The Reliability of Divine Promises: Commentary on the First Prophetic Reading of the Royal Hours of Christmas (Micah 5:2-4)

The Reliability of Divine Promises
Commentary on the First Reading of the First Hour Service: Micah 5:2-4

By Miltiadis Konstantinou,
Emeritus Professor of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

On the eves of Christmas and Theophany, as well as on Great Friday, the services of the Hours are longer in length than the usual services of the other days of the year, as three biblical readings are added to their ritual, one from the Old Testament and two from the New (Apostle and Gospel). For this reason, these services are called “Great and Royal Hours”. The first reading of the Service of the First Hour of the feast of Christmas comes from the Book of the Prophet Micah and is a prophecy about the place of Christ’s birth (Micah 5:2-4).

The Prophet Micah acted in a particularly turbulent period of Israelite history. During the time of his activity, the political crisis, due to the successive Assyrian raids on the wider region of Canaan, goes hand in hand with the spiritual decline of the Jews, as corruption and hypocrisy become uncontrollable. In the seven chapters of the book, threatening prophecies alternate with prophecies of restoration of the people. The work begins with prophecies against Israel and Judah. The prophet then turns with particular severity against the political and mainly spiritual leaders of the people, the priests and above all the false prophets (1:1-3:12). Idolatry and moral decline will inevitably lead to destruction, from which only a pious remnant will be saved, to be followed by the era of restoration led by the peaceful shepherd Messiah, during which Jerusalem will emerge as a center of world peace and God’s revelation to all the peoples of the earth (4:1-5:14). After the consoling messages, the Prophet returns to his harsh criticism and threatening predictions (6:1-7:7), to close with a new prophecy of restoration (7:8-20).