Divinity of Christ (8)

Micah 5:2, Daniel 7:13-14, and Malachi 3:1-2

Micah 5:2
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.

Daniel 7:13-14:
I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed

Malachi 3:1-2:
Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.

Notes

The first three sermons showed that Jesus is God through the writings of John. The fourth examined Paul’s witness to Christ’s divinity. The fifth drew from the book of Hebrews. The sixth sermon was from the letters of Peter. The seventh sermon highlighted the divinity of Christ as seen in the writings of Isaiah, the prophet. This eighth sermon will proclaim that Christ is God based on the prophecies of Micah, Daniel, and Malachi.

1. Messiah from Ancient Days

   In Micah 5:2, Micah, the prophet, once foretold. Someone coming from of old. From Bethlehem, though small among Judah’s clans, that was part of God’s plans. A ruler would come from this humble land; His sacrifice would be so grand. The promised One came from the ancient days, another way to say eternity in display. In other words, this divine being is from everlasting. It can only mean the prophecy relates to the deity. The ruler to rise could only be Christ.

   
   Micah 5:2: 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.
   
   Matthew 2:2: saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

   
   Gems in the text

   1. Christ is from Bethlehem, a fulfillment of the prophecy.

   2. The Messiah is from of old, from ancient days, a way of saying very old or eternal.

   3. The Magi, wise men from the East, sought the King of the Jews so that they could worship Him, which meant that they believed the child to be God.

2. Ancient of Days

   Daniel, the prophet, saw in vision a figure “like a son of man,” riding on the clouds of heaven and presented before the Ancient of Days. To Him was given glory, dominion, and a kingdom that shall not fade or fall. All peoples, nations, and tongues would serve His name; serve is a word in Daniel that implies worship and acclaim.

   Daniel 7:13-14: I saw in the night visions,
   and behold, with the clouds of heaven
   there came one like a son of man,
   and he came to the Ancient of Days
   and was presented before him.
   And to him was given dominion
   and glory and a kingdom,
   that all peoples, nations, and languages
   should serve him;
   his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
   which shall not pass away,
   and his kingdom one
   that shall not be destroyed
   
   Mark 14:62: And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
   

   Gems in the text

   1. The one like the son of man would rule forever, eternally.

   2. The son of man would be given glory and dominion over all nations.

   3. Jesus claimed to be the Son of Man, and heaven worshiped Him in heaven as Daniel prophesied.

3. Temple Visit

   Malachi, the prophet, foretells the arrival of the Lord in His temple. It is a warning to the people. A messenger would come first to prepare the way, fulfilled in John the Baptist, as Scripture did say.2 Then, the Lord Himself would come to His temple on that prophesied day, which happened on John 2:13-17. Prophecy was fulfilled in Christ.
   

   Malachi 3:1-2: Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.

   Gems in the text

   1. Malachi prophesied that the Lord would visit His temple, referring to God.

   2. Christ fulfilled the visit to the Temple, as Malachi prophesied. Christ is the God who fulfilled the prophecy.

   Application:

   1. Believe in the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ.

   2. Proclaim the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ.

   3. Defend the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ

Reflection & Discussion

1. Explain the divinity of Christ in Micah 5:2.

2. Explain the divinity of Christ in Daniel 7:13-14.

3. Explain the divinity of Christ in Malachi 3:1-2..