The Smallest Place, The Greatest Peace Foretold: Centuries of Waiting, One Night of Wonder Pastor Kile Baker November 30th, 2025 What is Biblical prophecy? Biblical prophecy is God’s revealed perspective on what’s current, what’s conditional, and what’s certain. Prophecy is all of these - it’s hindsight (here’s why things are this way); insight (here’s what could happen); and foresight (here’s what will surely happen). Prophecy is not to be used for fortune-telling, its use is for faithfulness What is a prophet? From the Greek word prophétés (προφήτης). Pro (προ)— Before, in front of Phetes (φημί)— To speak or communicate. A prophet is someone who speaks on behalf of God, declaring His perspective before events occur or to give people God’s perspective on things. Prophets do not primarily predict the future —they proclaim God’s truth into the present. Why is Biblical prophecy important? Biblical prophecy helps us trust God with our future Faith (Greek word pistis / πίστις) = Trust This is not faith or belief in something, but rather, and relational trust in someone. Prophecy & Jesus Christ: Our future is secured by Jesus Christ not our faith, but our faithfulness to Him propels us towards that future. Quick Recap: The Minor Prophets Prophets were often characterized (those that were not true, Godly prophets) as men and women caught up in bureaucracy, scheming, bribery, or an ingratiating to the rich and powerful by highlightings God’s good, gracious, and blessing characteristic over those of His justice, morality, and righteousness. Israel is collapsing spiritually, morally, and nationally. God calls out: Their idolatry, Their injustice, Their rebellion, Their fake worship Micah opens with destruction, not decoration. With judgment, not jingles. With conflict, not Christmas. The Meaning of “Micah” - “Who is like the Lord? It’s a rhetorical question, meaning the answer is obvious - no one is. Micah 1:1-7 The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Moreshite ​— ​what he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 Listen, all you peoples; pay attention, earth and everyone in it! The Lord God will be a witness against you, the Lord, from his holy temple. 3 Look, the Lord is leaving his place and coming down to trample the heights of the earth. 4 The mountains will melt beneath him, and the valleys will split apart, like wax near a fire, like water cascading down a mountainside. 5 All this will happen because of Jacob’s rebellion and the sins of the house of Israel. What is the rebellion of Jacob? Isn’t it Samaria? And what is the high place of Judah? Isn’t it Jerusalem? 6 Therefore, I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the countryside, a planting area for a vineyard. I will roll her stones into the valley and expose her foundations. 7 All her carved images will be smashed to pieces; all her wages will be burned in the fire, and I will destroy all her idols. Since she collected the wages of a prostitute, they will be used again for a prostitute. Micah 5:1-5 Now, daughter who is under attack, you slash yourself in grief; a siege is set against us! They are striking the judge of Israel on the cheek with a rod. 2 Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times. 3 Therefore, Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of the ruler’s brothers will return to the people of Israel. 4 He will stand and shepherd them in the strength of the Lord, in the majestic name of the Lord his God. They will live securely, for then his greatness will extend to the ends of the earth. 5 He will be their peace. When Assyria invades our land, when it marches against our fortresses, we will raise against it seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men. He will bring them peace vs He will be their peace. Christmas Hope: What God foretold through the prophets, He fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Foretold & Fulfilled: God foretold that peace would come from an unlikely place. God fulfilled by bringing peace with His own presence. Peace doesn’t last because it doesn’t last forever. But the peace Jesus brought with his presence can last forever because He does. Next Steps - 3 Ways to Practice Peace Choose what’s smaller. Manage your peace, not people. Make space for stillness.