MICAH 33 Micah Southern Kingdom - Pre-Exile

MICAH 33 Micah Southern Kingdom - Pre-Exile
(Northern Kingdom already in Assyrian exile) Key theme: God judges sin and calls for justice. Key verse: Micah 6:8 Micah delivered three messages (Note “Hear” in 1:2; 3:1; 6:1) MICAH

Est. Year BC Prophet From / To Period Address Obadiah 848 / 841 Pre-Exile Edom Joel 835 / 835 Pre-Exile Judah Jonah 782 / 753 Pre-Exile Assyria Amos 760 / 753 Pre-Exile Israel Hosea 755 / 715 Pre-Exile Israel lsaiah 740 / 680 Pre-Exile Judah Micah 735 / 700 Pre-Exile Judah, Israel in Exile Judah Nahum 664 / 654 Pre-Exile Judah, Israel in Exile Assyria Zephaniah 632 / 628 Pre-Exile Judah, Israel in Exile Judah Jeremiah 627 / 580 Pre-Exile Judah, Israel in Exile Judah Habakkuk 609 / 605 Pre-Exile Judah, Israel in Exile Judah Daniel 605 / 535 Judah also In Exile Judah Ezekiel 593 / 571 Judah also In Exile Judah Haggai 520 / 520 Post-Exile Returned Jew Zechariah 520 / 480 Post-Exile Returned Jew Malachi 432 / 424 Post-Exile Returned Jew

Prophets, Kings and Kingdoms
2nd Kings Jehoram 12 Jehu 28 Jehoahaz 17 Jehoash 16 Jeroboam ll 41 Zechariah ½ Shallum (1 mo) Menahem 10 Pekahiah 2 Pekah 20 Hoshea 9 Israel The Northern Kingdom Assyrian Captivity Ninevah Elisha Assyria falls to Babylon 2nd Chronicles Jehoram 8 Ahiah 1 Athaliah 6 Joash 40 Amaziah 29 Azariah (Uzziah) 52 Jotham 16 Ahaz 16 Hezekiah 29 Manasseh 55 Amon 2 Josiah 31 Jehoahaz (1/4) Jehoiakim 11 Jehoiakin (1/4) Zedekiah 11 Judah The Southern Kingdom BabyIonian Captivity Post Exile Isaiah Jeremiah Daniel Ezekiel Ezra Haggai Zerubabel Nehemiah Zechariah Esther Malachi Jonah Nahum Hosea Amos Joel Micah Zephaniah Habakkuk Obadiah 400 silent years Dan 11:5-35 THE NEW TESTAMENT

Old Testament book order
Likely timeline EZRA HOSEA MICAH ? NAHUM ? ISAIAH JEREMIAH DANIEL EZEKIEL 2 CHRONICLES – 479 YEAR 2 KINGS – 337 YEAR Chronologically Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel 4 Hosea 2 Joel 3 Amos 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs 9 Obadiah 1 Jonah 5 Micah 6 Nahum 8 Habakkuk 7 Zephaniah 10 Haggai 11 Zechariah 12 Malachi Old Testament book order 1 Jonah 2 Joel 3 Amos 4 Hosea 5 Micah 6 Nahum 7 Zephaniah 8 Habakkuk 9 Obadiah 10 Haggai 11 Zechariah 12 Malachi

Micah Imminent Judgment Declared 1 - 3
Assyrians will strike at Egypt Will march through Micah’s neighborhood in Judah Ultimate Blessing Promised Incarnation: Matt 2:5; Mic 5:2 Key truth: Ruler yet to come… Present Repentance Pleaded Last days… Assyrians will strike at Egypt upon which Judah foolishly relied; Then march through Judah through Micah’s home-locality. P.189

Micah: Book Outline WARNING MESSAGE: JUDGMENT IS COMING (1:1 — 2:13)
A. The Judge appears — 1:1–5 B. The nations are judged — 1:6–16 1. Judgment on Samaria — 1:6–9 2. Judgment on Judah — 1:10–16 C. Why judgment is coming — 2:1–11 1. Because of covetousness — 2:1–5 2. Because of false prophets — 2:6–11 D. Hope for the remnant — 2:12–13

Micah: Book Outline PROMISE MESSAGE: A DELIVERER IS COMING (3:1 — 5:15) A. The sins of the leaders — 3:1–12 B. The future of the nation — 4:1–13 C. The coming of Messiah — 5:1–5 D. The defeat of the enemy — 5:6–15 CHALLENGE MESSAGE: TRUST THE LORD NOW (6:1 — 7:20) A. In spite of the indictment — 6:1–8 B. In spite of the sentence — 6:9 — 7:6 C. Because of the Lord’s mercies — 7:7–20

There are many Micahs in the Bible:
1) A man of Mount Ephraim, whose history is introduced in Judg 17:1, apparently for the purpose of leading to an account of the settlement of the tribe of Dan in Northern Palestine, and to illustrate the lawlessness of the times in which he lived (Judg 18:1; 19:1-29; 21:25); 2) The son of Merib-baal (Mephibosheth), cf. 1Chr 8:34, 35; 3) The first in rank of the priests of the family of Kohathites (1Chr 23:20); 4) A descendant of Joel the Reubenite (1Chr 5:5); 5) “The Morasthite,” so-called to distinguish him from Micaiah, the son of Imlah, in the reign of Ahab (1Kgs 22:8).

Micah in His Time “Who is like Jehovah?”
Micah = (as shortened form of Micaiah, of Micaiahu): “Who is like YHWH (Yah)?” Cf. Michael = “Who is like God (El)?” (see 7:18). From the village of Moresheth near Gath, (Micah 1:14, 15) ~25 miles SW of Jerusalem; near Lachish Contemporary of: Isaiah (1:1) in Judah (probably a friend) Isaiah prefixes his second chapter with three verses from Micah’s prophecy. Amos and Hosea (1:1) in Israel.

Micah covers a period of 40 years.
Micah in His Time Prophesied during the last half of the 8th century BC, during the Southern kingdom reigns of: Jotham (750–735), Ahaz (735–715), and Hezekiah (715–686). Micah’s prophecy bore fruit during Hezekiah’s reign (cf. 2 Kgs ). Northern kingdom reigns of: Pekahiah, Pekah and Hoshea No kings of the Northern Kingdom are mentioned by the prophet; Micah covers a period of 40 years.

Micah in His Time During Jotham’s reign, Assyria grew stronger.
When Ahaz ascended the throne, both Syria and Israel tried to pressure him into joining a rebellion against Assyria (Isa 7) Micah is concerned over the failure(s) of the Northern Kingdom, especially for their implications for the plight of the Southern Kingdom. Jeremiah 26:18 indicates it was the ministry of Micah that encouraged the great reformation in Judah under the leadership of King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18 — 20).

Micah in His Time Society in Judah was rapidly changing from rural to urban. Defying the law of Moses, wealthy investors were buying up small family farms and developing huge land holdings, which created serious problems for the poor. Having come from a farming community, Micah championed the oppressed poor and rebuked the “robber barons” for their selfishness. Amos echoed his message.

What Makes Micah Different
The messages of Hosea, Joel, Amos, and Obadiah went unheeded. Their warnings were rejected; judgment came. The nearer God’s judgments were, the more obstinately the false prophets denied that they would come. False prophecy was a gainful occupation and the false prophets had man’s wishes on their side. Hosea and Amos were ignored. Jeremiah was imprisoned. Micah’s message was heeded, repentance followed, and disaster was postponed for a century. The prophet Micah (like Jonah) changed history! One man can make a difference.

Micah in His Time Micah saw the coming judgment of the Israel under Assyria (722) as well as the fall of Jerusalem and Judah under the Babylonians (606–596). He sought to call the Jews back to faithful worship of Jehovah and sincere obedience to His covenant, but they refused to listen. He pled for social justice and a concern for the helpless, but the people would not repent.

Micah in His Time The capital of the Northern Kingdom was Samaria.
The city was built originally by Omri, King of Israel, and was the seat of idolatry. It was made infamous by Ahab and Jezebel, who built a temple to Baal. God sent Elijah, Elisha, and Amos to turn the Northern kingdom from their evil, unrighteous practices. Hosea, Micah’s contemporary, also prophesied against the Northern Kingdom. His warnings went unheeded. God used their enemies as His instrument of judgment.

Micah in His Time In 734 b.c., the Assyrians carried away all of north Israel; In 721 b.c., Shalmanezer of Assyria attacked the northern capital of Samaria and overthrew it, and deported the remaining people of the Northern Kingdom (“House of Israel”). Eight years later, Sennacherib, Shalmanezer’s successor, attacked the Southern Kingdom (“Judah”). “Sin-ecerib” = “sin multiplies his brothers”; They worshiped the moon god, “Sin.”

Micah in His Time At one point, the Assyrian field commander appeared before the walls of Jerusalem and challenged them for surrender; Sennacherib sent a letter to the same effect (2 Kgs 19:10-12). Hezekiah spread this letter before the Lord and received confirmation through Isaiah that the city would be spared; that Sennacherib would fail. Hezekiah organized a revival, and smashed the idols of his predecessors; even the original brazen serpent (Num 21:8,9), which, after almost 1,000 years, had become a fetish to which they were burning incenses (2 Kgs 18:3, 4).

Micah, The Hidden Hero? Isaiah is the well-known prophet of that period, with direct access to the king. Micah isn’t mentioned. We know from an incident a century later that it was actually because of Micah’s preaching that the people repented and Jerusalem was spared. Jeremiah, 120 years later, was prophesying over the impending destruction of Jerusalem (Jer 26:4-6). His message offended the priests and the false prophets, so they seized him and brought him before the officials, demanding his death.

Micah, The Hidden Hero? Jeremiah gave his defense, citing the previous experience of Micah: Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest. Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls. Jeremiah 26:19 As a result, Jeremiah was spared: 120 years later, Micah’s words were remembered and used by God to spare Jeremiah.

Who Was Micah? Comparatively little is known of Micah’s life.
He was a rural prophet like Amos, not of the city or the palace like his contemporary, Isaiah. His writing is pungent and personal; he is touching and tender. Many of the passages are familiar to most Christians. Micah was the authority referred to by Herod’s advisors during the visit of the Magi (Mt 2:1-6). Jesus quotes Micah 7:6 in Matthew 10:35,36.

Micah’s Urban Focus Micah pronounced judgment on the cities of Israel and on Jerusalem: the urban centers of the nation; He can be labeled “the prophet of the city” condemning its: violence, corruption, robbery, covetousness, gross materialism, spiritual bankruptcy, and illicit sex. Yet, through the gloom of impending judgment, Micah clearly saw the coming glory of the redemption of Israel, which makes this book especially relevant to our time!

Micah’s grand question is, “Who is like unto Thee?”
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. Micah 7:18 God hates sin, but loves the sinners and wants to save us. His holiness requires Him to deal with any rebellion. He wants to save sinners, and He will save them if they come to Him in faith. Perhaps the Deity can forgive sins, but I don’t see how. — Socrates, to Plato 360 b.c.

Micah 1 — 2 JUDGMENT IS COMING!
King David had a great many talented men in his army, but the most valuable were perhaps the men of Issachar, who had “understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do” (1Ch 12:32). Because they understood the times, the men of Issachar abandoned the ill-fated house of Saul and joined forces with David, God’s chosen king. They saw which way God’s hand was moving, and they obediently moved in that direction. Micah of Moresheth was a man who had the same kind of discernment because God gave him insight into the changes taking place on the national and international scene.

Micah 1 — 2 JUDGMENT IS COMING!
Micah received 3 messages from the Lord to deliver to the people in hopes they would abandon their idolatry and return to sincere faith in the Lord. Micah 1 — 2 Judgment Is Coming! Micah 3 — 5 A Ruler Is Coming! Micah 6 — 7 “Thy Kingdom Come” The first message (Mic. 1:1 — 2:13) was a warning that divine judgment was coming on both Judah and Israel (Samaria). This message was fulfilled in 722 BC when Assyria defeated Israel, and in 606–586 when the Babylonians invaded Judah, destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, and took thousands of people captive to Babylon. When God’s servant speaks, it pays to listen!

• Chapter 1: Sins against God.
Micah 1 • Chapter 1: Sins against God. • Chapter 2: Sins against each other. • Chapter 3: Sins by their leaders.

Micah 1:1-5 (NASB) Mic 1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Mic 1:2 Hear, all you peoples! Listen, O earth, and all that is in it! Let the Lord GOD be a witness against you, The Lord from His holy temple. Mic 1:3 For behold, the LORD is coming out of His place; He will come down And tread on the high places of the earth. Mic 1:4 The mountains will melt under Him, And the valleys will split Like wax before the fire, Like waters poured down a steep place. Mic 1:5 All this is for the transgression of Jacob And for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Are they not Jerusalem?

Declaration: God’s Wrath Is Coming (1:1–5)
When the prophet Amos was about to indict Israel and Judah, he started by condemning the Gentile nations around them (Amos 1 — 2); The prophet Micah didn’t take that approach. Without any formal introduction, he moved right into his message and sounded the alarm.

Micah 1:1 Sins against God
1] The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Moresheth was a small country village about 20 miles SW of Jerusalem.Archaeologists have identified it with the ruins of Tell-el-judeideh, near Gath, which was on the Philistine border. “...Samaria and Jerusalem”: Micah prophesied from the Southern Kingdom of Judah, but his prophecy also concerns the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the time that it was under attack by Assyria. It would ultimately be carried away by the Assyrians.

Micah 1:2 The court is convened
The image in verses 2–5 is that of a court of law, with God as the Judge and Judah and Samaria as the defendants. Micah addresses all the people of the earth God is the Lord of the whole earth (4:2–3) All the nations are accountable to Him. God is both Judge and Witness from His holy temple, where His law was kept in the ark of the covenant. A holy God must act in righteousness and judge sin.

Micah 1:2 The court is convened
2] Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. “Hear”: three prophetic strains (Micah 1:2; 3:1-5; 6:1-7:20) “...O earth, and all that therein is”: We had better pay close attention!

Micah 1:3 The Judge arrives
3] For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. The verb “to come forth” means “to come forth for battle.” “...high places”: Locations of idol worship (Cf. 2 Kgs 12:3; 14:4; Ezek 6:6). For other pictures of God coming like a warrior, see Exodus 15, Psalm 18:7-10, Isaiah 63, and Habakkuk 3. God, the judge, opens the court and declares war! When God comes to judge the nations, He has all the evidence necessary He doesn’t have to call any witnesses.

Micah 1:4 The Judge arrives
4] And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place. God is angry at His people because of their sins. His coming makes the earth split and the mountains melt so that the rock flows like melted wax or a waterfall. It is sobering to reflect on the fall of great cities of the past that were once the lifeblood of ancient empires are now lying in ruins...Ephesus, Pergamos, Rome… et al. What is in store for Washington DC?

Micah 1:5 The Judge names the defendants
5] For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem? Both Northern and Southern Kingdoms are in view here. Samaria and Jerusalem were the capitals of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. Both had become corrupt. Both had abandoned their 200 year heritage... Are there similar capitals today that have become corrupt? ...that have abandoned their heritage after two centuries? ...!]

5] For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem? “...high places”: Mountains and hills where pagan altars were erected (2 Kgs 12:3; 14:4; Ezek 6:6). The reformation of the godly king Hezekiah in the fifth year of his reign had not yet taken place. To God, the temple had become like one of the “high places” in the hills around Jerusalem, where the Jews secretly worshipped idols and offered their sacrifices.

5] For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem? God points an accusing finger at His own people — Israel and Judah — represented by their capital cities, Samaria and Jerusalem. After seeing what Assyria did to Israel in 722 BC, the leaders of Judah should have repented and turned to the Lord, but they didn’t. During the reign of Hezekiah, the Assyrians plundered Judah and would have taken Jerusalem had not the Lord miraculously intervened (Isa ).

5] For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem? Both Judah and Israel were guilty of idolatry, which is really rebellion against the Lord. How is idolatry like rebellion? Deut 5:7-10 ; Exod When the nation was divided after Solomon’s death, the northern kingdom established its own religious system in competition with the Mosaic worship in the temple at Jerusalem. The people of southern kingdom of Judah had secretly begun to worship the false gods of Canaan; Their hearts were not true to Jehovah even when they stood in the temple courts and offered their sacrifices (Isa 1)

Micah 1:6-9 (NASB) Mic 1:6 "Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the field, Places for planting a vineyard; I will pour down her stones into the valley, And I will uncover her foundations. Mic 1:7 All her carved images shall be beaten to pieces, And all her pay as a harlot shall be burned with the fire; All her idols I will lay desolate, For she gathered it from the pay of a harlot, And they shall return to the pay of a harlot." Mic 1:8 Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals And a mourning like the ostriches, Mic 1:9 For her wounds are incurable. For it has come to Judah; It has come to the gate of My people— To Jerusalem.

Lamentation: The Cities Shall Be Ruined (1:6–16)
The prophet responded to God’s message by acting like a grieving man at a funeral (v. 8; 2 Sam. 15:30). He was genuinely burdened because of what would happen to his people if they didn’t heed God’s Word and turn from their sin.

The ruin of Samaria (1:6–9).
The capital city of the northern kingdom, Samaria, was situated on a hill that overlooked a fertile valley. The prophet Isaiah called the city “the crown of pride” with “glorious beauty” (Isa. 28:1) and predicted that God’s judgment would destroy the city (Isa. 28:2–4). The Assyrians would turn the beautiful city into a heap of rubble, and her idols wouldn’t be able to protect the city from its enemies. God destroyed the city and nation of Samaria because the people rebelled against His Word, He destroyed the Samaritan temple because it housed a false religion that was nothing but religious prostitution. Throughout the Old Testament, idolatry is compared to prostitution.

God destroyed the temple in Jerusalem because the leaders had turned the true religion into a false worship of Jehovah and the gods of the nations. Jehovah is a jealous God who will not share worship or glory with another (Ex. 20:5; 34:14; Deut. 4:24; 5:9; 6:15). The covenant God made with His people at Sinai was like a marriage contract, and their breaking that covenant was like committing adultery or engaging in prostitution. The prophet Hosea used the image of adultery to describe the sin of the nation in worshipping idols. Hosea’s own wife was guilty of adultery and prostitution, and he had to buy her out of the slave market!

The destruction of the city of Samaria was begun in 722 BC under Sargon II, ruler of Assyria, He ordered many of the citizens to be taken captive or killed. Then he imported people into the land from various nations he had conquered; As Jews and Gentiles intermarried, the result was a mixed race that the Jews despised. In Jesus’ day, the Jews still had no dealings with the Samaritans (John 4:1–9).

Micah 1:6 The ruin of Samaria
6] Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof. Micah focuses on the Assyrian invasion (2 Kgs 17:1-18). Although Micah’s primary target will be his own Southern Kingdom, he first highlights the plight of the Northern Kingdom (vv.4-9). This was the same approach that Amos used: his opening chapters pronounced judgments on a number of nations: Syria (NE), Philistia (SW), Tyre (NW), Edom(SE), Ammon (E), Moab (E), and then Judah (S) and, finally, Israel. (The fall of the capital of the Northern Kingdom actually occurred in the memory of Micah’s listeners.) “...vineyard”: It probably was a vineyard originally (1 Kgs 16:24). Today it lies in ruins as Micah so aptly describes. What the Assyrians began was fulfilled by John Hyrcanus (Josephus, Antiquities, xii.28.1).

Prophecy Perspectives
This local disturbance (vv.6-16; cf. 2 Kgs 17:1-18) gives rise to the prophecy of the greater invasion in the last days (Micah 4:9-13), and of the Lord’s deliverance at Armageddon (Rev 16:14; 19:17). ANTITYPE Later Event TYPE Early Event TIME OT view Our view

Micah 1:7 The ruin of Samaria
7] And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot. Amos, too, had denounced the Northern Kingdom for their sexual immorality, cultic prostitution, etc. (Amo 2:7, 8; Deu 23:18; Hos 9:1; Isa 23:17; et al.). Our “new morality” is little more than a return to these pagan practices of antiquity. Thus: A Call for Repentance… For another example of what “religion” has done, examine India — impoverished and bound by the fetters of religion. Christianity is not a religion: it is a person (John 8:36).

Micah 1:8-9 The ruin of Samaria
8] Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls. Micah is not asking them to do anything he isn’t doing himself. “...stripped and naked”: (barefoot?) a sign of mourning (2Sam 15:30). “...wailing like the dragons”: Wailing like jackals and ostriches (cf. Job 30:29). 9] For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem. “...incurable”: ” ‘anash (cf. Jer 17:9).

Idolatry’s Early Origin
Enosh, Seth’s son, was the first to indulge in idolatry: Gen 4:26 is often mistranslated: • Targum of Onkelos: “...desisted from praying in the name”; • Targum of Jonathan: “surnamed their idols in the name...”; Kimchi, Rashi, and other ancient Jewish commentators agree. Jerome indicated that this was the opinion of many Jews of his day. Maimonides, Commentary on the Mishna (a constituent part of the Talmud), a.d. 1168, ascribes the origin of idolatry to the days of Enosh.

Idolatry’s Early Origin
The evils of the north have infected the South. The South had a entire century to learn from the judgment that fell on the North: 722 b.c b.c.; cf. Isa 10 & 36. The rest of the book will now focus on Judah and Jerusalem. We, too, need to realize that the Bible is not always talking about “other people.” The most important target is always ourselves. We, too, should regard the judgments of the past...

Micah’s Impact One of the reasons that Micah’s ministry reaped results was his specificity: Micah applies 6 (of the 16) verses of Chapter 1 to list the very cities that will participate in the coming disaster (including his own home town; v.14). The cities listed in vv were in west Judah, Micah’s home territory, and were devastated by the Assyrians, along with the overthrow of the Northern Kingdom. Micah’s flow was from Samaria to Jerusalem. Ezekiel 38 & 39 will have this role for the current nation of Israel. We need to keep an eye on Isaiah 17:1 ! Cf. Ps 83

Micah 1: (NASB) Mic 1:10 Tell it not in Gath, Weep not at all; In Beth Aphrah Roll yourself in the dust. Mic 1:11 Pass by in naked shame, you inhabitant of Shaphir; The inhabitant of Zaanan does not go out. Beth Ezel mourns; Its place to stand is taken away from you. Mic 1:12 For the inhabitant of Maroth pined for good, But disaster came down from the LORD To the gate of Jerusalem. Mic 1:13 O inhabitant of Lachish, Harness the chariot to the swift steeds (She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion), For the transgressions of Israel were found in you. Mic 1:14 Therefore you shall give presents to Moresheth Gath; The houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel. Mic 1:15 I will yet bring an heir to you, O inhabitant of Mareshah; The glory of Israel shall come to Adullam. Mic 1:16 Make yourself bald and cut off your hair, Because of your precious children; Enlarge your baldness like an eagle, For they shall go from you into captivity.

The ruin of Judah (1:10–16). The problem with Samaria was that her infection had spread to Judah. The prophet wept over his land the way you would weep over an incurable patient in the hospital (v. 9). Isaiah used a similar image to describe the plight of Judah (Isa. 1:5–6), Jeremiah wept because the spiritual leaders in his day didn’t deal drastically with the sin sickness of the people (Jer. 6:14; 7:8; 8:11).

The ruin of Judah (1:10–16). Micah describes the ruin of the southern part of Judah (the Shephelah) by the invading Assyrians in 701 BC (Mic 1:10-16; 2 Kings 18:7 ff.). Several of these towns were located within a 9 mile radius of Micah’s hometown, Moresheth Gath, and could easily be seen from there on a clear day. These were Micah’s neighbors, and he had to tell them they were doomed to destruction! They swept through the land and took 46 cities, but they could not take Jerusalem because God protected it.

The ruin of Judah (1:10–16). Micah used a series of puns based on the names of the cities similar in sound to familiar Hebrew words. Micah’s intense dismay, and the sinister destinies of these cities, is reflected in their names: these puns were viewed as omens. Names are treated as omens which once pronounced, haunt the locations until they are fulfilled. They are clues to the curse that is to come upon the country.

Micah 1:10 The Ruin of Gath 10] Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust. “Gath” is similar to the Hebrew word for “tell.” Micah wrote, “Tell it not in Gath.” “...Gath”: Wine press; “weep-town.” Weep not at weep-town... Micah sets the tone for this section by an introductory quotation from David’s elegy over Saul and Jonathan after the Israelite defeat on Mount Gilboa: The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: How are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. 2Sa 1:19,20

Micah 1:10 The Ruin of Aphrah
10] Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust. Beth Ophrah means “house of dust.” Micah wrote, “Roll in the dust.” “...house of Aphrah”: Beth le-`Aphrah “house belonging to Aphrah” or “house to (i.e. of) dust.” The citizens will cover themselves with dust as a traditional rite of mourning.

Micah 1:11 The Ruin of Saphir
11] Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you his standing. Saphir: Sounds like the word for “beautiful,” yet not for long: Their citizens will be marched away naked and in shame The people of Shaphir (“pleasant, beautiful”) would look neither beautiful nor pleasant as they were herded off as naked prisoners of war.

Micah 1:11 The Ruin of Zaanan
11] Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you his standing. Zaanan: Sounds like the Hebrew word for “exit,” “march,” or “go out.” Again, in contrast, they will be shut up inside their city like animals until it falls. The citizens of Zaanan (“come out”) would not be able to come out because of the danger.

Micah 1:11 The Ruin of Beth Ezel
11] Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you his standing. Beth Ezel: Means “the nearby city.” But it will not be near in that day: it will be taken up with its own mourning that it will be of no help to the others. Beth Ezel means “house of taking away,” and the city would be taken away.

Micah 1:12 The Ruin of Maroth
12] For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem. Maroth (“bitterness”) will writhe in bitterness. Maroth is related to “mara/myrrh” and means “bitterness,” The city would experience bitter calamity (“writhe in pain” niv).

Micah 1:13 The Ruin of Lachish
13] O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee. Lachish was a well-known military city about 30 miles SW of Jerusalem, famous for chariot horses. They are being harnessed up to flee, not to fight. Since Lachish sounds like the Hebrew word for “team of swift horses,” Micah warned them to harness their horses to the chariots and try to escape. This town first introduced idolatry in Judah as Jeroboam the son of Nebat had in Israel; It was the link of idolatry between Israel and Judah.

Micah 1:13 The Ruin of Lachish
Lachish was the most important and most powerful city-state in the Shephelah, and the Assyrians under Sennacherib were very proud that they had conquered it. It was a highly fortified city, and the confidence of the people of Lachish and of Judah was in their military might, not in the Lord. Sennacherib considered its conquest significant enough to have scenes of its encirclement and fall decorate his great palace at Nineveh. These reliefs are now in the British Museum. This pride and self-assurance was the beginning of the nation’s sin. The leaders depended on the outlying fortress cities to keep the enemy from invading, but these cities fell to the enemy.

Micah 1:14 The Ruin of Moresheth-Gath
14] Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-Gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel. Moresheth-Gath, Micah’s home town, sounds like me’oreshet, “bethrothed”; Micah came to his own city, Moresheth, which sounds like a Hebrew word meaning “betrothed”; and brides were given farewell gifts. In other words, the town would no longer belong to Judah but would “leave home” and belong to the invaders. Micah speaks of giving the city wedding gifts as she passes from the rule of her own family to the authority of her cruel new husband, the invader.

Micah 1:14 The Ruin of Achzib
14] Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-Gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel. Achzib, sounds like ‘aksab, “deceitful, disappointing.” Micah says she will prove deceptive to the kings of Israel. Achzabim are brooks that are dry in the summer, deceiving the thirsty traveler (cf. Jer 15:18). Aczib means “deception,” the connection is obvious;

Micah 1:15 The Ruin of Mareshah
15] Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel. Mareshah, is related to the word yoresh, “possessor, heir” and she will be possessed by someone else. Mareshah sounds like the word for “conqueror,” and the town would be conquered by the enemy.

Micah 1:15 The Ruin of Adullam
15] Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel. Adullam was the place of refuge to which David had gone during the dismal days when he was in flight from King Saul (cf. Josh 15:35; 1 Sam 22:1). It will happen again, says Micah, for the aristocracy of Israel will be forced to take refuge in this area.

Micah 1:16 The Ruin of Judah
16] Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee. “...children”: The chapter closes with an appeal to Jerusalem as the parent of her children: the outlying villages. They were instructed under Mosaic law to not trim their beards (Deut 14:1); This was an ultimate form of shame, grief, and remorse (cf. Isa 15:2; Jer 16:6). “...baldness as the eagle”: They are to shave their heads in mourning for they are to be taken away into captivity: Exile!

16] Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee. “...captivity”: This is the climactic word that all has been leading up to: Exile. Slavery. Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD. Obadiah 1:4 Edom was a small nation, but she boasted of her achievements. The eagle has been the traditional insignia of Israel’s enemies: Herod, Rome, Nazi Germany, British, Russia (…and now, America?)

Micah’s rhetorical tour de force is intended to dispel their complacency and arouse in them a sense of their own sin and their liability to punishment. The Northern Kingdom was taken into captivity by the Assyrians and deported. The Southern Kingdom, a century after Micah’s ministry, did ultimately also go into exile for a definitive period of time: 70 years (to the day!); cf. 2 Chr 36:21. They were regathered in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. Then they were dispersed throughout the world as a result of their rejection of their Messiah; the “Diaspora” from 70 a.d., et al. They are regathered “the second time,” (Isa 11:11) it begins the final consummation.

The ruin of Judah (1:10–16). The tragedy of this invasion is that it need not have happened. Had the people of Israel and Judah turned to the Lord in repentance and faith, He would have given them victory. Instead, they believed the false prophets, held fast to their idols, and sinned their way right into defeat. The little children even suffered and went into exile (1:16), all because of the sins of the parents.

Micah 1: Analysis Why was Micah’s ministry successful?
1) He identified himself personally with his people. He didn’t ask them to do something that he refused to do himself (cf. v.8 with v.16). 2) He was specific. Town by town… 3) He was persistent. He didn’t give up. He preached through three succeeding reigns: Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. The first two each reigned 16 years each; it appears that he may have preached for 20 years without any apparent signs of success. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9 Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never, never give up. — Winston Churchill

• Chapter 2: Sins against each other.
Micah 2 • Chapter 1: Sins against God. • Chapter 2: Sins against each other. • Chapter 3: Sins by their leaders.

Micah 2:1-5 (NASB) Mic 2:1 Woe to those who devise iniquity, And work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it, Because it is in the power of their hand. Mic 2:2 They covet fields and take them by violence, Also houses, and seize them. So they oppress a man and his house, A man and his inheritance. Mic 2:3 Therefore thus says the LORD: "Behold, against this family I am devising disaster, From which you cannot remove your necks; Nor shall you walk haughtily, For this is an evil time. Mic 2:4 In that day one shall take up a proverb against you, And lament with a bitter lamentation, saying: 'We are utterly destroyed! He has changed the heritage of my people; How He has removed it from me! To a turncoat He has divided our fields.‘ “ Mic 2:5 Therefore you will have no one to determine boundaries by lot In the assembly of the LORD.

Micah 2 Sins against each other
Micah was sent to them because their “State of Soul” was in desperate need of repair. God would deal with them the way they had been dealing with their fellowman... Whenever the rights of God are lightly treated, the rights of man can fare no better. God’s intention is that those whom He has taken into a covenant relationship with Himself should be overcomers. If they are not, the fault is in them—not with Him. But where unbelief and disobedience hold sway, spiritual paralysis must necessarily ensue.

Micah 2 Sins against each other
The prophet’s alludes to many other portions of Scripture: In addition to the Torah, he refers to: • Joshua’s divisions of the promised land Micah 2:4; 6:5 • David’s lament over Saul and Jonathan Micah 1:10 • His predecessor’s challenge Mic 1:2; 1Kgs 22:28 • With references to – Psalms Micah 2:1; 3:2; et al. – Proverbs Micah 4:9, 11 – and Amos Micah 2:3, 6, 11; 3:6

Six Woes of Isaiah 5 8] Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! 9] In mine ears said the LORD of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. 10] Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah. 11] Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! 12] And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands. 13] Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. 14] Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. 15] And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: 16] But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness. 17] Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.).

Review also the Land Covenant: conditions of obedience (Deut 28-30).
Six Woes of Isaiah 5 18] Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: 19] That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it! 20] Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21] Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! 22] Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: 23] Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Review also the Land Covenant: conditions of obedience (Deut 28-30).

Micah 2 The Law of Love The key decision:
to love God so wholeheartedly that they will live in accordance with God’s revealed will as outlined in His written revelation. • Moses: Deuteronomy 28-30 • Paul: Romans 10 • Jesus: John 3 Mat_22:37 And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' Mar_12:30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' Luk_10:27 And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 1Co_16:22 If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha.

Micah 2 The Law of Love Deu_6:5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deu_11:1 "You shall therefore love the LORD your God, and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments. Deu_11:13 "It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, Deu_11:22 "For if you are careful to keep all this commandment which I am commanding you to do, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him, Deu_13:3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Deu_19:9 if you carefully observe all this commandment which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in His ways always-- then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three.

Micah 2 The Law of Love Deu_30:6 "Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. Deu_30:16 in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. Jos_22:5 "Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul." Jos_23:11 "So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the LORD your God. Psa_31:23 O love the LORD, all you His godly ones! The LORD preserves the faithful And fully recompenses the proud doer. Psa_97:10 Hate evil, you who love the LORD, Who preserves the souls of His godly ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Psa_116:1 I love the LORD, because He hears My voice and my supplications.

Micah 2 The Law of Love Joh_8:42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. Joh_14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him." Joh_14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. Joh_14:31 but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here. Joh_15:9 "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

Accusation: The Sins of the People (2:1–11)
How could the Lord Jehovah permit such suffering and shame to come to His covenant people? Were they not His special heritage? Was not the land His love gift to them? That was why He was punishing them! “You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins” (Amos 3:2 niv). Privilege brings responsibility, and responsibility brings accountability. The prophet held them accountable for two particular sins: covetousness (Mic. 2:1–5) and listening to false prophets (Mic. 2:6–11).

Covetousness (2:1–5). The Mosaic law required that the land remain with the families and within the tribes. The land actually belonged to the Lord (Lev. 25:2, 23, 38), He “leased” it to the people in return for their obedience to His law. If they disobeyed Him, they defiled the land and invited His judgment (Lev 18:24–30; Num. 35:33–34). If anybody sold family property, it was only until the next Year of Jubilee, at which time all land reverted to the original owners (Lev. 25:13–17). This arrangement kept the rich from oppressing the poor and helped to stabilize the economy.

Thus they got what they wanted.
Covetousness (2:1–5). The wealthy “robber barons” in Micah’s day were bent on acquiring large estates on which they could enslave the poor and thus make huge profits with little investment. So intent were they on their pursuit of wealth that they made their ruthless plans in bed at night and then got up early the next morning to carry them out. Because of their wealth and their authority in the land, these men controlled the courts and the councils at the city gates. Thus they got what they wanted.

Covetousness (vv. 1–5). They forgot that the Lord owned the land, the Lord made the laws, and the Lord has compassion on the poor and oppressed (Ex 23:11; Lev 25:25; Ps 82:3; Prov 21:13; Jer 22:16). These proud men practiced the world’s version of the Golden Rule: “Whoever has the gold makes the rules.” Even if these thieves had no fear of God, they should have had concern for their fellow human beings and treated them like people made in the image of God.

Covetousness (2:1–5). The name for this sin is “materialism,”
It’s committed by people who are covetous and obsessed with acquiring more and more wealth and “things.” “Robber barons” aren’t the only people who commit these sins. Parents rob their children of time and companionship by working at several jobs so they can make more money to buy more “fun.” People rob God of tithes and offerings that are rightfully His just so they can enjoy “the good life” (Mal. 3:7–12). People forget Matthew 6:33 and put everything else ahead of the kingdom of God.

Covetousness (2:1–5). Ultimately the covetous sinners Micah addressed would reap what they sowed; and the dreadful harvest of their sins would one day appear (Mic. 2:3–5). Their proud self–confidence would be taken from them, Their authority would be gone, Their crooked accomplices would turn against them and laugh at them, and Their vast holdings would be snatched from their hands. They would see everything they lived for and sinned to acquire be taken over by the enemy and wasted. Many of them would go into exile and die away from the land they had coveted and stolen from innocent people.

Micah 2:1 Sins against each other
1] Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand. There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. Proverbs 19:21 They are not led into these sins by others: They themselves conceive their evil purposes. For them, might is right. There is nothing wrong with prosperity, but these people were increasing their wealth through force and fraud.

1] Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand. The root of the problem is that power is in the hands of the ungodly. There is no greater tragedy for the future of our republic than for it to have fallen into the hands of the godless rich… It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness. Proverbs 16:12 The abandonment of righteousness weakens the seat of any government and the stability and security of the nation.

1] Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand. The Torah forbade the alienation of landed property and the transfer of estates from tribe to tribe (Lev 25:23-28; Num 36:7). There is a theological reason for prohibiting land grabbing: not only was it a sin of coveting, but the land was considered one of God’s gifts to His people (Gen 12:7).

1] Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand. The abandonment of truth and loyalty to covenants undermines the leadership of a ruler: Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy. Proverbs 20:28 The issue of bribery is at root the issue of private truthfulness and acting on principle as opposed to being driven by expediency.

1] Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand. When integrity is forsaken, justice is overthrown. The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it. Proverbs 29:4 The minimizing of truthfulness corrupts others so that the entire government becomes corrupt. If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked. Pr 29:12 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Gal 5:9; 1Co 5:6

2] And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage. “...cover”: A key word—covet. The last of the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:17). To be dissatisfied; materialistic; greedy. A sin of the heart. A form of idolatry. Dominant today. “...oppress”: ashaq: the Hebrew word involves the use of violence.

2] And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage. This is similar to the situation that Amos confronted in Samaria: They had built winter and summer houses (Amos 3:15); Their furniture was the finest quality (Amos 6:4); They had lush vineyards (Amos 5:11); They ate the best food and wine (Amos 6:4-6) ...but all was acquired by fraud, oppression, and corruption (cf. Amos 2:6, 7; 5:7, 10, 12; 8:4-6). Another telling example is Ahab and Jezebel with respect the Naboth’s vineyard (cf. 1 Kgs 21; Rev 2:20).

2] And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage. All fraudulent methods — extortion, naked force, manipulation of the legal system, or other forms of dishonesty are condemned Isa 52:4; Jer 50:33; Lev 6:2, 4; 19:13; Deut 1:17; 17:8-13 Jesus told the parable about the self-indulgent fool Lk 12:16-21

3] Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil. The punishments will fit the crimes. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap Galatians 6:7

4] In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields. “...lament with a doleful lamentation”: The three Hebrew words nahah, nehi, niheyah are an emphatic expressive play on words — a monotonous wail: “lament with a lament of lamentation.” They had taken the fields and possessions of the poor; now they would suffer the same fate. In seizing the portion of others, they would lose their own. God will impose a yoke in the form of an enemy invasion and the exile of the people into captivity.

5] Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD. “...cord”: Their ruin would be so complete that when the time came for the land to be redistributed, there would be no one to represent them and their place in the nation would be lost forever. Chebel 1) a cord, rope, territory, band, company; also 2) pain, sorrow, travail, pang.

The Gospel cord… For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 Where (in the Old Testament) does it indicate that “he (would) rise again the third day according to the Scriptures”? Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way. Joshua 2:15,16

“ cord” chebel  3 days  “line” tiqvah.
Hidden Word Play? “...cord” = chebel: 1) a cord, rope, territory, band, company; 2) pain, sorrow, travail, pang. Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee. Joshua 2:18 “line” = tiqvah: 1) cord; 2) hope, expectation; things hoped for, outcome. “ cord” chebel  3 days  “line” tiqvah. Three days between the pain, sorrow, travail and hope, expectation, things hoped for…! Why did Rahab instructs them to hide for “three days”? A “coincidence”? Or intentional word play by the Holy Spirit?

Micah 2:6-11 (NASB) Mic 2:6 "Do not prattle," you say to those who prophesy. So they shall not prophesy to you; They shall not return insult for insult. Mic 2:7 You who are named the house of Jacob: "Is the Spirit of the LORD restricted? Are these His doings? Do not My words do good To him who walks uprightly? Mic 2:8 "Lately My people have risen up as an enemy— You pull off the robe with the garment From those who trust you, as they pass by, Like men returned from war. Mic 2:9 The women of My people you cast out From their pleasant houses; From their children You have taken away My glory forever. Mic 2:10 "Arise and depart, For this is not your rest; Because it is defiled, it shall destroy, Yes, with utter destruction. Mic 2:11 If a man should walk in a false spirit And speak a lie, saying, 'I will prophesy to you of wine and drink,' Even he would be the prattler of this people.

False prophets (2:6–11). Just as the false prophets attacked Jeremiah (5:31) and Amos (7:10–17) for preaching God’s truth, so the false prophets attacked Micah for faithfully declaring the message of God. These men espoused a shallow theology that had no place for either sin or repentance. “We are God’s special people,” they argued, “and He would never permit these judgments to happen in the land.” As long as the people participated in religious services, they would not incur the wrath of God, even if their hearts were not in their worship. The Jews were Abraham’s children, and God would never break the promises He made to Abraham. Such were their false premises.

False prophets (2:6–11). These counterfeit religious leaders forgot that God’s covenants involve: precepts as well as promises, obligations as well as blessings, responsibilities as well as rewards.

False prophets (2:6–11). Going through the motions of religion isn’t the same as worshipping God “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). Anybody can join the crowd and be a part of some popular religious movement; It takes devotion, prayer, obedience, and submission to worship God “with reverence and godly fear” (Heb 12:28 nkjv). “Popular religion” is usually false religion, the road to life is narrow and lonely (Matt. 7:13–20) and those who walk it are invariably persecuted (2 Tim. 3:12).

False prophets (2:6–11). It is God who speaks in Micah 2:7b–13 as He defends His faithful servant. The fact that these religious leaders rejected Micah’s message didn’t mean that the message was wrong; it meant that the hearers were wrong. The way we respond to God’s Word indicates our relationship to the Lord. “He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God” (John 8:47 nkjv).

False prophets (2:6–11). These false prophets were deceiving and robbing the people by giving them false assurance that everything was well in the land. God pictured their sinful deeds by describing two carefree men — a rich man walking confidently down the street and — a victorious soldier returning home with the spoils of war Both of them are robbed! Because of the evil rich leader, the confident mother and her family find themselves thrust from their homes and robbed of their land.

False prophets (2:6–11). God originally gave the Jewish people the land of Canaan to be their “rest” from the trials of the wilderness wanderings (Deut. 12:9–10; Josh. 22:4; 23:1). After they had conquered the land and claimed their tribal inheritance, they should have enjoyed rest and blessing in the land instead they turned to the idols of the surrounding nations and rebelled against God. God punished them in their land by bringing in different nations that robbed and enslaved them (see the book of Judges). But the nation didn’t learn from its history; the people repeated the same sins as their ancestors but thought they would avoid the same consequences.

False prophets (2:6–11). Since they had defiled the land, God removed them from it. Micah urged the people to get out of the land because no rest would be found there, in spite of what the false prophets promised. These men would preach any message the people wanted to hear, just so long as they were provided with their strong drink! The false prophets were using religion to make money and enjoy pleasure, and they had no concern for the future of the nation.

Micah 2:6 False Prophets 6] Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame. Better translation: “Prophesy not! [say they; but] they shall prophesy: they shall not prophesy [indeed] to them, that reproach may not overtake them.” Silence the messenger and forget the message (cf. Isaiah 30:10; Amos 2:12; 7:16). As might be expected, Micah’s preaching aroused opposition. Religious leaders spoke up to defend their rulers and rich influentials, and denounced God’s spokesmen.

Micah 2:6 False Prophets 6] Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame. Amos was also oppressed by Amaziah, the priest in the cult city of Bethel, who attempted to accuse him of treason and conspiracy against King Jeroboam. Amos pronounced a terrible judgment against Amaziah: his sons and daughters would be killed in the invasion; his wife would become a prostitute in the city; and, he would die an exile in a foreign land (Amos 7:10-17). Amaziah had told Amos, “Do not prophesy against Israel, and stop preaching against the house of Isaac” (Amos 7:16). The prophets of Judah were telling Micah the same thing. The responsibility for the Holocaust can be laid at the silent pulpits in Germany…America’s fate may also lay forfeit because of its own silent (or ineffectual) pulpits...

Micah 2:7 God’s no your problem!
7] O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? This was not due to any lack on the part of the Sprit of the Lord! Has His compassion been any less than it has been in the past? Surely He would recognize any repentance (if manifested) and would show Himself strong on their behalf. Unless the Laodicean church wakes up and repents, the soon- coming doom of haughty Christendom will fare no better…

Micah 2:7 God’s not your problem!
7] O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? The Lord will always “do good to him that walketh uprightly.” There is always a way to escape to those who seek it: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1Co 10:13 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philip 4:6, 7

Micah 2:8 Your own actions are your problem…
8] Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war. “...robe”: ‘eder, was a wide cloak, a mantle sufficient to wrap the whole person and which was often of very costly material. “...garment”: salmah, was the principal inner garment or tunic. This may be an allusion to the prohibiting of a creditor retaining the pledged garment during the night (Ex 22:26, etc.). God’s people were so grossly disobedient it was as if they had “risen up as an enemy” against Him! They would rob those who were peaceably disposed as they pass quietly along the road, as if they were prisoners of war...

Micah 2:9 9] The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever. They had robbed men of their clothes, women of their homes, and children of their inheritance. “...forever”: No contrition apparent. Widows and orphans are special charges of the Lord (Ps 68:5; Isa 10:2; Jer 49:11; Jas 1:27; et al.). We often make the mistake that we can have one relationship with God and a totally different relationship with other people. God declares that this is impossible. Jesus refuted this in His sermon on the Mount of Olives (Mt 25:31-46) Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Mat 25:40

Micah 2:10 10] Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction. Canaan was meant to be a resting place for God’s people (Deut 12:9, 10; Josh 1:13; Ps 95:11). In times of obedience and blessing it was (cf. the Palestinian Covenant: Deut 28-30), but now because of the pollution of the land by their evil deeds, the land was to cast out its inhabitants (cf. Lev 18:25, 28; Num 35:33; Jer 2:7). Those who have ruined it did so by taking away the rest others should have enjoyed. They are now to suffer that restlessness themselves. They are to be driven out of Judah to become exiles in a foreign land. Cf. Our spiritual rest (Heb 3:11 - 4:11).

Micah 2:11 11] If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people. When men turn a deaf ear to the Word and revelation of God, they turn to fables (cf. Jer 5:31; Ezek 13:3; Hos 9:7). Micah makes a final point — a throwback to the false prophets. The people of Judah would not listen to the true prophets; the only one fit for them is one who foretells an abundance of alcohol: oblivion until disaster comes.

Micah 2: (NASB) Mic 2:12 "I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together like sheep of the fold, Like a flock in the midst of their pasture; They shall make a loud noise because of so many people. Mic 2:13 The one who breaks open will come up before them; They will break out, Pass through the gate, And go out by it; Their king will pass before them, With the LORD at their head.“ Hope for the Hopeless No matter how absolute the message of judgment, the prophets usually conclude with a balancing note of promise of restoration Hosea, Joel, Amos, and Obadiah also all end this way.

Consolation: Hope for the Future (2:12–13)
The faithful prophet must expose sin and announce judgment, but he must also provide consolation and hope for those who receive his message and turn to God. Consolation without true repentance is only giving false hope; it’s saying “Peace, peace!” when there is no peace. Conviction without hope creates only hopelessness, like performing surgery without providing healing. The Lord seems to be speaking here to the entire nation (“all of you, O Jacob … Israel” niv), His promise seems to reach ahead to the end times when Israel and Judah will be united and their King Messiah will reign over them.

Micah describes a triumphant procession into the land, with King Messiah at the head and the Lord leading the people, just as He had led them out of Egypt (v. 13). Until that glorious day, God will deal with the “remnant” of His people. There are many references to the “remnant” in prophetic books: Isaiah 1:9; 7:3; 10:20–22; 11:11, 16; Jeremiah 6:9; 23:3; 31:7; 40:11; Ezekial 11:13; 14:22; Zephaniah 2:4–9; Haggai 1:12, 14; and Zechariah 8:1–8. Micah writes of the remnant in 2:12; 4:7;5:3, 7–8; and 7:18. Paul uses the doctrine of the remnant to prove that God has not forsaken the Jewish people in the present age (Ro 9; 11:1–6).

Though the nation of Israel might rebel against God, there would always be a faithful remnant that would trust Him and seek to do His will, and God would work because of the faith of this remnant. This is also true of the professing church. The fate of any nation lies with the faithfulness of its remnant.

A remnant returned to Judah after the Babylonian captivity, but it never became the great nation that the prophets promised. That will happen when the Lord returns, claims His chosen and purged nation, and establishes His kingdom. The Messiah is described in verse 13 as “One who breaks open the way” (niv), The one who opens the doors that confine the Jews in the various nations so that He might bring them to their land. God certainly did this when the exiles left Babylon, but the promise here is for the last days when the Messiah shall come to overcome His enemies and redeem His chosen people.

Micah’s first message aroused the opposition of the false prophets, but it didn’t change the hearts of the people. Thus he gave a second message, announcing that “the Deliverer is coming.” We today need to deal with our sins of covetousness, selfishness, and willingness to believe “religious lies.” We must abandon “soft religion” that pampers our pride and makes it easy for us to sin. Remember: “our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29), and “The Lord shall judge His people” (Heb 10:30). …judgment begins in the house of the Lord (1 Peter 4:17).

Micah 2:12 12] I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men. “...all of thee”: This presupposes the dispersion among the heathen. With emphatic language, Micah predicts the restoration of Israel after her dispersion (“all” => all 12 tribes). Notice that when God speaks of them in the flesh, it is “Jacob.” Here it is an indication that He is going to show mercy to them, not because of their worthiness or because of their merit, but entirely of His grace (cf. Ezek 36:19-24).

Bozrah Bozrah in Hebrew; Petra in Greek:
“Sheepfold.” A protected enclosure, with a narrow entrance. Additional key passages: The country where all nations will be smitten is identified as the land of Edom, in the city of Bozrah (Southern Jordan); cf. Isaiah 34:1-7. The ancient city of Bozrah is located in the region of Mount Seir (“hairy mountains”), in the wilderness section on the western side of ancient Edom, extending southeast from the Dead Sea down to the city of Akaba.Petra is located in a basin within Mount Seir and is totally surrounded by mountains and cliffs.

Bozrah in Hebrew; Petra in Greek:
The only way in and out of the city is through a narrow passageway (the “Ciq”) that extends for about a mile and can only be negotiated by foot or horseback. Its surrounding high cliffs make it easy to defend (Isa 33:16) Isaiah 63:1-6: Only one man has the power that is “mighty to save”: Jesus, the Messiah. “Day of Vengeance” (Isa 61:1,2 vs. Lk 4:19-21!; cf. Ps 2). Teman and Mount Paran are in the vicinity of Bozrah, located in the same mountain range of Mount Seir (Habakkuk 3:3).

Bozrah I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly. Hosea 5:15 “...return to my place” indicates He had left it! Their “offence”: singular and specific: their rejection. The purpose of the “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” (Jer 30:7) is their repentance. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. Rev 14:20

Bozrah Jordan appears to escape the reign of the Antichrist and thus makes this refuge possible. He [the Antichrist] shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. [Modern Jordan today] Daniel 11:41 These passages are also linked with the second coming in Micah 2:12-13. “For wheresoever the body is, there will the vultures be gathered together.” (Matthew 24:22). The “body” here may refer to the remnant of Israel; The “vultures” may be the Gentile nations coming against them.

Micah 2:13 13] The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them. This passage is clearly Messianic. 3X: The Lord will go “before” them (cf. Ex 13:21; Deut 1:30, 33; Isa 52:12). Under a siege by the forces of the Antichrist, the siege is broken by The Breaker, the King, and YHWH. He will, once again, “go before” them. The main target of the Armageddon campaign is the annihilation of the Jews, and the defeat of Jesus the Christ, so the armies of the world move southward from Jerusalem toward Bozrah (Jer 49:13-14).

• Chapter 3: Sins by their leaders.
Micah 3 • Chapter 1: Sins against God; • Chapter 2: Sins against each other; • Chapter 3: Sins by their leaders.

Micah 3-5 A RULER IS COMING!
Micah’s second message is at the heart of the book and focuses on Israel’s future. Micah rebuked the leaders of the nation for their sinful conduct, which God would judge (3:1–12), and Then he outlined the events that would usher in the promised kingdom (4:1 — 5:15). Knowing that God has such a glorious future planned for their nation should have motivated the leaders to turn from their sins and obey the Lord. “Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:3 niv). They didn’t even pay attention to the sermon!

Micah 3 “Justice”? JUSTICE: Everyone gets what they deserve;
Injustice is a major theme in literature: Count of Monte Cristo, Alexander Dumas; Ben Hur, (Governor) Lew Wallace are examples. What do we really mean by “justice for all”? How do you define “justice”? Protect the innocent; punish the guilty? Injustice is when the guilty go free and the innocent are found guilty. JUSTICE: Everyone gets what they deserve; What they should be getting…

“Justice”? The Trial of Alfred Dreyfus
In 1894, Dreyfus was accused of selling secrets to the German military attache; He was convicted and sent to Devil’s Island. The press, La Libre Parole, used Dreyfus to symbolize the supposed disloyalty of the French Jews. Lt. Col George Picquart found evidence that Maj C.F. Esterhazy was the real guilty party and had incriminated Dreyfus. Major Hubert Joseph Henry was discoverer of the letter attributed to Dreyfus, and a conspirator in subsequent falsification of evidence.

“Justice”? The Trial of Alfred Dreyfus
On Jan 13, 1898, 3-4 years later, the novelist Emile Zola wrote a open letter published on the front page of Aurore, “J’Accuse.” Over 200,000 copies were distributed. Zola was put on trial and found guilty of libel. Major Henry committed suicide, leaving a confession. Esterhazy fled the country. A new minister took office and resolved to clear up the entire matter: Dreyfus was brought back from Devil’s Island, cleared, and reinstated in 1904 and given the Legion of Honor.

“Justice”? Theodr Hertzl
One of the observers of the Dreyfus debacle was a man named Theodr Hertzl, Hertzl became convinced that a Jew will never get justice without a country of his own. He published a landmark treatise, Der Judenstadt (The Jewish State). He organized the First Zionist Congress in 1897. He became regarded as the “Father of Zionism.”

“Justice”? Crisis creators…
Why do governments always seem to tend toward corruption? They never miss an opportunity to exploit a crisis. If one doesn’t occur naturally, they create one… Crises provide the rationale for increasing budgets, growing bureaucracies, and subjugating the population. Most new dictators create external crises to consolidate their internal powers. Social crises serve them as well as military ones. Immorality results in social crises. Governments have an compelling incentive to promote immorality?! The only potential offset — in a representative republic — is an electorate that shares a God-fearing worldview as a restraining influence…

Micah 3 “Justice”? Micah was shocked by the conditions in Jerusalem. The corruption of their leadership... the evil among all the ruling classes: the courts; the palaces; and the Temple and how they all worked hand-in-hand among themselves ! There are 3 steps (re: Judges; Isaiah) to the downfall of a nation: 1) Spiritual apostasy; 2) Immorality; 3) Political anarchy. The primary problem wasn’t political anarchy…even immorality was only a symptom: It all begins with spiritual apostasy: a turning away from the true and living God.

“Decay !!” • Social Decay – Crisis of Lawlessness
– Loss of Economic Discipline – Rising Bureaucracy • Cultural Decay – Decline of Education – Weakening of Cultural Foundations – Loss of Respect for Traditional Values • Moral Decay – Rise of Immorality – Decay of Religious Belief – Devaluing of Human Life

The Cycle of Nations — Alexander Tyler, 1750
from bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependency; from dependence back again into bondage.” Complacency Apathy Dependency Bondage Spiritual Faith Courage Liberty Abundance

Micah 3 Lifecycle of Democracies
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both? Pro 24:21-22 A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse...from the public treasury... The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years. — Alexander Tyler, 1750 In a democracy, the fault lies with the electorate… The Separation / The Balance of Powers Our legislative, executive and judiciary branches were inspired by Isaiah 33:22: • “The Lord is our judge,” establishing our judiciary; • “The Lord is our lawgiver,” establishing the legislative; • “The Lord is our King,” establishing the executive.

Rebuke: The Sins of the Leaders (3:1–12)
Corrupt leadership: with emphasis on these three: Isa 5:8-23 1) Judges and the corruption of the courts; Micah 3:1-4 2) Prophets market-driven; Micah 3:5-8 3) Politicians for hire. Micah 3:9-12 As with Micah’s other two messages, this second message opens with a call for the people to “hear” what the Lord would say through His servant (1:2; 6:1). “Listen! God is speaking!

“Who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Eze 3:27; Mat 11:15; Mat 13:9; Mat 13:43; Mar 4:9; Mar 4:23; Mar 7:16; Luk 8:8; Luk 14:35; Rev 2:7; Rev 2:11; Rev 2:17; Rev 2:29; Rev 3:6; Rev 3:13; Rev 3:22; Rev 13:9; Heb 12:25 “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks” (nkjv) It’s a dangerous thing to turn a deaf ear to the voice of God when He speaks through His Word. “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb 3:7–8; Ps 95:7-8) “Now therefore, listen to Me, My children; pay attention to the words of My mouth” (Prov. 7:24 nkjv). All creation responds to the voice of God and gladly obeys His will except man made in God’s image!

Micah opened his message by rebuking the civil authorities These men who were not only permitting the wealthy to exploit the poor but were also doing it themselves! Leaders are supposed to love the good and hate the evil These men were just the opposite: they “hate the good, and love the evil” (v. 2). Ideal leaders are: “able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness” (Ex. 18:21 nkjv). Micah’s contemporary Amos wrote: “Seek good and not evil, that you may live. … Hate evil, love good; establish justice in the gate” (Amo 5:14–15; Prv. 8:13). The city gate was the place where the elders met to settle disputes and make official decisions (Ruth 4:1). If there was no justice in the cities, there could be no justice in the land.

The description of these rulers’ actions reminds you more of ravenous beasts than of human beings. Instead of being faithful shepherds who protected the flock (Mic. 2:12; 7:14), they attacked the sheep, skinned them alive, butchered them, chopped them up, and made stew out of them! But the day would come when these wolves in shepherd’s clothing would cry out for God’s mercy, but no mercy would be given. “Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured” (Deut. 31:17).

Micah 3:1-4 (NASB) Mic 3:1 And I said: "Hear now, O heads of Jacob, And you rulers of the house of Israel: Is it not for you to know justice? Mic 3:2 You who hate good and love evil; Who strip the skin from My people, And the flesh from their bones; Mic 3:3 Who also eat the flesh of My people, Flay their skin from them, Break their bones, And chop them in pieces Like meat for the pot, Like flesh in the caldron." Mic 3:4 Then they will cry to the LORD, But He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, Because they have been evil in their deeds.

Micah 3:1 Rebuke: Sins of the Judges (cf. Moses’ appointments, Ex 18)
1] And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment? “Hear”: Second of three major messages (Micah 1:2; 3:1-5; 6:1-7:20). These are the judges and magistrates that Isaiah had in view: Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. Isaiah 1:10

Micah 3:1 Rebuke: Sins of the Judges
1] And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment? “...is it not for you to know judgment?”: Was it not their special duty and responsibility to know justice? They were not unknowledgeable: They were deliberately perverting justice. Thus they were inexcusably aware of the judgment that awaits them for their deeds. Their condemnation is the greater when their deliberate failure lies in the very realm of their special duty. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. Ro 2:1

2] Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; “...hate the good, and love the evil”: Their attitudes (hate... love...) were habitual (so the Hebrew verbs).

3] Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron. “...eat the flesh of my people”: Like cannibals, feeding on those whom it is their responsibility to defend. This is far worse than the issues in Chapter 2: here they are attacking the people themselves, feeding on the lifeblood of the nation. Every variety of cruel oppression seems to have been resorted to in order that these ungodly judges might rob their fellowmen of their goods.

3] Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron. Only when God’s judgment is upon them will they perceive the extent and enormity of their abominable ways. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD. Ps 14:4 There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. Pro 30:14 This same theme is carried in the other prophets: The condemnation of Ezekiel 34:1-10 and the glorious prediction of Ezekiel 34:23-24. Contrast the Shepherd of Micah 2:12, 13!

4] Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings. The offenders do not need to speculate on what God’s judgment will be: Micah again sees the poetic justice in the day when the Lord will not hear them. This cry which God refuses to hear is the cry for deliverance from anguish only, not the cry that arises from true repentance over sin. Since they refused to heed the cries of the needy, the Lord will recompense them in like kind. This is the essence of “hell”: God hiding His face from them...] Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. Jer 11:11 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. Pro 21:13

Micah 3:5-8 (NASB) Mic 3:5 Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets Who make my people stray; Who chant "Peace" While they chew with their teeth, But who prepare war against him Who puts nothing into their mouths: Mic 3:6 "Therefore you shall have night without vision, And you shall have darkness without divination; The sun shall go down on the prophets, And the day shall be dark for them. Mic 3:7 So the seers shall be ashamed, And the diviners abashed; Indeed they shall all cover their lips; For there is no answer from God." Mic 3:8 But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, And of justice and might, To declare to Jacob his transgression And to Israel his sin.

Rebuke: The Sins of the Prophets (3:5-8)
The conduct of the false messengers was no better Micah turns his to rebuke to the false prophets (Mic.3:5–8), whose lies made it easy for the corrupt officials to carry on their evil deeds. “An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so” Jer 5:30-31 nkjv When God is left out of human government, it’s easy for officials to use their authority selfishly to exploit the people.

Rebuke: The Sins of the Prophets (3:5-8)
As long as you gave them something to eat and drink (Mic 2:11), the prophets would declare whatever kind of message you wanted to hear. Like the false prophets in Jeremiah’s day, they announced peace when war and desolation were just around the corner (Jer. 6:13–14; 8:10–11). But the time would come when these men who claimed to see the light would be shrouded in darkness, and everybody would know that they were counterfeits. They would cry out to the Lord, but He would not answer.

Micah 3:5 Sins of the Prophets
5] Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him. “...that make my people err”: The prophets misled the people by not denouncing their sins which call forth the displeasure of God. They lulled the people of God into complacency and carnal security instead of declaring fearlessly the truth and will of God. “...and cry, Peace”: They fed a “feel good” message. They knew better. They were not prophets for Baal; They were prophets of the Living God, who knew the truth and preferred to speak lies.

6] Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them. Since they have outraged the office of the prophet, there are several different ways that calamities will fall on them. Darkness was a common figure for calamity and distress. And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness. Isaiah 8:22 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. Amo 5:18 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day... Amos 8:9

6] Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them. Amos also prophesied a famine of the Word: Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. Amos 8:11-12 Those who blinded the eyes and minds of the people would also be smitten with night and darkness.

7] Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God. “...cover their lips”; Their end would be with shame. Like a leper, they would “cover their lips”: And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. Lev 13:45 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them. Jer 5:13 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! Eze 13:3

8] But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. “...full of power by the spirit”: Micah is put in contrast to them How could Israel have failed to recognize the spurious from the genuine? Their luxurious living, Their low moral conditions, and Their unconcern for the things of God blinded their eyes and dulled their sensibilities to these vital issues. We live in the same condition here and now!

8] But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. Paul’s charge to Timothy: I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2 Timothy 4:1-4

Rebuke: The Sins of the Leaders (3:5-8)
God’s true prophet is described in Micah 3:8: The true prophet: Is filled with the Spirit, Faithfully proclaims God’s message and Is unafraid of what people might say or do. Micah fearlessly told the people their sins and warned them that judgment was coming, while the false prophets tickled the people’s ears and told them what they wanted to hear.

Few men are as pitiable as those who claim to have a call from God yet tailor their sermons to please others. Their first rule is “Don’t rock the boat”; Their second is “Give people what they want.” A true servant of God declares God’s message regardless of whether the people like it or not. He’d like to be a peacemaker, But sometimes he has to be a troublemaker.

Micah 3:9-12 (NASB) Mic 3:9 Now hear this, You heads of the house of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel, Who abhor justice And pervert all equity, Mic 3:10 Who build up Zion with bloodshed And Jerusalem with iniquity: Mic 3:11 Her heads judge for a bribe, Her priests teach for pay, And her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the LORD, and say, "Is not the LORD among us? No harm can come upon us." Mic 3:12 Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, And the mountain of the temple Like the bare hills of the forest.

Rebuke: The Sins of the Politicians (3:9-12)
“Politics” A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles; the conduct of public affairs for private advantage. — Ambrose Bierce The Devil’s Dictionary “Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth, a man with whom the whole land strives and contends!” (Jer 15:10) Micah addressed all the leaders of the land (Mic.3:9–12) — the rulers, the priests, and the prophets — He accused them of numerous sins: committing injustice, distorting the truth, murdering innocent people, accepting bribes,

Rebuke: The Sins of the Politicians (3:9-12)
It was hypocrisy of the worst kind - while doing these evil deeds, they claimed to be serving the Lord! “We are depending on the Lord, “Is He not among us? Then nothing evil can happen to us.” “Since we’re Jews,” they reasoned, “God’s chosen people and sharers in His covenant, the Lord will never permit anything evil to happen to us. Even if we sin, He will never abandon us to the enemy.” Their ignorance of the Lord’s character and the terms of His covenant gave them this false confidence. Their thinking was not unlike that of people today who “profess that they know God; but in works they deny him” (Titus 1:16).

Micah 3:9-10 Sins of the Politicians
9] Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. Again, “Hear this...” Cf. v.1. Micah now puts v.8 into practice… Here he also shifts from the Northern Kingdom to the South: “the House of Jacob.” 10] They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. By their hatred of justice and perversion of all that’s right, the heads and rulers were building Zion with extortion and robbery, at the cost of human misery, woe, and murder. Wealth gained, taken, stolen from the rightful owners was used to entrench the selfish and wicked interests of the leaders (cf. Jer 22:13; Ezek 22:27; Hab 2:12).

Micah 3:11 Sins of the Politicians
11] The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. Micah indicts all three, judges, priests, and prophets, for their unbridled greed. Judges were making judicial pronouncements for reward. This was distinctly forbidden in the Torah (Ex 23:8; Deut 16:19). Impartial meting out of justice is impossible when once a bribe has been received (Prov 29:4). Priests were no better: they tailored their messages to the market. The word “divine” is never used in the OT in a good sense.

11] The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. Like Balaam and the other heathen prophets, the judges, priests and prophets were willing to make favorable pronouncements for a price. Hired by Balak, King of Moab: Rebuked by his donkey Num 22 Refused to curse Israel Num 23, 24 Taught how to defeat Israel Num 31:16 • “Doctrine of Balaam” (Rev 2:14) – Spiritual unchastity; marriage with the world. • “Way of Balaam” (2 Peter 2:15) – Hireling = making a “market” for his gift. • “Error of Balaam” (Jude 11) – Sacrificing eternal riches for temporal gain.

11] The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. Judah’s leadership was prostituted to materialism: reward, hire, money. “They had the best leadership money could buy!” The justices were going to cry for mercy and not get it. The prophets were going to call for a word from God and God was going to be silent. The rulers were going to seek order but find chaos. And, worst of all, they all had a proud and unfounded confidence in the presence of the Lord.

11] The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD ... Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD. Jeremiah 7:4, 8-11

11] The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. They boasted that God was blessing them despite their wicked ways. Consider how offensive this was to Him! Their pretense was a cloak for their wicked ways and interests. The cup of their wickedness was full and God must pour out His wrath and judgment upon them. Note: There is no word against the king himself (so also in the prophecies of Isaiah). The king at this time was the God-fearing Hezekiah, but he was evidently powerless to curb the greedy and rapacious leaders.

12] Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest. “...Jerusalem shall become heaps”: This is a prediction that for their sins there will be a complete desolation of the city of Jerusalem. Jeremiah quotes Micah as having said this, which is a confirmation of the prophecy (Jer 26:18). This destruction did take place when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem.

12] Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest. The beginning chapters in the Book of Nehemiah find that Jerusalem was nothing but debris, ashes, rubble, and ruin. The Talmud records that at the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in 70 AD, Rufus, an officer of the Roman army actually plowed up the foundations of the temple with a plowshare. The Jewish historian Jerome, and the Jewish philosopher Maimonides, also noted it. Other passages indicate the literal fulfillment of these words of Micah (Neh 2:17, 4:2; Lam 5:18; et al.). The invasion and destruction by Nebuchadnezzar fulfilled Micah’s prophecy with sad accuracy. The wages of sin is death, death in every realm and sphere of life.

Why study God’s word To know what God is like To know what God likes
So we can know what He wants us to be like - How we should align our character, thoughts, words and actions to His. - How we should conform to Him and participate in what He is doing.

Any doctrine, teaching or theology that makes it easy for us to sin is not biblical. If the rulers, prophets, and priests read and pondered Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy , They would have discovered that the God of the covenant is a holy God a God who will not tolerate any high-handed sin. They would have learned that the blessings of the covenant depended on their obeying the conditions of the covenant, and that God punishes His people when they disobey.

The result of the leaders’ flouting God’s law was that Their Holy City and temple would be destroyed, Thousands of Jewish people would be exiled to Babylon (Mic. 4:10). God would rather destroy the city and the beautiful temple than allow His people to defile His property by their sins. The destruction of Jerusalem came about in 606–586 When God says, “Be holy, for I am holy,” This statement is found 8 times in the Bible (Lev 11:44–45; 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8, 15; 1Ptr 1:15–16) God really means it!

“For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests” (Lam. 4:13), the nation was defeated and the city and temple were destroyed. That’s why the prophet opened his message by rebuking the spiritual leaders of the land, not the unbelievers. If Micah were ministering among us today, he would likely visit our churches, denominational offices, pastors’ conferences, Bible colleges, and seminaries to warn Christian leaders that privilege brings responsibility and responsibility brings accountability.

Micah 4 • Chapter 4: The Coming Kingdom • Chapter 5: The Coming King
• Chapter 6: The Coming Judgment

A promised kingdom (4:1–8).
The situation of the two little Jewish kingdoms was hopeless when Micah delivered his messages. Assyria was about to pounce on Israel and put an end to that nation Then the Assyrian army would ravage Judah and almost take Jerusalem. When the outlook is grim, try the uplook. Thus the prophet encouraged the people to look ahead to what God had promised for His chosen people. God promised that the nation would be united and the people returned to their land. Jerusalem would become the world’s most important city, The temple would be rebuilt, and The true worship of Jehovah would be restored (Ezek. 40 — 48)

Micah 4:1-5 (NASB) Mic 4:1 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD's house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it. Mic 4:2 Many nations shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion the law shall go forth, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Mic 4:3 He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore. Mic 4:4 But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, And no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. Mic 4:5 For all people walk each in the name of his god, But we will walk in the name of the LORD our God Forever and ever.

Micah 4 The Coming Kingdom
Chapter 4 focuses on the “last days” and the Millennial Reign. Essential Preamble One of the most fundamental controversies in eschatology is the issue of the Millennial reign of Christ: literal or figurative? Unlike many of the other differences of opinion among scholars, this one attacks the very character of God: God’s faithfulness to the unconditional covenants in the Old Testament. The Millennial Reign The first 3 opening verses of Chapter 4 are practically identical to Isaiah 2:2-4. Experts are divided as to who quoted who (or whether they both quoted another previous source). The Holy Spirit was in charge in any case!

(1) Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
Mic 4:1-3 (1) Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD's house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it. Many nations shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion the law shall go forth, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore. Isa 2:2-4 (2) Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD's house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (4) He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.

Isaiah painted the same picture (Isa 2:1–4). This is not describing the church today, but specific prophecies for the Jewish nation. The conditions on earth described by Isaiah and Micah haven’t appeared yet, especially the elimination of war, anti- Semitism, and religious rivalry among nations. God’s covenants are sure…just as His promises have been completely fulfilled in the past, those that are yet to come, will come…completely…

Micah 4 The Coming Kingdom
The Davidic Covenant In the New Testament, this was confirmed as early as the commitments expressed to Mary that her child was destined to sit on the Throne of David (Lk 1:32, 33). That throne did not exist during the duration of Christ’s earthly ministry: an Idumean (Edomite) appointed by Rome ruled instead. Most of what we know about the Millennium comes from Isaiah 65 rather than Revelation 20. This passage in Micah is among those that militate against any allegorical or “spiritualized” rendering of the Millennial passages.

Micah 4:1 The Coming Kingdom
1] But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. “But...” Micah is now moving beyond the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and the destruction under Titus the Roman, and beyond all other destructions, to the last days. The “flow” of the people will be spontaneous (meaning of the Hebrew original). Zech 8:20-23 is a similar prophecy of the same time.

1] But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. “...the mountain of the house of the Lord”: This is the “mountain” that is profiled in the famous dream of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 2). “Mountain” of mountains: often as an idiom of government (Dan 2:35, 45) from the “stone cut without hands”: the Rock of offense, the stone which the builders rejected that becomes the headstone of the corner” (Ps118:22; Mt 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet 2:7).

1] But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. Zion will be the governmental and spiritual center of the whole world. The Temple (or a palace?) will be rebuilt. The “tabernacle of David” (Amos 9:11). There will also be dramatic physical changes in the region (cf. Zechariah 14:9-10). The prophet that received the most revelation regarding the mountain of YHWH’s house was Ezekiel (Ezek 17:22-24; 20:40-41; 40:1-4; 45:1-8; 48:8-20).

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream: Daniel 2 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. Daniel 2:34,35 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Daniel 2:44

Unconditional Covenants • The Abrahamic Covenant Genesis 12 – Challenged by the world • The Land Covenant Genesis 15 – Challenged by Islam • The Davidic Covenant 2 Samuel 7 – Challenged by the Church • The Everlasting Covenant Jeremiah 31:31

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the govern ment shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Luke 1:31-33 But did Jesus ever actually sit on David’s Throne? He couldn’t have.

David’s throne didn’t exist at that time. Jeconiah, was the last of David’s line to sit on the Throne. Remember the blood curse on his line. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. Acts 1:6,7 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the Tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Acts 15:15-18 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Daniel 2:44

Resolving Power Kingdom of God Heaven ?

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
The Kingdom of God The Kingdom of Heaven Kingdom of Heaven x only in Matthew Kingdom of God x in 10 NT books Kingdom 158x in 17 NT books His Kingdom x in 5 NT books Thy Kingdom x in 3 NT books Father’s Kingdom x in 1 NT book

2] And many H7227 nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. many nations. H7227 רב rab 1) much, many, great (adjective); abounding in; more numerous than; abundant; enough; strong; greater than; exceedingly 2) captain, chief (noun masculine) the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob The source of all truth, guidance, and jurisprudence. Disputes will be crisply resolved: The Law will be enforced “with a rod of iron” (Ps 2:9; Rev 2:27; 12:5; 19:15). The Temple will only be open on Shabbat and the New Moon!? (Ezek 46.1; Isa 66:23).

3] And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. His rule is quite literal and effective. Peace; finally. Weapons will be converted to peaceful uses. Military science courses will be unattended... The inscription of these words on the UN building is ironic. This pagan, anti-Jewish affiliation may prove to be the precursor to the realm of the Coming World Leader, commonly called the Antichrist.

4] But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. This verse is not found in the corresponding Isaiah passage, but it continues the thoughts of peace, prosperity and security (1 Kgs 4:25; 2 Kgs 18:31; Zech 3:10). Both the vine and the fig tree were native to the area and common fruits (Ex 23:11; Lev 19:10; 25:3-4; Deut 20:6). The vine was often a symbol of the nation of Israel among the prophets and psalmists (Isa 5:1; Jer 2:21; Hos 10:1; Ps 80:8; et al.). It was even used on some later Jewish coins. The fig tree is also a frequent reference (Deut 8:8; 2 Kgs 8:31) and was used idiomatically by Jesus Himself (Mt 21:19-21; 24:32; Lk 13:6,7; Rev 6:13).

4] But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. The Parable of the Trees And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

4] But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. The Parable of the Trees Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. Judges 9:7-15 • Olive Tree – Valuable oil • Fig Tree – Sweet Fruit • Vine – Wine • Bramble – No fruit – Too low for shade – Only good as fuel for the fire

Hope: The Promises of the Lord (4:4 — 5a)
The traditional verse division at 5:4–5 is unfortunate. “And this man shall be the peace” (or “their peace”) belongs at the end of verse 4, not at the beginning of verse 5. The reference is to Jesus Christ the Messiah. Micah moved from the destruction of Jerusalem (606–586) to “the last days,” when there will be a new Jerusalem and a rebuilt temple at the heart of the righteous kingdom of Messiah. The Lord gave His people four wonderful promises.

5] For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever. A verse easily misunderstood: although heathen peoples worship their own particular gods now, Israel will be worshiping the Living God. On January 6, 1941, Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave his famous speech on the “four freedoms”: – Freedom of speech, – Freedom of religion, – Freedom from want, – Freedom from fear. Micah’s list is similar, but begins with: – Freedom from ignorance (of the law of God) v.2 – Freedom from war v.3 – Freedom from want v.4 – Freedom from fear v.4

Micah 4:6-8 (NASB) Mic 4:6 "In that day," says the LORD, "I will assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast And those whom I have afflicted; Mic 4:7 I will make the lame a remnant, And the outcast a strong nation; So the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion From now on, even forever. Mic 4:8 And you, O tower of the flock, The stronghold of the daughter of Zion, To you shall it come, Even the former dominion shall come, The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.“ earth."

A promised kingdom (4:1). Is the exaltation of Jerusalem (v. 1) to be taken Metaphorically: that it will be honored and distinguished by the Lord, or Literally: that there will be actual changes in the topography of the land? The NIV translates verse 1, “It will be raised above the hills,” which suggests the literal raising of Mount Zion to a place of special prominence. Zechariah 14:4–5 indicates that there will be changes in the topography when Christ returns.

The Gentile nations instead of fighting the Jews, would “stream” to Jerusalem to worship God and hear His Word. There would be peace among the nations because they would obey God’s truth, submit to the Messiah’s rule, and destroy their instruments of war. Contrast this with Joel 3:10, where the opposite picture is described.

A promised kingdom (4:4-5).
Every Jewish family wanted to achieve what Micah described in 4:4: a pleasant home with a productive garden in a peaceful land (1 Kings 4:25; Isa. 36:16). But even more than peace and economic stability was the blessing of knowing the Lord and obeying Him (Mic. 4:5).

A promised kingdom (4:6). 6] In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; Jerusalem had once been David’s capital city, the shepherd– king who cared for the flock (Ps. 78:67–72), but after the death of Josiah, not one of his four successors was a godly man. Messiah, the Son of David, will one day reign from Jerusalem and care for His flock as a faithful Shepherd–King. Though the remnant of Jews might be small, weak, and lame, God will gather them from all the nations and make a mighty army out of them (vv. 6–7a). Messiah will rule over them, and Jerusalem will become the glorious capital city for His kingdom.

6] In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; Before Israel can enjoy the glories of the Messianic Kingdom, she must be regathered from her worldwide dispersion and settled in her own land. This is another passage with the perspective of the Great Shepherd (Ps 23:1-4; 100:3; Isa 40:10,11; Jn 10).

7] And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. The figure of the scattered flock resumes the image of the restoration in 2:12-13. The remnant is a key focus of Scripture (Isa 9:6, 7; Dan 7:14, 27; Lk 1:33; Rev 11:15). It was only a remnant that came out of Egypt; virtually an entire generation died in the wilderness. Even in Elijah’s day, 7,000 had not bowed the knee to Baal (1 Kgs 19:10, 18). Even in Christ’s day, there was a remnant that received Him. Today there is a remnant that are “real...”

8] And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. “...tower of the flock...stronghold”: Migdal-Eder, Tower of the Flock, Shepherd’s Tower: Gen 35:21 mentions the Tower of Eder as near Bethlehem. According to Jerome (who lived in Bethlehem in the 4th century AD.) it was about a mile from Bethlehem, the birthplace of David. Chapter 5 will also identify it as the birthplace of the Messiah. Ophel, fort or stronghold: on the SE slope of the Temple hill, opposite to the Mount Zion, separated by the Tyropean valley. It was fortified by Jotham (2 Chr 27:3 ) and Manasseh (2 Chr 33:14) It was the place from which David ruled. David was both shepherd and king. These two places will be restored and magnified in the Messianic reign.

8] And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. The Babylonian Captivity Micah now turns from the ultimate glory of the Millennium to the dark future immediately before them: the Babylonian invasion and the captivity of Judah. this would not come until a century after Micah’s day! ANTITYPE Later Event TYPE Early Event TIME OT view Our view

Micah 4:9-10 (NASB) Mic 4:9 Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in your midst? Has your counselor perished? For pangs have seized you like a woman in labor. Mic 4:10 Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, Like a woman in birth pangs. For now you shall go forth from the city, You shall dwell in the field, And to Babylon you shall go. There you shall be delivered; There the LORD will redeem you From the hand of your enemies.

9] Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail. The city was in travail, like a woman with child, because the the Chaldeans had arrived and was capturing the people and taking them to Babylon. Why don’t they turn to their king and counsellor? “...cry out loud”: may be an indication of her helpless condition when her king is taken captive by the Babylonians (Jer 52:9; Lam 4:20; Ex 12:13). Judah would lose all kingly rule. The repetitive comparison to the birthpangs of a woman in travail — a frequent metaphor regarding the end times, too (Mt 24:8; 1 Thess 5:3; et al.).

A promised deliverance (4:10)
10] Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. The city of Jerusalem is called “daughter of Zion” (cities are usually classified as feminine), a term of endearment that assured the people of God’s loving care no matter what might happen. The exile wasn’t the end; for God will redeem a remnant and bring them back to the land.

A promised deliverance (4:10)
10] Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. Had the leaders listened to the prophet Jeremiah and peacefully surrendered to the Babylonians, they would have saved the city and the temple, but they resisted God’s will, and their city and temple were ruined. Jeremiah promised that the exile would last only 70 years. Jer 25:11-12; Jer 29:10 Then the remnant could return and rebuild the city and the temple.

10] Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. Micah, like Isaiah, looks beyond the then current power of Assyria to the subsequent coming rise of Babylonia. Isaiah, also, prophesied of the Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 39:3-8) when King Hezekiah foolishly flaunted his treasures to the Babylonian emissaries.) “...there shalt thou be delivered”: They will be delivered in that place — Babylon — through the hand of Cyrus (Isa 43:14; 44:28; 45:1-4; 48:20). They would be cured of idol worship in the caldron of Babylon.

10] Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. The Final Siege Many commentators assume that this refers to a continuation of the Babylonian siege. Others, believe that the Assyrians are in view. Others believe that this looks ahead to the final Babylonian siege rather than the siege of v.9. The Holy Spirit looks ahead to the last great attack by the nations of the world against Israel. These subsequent events are those of Joel 3, Zech 12 & 14, and other portions of the OT Scriptures.

Micah 4: (NASB) Mic 4:11 Now also many nations have gathered against you, Who say, "Let her be defiled, And let our eye look upon Zion." Mic 4:12 But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, Nor do they understand His counsel; For He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor. Mic 4:13 "Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; For I will make your horn iron, And I will make your hooves bronze; You shall beat in pieces many peoples; I will consecrate their gain to the LORD, And their substance to the Lord of the whole earth."

11] Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion. Micah sees down the centuries to the end times and sees his people being attacked by many Gentile nations, all of them gloating over Israel because they are so sure of defeating the Jews (Zec 12:1-9; 14:1-11) “...many nations are gathered”: The great confluence of peoples and nations to Jerusalem summarized in v.2 will be preceded by a final onslaught of nations against Jerusalem and the people of God. Their purpose is to defile Zion. They will look with delight on the calamities of the Jews. The Holocaust in Germany took one Jew in three. The next holocaust will take two out of three (Zech 13:8, 9). The Armageddon campaign will target Jerusalem; but they follow with a pursuit of the remnant which had fled (under Christ’s instructions Mt 24:16ff) to Bozrah / Petra. The nations are sure of victory because they ignore Scripture and don’t know God’s plans for His people (Jer 29:11).

12] But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. “...the floor”: This gathering of nations is nothing less than the Lord’s assembling of them as sheaves to the threshing floor. The threshing floor is often seen as an idiom referring to the Great Tribulation (Isa 41:15, 16; Jer 51:33). Note that Ruth - the gentile bride of Boaz, the Kinsman- redeemer, is at Boaz’s feet during the threshing floor scene in Ruth 3:9ff.

12] But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. Some suggest that Micah was writing about the threat by the armies of Sennacherib of Asssyria, which caused King Hezekiah to seek the Lord. A revival followed, and God delivered Jerusalem by having an angel kill 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When Sennacherib saw the carnage, he was appalled and withdrew (2 Kgs 18, 19; 2 Chr 32; Isa 36, 37). He and his successors never again attacked Jerusalem.

A promised conquest (Micah 4:13).
Mic 4:13 "Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; For I will make your horn iron, And I will make your hooves bronze; You shall beat in pieces many peoples; I will consecrate their gain to the LORD, And their substance to the Lord of the whole earth." Israel will look weak and defenseless, but the Lord will make their soldiers sharp threshing instruments to “harvest” the nations (Rev. 14:14–20). God will give them: “horns” (a symbol of power) and “hoofs” so that they will have both power and speed as they attack their enemies. This great battle is sometimes called “the Battle of Armageddon” but it does not fit the Biblical description. The phrase “Battle of Armageddon” is not found in Scripture (Rev 16:16; 19:17–21). The Lord alone fights at the “Battle of Armageddon” This battle fits the description of the Gog / Magog – the outer ring – invasion of Israel which occurs near the beginning of the 7 year Tribulation, (Ezek 38-39) When the battle is over, the victorious Jewish army will devote all the spoils to the service of the Lord.

13] Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth. All this will be done for the glory of God (Isa 60:1-9). He will then be known as “the Lord of the whole earth.” In the Hebrew text chapter 5:1 is the last verse of chapter 4. There now appears to be a return to thought in 4:9, the forthcoming Babylonian siege. Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. Micah 5:1

5:1] Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. This would seem to be a reference to the shameful treatment of King Zedekiah at the time of the Babylonian invasion of Judah. Some view the “judge of Israel” as the Messiah, and this verse as a foreshadowing of the humiliation of Christ. However, He was not smitten in a “siege,” etc. He was, however, smitten in the face (Isa 50:6; Mt 26:67-68; 27:30). It was the stripping off of the beard that may have contributed to the apparent difficulties in recognizing Him after the resurrection (cf. Jn 20:14; Lk 24:16; Jn 21:12).

5:1] Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. The degradation of the “judge of Israel” will be contrasted with the greatness of the future ruler of Israel: The Messiah is highlighted in the most famous verse in Micah 5:2 which follows, many regard it as the most significant prophetic verse in the entire Bible.

Micah 5:1-5 (NASB) Mic 5:1 Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops; He has laid siege against us; They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek. Mic 5:2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting." Mic 5:3 Therefore He shall give them up, Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel. Mic 5:4 And He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God; And they shall abide, For now He shall be great To the ends of the earth; Mic 5:5 And this One shall be peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land, And when he treads in our palaces, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight princely men.

A promised King (5:1–5a). In this prophecy, Micah reveals a number of important facts about the Messiah. He is eternal God, for His “goings out are from old … from days of eternity”. Jesus stepped out of eternity into human history, sent by the Father to die for the sins of the world (1 John 4:14). But He is also truly a man, for He is born as a human child. We have here the miracle of the Incarnation (John 1:14).

A promised King (5:1–5a). Between the cross and the kingdom Age, Israel will be “given up” by the Lord until the time when Jesus returns and the nation is “born” into her kingdom (Isa. 66:8). Today, Christ gives peace to all who will come to Him by faith (Matt. 11:28–30; Rom. 5:1). When the King comes to reign over all the ends of the earth, He will bring peace to all nations. Micah presented an encouraging scenario to the people, but they didn’t seem to grasp the significance. Whenever a prophet foretold the future, it was to awaken the people to their responsibilities in the present. Bible prophecy isn’t entertainment for the curious; It is encouragement for the serious.

A promised King (5:1). Micah looks ahead to the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. So many soldiers are encamped around Jerusalem that Micah calls her “the city [daughter] of troops.” When King Zedekiah and his officers see that their situation is hopeless, they try to escape, but the Babylonians catch up with them and capture them (2 Kings 25:1–7). They humiliate the king striking him with a rod across his face. Micah 5:1 is not necessarily a prophecy of what happened to Jesus during His trial, Jesus was slapped in the face, beaten with a reed, and scourged (Matt. 27:30; Mark 15:19; John 19:3) but the context of Micah 5:1 is the siege of Jerusalem. Then the Babylonians kill Zedekiah’s sons, put out his eyes, bind him, and take him to Babylon.

Micah 5:1 1] Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. In the Hebrew text Chapter 5:1 is the last verse of Chapter 4. “...rod upon the cheek”: This would seem to be a reference to the shameful treatment of King Zedekiah at the time of the Babylonian invasion of Judah. The degradation of the “judge of Israel” will be contrasted with the greatness of the future ruler of Israel which will be highlighted in the next verse.

Micah 5:1 1] Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. Jeremiah had predicted that his “eyes should see the eyes of the king of Babylon” (Jer 32:4; 34:3). Ezekiel foretold that he should “not see Babylon,” though he would die there (Ezek 12:13). Josephus indicates that Zedekiah thought the two prophecies so inconsistent with each other that he believed neither; Both were exactly fulfilled, and the enigma of Ezekiel explained, when Zedekiah was brought to Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah, where he had his eyes put out, and was then carried to Babylon, and there he died (Jer 39:6; 52:10, 11).

A promised King (5:2). 2] But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. “But”: The word (adversative conjunction) puts the following in contrast to the previous passage. Another in David’s line is still yet to come... Micah 5:2 is in contrast to verse 1 “But, thou, Bethlehem”: another proof that verse 1 is not speaking about Jesus; Verses 2–5 definitely refer to Messiah. God selected the “little town of Bethlehem” as the place where the King of the Jews was to be born.

Birthplace of the Messiah
It was this prophecy that the priests shared with the magi who came to Jerusalem looking for the King (Matt. 2:1–12). But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Micah 5:2 Consulted when Magi visited Herod (Matt 2:5, 6); Mary and Joseph linked to Bethlehem because of the Book of Ruth (Note also: eternal pre-existance also specified.)

A promised King (5:2) 2] But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. You would think that the very Son of God would come to a great city like Athens or Jerusalem, but He chose to be born in Bethlehem. But the day would come when He would be glorified and take His throne in heaven; Someday soon, He shall return to be Ruler over His people.

Micah 5:2 2] But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. “...Bethlehem Ephratah”: There were other Bethlehems (Josh 9:15). Ephratah makes it specific to the one 6 miles SW of Jerusalem and the birthplace of David (Cf. Ruth 1ff). It means “House of Bread,” and it would bring forth “the Bread of Life” (Jn 6:33-51). “...little among the thousands of Judah”: It was too insignificant to be mentioned among the cities of Judah in (Josh 15) or in the list of cities in Nehemiah 11. It was a little hamlet; a minor village…

A promised King (5:2). Bethlehem (“house of bread”) has an interesting history. Jacob’s favorite wife, Rachel, died near Bethlehem when she gave birth to Benjamin, She was buried nearby (Gen. 35:16–20). Matthew cites this when he reports the slaying of the innocent children by Herod (Matt. 2:16–18; see Jer. 31:15). In her pain, Rachel named her son Ben-oni, which means “son of my sorrow”; Jacob renamed the boy, calling him Benjamin, “son of my right hand.” These two names remind us of our Lord’s suffering and glory, the cross and the throne at the Father’s right hand.

A promised King (5:2). Ruth and Naomi came to Bethlehem;
There Boaz fell in love with Ruth and married her. Ruth is an ancestor of the Messiah (Matt. 1:5). Of course, David was Bethlehem’s greatest son; It was through David’s family that the promised Messiah would be born (2Sa 7; Mat 1:1; Lu 1:26–27; Ro 1:3). The Jews knew that their Messiah would come from Bethlehem (John 7:42).

Micah 5:2 Messiah’s Birthplace
2] But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. The birthplace of the Messiah was specified precisely 700 years before the event! It was part of the Septuagint translated in 270 b.c. Messiah was prophesied to be a Nazarene (Mt 2:23; Isa 11:1) “Branch” = netser. Messiah would be called out of Egypt (Hos 12:1); Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem (here); Jesus would be all three!

Micah 5:2 Messiah’s Birthplace
2] But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. “...out of thee [Bethlehem] shall he come forth unto me”: the words “unto me” indicate that this One was coming to do the will of the Father. This was a plan committed to before the foundation of the world itself (Eph 1:4; Acts 2:23; et al.).

Micah 5:2 Messiah’s Genealogy
2] But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. “...have been from old, from everlasting”: His existence preceded His birth! The Preexistent One — The Creator Himself! His “genealogy” is in John 1:1-3; cf. Col 1:16, 17. The phrases of the text are the strongest possible statement of infinite duration in the Hebrew language Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God Psalm 90:2; cf. Prov 8:22-23ff.

Micah 5:2 His Beginnings 2] But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. “...whose goings forth”: His “goings forth” were in the creation, in His appearances to the Patriarchs, and throughout the OT. He came forth from the Father (Jn 16:28). He told the Pharisees, “Before Abraham was, I AM” (Jn 8:58). His was the voice from the burning bush! (Ex 3:14).

Micah 5:2 His Incarnation
2] But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. The Preexistent One clothed Himself with humanity when He came to Bethlehem. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isa 7:14). Virgin: The specific Hebrew word almah, can have alternative applications; however, the ultra-precise Septuagint Greek specifies parthenos, which clearly requires an undefiled virgin. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Isaiah 9:6 His Incarnation
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 “A child is born” — His humanity. “A Son is given” — His Preexistent Divinity. The “child” was born in Bethlehem, but the “Son” was “from everlasting” (Cf. Ps 90:2; Prov 8:23-25).

Hasn’t happened yet, but it will…soon!
Isaiah 9:7 His Reign Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:7 “...upon the throne of David”: He “is to be ruler in Israel.” Fulfilling God’s promise to David (2 Sam 7:16). His rule from Zion will be worldwide (Ps 2:8; 72:8; Mal 1:11, 14). Hasn’t happened yet, but it will…soon!

Jesus hasn’t ever actually sat on David’s Throne – YET !!!
Isaiah 9:7 His Reign Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:7 Christ’s rule was promised throughout the OT …and reconfirmed to Mary at Gabriel’s annunciation: And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Luke 1:31-33 Jesus hasn’t ever actually sat on David’s Throne – YET !!!

Who Were the “Magi”? • Eastern tradition: 12 days of Christmas
• 3rd century: “Kings” bearing gifts (Ps 72:10, 68:29). • Western tradition: 3 of them, Epiphany • 6th century chronicle, Exerpia Latina Garbari – Bithisarea, Balthasar – Melichior, Melchior – Gathaspa, Gasper • Bede ( ): three sons of Noah? – Shem: Asia – Ham: Africa – Japheth: Europe • 14th century Armenian tradition: – Balthasar King of Arabia – Melchior King of Persia – Gasper King of India

The Persian Empire BC

The Magi of Medo-Persia
Magi is the Latinized form of Magoi, the ancient Greek transliteration of the Persian original (Herodotus, I:101). Rab-Mag, Chief of the Magi in Nebuchadnezzar’s Court (Jer 39:3,13); Daniel’s title (Dan 4:9; 5:11). Oneiromancy, the interpretation of dreams in order to foretell the future, not astrology, was their key skill (Herodotus I.107, 120; VII.19). The Magi were established as the state religion of Persia by Darius the Great, after some Magi who were considered to be expert in the interpretation of dreams had been attached to the Median court. They were not originally followers of Zoroaster; Encyclopedia Britannica 7:691 Philo of Alexandria, Cicero, and Philo, and others record that the Magi were attached to senior Roman courts with acknowledged gifts and standing.

Magian Religion vs. Judaism
Each had its monotheistic concept of one beneficent creator, author of all good, who in turn was opposed by a malevolent evil spirit; Each had its hereditary priesthood which became the essential mediator between God and man by virtue of a blood sacrifice; Each depended upon the wisdom of the priesthood in divination; Each held concepts of clean and unclean forms of life; and, each involved a hereditary priesthood, serving several religions — the Magi were the priestly caste during Seleucid, Parthian, and Sasanian periods. The subsequent syncretistic Magian religion of Archaemenid days had much in common with the religion of the Jews: Cf. The Urim and Thummim of the Levite; the Barsoms, small bundles of divining rods of the Magian priest

Political Background Since the days of Daniel, the fortunes of both the Persian and the Jewish nations had been closely intertwined: Both nations had in their turn falling under Seleucid domination in the wake of Alexander’s conquests. Both had regained their independence: the Jews under Maccabean leadership, the Persians as the dominating ruling group within the Parthian empire. It was at this time that the Magi, in their dual priestly and governmental offices, composed the upper house of the council of the Megistanes (“magistrates”) whose duties included the absolute choice and election of the king of the realm. It was in a dual capacity of priest and counselor whereby civil and political counsel was invested with religious authority, The Magi became the supreme priestly caste of the empire.

The Roman Empire 66 BC – 476 AD

The Parthian Empire Parthia was an ancient empire of Asia in what are now Iran and Afghanistan. The Parthians were of Scythian descent and adopted Median dress and Aryan speech. Parthia was subject successively to the Assyrians, Medes, Persians, and Macedonians under Alexander the Great. Then under the Seleucids, 250 b.c., the Parthians succeeded in founding an independent kingdom. During the 1st century b.c., it grew into an empire extending from the Euphrates River to the Indus River and from the Oxus (now Amu Darya) River to the Indian Ocean. After the middle of the 1st century b.c., Parthia was a rival of Rome and several wars occurred between the two powers.

Judea: a Buffer Zone Pompey, the first Roman conqueror of Jerusalem, attacked the Armenian outpost of Parthia in 63 b.c. In 55 b.c. Crassus led Roman legions in sacking Jerusalem and in a subsequent attack on Parthia proper. The Romans were decisively defeated at the Battle of Carrhae with the loss of 30,000 troops, including their commander. The Parthians counterattacked with a token invasion of Armenia, Syria, and Palestine. Nominal Roman rule was reestablished under Antipater, the father of Herod, who in turn retreated before a Parthian invasion in 40 b.c.

Judea: a Buffer Zone Mark Anthony reestablished Roman sovereignty in 37 b.c., and like Carssus before him, also embarked on a similarly ill-fated Parthian expedition. His disastrous retreat was followed by another wave of invading Parthians, which swept all Roman opposition completely out of Palestine (including Herod himself who had to flee to Alexandria and then to Rome). With Parthian collaboration Jewish sovereignty was restored and Jerusalem was fortified with a Jewish garrison.

Roman Tensions Herod secured the title of “King of the Jews” from Augustus Caesar. However, it was not for three years, including a five months’ siege by Roman troops, that Herod, the so called “king” was able to occupy his own capital city. Herod had thus gained the throne of a rebellious buffer state situated between two mighty contending empires. By the time of the birth of Christ, Herod may have been close to his final illness. Augustus was also aged by this time. Rome, since the retirement of Tiberius, was without any experienced military commander. Herod had to balance Roman interests with Parthian supporters in his kingdom. At any time his own subjects might conspire in bringing the Parthians to their aid.

Parthian Instability Pro-Parthian Armenia was fomenting revolt against Rome (which was successfully accomplished within two years). The time was ripe for another Parthian invasion of the buffer provinces, except for the fact that Parthia itself was racked by internal dissension: Phraates IV, the unpopular and aging Parthian king, had once been deposed. It was not improbable that the Persian Magi were already involved in the political maneuvering requisite to choosing his successor. At this time that the Magi, in their dual priestly and governmental office, composed the upper house of the council of the Magistanes (“magistrates”) whose duties included the absolute choice and election of the king of the realm.

A Precarious Visit? It was a group of Persian-Parthian king makers who entered Jerusalem in the latter days of the reign of Herod seeking “him who had been born [not appointed ! ] king of the Jews” The Magi could have taken advantage of the Parthian king’s lack of popularity to further their own interests with the establishment of a new dynasty, if a sufficiently strong contender could be found… The Magi were likely traveling in force with unimaginable oriental pomp and an adequate cavalry escort to insure their safe penetration into the Roman controled territory. Certainly Herod and the entire populace of Jerusalem would have been alarmed. (Mt 2:3).

A Precarious Visit? Herod’s reaction was understandably one of fear when one considers the background of Roman-Parthian rivalry that prevailed during his lifetime. It would seem as if these Magi were attempting to cause a border incident which could justify a swift reprisal from Parthian armies and precipitate another territorial war with Rome having Jerusalem at its center. Within two years Phraataces, the parricide son of Phraates IV, was duly installed by the Magi as the new ruler of Parthia. Later in Rome’s history, Philo of Alexandria, Cicero, and Philo, and others, record that Magi had become attached to senior Roman courts with acknowledged gifts and standing.

A Precarious Visit? Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Matthew 2:1-6 Mic 5:2] But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

A Precarious Visit? Mic 5:2] But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Mat 2:7-12

Gifts Not necessarily all gifts from the Magi are mentioned.
These 3 are mentioned because they are prophetic: Gold = deity; Frankincense = priesthood (mixed into the shewbread by the priests); and, Myrrh; when crushed, an ointment for burial. Prophet; Priest; and King. In the millennium, we find from Isaiah that Jesus is given gifts: gold and frankincense (but no myrrh because His death is behind Him; Isa 60:6).

Magi Warned in a Dream And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. Matthew 2:12 The Magi “being warned in a dream” (a form of communication most acceptable to them) departed to their own country having found the king they sought and having given him the gifts they carried.

“Star” of Bethlehem? Balaam’s prophecy? not quoted by Matthew (Num 24:17). Num 24:17 "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel, And shall crush through the forehead of Moab, And tear down all the sons of Sheth. Conjunctions? (Isa 60:3). Kepler suggested the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation of Pisces in 7 bc from an erroneous inference from Josephus (wrong date: 2 bc - 4 bc) This was not a “natural” phenomenon: it settled over a specific local location… It moved from place to place guiding the Magi appearing, disappearing, and reappearing….

“Star” of Bethlehem? Shekhinah? The glory of God… • The Creation Gen 1
• The Abrahamic Covenant Gen 15 • Burning Bush Ex 3 • Pillar of fire by night Ex 13 • Flames at Pentecost Acts 2 • Why not here too?

Pattern is Prophecy is Pattern…
And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Matt 2:13-15 Matthew is implying that there is a symbolic validity to the history of Christ in terms of the history of Israel. As Israel was driven into Egypt and then called out, and that concept is tied up with the Passover Lamb, likewise, Jesus Christ, as a babe, was sent to Egypt for a while is called out and then goes into the wilderness (like Israel). Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness; Israel was in the wilderness 40 years.

Magi, the aftermath… When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. Hosea 11:1 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. Matthew 2:16-18 Rachel is being used by Jeremiah, idiomatically, as mother Israel But Rachel is specifically linked to Bethlehem. Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. Jer 31:15

The Nazarene But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. Matthew 2:19-23

Nazarene – The Branch “Nazarene” was a figure of speech which implied contempt. It implies an ignorant man partly due to it being a Gentile area. netzer: branch, sprout, shoot; a sprout that grows out from a stump (Isa 11:2). These were intended puns (Jer 33:15; Zech 6:12). The Branch tsemach • “The Branch of the Lord” Isa 4:2 • Royal King from line of David Jer 23:5 • (Repeat of above) Jer 33:15 • Servant of Jehovah Zech 3:8 • Will build the Temple Zech 6:12 Of the 20 Hebrew words translated “branch,” only one of them — Tsemach — is used exclusively of the Messiah!

Why We Accept the Bible • The authentication of Christ:
LXX: over 300 detailed specifications; Daniel “70 Weeks” undeniable • The authentication by Christ: The Torah; Daniel, et al • Integrated Design: Transcendental Origin.

Specifications Fulfilled
• He would be born of a virgin Isa 7:14 – And He was Mt 1:18-25 • He would be born in Bethlehem Mic 5:2 – And He was Mt 2:1-6 • He would be taken into Egypt Hos 11:1 – And He was Mt 2:15 • He would heal the sick and make people whole Isa 53 – And He did Mt 8 • He would be crucified Ps 22:14-17 – And He was Mt 27:31 • He would die for our sins Isa 53 – And He did Jn 1:29; 11:49-52 • He would be raised from the dead Ps 16:10 – And He was Mt 28:1-10

Micah 5:3 3] Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. “...she which travaileth hath brought forth”: This goes far beyond the travail of Mary; it is the travail of “the woman” whose “Seed” was predicted in Gen 3:15 and is summarized in Rev 12:4-6 (cf. Isa 66:7-9). It includes the “Diaspora” and climaxes in the Great Tribulation (Dan 12:1, Mt 24:21ff; cf. “The Time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer 30:7). “Then the remnant of his brethren shall return”…

Micah 5:4 4] And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. Here the Lord Jesus is depicted as the Great Shepherd who feeds and cares for His flock. There is no more expressive designation of Christ in the OT or NT than that of Shepherd of His Flock (cf. 2Sa 5:2; 7:7; Isa 40:11) The Shepherd Trilogy • He is the Good Shepherd of Ps 22, laying His life down for the sheep; • He is the Great Shepherd of Ps 23, who keeps His sheep even today; • He is the Chief Shepherd of Ps 24, who is coming in glory. Jesus Himself summarizes His role in John 10: 1) He laid down His life for the sheep (vv.11, 15, 17, 18); 2) He knows His sheep and is known by them (v.14);

Victory: The Purging of the Nation (5:5b–15)
Micah announced that: Israel’s future enemies would be defeated (vv. 5b–6), The Jewish remnant would be blessed (vv. 7–9), and The nation would be purged of its sins (vv. 10–15).

Micah 5:5-6 (NASB) Mic 5:5 And this One shall be peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land, And when he treads in our palaces, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight princely men. Mic 5:6 They shall waste with the sword the land of Assyria, And the land of Nimrod at its entrances; Thus He shall deliver us from the Assyrian, When he comes into our land And when he treads within our borders.

The enemy defeated (Mic. 5:5b–6).
“The Assyrian” named in verse 5 isn’t the Assyrian army of Micah’s day, The Jews in that age didn’t defeat Assyria or rule over her land. The Assyrians soundly defeated Israel, and the land of Israel was ruined. “The Assyrian” is another way of saying “the enemy,” Here it refers to either: The Anti Christ himself or Israel’s enemies in the last days when all nations will gather against her (Zech. 10:10–11; 12:9; 14:1–3).

Micah 5:5 5] And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. “...the Assyrian”: It was an Assyrian that oppressed Israel during their sojourn in Egypt: the Pharaoh (a title of the ruler) of that day was not an Egyptian! Isa 52:4 That was why the Pharaoh was so insecure with the growth of the non-Egyptian population, thus rendered into slavery; Ex 1:8-10 A title of the Antichrist? Sennacherib was but a type; this could be but a generic reference, or it could be a hint of something more Isa 10:5, 24; 14:25-26 The final climax will a confederated movement on the part of the nations of the earth to blot out God’s chosen people Israel Joel 3, Zec 12 & 14, et al.

Micah 5:5 5] And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. “...this man shall be the peace”? A false peace? (Dan 8:25)! “...raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men”: Could be a Hebraic rhetorical device (Pr 6:16; Ec 11:2; et al.). “Principal”= neseek poured out, molten image, one anointed; prince, anointed one. Compare: And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. Rev 17:11 – a clone? (Dan 2:43); – a Nephilim? (Gen 6; Num 13:33; et al.).

The enemy defeated (Mic. 5:6).
The phrase “seven shepherds … eight leaders” is a way of saying “many shepherds, many leaders,” It is similar to the repeated statement of Amos “for three transgressions … and for four” (Amos 1:3, 6, 9, etc.). When the enemy attacks in the last days, God will raise up leaders to face the enemy, just as He had raised up the judges and heroes like David. Micah makes it clear that God is the Deliverer who will enable Israel to defeat her enemies and rule over their lands. The “he” of Micah 5:6 is the “ruler” of verse 2.

Micah 5:6 6] And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders. The confederation of nations that will come against Israel in the Tribulation period. “...waste the land” = literally, “eat up.” “...land of Nimrod”: Nimrod was the original founder of both Babel (Babylon), and Assyria (Gen 10:10).

Micah 5:6 6] And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders. “...thus shall He deliver us”: Yet, the Chief Shepherd will deliver them when He, once again “treadeth within their borders.” His shall bring peace in a threefold sense: 1) He will defend Israel against her enemies (v.5 & 6); 2) He will empower her to overcome her enemies (v.7-9); 3) He will destroy weapons of warfare and idolatry (v.10-15) so that warfare will no longer be a possibility (Isa 9:4-6; Zech 12:1-13:1).

Micah 5:7-9 (NASB) Mic 5:7 Then the remnant of Jacob Shall be in the midst of many peoples, Like dew from the LORD, Like showers on the grass, That tarry for no man Nor wait for the sons of men. Mic 5:8 And the remnant of Jacob Shall be among the Gentiles, In the midst of many peoples, Like a lion among the beasts of the forest, Like a young lion among flocks of sheep, Who, if he passes through, Both treads down and tears in pieces, And none can deliver. Mic 5:9 Your hand shall be lifted against your adversaries, And all your enemies shall be cut off.

The remnant blessed (vv. 7–9).
The Jewish small remnant of Israel in the last days will experience great help from the Lord as they face their enemies. Micah used two similes to illustrate this blessing: the refreshing dew from heaven and the conquering strength of the lion. God will enable His people to overcome like lions and then bring fruitfulness to the world like the dew that watered Israel’s crops (Ps. 133:3). Israel will triumph over her enemies through the power of the Lord.

Micah 5:7 7] And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. “...remnant”: The dew and rain refer to the blessing that the the people of Israel will be among the nations. Since rain does not fall in Israel from the beginning of May to the latter part of October, the dew, the night mist of the summer months, is essential to the summer crops.

Micah 5:8 8] And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. This passage certainly does not depict the Israel of today: in a precarious predicament continually. But God has a destiny for them. Their situation derives from their attitude toward the will of God: when contrary to that will, she is in distress and oppression and humiliation; when in the center of that will, she is a source of refreshing, power and blessing in the hand of God.

Micah 5:8 8] And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. “Head” and “Tail” And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: Deu 28:13 But first: I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly. Hosea 5:15

Micah 5: (NASB) Mic 5:10 "And it shall be in that day," says the LORD, "That I will cut off your horses from your midst And destroy your chariots. Mic 5:11 I will cut off the cities of your land And throw down all your strongholds. Mic 5:12 I will cut off sorceries from your hand, And you shall have no soothsayers. Mic 5:13 Your carved images I will also cut off, And your sacred pillars from your midst; You shall no more worship the work of your hands; Mic 5:14 I will pluck your wooden images from your midst; Thus I will destroy your cities. Mic 5:15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury On the nations that have not heard."

The nation purged (vv. 10–15).
In Micah’s day, both Israel and Judah were guilty of sins that violated God’s law and grieved God’s heart. Time after time, He had sent messengers to the people to denounce their sins and warn of impending judgment, but the people wouldn’t listen (2 Chron. 36:14–21). In the last days, Israel will return to her land in unbelief and practice these same sins. But God will purge the land and prepare them for a new life in the kingdom. They will see their Messiah, trust Him, and be saved (Zech. 12:10-13:1).

God will allow all their military defenses to be destroyed, The things that they trusted instead of trusting the Lord. He will end their traffic with demonic powers. He will purge all idolatry from the land (Zech. 13:2). Israel will then seek to please God obey His law and not imitate the sins of the nations on which God will “take vengeance.”

God has not cast aside His people (Rom. 11:1; 25); Still today there is a believing remnant of ethic Jews in the church. One day God will gather the unbelieving Jewish nation to their land, He cause them to experience suffering, and then reveal Himself to them and give birth to a new nation. The prophets saw that day and tried to convey its message to the people of their day, but they wouldn’t listen.

Christians today look for Jesus to return to gather His people to Himself (1 Thess. 4:13–18) and then establish His righteous kingdom. Peter assures us that “the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night”; and then, in light of this fact, he asks, “Therefore … what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?” (2 Peter 3:10, 11) Hope (for the future) ought to produce holiness (in the present). Are we ready for His return?

Micah 5:9-10 9] Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off. Ultimate victory is assured. 10] And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots: To be usable in the hand of the Lord, He will remove all carnal supports in which she trusted. For a contemporary parallel passage, (Isa 47:6-22). Horses and chariots were forbidden even in the time of Moses (Deut 17:16). In case an amillennialist attempts to apply this to some other time, Micah emphasizes that this will come to pass “in that day,” which is yet future.

Micah 5:11-14 11] And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds: 12] And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers: 13] Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands. 14] And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities. “...groves”: Asherim (trees carved as phallic symbols for pagan rituals, etc.): places of idol worship. They were prohibited (Deut 16:21) and were supposed to be destroyed (Ex 34:13), but they persisted among the ungodly in Israel (2 Kgs 13:6; 23:6; et al.). God’s purification will include giving up: – Foreign alliances vv. 10, 11 – The occult v.12 – False gods vv. 13, 14

Micah 5:15 15] And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard. “The heathen”: the nations arrayed against Jerusalem in the “Day of the Lord,” the Great Tribulation period. Cf. Psalm 2! Joel 2, et al. “...such as they have not heard”: They haven’t been listening! Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. Habakkuk 1:5

Micah 6 - 7 “THY KINGDOM COME”
The prophet had delivered two of his three messages: a message of warning (chaps. 1-2) and a message of promise (chaps. 3-5). His third message was a challenge for the Jews: to trust the Lord and obey His will, Only then could the nation escape terrible punishment and fulfill God’s purposes in this world. Trust and Obey, for there’s no other way If you do not Trust Him, you will not Obey Him If you do not Obey Him, you do not really Trust Him

Micah 6:1-5 (NASB) Mic 6:1 Hear now what the LORD says: "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, And let the hills hear your voice. Mic 6:2 Hear, O you mountains, the LORD's complaint, And you strong foundations of the earth; For the LORD has a complaint against His people, And He will contend with Israel. Mic 6:3 "O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me. Mic 6:4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage; And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Mic 6:5 O My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab counseled, And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, From Acacia Grove to Gilgal, That you may know the righteousness of the LORD.”

Micah 6:1-2 “THY KINGDOM COME”
Note how important it was for Israel to be obedient to the Lord. God had raised up the nation to bring blessing to the whole world (Gen. 12:1–3), for it was through Israel that the Savior would come. “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). When the Jews began to adopt the practices of the godless nations around them, it defiled them and made them less able to do the work God had called them to do. It was because they despised their high and holy calling that the nation had to be chastened so severely.

Micah 6:1-2 “THY KINGDOM COME”
Micah’s first message was presented as a courtroom drama, and so was this third message. The Judge: declared the indictment (Mic. 6:1–8), pronounced the sentence (Mic. 6:9-7:7) and then he graciously promised mercy (Mic. 7:7–20) ! Micah used three factors: — guilt, — punishment, and — mercy as arguments to plead with his people to repent and return to the Lord. “Trust the Lord, not in spite of circumstances but because of them!”

Micah 6:1 1] Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. “Hear ye now”: The language implies that this third and final message of Micah (6:1-7:20) is to all the nations of the world, with Israel center stage. God’s contention is with His people Israel, but we can all learn important lessons... “...mountains” = kingdoms (Daniel 2:35, 44). Many don’t recognize that the “Kingdom from Heaven” is the 5th in a list of 5!

Micah 6:2 2] Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD’S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. God is calling Israel to court, with the nations as spectators. And then God does an astonishing thing: instead of lodging a charge against them, He asks, “What am I guilty of?” What condescension of Almighty God Himself!

Because of Great Guilt, Trust the Lord (Micah 6:3)
The sins of the people were hidden behind a veneer of religious activity — routine worship that didn’t come from their hearts. Isaiah, Micah’s contemporary, told the people that the nation was sick from head to foot (Isa. 1:5–6) but wouldn’t admit it, They were like the patient who asked the doctor to retouch his X-rays so he wouldn’t have to endure surgery! His deceit didn’t cure him; it made him worse. Their “worship” was nothing more than “trampling” the temple courts (v. 12).

Micah 6:3 3] O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me. This is similar to the situation before the prophet Malachi: After their return from captivity, they became prosperous and complacent! God lays out the record of His dealings with them. Had He wearied them by excessive demands? (Cf. Isa 43:23, 24.) Or by unfulfilled promises? (Jer 2:31).

In this courtroom scene, the Lord called the witnesses (Mic 6:4)
Micah told the people to be prepared to plead their case. The Lord opened the proceedings by telling His side of the controversy, emphasizing the gracious way He had dealt with the nation from the very beginning. He redeemed them from Egyptian slavery; He gave them leaders who guided them through the wilderness with His help; and He brought them to their promised inheritance. And throughout this journey, the Lord had put up with their unbelief, disobedience, and repeated complaints (Ps. 106).

Micah 6:4 4] For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. “...Miriam”: It is interesting to notice how often God points to the Exodus from Egypt as one of His most conspicuous demonstrations... Miriam is also included as a leader sent by God.

Micah 6:4 4] For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. “...Miriam”: • The sister of Moses and Aaron (Ex 2:4-10; 1Chr 6:3). • Her name is prominent in the history of the Exodus. • She is called “the prophetess” (Ex 15:20). • She took the lead in the song of triumph after the passage of the Red Sea; • She also almost led a rebellion against Moses because of his Cushite wife, but God Himself straightened that out; Num 12:1-15. • She died at Kadesh during the second encampment at that place, toward the close of the wanderings in the wilderness, and was buried there (Num 20:1).

Micah 6:5 5] O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD. “...Balak (“empty”; “spoiler”): A son of Zippor, and king of the Moabites (Num 22:2, 4). From fear of the Israelites, who were encamped near the confines of his territory, he applied to Balaam to curse them; but in vain (Josh 24:9). “...Balaam (“lord of the people,” foreigner or glutton): The son of Beor, he was a man of some rank among the Midianites (Num 31:8; 31:16). He resided at Pethor in Mesopotamia (Num 23:7 Deut 23:4).

Balaam Though dwelling among idolaters, he had some knowledge of the true God and was held in such reputation that it was supposed that he whom he blessed was blessed, and he whom he cursed was cursed. When the Israelites were encamped on the plains of Moab, on the east of Jordan, Balak sent for Balaam “from Aram, out of the mountains of the east,” to curse them, but by the remarkable interposition of God Balaam was utterly unable to fulfil Balak’s wish, however desirous he was to do so. God used Balaam’s own donkey to rebuke the prophet (Num 22:21-34).The apostle Peter refers to this as an historical event, and the “way of Balaam” as selling his gift for profit (2Pet 2:15-16).

Balaam But God did not permit Israel to be cursed (Num 22-24). Balak took Balaam on four mountain tops, one by one, but Balaam could not curse Israel. God will not allow any man to curse His people (Ps 105:14-15) Note: As Balaam looked down upon the camp of Israel from a mountain top, he would have seen the encampment as a cross! Balaam was constrained to utter prophecies regarding the future of Israel of wonderful magnificence and beauty of expression, Num 24:5-9 including a “star out of Jacob” (Num 24:17). In a battle between Israel and the Midianites Balaam was slain while fighting on the side of Balak (Num 31:8).

On three occasions, Balak, king of Moab, commanded Balaam to curse Israel, but God turned the curse into blessing (Num ; Deut. 23:5; Neh.13:2). The Israelites didn’t even know that this spiritual battle was going on; yet God protected His people. In return the Jews became friendly with the Moabites, attended their idolatrous religious rites, and committed fornication with their women! (Num. 25). What Balaam couldn’t do by means of his curses, the Jews themselves did with their sinful lusts.

Balaam Though Balaam could not curse Israel, he suggested a mode by which the divine displeasure might be caused to descend upon them (Num 25:1). The “doctrine of Balaam” (Rev 2:14) is an allusion to the fact that it was through this teaching of Balaam that Balak learned that the way by which the Israelites might be defeated: leading them into sin. If you can’t fight them, join (and corrupt) them!

If you can’t fight them, join (and corrupt) them!
Balaam If you can’t fight them, join (and corrupt) them! Here are other examples: The marriage of the church with the world after Constantine; Pergamos (Rev 2:12-17): Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Rev 2:13, 14 This led to the problem in Thyatira, and, ultimately, in Laodicea

If you can’t fight them, join (and corrupt) them!
Balaam If you can’t fight them, join (and corrupt) them! Here are several other examples: The insertion of psychology into the counsel of God. Peter warns us to “desire the unadulterated milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Pet 2:2). Psychology acknowledges the corrosive aspects of guilt but has no way to deal with its cause: sin. “User friendly” churches that present a social gospel rather than the Gospel as defined: 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Empty head trips: intellectualizing rather than really trusting in God the Word of God. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Col 2:8

Micah 6:5 5] O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD. “...Shittim unto Gilgal”: The Israelites were forced to go all the way around Edom and then they came to Moab. Shittim was the last camping spot before they entered Moab. Gilgal was the first camping spot when they entered the Promised Land.

The phrase “from Shittim unto Gilgal” reminded the people of Israel’s crossing of the Jordan River and entering the Promised Land (Josh ). God who opened and closed the Red Sea also opened and closed the Jordan River so His people could claim their inheritance. He did for them what they couldn’t do for themselves, but they didn’t remember. It’s good for God’s people to know the past and remember with gratitude all that God has done for them, especially during current times of trouble and temptation. WRITE IT DOWN !!!

The word remember is found at least 14 times in the Deuteronomy. The Jews were instructed to teach their children the mighty deeds of the Lord (Ex. 10:2; 13:8, 14; Deut. 6:20ff.; Josh. 22:24; Ps. 78:1–8). We must not live in the past, but we must learn from the past or we’ll commit the same mistakes. Israel forgot God’s mercies (Ps. 106:7), so they ignored God’s commandments. The result was a hard heart that deliberately rebelled against God’s will. God has every right to ask, “What have I done to you that you should treat Me this way?”

The “Pure Religion” Passage
Now we come to that wonderful passage that is so widely misunderstood and abused by the liberals. God has pleaded with these people to come back to Him, to repent of their negligence and sins, and to turn to Him. He has cited His redemption of them in the past, how He redeemed them out of the land of Egypt (typifying “the world”), and provided for them through the wilderness. Now the people have four questions they ask — and they are good questions.

Micah 6:5-11 (NASB) Mic 6:6 With what shall I come before the LORD, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? Mic 6:7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Mic 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? Mic 6:9 The LORD's voice cries to the city— Wisdom shall see Your name: "Hear the rod! Who has appointed it? Mic 6:10 Are there yet the treasures of wickedness In the house of the wicked, And the short measure that is an abomination? Mic 6:11 Shall I count pure those with the wicked scales, And with the bag of deceitful weights?

Now the people replied to God (Mic 6:6)
6] Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Instead of confessing their sins or standing mute because their mouths had been shut by their sense of guilt (Ro 3:19), They asked what they could do to get rid of their sins. Their request shows how shallow their spiritual life really was That they were ignorant of the enormity of their sin and the high cost of forgiveness. They were like the rich young ruler who didn’t really see himself as a condemned sinner before God (Mark 10:17–27), they were not like the people at Pentecost who were cut to the heart and cried out, “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).

This has it all backwards
Micah 6:6 6] Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? “...shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?“ Every person who believes in God asks this question: “How am I going to approach Him?” In Leviticus a series of offerings are specified; will they be adequate? Nothing reveals a proud heart more than man’s insistence on “doing something for God.” This has it all backwards

Micah 6:6 6] Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent. John 6:28, 29 And the Philippian jailer asked the same question: And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:30, 31

Now the people replied to God (Mic 6:6–7)
6] Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? 7] Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? These questioners were interested in bargaining with God and “buying Him off,” for they kept raising the bid. Shall we bring a few calves as burnt offerings? If that’s not enough, maybe we could offer a thousand sacrifices, such as Solomon offered [1 Kings 3:4; 8:63]? Would rivers of oil please Him? How about the ultimate sacrifice: our own flesh and blood offered on the altar, as Abraham did with Isaac? God doesn’t bargain with sinners, None of the sacrifices they offered to bring could have cleansed them from their sins.

Micah 6:6-7 6] Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? 7] Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? The Lord doesn’t need our generosity. We can’t add to the completed work of the cross. It is blasphemy to even try! In Leviticus, the presentation of the meal offerings, and the peace offerings had to be preceded by the burnt offering. The presentation of ourselves and our substance could only be made after the sins had been dealt with and a relationship had been established.

Micah 6:6-7 6] Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? 7] Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? This was an understandable question since they were surrounded by pagan people who offered human sacrifices to Molech and Baal (Jer 19:5; 32:35). The Law expressly prohibited child sacrifice (Lev 18:21; 20:2-5; Deut 12:31; 18:10).

Micah 6:7 7] …shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Ahaz (2 Kgs 16:3; 2 Chr 28:3) and Manasseh (2Kgs 21:6) two of the most godless kings of the Southern Kingdom indulged in human sacrifices. The Ammonites sacrificed their children to their god, Molech (Lev 20:2–5; 1 Kgs 11:5). This detestable practice spread to Phoenicia, Canaan, and even to the Israelites themselves on occasion. Jeremiah condemned such a horrible ritual (Jer 7:31; 19:5; 32:32). For the Biblical teaching on redeeming the “firstborn” see Ex 13:2, 13; 22:29; 34:20

Micah 6:6-7 7] …shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Since the people of God’s covenant community were willing to bring any of these sacrifices to the Lord, they doubtless believed that he was bringing unjust charges against them. What the Lord really wanted most of all, however, was not the offerings but the hearts, allegiance, and obedience of the offerors (Rom 12:1; Heb 10:4). The truth taught in this passage is basically the same as that expressed in 1 Sam 15:22; Ps 40:6–8; 50:8–15, 23; 51:16–19; Isa 1:11–15; Jer 6:19–20; 7:22–23; Hos 6:6; Amos 5:21–24; Zech 7:4–10.

Micah 6:6-7 7] …shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? God did require that they give Him the firstborn male of everything that was born to them: a cow, sheep, ox, or their son. However, anything that was unclean, they were to redeem (Ex 13:2; Num 18:15). Man, too, was unclean, and thus could not be offered! He, too, was to be redeemed — both locally and ultimately! Redemption: the purchase back of something that had been lost, by the payment of a ransom. The idea running through all these texts is that payment must be made for our redemption. The debt against us is not simply cancelled, but is fully paid.

Micah 6:6-7 7] …shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Christ’s blood or life, which he surrendered for them (and us), is the “ransom” by which the deliverance of His people from the servitude of sin and from its penal consequences, is secured. It is the plain doctrine of Scripture that: Christ saves us neither by the mere exercise of power, nor by his doctrine, nor by his example, nor by the moral influence which he exerted, nor by any subjective influence on his people, whether natural or mystical, but as a satisfaction to divine justice, as an expiation for sin, and as a ransom from the curse and authority of the law, thus reconciling us to God by making it consistent with his perfection to exercise mercy toward sinners... Hodge’s Systematic Theology

Now the people replied to God (Mic 6:6–7)
6] Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? “Doing penance” without truly repenting and trusting God’s mercy only multiplies the sin and deadens the conscience. Thinking they were good enough, the people asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” He replied, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (John 6:28–29 nkjv). True saving faith comes from a heart that’s been broken by its sinfulness and realizes that no amount of good works can atone for that sin (Acts 20:21; 26:20; Eph. 2:8–9). It places its confidence in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of it’s sin, not any works it does of itself.

Because of God’s Great Mercies, Trust the Lord (7:8–20)
In this final section of Micah’s third message, there are several voices: the nation (vv. 8–10), the prophet (vv. 11–13), the Lord (vv. 14–15), and the prophet again (vv. 16–20). Micah is looking down through the centuries with prophetic vision to the time when Israel will come through great tribulation to come -- “dress rehearsals” as it were. The future will ultimately bring victory to God’s people, not defeat, when the Lord fulfills His promises and establishes the kingdom.

Because of God’s Great Mercies, Trust the Lord (7:8-10)
Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The LORD will be a light to me. I will bear the indignation of the LORD, Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case And executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness. 10 Then she who is my enemy will see, And shame will cover her who said to me, "Where is the LORD your God?" My eyes will see her; Now she will be trampled down Like mud in the streets. The prophet, speaking on behalf of the remnant, expresses their faith and courage. The enemy gloated over the defeated Jews and asked in derision, “Where is the Lord your God?” (Ps. 42:3, 10; 79:10; 115:2).

The voice of the nation (vv. 8–10).
Micah 7:8–10 expressed the feelings and hopes of the exiles from both Israel and Judah. Eventually both Assyria and Babylon were defeated and passed off the scene, but it wasn’t the Jews who conquered them. The Jews’ return from Babylonian exile was a small picture of the greater regathering of Israel that will take place in the last days (Isa. 11:11–16; Matt. 24:31). Since these events did not occur after the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions, they must be assigned to a future time. According to Jesus, the Jewish nations will experience great tribulation and become the target of all the Gentile nations in the end times (Matt. 24:15–31). In the end Christ will return and give His people great victory.

Micah 6:8 The “Sermon on the Mount of the OT”
8] He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? This verse stands as the motto of the alcove of religion in the reading room of the Congressional Library in Washington.” Politicians have quoted it often in their election campaigns (if only more would practice it!). The rabbis who commented on this verse called it a one-line summary of the whole law. A joy and delight of both liberals and legalists because they think that it presents a works religion! What Micah is doing is answering the questions of sincere people who had not been taught the Word of God.

Micah 6:8 8] He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? External religion without an internal experience is absolutely without value. 1 Sam 15:22; Isa 1:11-20; Jer 7:21-23; Hos 6:6; Amos 4:5; 5:15, We must be “born again.” And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? Deut 10:12, 13

Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good;
and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? God requires that we walk with a new motive: To obey and reflect Him in our lives, Motive, Thought, Word, and Deed It was a personal matter that each individual sinner had to consider. He emphasized moral and ethical conduct, Not religious tradition or ceremonies.

The prophet spoke to the people (Mic 6:8)
Micah 6:8 must not be mistaken as a condemnation of the Mosaic sacrificial system. It was right for the Jews to bring their sacrifices to God if their hearts had been broken in repentance and confession of sin. God wants obedience, not sacrifice (1 Sam. 15:22), and the most important sacrifice is that of a broken and contrite heart (Ps. 51:16, Isaiah 1:11–15 and Hosea 6:6.) Worship that doesn’t produce a godly life is not true worship at all.

We can’t “do justly” unless we’ve been justified by faith and are right with God (Ps. 32:1–2; Rom. 4:1–8). How can we “love mercy” if we’ve not personally experienced God’s mercy (Eph. 2:4; Titus 3:5)? If we want to “walk humbly with [our] God,” we must bow humbly before Him, recognize our helpless sinfulness, and claim His forgiveness provided by the Lord Jesus (Luk 14:11; Jas 4:10)

The Pharisee and publican in the temple (Luke 18:9–14) illustrates Micah 6:8. The publican was justified by faith, by placing his confidence in God’s mercy and grace, not by doing the kind of good works that the Pharisee boasted about. Since the publican depended on God’s mercy to save him, he humbled himself before the Lord. The Pharisee, on the other hand, informed God (and whoever else was listening in the temple) how good he was and therefore how much he deserved eternal life.

None of us can do what God requires until first we come to God as broken sinners who need to be saved. Unsaved people who think they are doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God are only fooling themselves, no matter how moral their lives may be. “Not by works righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us” (Titus 3:5).

The people to whom Micah ministered didn’t get the point of his messages. The very fact that they were so guilty before God should have motivated them to turn from their shallow religion, humble themselves, and seek God’s mercy. The people God can save are people who know they are lost and who are seeking to be found; to be saved… The people God can forgive are guilty people who know they are guilty and want forgiveness, cleansing, and a new life… If we see ourselves as God sees us, then we can by faith become what He wants us to become.

Micah 6:8 8] He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? God requires three things: 1) To do justly — that is, to have a righteousness to present to God; that will pass muster before God. You are to be honest and true. 2) To love mercy — to be merciful in your dealings with others. 3) To walk humbly before thy God. How are you going to do these things? By your own strength? Do you think you can do them without God’s help? But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22,23

Because of Impending Judgment, Trust the Lord (Micah 6:9 — 7:7)
For the second time in this message, Micah cried out to the people, “Listen!” (vv. 1, 9 niv). Like the crowds that Jesus taught, these Jews had ears to hear His words, but they couldn’t hear God’s truth in those words (Matt. 13:9, 43). They lacked spiritual discernment – they didn’t recognize their personal guilt and need of forgiveness from God. – they stubbornly held onto their own ‘righteousness’, demanding the God conform His ways to them rather than surrendering themselves to Him and His ways. The Lord called to the people of Jerusalem to fear (revere and honor) His name and heed what He had to say; Without the fear of the Lord, they could have neither knowledge nor wisdom (Prov. 1:7).

Micah 6:9 9] The LORD’S voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it. Unlike Amos, Micah is an urban prophet writing to the city dwellers... “The Rod” is an emblem for judgment (Ps 2:9; Isa 10:5, 24) Our country is ripe for judgment: I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever. Thomas Jefferson, 1781

God speaks about sin and its consequences (Micah 6:9–16)
“hear ye the rod” (kjv) or “Heed the rod” (niv) What or who is “the rod”? What was the rod used for? When the officials met in assembly to consider business, each tribal leader would have his official staff symbolizing his authority (Num. 17). The rod was the symbol of authority of the leaders to act and execute judgment. The rod of God was recognition of His right to judge, to demand and to command. It was symbolic of the people’s recognition of His authority to reign and rule.

God speaks about sin and its consequences (Micah 6:10-12)
God addresses not only the city of Jerusalem in general but also specifically the leaders who met to consider what to do. God specifically condemned the merchants of the city for being deceptive in their business practices (Mic. 6:10–12). They used weights and measures that were dishonest so that customers didn’t get full value for their money (Lev. 19:35–36; Deut. 25:13–16). By doing these illegal things, the businessmen were exploiting and abusing the poor and needy in the land for whom God has a special concern (Amos 8:4–10). Disregarding God’s authority and commands, a sin God could not overlook, they robbed the poor of both justice and the necessities of life that God promised and planned for His people to enjoy.

Along with making their own weights and measures and bribing the courts, the rich were openly violent (Mic. 6:12; 2:2; 3:1–3). They forcibly evicted people from their houses and lands and left them helpless, without homes or any source of income. When the poor tried to protect themselves through the courts, the rich merchants lied about the situation and convinced the officials that their actions were right. God has ordained that people reap what they sow, whether good or evil (Hos. 8:7; Gal. 6:7–8). God’s judgment had to fall on the “robber barons”.

Micah 6:10-11 10] Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable? “...treasures of wickedness” = wealth accumulated through their unjust dealings. 11] Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? Dishonest business dealings (Lev 19:35, 36; Deut 25:13-16; Amos 8:5).

Micah 6: (NASB) Mic 6:12 For her rich men are full of violence, Her inhabitants have spoken lies, And their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. Mic 6:13 "Therefore I will also make you sick by striking you, By making you desolate because of your sins. Mic 6:14 You shall eat, but not be satisfied; Hunger shall be in your midst. You may carry some away, but shall not save them; And what you do rescue I will give over to the sword. Mic 6:15 "You shall sow, but not reap; You shall tread the olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; And make sweet wine, but not drink wine. Mic 6:16 For the statutes of Omri are kept; All the works of Ahab's house are done; And you walk in their counsels, That I may make you a desolation, And your inhabitants a hissing. Therefore you shall bear the reproach of My people."

Micah 6:12 12] For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. We have lost the sanctity of a commitment — in our business dealings and in our marriages... Could you find any better example of depravity, abuse of power, and violence than in the several recent administrations? Can you find any real credibility in the news media today? …Among politicians (of either party)? It is significant that the United States is not mentioned in Bible prophecy. I do not expect the United States to be a major power in the final days and times.

God warned about two different kinds of judgments. The first (vv. 13–15) was already in progress, slow and secret, but very thorough. “Therefore, I have begun to destroy you, to ruin you because of your sins” (v. 13 niv). This judgment was the collapse of their economic system, including their crops (stolen farms), their investments (stolen money), and even their enjoyment of all that they had accumulated. Everything these merchant thieves had amassed for their pleasure would disappear, and whatever they tried to enjoy would bring them no pleasure at all. (See God’s covenant warnings in Deut. 28:15 >)

God warned about two different kinds of judgments. The second judgment (Mic. 6:16) would be sudden and open: the total ruin of the nation by the hand of Babylon. That Micah should point to Babylon as the aggressor (4:10) is remarkable, because Babylon wasn’t a major power on the international scene at that time. It was Assyria that everybody feared, and Assyria did ruin the northern kingdom in 722 BC and did do great damage to Judah in 701 BC. But by the time Babylon was finished with Judah and Jerusalem, the nation would be in ruin and the people in derision. The people’s sins found them out.

The Lord tried to use the judgment on the northern kingdom to awaken and warn the people of Judah, the southern kingdom, but they wouldn’t listen. Their defense was “It can’t happen here. We have the temple!” But they weren’t obeying God’s law or honoring His house. Instead, they were following the godless ways of two kings of Israel, Omri and Ahab, Both of them “did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all who were before [them]” (1 Kings 16:25; 30 nkjv). They should have followed the godly ways of King David, because it was for David’s sake that God held back His judgment for so long (1 Kings 11:13, 32, 34, 36; 15:4).

Micah 6:13-14 13] Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins. 14] Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword. Shortages and famine ahead. Amos predicts a “famine of the Word of God” (Amos 8:11)

Micah 6:15 15] Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine. The people were going through the externalities of religion, but they were far from God. There was dishonesty in their dealings. There was impurity in their lives. There was violence, lying, and deceit...every flagrant sin a barrier to blessing.

Micah 6:16 16] For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people. “...Omri...house of Ahab”: Omri was the father of Ahab; both were bad news. Their evil influence was still impacting Micah’s day almost 200 years later! One should study the prophetic book along with the historical book covering the same period. Micah should be studied along with the historical account of Hezekiah in the Southern Kingdom and Ahab and Jezebel in the Northern Kingdom (1 Kgs 16).

Micah 6:16 16] For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people. Omri: When Elah was murdered by Zimri at Tirzah, Omri, his captain, was made king, in 931 b.c. (1Kgs 16:15-27). For four years there was continued opposition to his reign. Tibni, another claimant to the throne, led the opposing party; but at the close of that period all his rivals were defeated, and he became king of Israel, “Tibni died and Omri reigned” (927 b.c.).

Micah 6:16 16] For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people. By Omri’s vigor and power he gained great eminence and consolidated his kingdom. He fixed his dynasty on the throne so firmly that it continued during four succeeding reigns. Tirza was for six years the seat of Omri’s government; then he moved the capital to Samaria, where he died, and was succeeded by his son Ahab. “He wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all that were before him.” Beth-omri, “the house” or “city of Omri,” is the name usually found on Assyrian inscriptions for Samaria.

The Moabite Stone In the Stele of Mesha (the “Moabite stone”), which was erected in Moab about twenty or thirty years after Omri’s death, it is recorded that Omri oppressed Moab till Mesha delivered the land: “Omri, king of Israel, oppressed Moab many days, for Chemosh was angry with his land. His son succeeded him, and he also said, I will oppress Moab” (2 Kgs 1:1 3:4,5).

The Moabite Stone “The Moabite Stone” discovered on August 19, 1868, by a German missionary is 3 ft. 10 inches high and 2 ft. broad. It consisted of 34 lines, written in Hebrew-Phoenician characters. With the exception of a very few variations, the Moabite language in which the inscription is written is identical with Hebrew. It was set up by Mesha in about 900 b.c., as a record and memorial of his victories. It records: 1) Mesha’s wars with Omri, 2) his public buildings, and 3) his wars against Horonaim. It records that “Omri took the land of Medeba, and occupied it in his day and in the days of his son forty years.” This inscription in a remarkable degree supplements and corroborates the history of King Mesha as recorded in 2Kgs 3:4-27

Micah 6:16 16] For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people. “...works of the house of Ahab”: Ahab and Jezebel made the worship of Baal the religion of Israel. How about our own enforced paganism? The immorality within the lowest to the highest offices of the land is deplorable. In a representative republic, the responsibility is even more widespread: they are all our employees! We put them in office. God is going to hold us all accountable for our stewardship or lack of it... Being a “Biblical Christian” is becoming increasingly “politically incorrect” and in many ways and places, illegal…

• Chapter 7: Final Wrap-up
Micah 7 • Chapter 7: Final Wrap-up

Micah 7 Micah 7 is similar to Jeremiah’s Book of Lamentations.
It also echoes the prayer of the repentant remnant in the “Days of Jacob’s Trouble.” The Soliloquy of Penitence: vv.1-9 These had local application during the days of Micah; yet, they also are a graphic portrayal of the conditions of the days of the Antichrist. Contrast: repentance in Hezekiah’s day (credited to Micah!) vs. the climax in Great Tribulation (Mt 24:9-31).

The prophet speaks of his sorrow (7:1–2)
1 Woe is me! For I am like those who gather summer fruits, Like those who glean vintage grapes; There is no cluster to eat Of the first-ripe fruit which my soul desires The faithful man has perished from the earth, And there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; Every man hunts his brother with a net. The prophets not only declared God’s message with their lips, but they also felt the burden of the people on their hearts. Jeremiah wept over the sins of the nation in his day and wished he could weep even more (Jer. 9:1ff.), and Micah lamented because there were no godly people left in the land. Looking for a godly person was as futile as looking for summer fruit after the harvest was over.

The prophet speaks of his sorrow (7:1–2)
Woe is me! For I am like those who gather summer fruits, Like those who glean vintage grapes; There is no cluster to eat Of the first-ripe fruit which my soul desires The faithful man has perished from the earth, And there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; Every man hunts his brother with a net. We must be careful not to develop an “Elijah complex” and think we’re the only godly people left (1 Kings 19:10). David felt that way (Ps. 12:1), So did Isaiah (57:1). In Micah’s case, the godly remnant was so small that it seemed insignificant.

Micah 7:1 1] Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit. The vine is used as a picture of Israel. The vine is not producing fruit (Ps 80:8, 9; Isa 5:1-7; 28:4; Hosea 9:10). See John 15.

Micah 7:2 2] The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. Nets were used for hunting as well as fishing. It is not safe to walk the streets of our major cities. Lawlessness abounds. While there are exceptions, by and large, “the good man is perished out of the earth.”

The prophet speaks of his sorrow (7:2-4)
2 …. They all lie in wait for blood; Every man hunts his brother with a net. 3 That they may successfully do evil with both hands — The prince asks for gifts, The judge seeks a bribe, And the great man utters his evil desire; So they scheme together. 4 The best of them is like a brier; The most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge; The day of your watchman and your punishment comes; Now shall be their perplexity. Micah compared the evil officials to hunters who wove clever nets and threw them over the helpless and trapped them. These officials and judges were skilled at weaving their nets (perverting the law so they could rob the unwary), but they weren’t skilled at obeying God’s laws. They were like briars and thorns that hurt people, when they should have been like concerned shepherds who helped people.

(cf. Naboth’s vineyard version of “emminent domain”
Micah 7:3 3] That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up. Bribery and corruption abound (then and there and here and now) The rule of law has been abandoned at the highest levels of government. Our entertainments and “news” broadcasts are tailored by the spin doctors. They promote immorality, violence, nothing is sacred except their own goals and ends – their new world order view… (cf. Naboth’s vineyard version of “emminent domain” 1Kgs 21; Cf. Rev 2:20).

The prophet speaks of his sorrow (7:4)
Mic 7:4 The best of them is like a brier; The most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge; The day of your watchman and your punishment comes; Now shall be their perplexity. “The day of your watchmen” refers to the day of judgment when the watchmen on the walls would see the enemy approaching and call out to warn the people. God’s prophets were His watchmen (Ezek. 3:18–21), constantly warning the nation, but the leaders wouldn’t listen. The prophets preferred lies to truth and this brought about a “time of … confusion” (Mic. 7:4 niv). This confusion reached into every level of society.

Many who assumed they were safe we not…
Micah 7:4 4] The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity. the best of them is as a briar: you had to be careful not get stuck. Even the most upright was “sharp” in the deceitful sense (2Sam 23:6, 7) “...the day of the watchmen cometh” (Isa 21:6; Ezek 33:2): Jesus warned there would come “upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring” (Luke 21:25). Confusion would be the characteristic of the end of the age. The standards of Micah 6:8 were not - could not - be kept. Many who assumed they were safe we not…

The prophet speaks of his sorrow (7:5-6)
5 Do not trust in a friend; Do not put your confidence in a companion; Guard the doors of your mouth From her who lies in your bosom. 6 For son dishonors father, Daughter rises against her mother, Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; A man's enemies are the men of his own household. Micah was also grieved at the unfaithfulness of the common people of the land. You couldn’t trust anybody! When truth is no longer the standard for society, everything falls apart. God hates liars !!! 1Ti 1:10; 1Ti 4:2; Rev 21:8 It had come to the place where neighbor couldn’t trust neighbor and friends couldn’t trust each other. The basic unit of society, the family, was quickly falling apart (Jesus quoted Mic. 7:6 in Matt. 10:36.)

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” 1Th 5:21
Micah 7:5 5] Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. It’s a rough world out there. Jesus warned us, Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34 We live in a day when one’s word means less than it used to. We have lost the sanctity of commitment: in business; and in our marriages. This also goes especially for Bible teaching. Test it all against the Word of God. Acts 17:11 “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” 1Th 5:21

Jesus quotes this very passage in Matthew 10:21-36.
Micah 7:6 6] For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house. Jesus quotes this very passage in Matthew 10:21-36.

Because of God’s Great Mercies, Trust the Lord (7:7)
7 Therefore I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me. The prophet reached a turning point when he looked away from the sins of the people and meditated on the faithfulness of the Lord. “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me” (v. 7 niv). He would “watch and pray” and put his trust only in the Lord. This verse is the “bridge” that connects the sections on sin and judgment with this closing section on hope.

Micah 7:7-8 7] Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. 8] Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me. “Therefore I will look unto the Lord...” There is only one place to rest our confidence: on Him. Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken ...And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21:26, 28

Micah 7:9 9] I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. His confidence comes from the only place it should: from complete submission to God. He is confessing his individual - and national - sins. We have gone along with the affluent society and accepted its comforts. We have snickered at the lack of integrity in public life. We have closed our eyes to the gross immorality that is around us. In Israel’s case, God used the “rod” of Assyria to punish them for their sins... In Judah’s case, it will be Babylon that will be His “rod...” Is the judgment of America overdue?... It is time for us also to confess our sins, too.

Micah 7:10 10] Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets. The nations are bent on Israel’s annihilation. Ultimately, the nations will see that God was dealing with His people; after they are restored, it will be they who are “trodden down as mire in the streets.”

The voice of the prophet (vv. 11–12).
11 In the day when your walls are to be built, In that day the decree shall go far and wide. In that day they shall come to you From Assyria and the fortified cities, From the fortress to the River, From sea to sea, And mountain to mountain. Micah speaks to the city of Jerusalem and assures her that, though she had been attacked and destroyed, she would one day be rebuilt. The prophets speak in glowing terms of Israel having a new city and temple (Isa. 2:1–5; Ezek. 40 — 48).

Micah 7:11 11] In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed. “...thy walls are to be built”: Verses 11and 12 look to a later and final fulfillment. It is interesting that Daniel’s “69 weeks” were triggered by the decree that the walls were to be built (not the Temple as many have erroneously assumed); cf. Dan 9:25.

Micah 7:12 12] In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain. “...from Assyria”: As we saw in Chapter 4, during the Millennial Kingdom all nations shall come to Zion, even their former enemy Assyria. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Micah 4:2 Cf. Isaiah 19:23-25, et al.

13 Yet the land shall be desolate Because of those who dwell in it, And for the fruit of their deeds. Shepherd Your people with Your staff, The flock of Your heritage, Who dwell solitarily in a woodland, In the midst of Carmel; Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, As in days of old. The boundaries of the nation would be expanded to include more territory than she had before. Micah longed for “the good old days” when the land was fruitful and peaceful and the people were like obedient sheep who followed their Shepherd. The prophet lifted his heart to the Lord in prayer and asked Him to be the faithful Shepherd of Israel and care for His people (Mic 5:4; Isa. 40:11; Ps. 80:1).

Micah 7:13 13] Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings. Micah reminds them that before this time of blessing, punishment lies before them. The land and the people are inextricably linked together. That’s what makes the current confrontations in the Middle East so significant!

Micah 7:14 14] Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old. Carmel, Bashan, and Gilead were all highly desirable grazing lands — that’s why they were favored by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh Deut 3:12-17; Jer 50:19 here, for the whole land; Zech 11:1-3 for a similar synecdoche. The “days of old” refer to the days of David and Solomon. 1Kgs 4:15 vs. Micah 4:4

The voice of the Lord (v. 15).
15 "As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them wonders." God’s answer (vv.15-17). God again references the Exodus as one of His most important achievements… God assured Micah that He would indeed watch over His flock and care for them, just as He had when they had departed from the land of Egypt. The “exodus” image is sometimes used in Scripture to point to the “exodus” of the Jews in the end times from the nations of the world to their own land (Isa. 11:15-12:6; 35:8–10; 43:14–20; 51:9–11). God will perform great wonders for His people at a time in their history when the nations are united against them.

16 The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; They shall put their hand over their mouth; Their ears shall be deaf They shall lick the dust like a serpent; They shall crawl from their holes like snakes of the earth. They shall be afraid of the LORD our God, And shall fear because of You. When Israel departed from Egypt and God opened the sea, the other nations heard about it and feared (Ex 15:14–16; Jos 2:8–11) The wonders the Lord will do for Israel in the last days will startle the nations even more. The Gentiles will see the power of God and be ashamed and unable to act. They will come out of their hiding places to submit to the Lord. It will mean total victory for Israel. But the most important event will not be Israel’s victory over her enemies but God’s victory over Israel.

Micah 7:16 16] The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf. All nations will be defeated; and astounded. Recall Rahab’s profession (Josh 2:10-11). Israel will be regathered in order to possess the land (v.14) and this regathering will be accomplished by miracles (v.15). When the Gentiles see this, they will cease reproaching the Jews and have a reverential fear of the Jews. They will then submit to the God of Israel (vv.16-17).

Micah 7:17 17] They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of thee. Licking the dust? An allusion to Gen 3:14? Moving out of their holes? Rev. 6:15,16. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: Revelation 6:15,16 Cf. Joshua 10:16, 22, 24.

The voice of the prophet (vv. 18-20).
We see in Micah 7:18–20 a reflection of what God told Moses on the mount (Ex. 34:5–7). The better we know the character of God, the more we can trust Him for the future. The better we know the promises and covenants of God, the more peace we will have in our hearts when things fall apart. When Micah wrote this the future seemed hopeless; yet he had hope he knew God and fully trusted Him. No matter how dark the day, the light of God’s promises is still shining. No matter how confusing and frightening our circumstances, the character of God remains the same. We have every reason to trust Him!

The voice of the prophet (vv. 18).
18 Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. The prophet was confident of the unchanging character of God. “Who is a God like you?” (Mic. 7:18 niv) reminds us of the meaning of Micah’s name, “Who is like the Lord?” He is a God who pardons sin, forgives transgressions, and delights in showing mercy. He shows compassion to His people and deals with their sins with finality.

Micah 7:18 18] Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. God has no equal.(first asked): Cf. Ex 15:11; 1Kgs 8:23; Ps 113:5, 6; et al. God is unique: 1) He is the Creator. The gods of the heathen are creatures; created things (Rom 1:21-23; Isa 44:16, 17; 46:5-7) 2) He is holy and righteous. Our God is a holy God, and He reveals His anger against sin. 3) He pardons iniquity and delights in mercy Ex 33:18-19; 34:5-7; Ps 103:9, 10; Isa 57:16.

19 He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob And mercy to Abraham, Which You have sworn to our fathers From days of old. Micah knew that God would not go back on His promises or His covenant agreements with His people. The people weren’t always true to Jehovah, but He will be true to His people (2 Tim. 2:12–13). What He promised to Abraham, the father of the nation, He will fulfill in his many descendants.

19 He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob And mercy to Abraham, Which You have sworn to our fathers From days of old. In the coming of Jesus Christ to this world, God fulfilled some of the promises He made to the Jews (Luke 1:72–73), He will fulfill the rest of His promises as well. “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ” (2 Cor. 1:20 niv).

Micah 7:19 19] He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. “...the depths of the sea”: Ex 15:4, 10; Cf. Jer 50:20. • His forgiveness is like a debt: Isa 43:25; Acts 3:19; Col 2:14 • His forgiveness is like the healing of a disease: Jer 3:22; Isa 61:1. • His forgiveness is pictured as the cleansing of a pollution, a contamination: Titus 3:5; John 1:7. • He never forgives until the debt is paid. Christ paid my debt on the cross. • How about yours?

Micah 7:20 20] Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. God will perform on the basis of His covenant: to Abraham (Gen 12:2,3) to Isaac (Gen 26:24) and to Jacob (Gen 28:13-14). The things God has sworn to Abraham and their fathers are irrefutable and immutable. Yet most of the churches deny them.

Micah 7:20 20] Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. Taschlich The last three verses, Micah , are joined to the book of Jonah for reading in the synagogue on the afternoon of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Once a year, the orthodox Jew goes to a running stream or river and symbolically empties his pockets of his sins into the water, while he recites verses The service is called Taschlich, after the Hebrew word meaning “thou wilt cast.”

MICAH 33 Micah Southern Kingdom - Pre-Exile

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