we must not forget: “And he shall be their peace.” 

The reason a Savior, the Messiah, was born on that day in the City of David was that something or someone needed saving. The earth and humanity were the ones who needed saving and deliverance due to shalom being in disarray from sin and Satan’s schemes. What happened in Bethlehem in the stable was a strategic initiative that was well within the scope and sequence of God’s plans, which would lead back to peace (shalom): God’s highest and most complete good that was intended for all people and those with whom they associated. 

God came and brought the possibility of shalom with Him.  

Jesus is coming again, and His peace will be made complete.