Matthew 2:5-6
They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
6 “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”
You have heard people say they have good news and bad news. In many cases though, good news for one may be bad news for another. Here, the prophecy of Micah 2, writing at the same time as Isaiah with a similar message of hope for those surrounded by enemies, was good news to the people. King Herod heard it and was immediately troubled. He had been king for decades and had by all accounts done a good job. He built a massive addition to the temple and was a shrewd politician, dealing with Rome. This prophecy of a new ruler who would shepherd Israel sounded less like good news and more like a threat to Herod.
There is a large portion of the gospel message, found in Romans, that reads like bad news. We have all sinned and deserve death. We need the Good News, that God so loved the world that he sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins and save us. What was bad news for Herod was the best news in history. The God of the Universe came to earth as a baby to be the Savior of the World. It is truly Good Tidings of Great Joy! In a world filled with bad news, proclaim the Great News!
Dear Lord, thank you for the hope, peace, love, and joy that come with the good news of Jesus Christ. May we come and adore him today and every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.