In the exhortation by the apostle Peter (1 Peter 3:15) to be ready to give an answer or make a defense for the hope that you have, he uses the Greek term "apologia" from which we derive the word apologetic, a logical and careful defense of the Christian faith.
The implication here is clearly that an effective and credible apologetic can be given. As I reread Micah 5 this morning I was struck by the detail that God has gone to in the unfolding of his salvation story and the fulfillment of his promises. He really is the God of detail.
Micah 5 begins with a prettty ordinary picture of Jerusalem and her king. This may well be a reference to the humiliation of Hezekiah when the Assyrians invaded in 701 BC. We know that in this instance Jerusalem survived, many of the towns of Judah fell and the king was almost overthrown. Psalm 2 describes the king in David's line as sqashing rebellion with a rod of iron, Isaiah 11:4 describes the king bringing justice with the rod of his mouth, yet here we read "with the rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek".
In Micah 5:2-4, the prophet envisages a king in the line of David who will be ruler over Israel, he will shepherd his flock and in time his greatness will spread to the ends of the earth. So it ought be no surprise that in the fullness of time, God ensured that Jesus was born in Bethlehem rather than Nazareth. In Matthew 2:5-6 when the Magi asked where the promised king had been born, the teachers of the law and the chief priests quoted Micah - he would be born in Bethlehem in Judea. Although Bethlehem was small among the clans of Judah, with the birth of the Messiah, by no means could it be considered least among the rulers or Judah. Not only was Jesus a descendant of David and therefore an offshoot from Bethlehem but he was actually born there.
Peter reminds us that it is our responsibility to get ourselves prepared so that we are always ready to give an apologetic for our faith. This faith is not based on wishful thinking but on the historical birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. And in his goodness God has given us much detail in this regard.
Andrew (10.45am @ Engadine)
Tomorrows Readings: Micah 6, 1 Peter 4
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