The Missing Puzzle Piece

Micah 5 Are you a puzzle fan? I must admit, I am NOT! Working hour after hour only to realize that one piece is missing! How frustrating!  But, God loves puzzles and used Micah to place a puzzle in scripture that we might glean insight into our Messiah.

While the kingdom of Judah was preparing for war again, Micah was on the scene to forecast a ruler to come that would be the source of peace. But, like the religious leaders of Jesus’ time, they missed the markers. Jesus reminded them: “You study the scriptures thoroughly because you think in them you possess eternal life, and it is these same scriptures that testify about me,” [Joh 5:39] 

They had poured over the scriptures but the words of Isaiah 53 and Micah 5 seemed to be hidden to their understanding and remain so today–that is except for those whose hearts are open to hear and see! As we pour over the NT, we wonder; why the religious leaders never asked Jesus about his birthplace! Don’t you find that incredibly frustrating! They had powerful evidence in the healing of the blind man of John 9. As he stood before them, in their pride they bluntly said: “We know that God has spoken to Moses! We do not know where this man comes from!” If they had only asked him yet they NEVER ONCE inquired of Jesus about his birthplace!  We wonder why? Jesus gives us the missing puzzle piece: “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains.” Their missing puzzle piece was their sin. Sin blinds us from seeing God’s blessing and healing.

The blind man understood what the scholars had missed. This man was the prophesied Messiah from Bethlehem.  Have you found the missing puzzle piece to your quest for the Messiah? It is right there in Micah 5 and also in Isaiah 53.