Micah 4 - Zionists Arise!
by Lance Ponder(95)http://fkiprofessor.xanga.com
Oracle of Zion for All
The forth chapter of Micah becomes overtly messianic with the reference to “latter days.” It describes the latter days as a time when people from far parts of the world would come to the Lord.
Mic 4:1 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, The “house of the Lord” is called a mountain. Mountains are characterized as easy to see from far off, immovable, solid, and put in their place by the word of God. “House” generally refers to a family. For example, the “house of Jacob” would refer to Jacob’s immediate family and by extension all of the descendants of Jacob. In context, “house of the Lord” here refers to God’s Son, Jesus. God promises to lift this particular mountain above all other mountains and hills. In every sense Jesus fulfilled this prophecy becoming supreme as Lord and Savior to all people whom God would choose. “Peoples” implies other cultures beyond the Hebrews would come to this “house of the Lord” (son of God).
Mic 4:2 and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law [or teaching], and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Although the Jews did proselytize foreigners, this prophecy suggests an unprecedented flow of outsiders into the faith of YHWH by coming to the Son of God. These people would enter into the house of the God of Jacob. This suggests these people would enter into a new kind of relationship with the same YHWH that Jacob worshipped. They would come to this Son of God to receive his law or teaching. The Hebrew term translated “law” could also be translated “teaching” and with respect to Jesus either would apply. These people from other nations would go to God directly to learn His ways and ultimately to walk in His ways. Mount Zion would be the source of the word of the Lord. John refers to Jesus as the living word (Jn 1:1). Micah uses Mount Zion as a symbolic reference to this same living word, the Anointed One or Messiah of God who we know today as Jesus. Jesus was both a great teacher of God and the embodiment of the Law. Christ fulfilled all the requirements of the Law, but most profoundly he in every way manifested the character of God which is expressed in the Law. When we are born again, Christ becomes our Lord and his Holy Spirit enters us. As a result we embody the Law, imperfect though our bodies may be.
Mic 4:3 He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations far away; and 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; Moses was the first of the Judges of Israel. Moses prophesied that God would raise a prophet like Himself who would speak according to God’s will (Dt 18:18). God Himself would judge among those who will not listen to this prophet (Dt 18:19). In this verse the role of judge includes settling disputes. In effect this judge will heal division. As a result those who come to Him will stop fighting each other and will cultivate the harvest of God. Pruning hooks seems to be a reference to repentance. Those who are drawn to God will put aside personal differences and embrace one another in brotherly love. When we become born again we cease to be at war with God or believers because we become members of God’s family. Ultimately, in heaven, this prophecy will find a literal fulfillment though in this age we see only the spiritual fulfillment in the lives of believers.
Mic 4:4 but they shall sit every man 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. Jesus spoke at length about inner peace in the midst of outer tribulation. Micah spoke of a time of rest and peace. Inner peace breeds outer peace just as the other fruit of the Spirit are manifest in a life without fear of the evils of this world. As with the previous verse, in this age we realize spiritual peace, but in Heaven we shall realize the literal fulfillment of this hope.
Mic 4:5 For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever. Whether Micah himself understood his words is impossible to know. Whether he intended to speak of eternity or the Kingdom of God existing spiritually in the lives of those living in this word cannot be known for certain. Regardless, Micah here speaks of the life we are meant to live now. We are meant to walk with YHWH now and through eternity.
Oracle of Zion’s Remnant
Expanding on the former verses, 4:6-8 describes some of the things the Lord will do at the establishment of this kingdom when the Lord will be their king.
Mic 4:6-7 In that day, declares the Lord, I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away and those whom I have afflicted; and the lame I will make the remnant, and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from this time forth and forevermore. In context with Mic 4:1, “that day” appears to refer to a specific period of time rather than a literal day. Regardless, the Lord is declaring with certainty a covenant promise to assemble this certain group of people. The term “assemble” generally refers a gathering to a place. An example would be the gathering of the Jews in Jerusalem for certain annual feasts. Here the Lord declares he will gather the lame, afflicted, and those driven away. This particular passage is generally believed to refer to the return of exiles from captivity and the construction of the second temple in the 5 th century BC. The “lame” would likely refer to those too old or ill to be taken into exile whereas the “afflicted” would refer to those who were exiled. The few Jews left in Jerusalem did retain their culture to some degree until the exiles returned. Some of those who survived exile did become repentant. Daniel rose to the rank of governor. Other Jews became prominent in Babylon. Jews were allowed to return under the auspices of Persia’s king. While those events do represent a preliminary fulfillment, the returning exiles never constituted a strong nation politically, religiously, or even culturally as this passage seems to describe. More importantly, if Mount Zion is assumed to be the Temple Mount, the destruction of the temple by the Romans would seem to invalidate this prophecy. If instead “Mount Zion” actually refers to the person of Jesus Christ, then the reign from that point forward would make sense. Jesus did heal the lame and call all people to himself. The Hebrew term translated “nation” can and often does refer to a people group, either ethnic or cultural. There can certainly be no stronger “nation” than the Kingdom of God.
Mic 4:8 And you, O tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, the former dominion shall come, kingship for the daughter of Jerusalem. The phrases “tower of the flock” and “hill of the daughter of Zion” poetically refer to the same thing, namely the people raised up by Christ. These people sound a great deal like the resurrected believers who will populate New Jerusalem. The reference to “former dominion” sounds like establishment of a kingdom at least as powerful as Israel its pinnacle of power under Solomon. “Kingship” is a reference to the office of Christ as King of kings. “Daughter of Jerusalem” sounds like a reference to Christ followers of all cultures who are spiritually related to Jerusalem or are otherwise citizens of New Jerusalem. In summary, this verse is a direct prediction that Jesus would be the king to rule over the spiritual community of Jerusalem.
Oracle of Zion’s Redemption
Micah brings his message back to the present with more rhetorical questions. Immediately, however, he again points to future events. Though seemingly dire, these events will end in victory for those who belong to Zion.
Mic 4:9 Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pain seized you like a woman in labor? It is one thing to pacify your fears with false assurance of safely avoiding tribulation. It is another to find the true peace that comes from the Lord who carries us safely through tribulation. Jesus rebuked people for their worries and assured them the Lord loved them (Mt 6:25-26). Micah is essentially saying the same thing. Don’t fear the tribulation of the world if you are a subject of the King of kings. God is not dead. Micah has already given grave prophecies. Those prophecies, once people started seeing them fulfilled, became a source of fear and dread. Micah was telling the faithful not to fear, for the Lord does not abandoned those He loves.
Mic 4:10 Writhe and groan [or push], O daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor, for now you shall go out from the city and dwell in the open country; you shall go to Babylon. There you shall be rescued; there the Lord will redeem you from the hand of your enemies. Micah continues with the metaphor of a woman in labor to illustrate the pain God’s people will endure. Women do survive this pain, however, which becomes only a memory after the child is born. This prophecy is specifically to Jerusalem. Micah mentions the exile to Babylon. This is particularly significant because at this point Babylon is not a major world power and certainly no threat compared with Assyria. It would be another century before Babylon would rise up to conquer Assyria, then Judah and Jerusalem. In spite of what must have seemed an unlikely change in world politics, Micah foretells the Babylonian exile and the return of the Jews to Jerusalem. We must remember that the accuracy of these prophecies validated the whole of Micah’s prophecies and ensured his whole book would be kept.
Mic 4:11 Now many nations are assembled against you, saying, “Let her be defiled, and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.” This sort of hyperbole is found in several of the prophets’ books. In this case the international community will be looking down their noses at Jerusalem expecting the humiliation of the people of YHWH.
Mic 4:12 But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord; they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor. The taunts prepared by the enemies of the Jews will eventually come back against them. These people who think they understand God’s plan to destroy Jerusalem will be surprised to find that instead of wiping them out, God’s plan is purification. In one sense this was realized in 515 when Persia conquered Babylon and the Jews were allowed to return home. God’s people were gathered back to Jerusalem and the temple was eventually rebuilt. This was a weak fulfillment compared with the fullness of God’s plan to restore the relationship of humanity to God through His Christ. In the context of all the other messianic prophecies in neighboring verses, understanding this passage as messianic in its ultimate fulfillment does make sense.
Mic 4:13 Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze; you shall beat in pieces many peoples; and shall devote their gain to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth. Jesus came to the Jews, completing God’s plan for atonement at Jerusalem, because God promised that through them He would raise His Christ who would draw all people to Himself. “Daughter of Zion,” as we already discussed, is a reference to Jerusalem. A “horn” is a king. Iron refers to unbreakable character of this king (Jesus). Hoofs do the walking. Bronze shines. This passage reminds me of Ps 119:105 – “Your word is a light to my feet and a lamp to my path.” Jesus came to the Jews, but he is the embodiment of God’s Word and the light of all men everywhere. Following the pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost, the Apostles and their disciples began to spread the Good News of the resurrection of Christ and the message of repentance and forgiveness of sin to the whole world. Micah here spoke of God’s authority over the whole of the earth, not merely the children of Jacob.
Majoring in the Minors
Micah Chapters:
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
Article submitted Monday, June 28, 2010 & read 90 times.
Leave Your Comments: