The King in the Cradle: Finding Yeshua in Micah
In the quiet of a backwater village, forgotten by most and overlooked by many, God penned one of the most stunning plot twists in history. Micah, a prophet in the southern kingdom of Judah, wasn’t just railing against injustice and idolatry. He was also pointing forward, whispering of a King who would come not in might, but in meekness. A ruler not from Jerusalem’s palace, but from Bethlehem’s cradle.
This King wouldn’t be like the others. He wouldn’t use the throne to oppress but to shepherd. He wouldn’t wield power for His own gain but lay it down for the sake of His people. His origins? From of old. From ancient days. This was no ordinary leader; this was Yeshua, the Eternal One wrapped in human flesh.
What Jonah Didn’t Say: Yeshua in the Prophets
When the word of the LORD came to Jonah, the instruction for a prophet was clear: Go to the great city of Nineveh and cry out against its wickedness. Fifty years before Assyria would capture the last part of Israel’s northern kingdom, the LORD was sending a warning of certain doom to its capital. Before taking action, the slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness God of Israel was giving these people a chance to repent. It’s exactly what we would expect from the God of our salvation, but Jonah wanted no part of it.
A Foreshadowing of the Righteous King
Have you read the book of Obadiah recently? Unless you're on a chronological reading plan, probably not. The tiniest book in the Old Testament, just 21 verses long, is easy to overlook. But don’t let its size fool you. Obadiah is a small but powerful prophetic book, filled with messianic and redemptive truths that speak deeply to the human heart and ultimately point to the return and reign of Jesus Christ, when He will make all things new.
Though rooted in a specific moment in history, Obadiah’s message carries timeless truths about pride, justice, restoration, and the promises of God, including the one first given to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3:
"I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse..."
When the Locusts Leave and the King Arrives
If you’ve ever read the book of Joel, you know it begins with something unexpected—bugs. A swarm of locusts so devastating that it strips the land bare and leaves God’s people shaken. But Joel isn’t just about agricultural disaster—it’s about spiritual disaster too. And yet, through it all, the book leads us toward one profound hope: a coming King who restores.
You won’t find the name “Jesus” in the book of Joel, but you’ll feel His presence on every page—especially in the promise that one day, God would pour out His Spirit on all people (Joel 2:28). Sons and daughters, old and young, even the servants. Everyone.
The God Who Weeps and Woos
When I consider the attributes of God, I meditate on words like: present, all-knowing, sovereign, compassionate, forgiving, full of grace and truth. These words flow freely. But often in the mix of the comfort and peace these words give, I forget to consider the God who feels sorrow over all those daily choices that move me towards the sins that continue to cling so closely (Hebrews 12:1). When was the last time I pictured a God who weeps over my choices? He is the God who remains faithful to His word—even when I am faithless (2 Timothy 2:13), but that doesn’t mean that His faithfulness does not come at a price.
The Goodness of God: In the Prophets
There are mornings when I open my Bible out of obedience and routine. I know I need to be in it—and deep down, I want to be in it—but like the words of Ezekiel, my bones are dry.
It happened today.
I had something I knew I needed to deal with, but my want-to just wasn’t up-to it. I considered King David’s repentant words in Psalm 51 (a frequent flier in my own battle with sin) but found myself in Ezekiel 37 instead. Can I just tell you how much I love those first 14 verses?