[281] Micah 4 and 5: The Greater Bethlehem Ephrathah

The second reference to the old testament in Matthew says...

4 and on gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people he began to inquire of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 They said to him: In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is how it has been written through the prophet,
6 'And you, Oh Bethlehem of the land of Judah, are by no means the most insignificant [city] among the governors of Judah; for out of you will come forth a governing one, who will shepherd my people, Israel (Matthew 2).

2 And you, Oh Bethlehem [House of Bread, the Watchtower. The LWs are a house of fish] Ephrathah [Fruitfulness or Ash Heap - both apply!], the one too little to get to be among the thousands of Judah [1904Tishri was the Gentile continuation call, the restarting of the tribe of Judah - see U192], from you there will come out to me the one who is to become ruler in Israel [one who leaves the Watchtower to start a new church], whose origin is from early [ones], from the days of time indefinite [originating from the angels, i.e. being born again, having ancient angelic parents, he was born again before he became a JW, but whilst he was studying with them] (Micah 5).

19 Eventually Azubah died. So Caleb took to himself Ephrath, who in time bore Hur to him.
20 Hur, in turn, became father to Uri. Uri, in turn, became father to Bezalel (1 Chronicles 2).

So Caleb married Ephrath who gave him Hur.

48 As for Caleb's concubine Maacah, she gave birth to Sheber and Tirhanah.
49 In time she bore Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah and the father of Gibea. And Caleb's daughter was Achsah.
50 These became the sons of Caleb. The sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim,
51 Salma the father of Bethlehem, Hareph the father of Beth-gader (1 Chronicles 2).

So Salma, the son of Hur, (Ben Hur as he is known in Hollywood) was the father of Bethlehem, and Ephrath was the great grandmother of Bethlehem. Ephrath means either Fruitfullness or Ash heap [both will prove to be true of the Watchtower].

Micah 4 and 5 are parallel with Isaiah 2.

MICAH CHAPTER 4
1 And it must occur in the final part of the days [that] the mountain [administration] of the house of Jehovah [the true Christian church] will become firmly established above the top of the mountains [competing religious administrations], and it will certainly be lifted up above the hills [secular administrations, less significant from a spiritual standpoint. It would be pointless if these were just smaller churches, because if we are established above larger churches we are moreso established above smaller churches]; and to it peoples must stream.
2 And many nations will certainly go and say: Come, you people, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will instruct us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion law will go forth, and the word of Jehovah out of Jerusalem.
3 And he will certainly render judgment among many peoples, and set matters straight respecting mighty nations [churches in Word1 and Nations in Word2 metonymically, parts of nations who join the church] far away. And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. They will not lift up sword, nation against nation, neither will they learn war anymore.
4 And they will actually sit, each one under his vine [under the authority of the saints] and under his fig tree [under the authority of the priesthood], and there will be no one making [them] tremble; for the very mouth of Jehovah of armies has spoken [it].
5 For all the peoples, for their part, will walk each one in the name of its god; but we, for our part, shall walk in the name of Jehovah our God [Jehovah's witnesses and then Lords' Witnesses] to time indefinite, even forever.
6 In that day, is the utterance of Jehovah, I will gather her that was limping [upon two different opinions]; and her that was dispersed I will collect together, even her whom I have treated badly.
7 And I shall certainly make her that was limping a remnant, and her that was removed far off a mighty nation; and Jehovah will actually rule as king over them in Mount Zion, from now on and into time indefinite.
8 And as for you, Oh tower of the drove [watchtower], mound of the daughter of Zion [administration of the 1NC saints, the composite daughter of God standing upon mount Zion], as far as to you it will come, yes, the dominion, the first will certainly come, the kingdom belonging to the daughter of Jerusalem [the 2NC saints].
9 Now why is it that you keep shouting loudly? Is there no king in you, or has your own counselor perished, so that pangs like those of a woman giving birth have grabbed hold of you?
10 Be in severe pains and burst forth, Oh daughter of Zion, like a woman giving birth, for now you will go forth from a town, and you will have to reside in the field. And you will have to come as far as to Babylon [the Watchtower became a false church]. There you will be delivered. There Jehovah will buy you back out of the palm of your enemies [who presently run the Watchtower].
11 And now there will certainly be gathered against you many nations, those who are saying, 'Let her be polluted, and may our eyes look upon Zion.'
12 But as for them, they have not come to know the thoughts of Jehovah, and they have not come to understand his counsel; because he will certainly collect them together like a row of newly cut grain to the threshing floor.
13 Get up and thresh, Oh daughter of Zion; for your horn [comparing her to a bull on a threshing floor] I shall change into iron [your power will be unbreakable], and your hoofs I shall change into copper [your feet will walk with the cleanliness of a true priesthood], and you will certainly pulverize many peoples; and by a ban [on anyone with any authority in the Watchtower from having any authority in the LWs] you will actually devote to Jehovah their unjust profit, and their resources to the [true] Lord of the whole earth (Micah 4)



MICAH CHAPTER 5
1 At this time you make cuttings upon yourself [like prophets of Baal], Oh daughter of an invasion [1NC remnant at the time of the antitypical battle of Jericho]; a siege he has laid against us [say the governing body of the Watchtower during that battle]. With the rod they will strike upon the cheek the judge of Israel.
2 And you, Oh Bethlehem [House of Bread, FDS1 in the first presence, the Watchtower in the second. The LWs are a house of fish] Ephrathah [Fruitfulness or Ash Heap - both apply!], the one too little to get to be among the thousands of Judah [1895Tishri was the Gentile continuation call, the restarting of the tribe of Judah], from you there will come out to me the one who is to become ruler in Israel [Paul who left FDS1 to form a new true church in the first presence and Gordon who left the Watchtower to start a new church], whose origin is from early [ones], from the days of time indefinite [originating from the angels, i.e. being born again, having ancient angelic parents, he was born again before he became a JW].
3 Therefore he will give them up until the time that she who is giving birth actually gives birth [until the LWs start baptising in spirit, she is the LW church in the second fulfilment]. And the rest of his brothers will return to the sons of Israel.
4 And he will certainly stand and do shepherding in the strength of Jehovah, in the superiority of the name of Jehovah his God. And they will certainly keep dwelling, for now he will be great as far as the ends of the earth.
5 And this one must become peace. As for the Assyrian, when he comes into our land and when he treads upon our dwelling towers, we shall also have to raise up against him 7 shepherds, yes, 8 dukes of mankind [??].
6 And they will actually shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its entrances. And he will certainly bring about deliverance from the Assyrian, when he comes into our land and when he treads upon our territory.
7 And the remaining ones of Jacob [sons of Jacob by covenant, sons of the JAC] must become in the midst of many peoples like dew from Jehovah, like copious showers upon vegetation, that does not hope for man or wait for the sons of earthling man [loads of 2NC saints!].
8 And the remaining ones of Jacob must become among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of a forest, like a maned young lion among droves of sheep, which, when it actually passes through, certainly both tramples down and tears in pieces; and there is no deliverer.
9 Your hand will be high above your adversaries, and all enemies of yours will be cut off.
10 And it must occur in that day, is the utterance of Jehovah, that I will cut off your horses from the midst of you and destroy your chariots.
11 And I will cut off the cities of your land and tear down all your fortified places.
12 And I will cut off sorceries out of your hand, and no practicers of magic will you continue to have.
13 And I will cut off your graven images and your pillars from the midst of you, and you will no more bow down to the work of your hands.
14 And I will uproot your sacred poles from the midst of you and annihilate your cities.
15 And in anger and in rage I will execute vengeance upon the nations that have not obeyed (Micah 5)