Dec 06: Job 8 | Micah 3,4 | Heb 13

Reading 1 - Job 8

Bildad (who speaks in Job 8; 18; 25) rests his philosophy on tradition (Job 8:8-10; 18:5-20). Like Eliphaz, Bildad has a far too rigid view of providence (Job 8:11-19; 18:5): that is, he believes that God will not "cast away" the perfect man (Job 8:20).

Reading 2 - Mic 4:8

"As for you, O watchtower of the flock, O stronghold of the Daughter of Zion, the former dominion will be restored to you; kingship will come to the Daughter of Jerusalem" (Mic 4:8).

The "watchtower of the flock" is "the tower of Edar (flock)"; this was a watchtower near Bethlehem (Gen 35:21), where shepherds watched over their flocks of sheep destined for sacrifice in the Temple.

This scene is fulfilled in Luke 2:8: "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night."

"The former dominion will be restored to you; kingship will come to the Daughter of Jerusalem": "The former dominion" is the beginning, or the nucleus of the Kingdom, with Christ in the midst of Israel: Zec 8:23; Isa 60:3,5-9; 61:5,9; 62:1-3; Eze 37:26-28.

Literally, Jesus Christ was God's "first dominion": the first place on earth where the Father would reign supreme and unimpeded! The coming of this "first dominion" was first announced to the shepherds of Bethlehem, at the birth of Jesus (cp the imagery of childbirth in Mic 4:910), just as this verse prophesies.