Micah’s Hope of God’s Salvation

MICAH 4:1-5

IN THIS passage of Scripture we have a beautiful and comprehensive description of the establishment and functioning of the kingdom of Christ and of the blessings it will assure to the people. An almost identical prophecy is found in the Book of Isaiah (chap. 2:2-5). Since Micah was contemporary with Isaiah—at least for a while—it is possible that one was copied from the other. It is more probable, however, that both were inspired to describe the kingdom and its blessings in the same manner.

The prophecy identifies the time for its fulfillment as being in the “last days.” Contrary to traditional belief, this prophecy represents the “last days” not as the end of human existence and the beginning of an eternity of bliss in heaven for a few, and of torment in fire and brimstone for the vast majority, but as a time when the kingdom of the Lord will be established and the people flowing into it to find peace and happiness.

In this prophecy the Lord’s kingdom is symbolized as a “mountain”—the “mountain of the house of the Lord.” The Prophet Daniel tells us about this same mountain, and through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit interprets it to be the kingdom of the Lord. (Dan. 2:35,44) The same symbolic mountain is referred to in Isaiah 25:6-9, where we are informed that in it the Lord will make unto all people a “feast of fat things,” and that death will be destroyed.

The “house” of the Lord is his ruling family made up of his beloved Son, Christ Jesus, and of those who, through begettal and birth of his Spirit, are made sons, and in the first resurrection are exalted to glory, honor, and immortality to live and reign with Christ. This spiritual ruling house of the Lord will be the executive branch of the divine kingdom, and will be established in “the top of the mountains”—that is, taking control over all nations.

“And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.” Other prophecies which describe events in the “last days,” or the “day of the Lord,” reveal that before the nations are ready to recognize the sovereignty of Christ’s kingdom they will have to go through a terrible scourging period which will humble them to the dust and cause them to realize the futility of their own efforts to restore order and peace in the earth. Undoubtedly the world is now passing through that period, but has not yet reached the point where they are glad to say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain [kingdom] of the Lord.”

“And he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” This expression indicates that the nations’ recognition of the kingdom of Christ will be sincere, and that they will actually seek divine instruction and be glad to obey divine law. When they come to this conclusion the arrangements of the Lord’s kingdom will be all ready to function. The Law shall go forth from Zion—the spiritual phase of the kingdom, symbolized in the preceding verse by a mountain—and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem—the visible, or human phase of the kingdom which primarily will consist of the resurrected ancient worthies. Probably, also, these will have their headquarters in the literal city of Jerusalem.

The Lord will then “judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off.” This indicates that even after the kingdom is established there will still be peoples and nations which will need to be dealt with firmly. It is reasonable to conclude, we think, that not all the nations will come into full harmony with the kingdom arrangements at once, but rather, that there will be a spreading of kingdom influence and authority, described by Isaiah as the “increase of his government and peace,” until it encompasses every continent and every isle of the sea.

It will be when the Lord teaches the people and rebukes the nations afar off, that they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruninghooks and when they will learn war no more. The nations are being told from many quarters today that an armament race will not safeguard the peace, that it is the sure way to war, but they do not heed. The distorted wisdom of this world, as exercised by those in positions of power, still insists that the only way to be assured of peace is to be prepared for war.

“They shall sit every man under his vine and … fig tree”—a beautiful symbol of economic security and prosperity. Today the majority of the human race lacks this security, and starvation haunts the lives of millions largely because so many of the earth’s resources are being diverted to provide the sinews of war. But the disarmament program to be inaugurated by the kingdom of Christ will help to change this picture, while other kingdom agencies will supervise production and distribution in such a way as to provide plenty for all. And then there will be none to make afraid. The present period when men’s hearts are failing them for fear will have merged into that glorious era of lasting peace so many times promised by the Lord.

All people will then walk in the “name of his god,” the prophet declares, and “we,” the Israelites, “will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.” Zephaniah 3:9 reveals that in this kingdom period the Lord will turn to the people a pure language and that they will all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent. This indicates that all will then serve the one and true God, hence the statement that all people will “walk every one in the name of his god” must mean that Jehovah has become the God of all. This is in keeping with Isaiah 25:9 where the people are represented as saying, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, … we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

MICAH 5:2-4

Here we have a prophecy of the birth of Jesus, identifying the city in which he who was to be King of the Jews and of the whole world, would be born. Genesis 35:19 indicates that Bethlehem was also called Ephrath, or Ephratah. The great King whose birth is here promised is referred to in the previous chapter (4:8) as the “tower of the flock,” and it is prophesied that unto him shall come the first dominion.

The “first dominion” was that given to father Adam when he was told to multiply and fill the earth and have dominion over it. He forfeited this dominion, and by virtue of Jesus’ redemptive work it becomes his “purchased possession.” Jesus will not keep this dominion for himself, but rather, at the end of the thousand-year judgment day, will return it to the redeemed and restored human race —“Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”—Matt. 25:34

Jesus had a prehuman existence, being the Logos, the first and only direct creation of God. Thus it could be said of him that his goings forth had been from of old, from everlasting, or age-lasting, as the Hebrew indicates. He has always served as the chief representative of Jehovah, and always will. This is one reason he could say to his disciples, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” (John 14:9) This is why so many prophecies describing the work of Jehovah are actually fulfilled by Jesus, for now he has been exalted to the right hand of God, and by the Father’s decree is to be honored even as he is honored.—Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3; I Pet. 3:22; John 5:23

“Until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth.” Chapter 4:10 tells who this is, that it is the “daughter of Zion.” The original promise of this “seed” is that of Genesis 3:15. This promise was reiterated and enlarged upon in the covenant with Abraham. However, the prophecies reveal that the “mother” of the seed would for a long time be barren. Thus is explained in symbolic language the long wait for the seed to come.

Verse 4 represents Jesus as a Shepherd who stands and feeds in the majesty of the Lord. Jehovah is the Great Shepherd, and Jesus serves under him as the Good Shepherd. His followers of this age have been as sheep, and he has tenderly cared for them, supplying their every need. (Psalm 23) Jesus said, however, “Other sheep I have which are not of this fold.” (John 10:16) These are the millennialage sheep, the restored world of mankind, those to whom the invitation is given to inherit the earthly dominion and to live forever in the earthly paradise. (Matt. 25:34) Thus it will be that Jesus will yet become great in the eyes of all the people, even “unto the ends of the earth.”

MICAH 7:18-20

IN THESE closing verses of Micah’s prophecy we find him exulting in the goodness and mercy and faithfulness of the Lord—“Who is a God like unto thee?” He pardons iniquity, he delighteth in mercy! In harmony with the other prophets, Micah foretold the great punishments which would come upon the natural Israelites because of their transgressions, but he also reveals that they are to be restored to God’s favor, that the Lord will take away their sins.—Rom. 11:26,27

Micah says of the Lord that “he will turn again.” In Jeremiah 18:17, the Lord tells us concerning the Israelites that he would show them his back and not his face. But Micah states that he will “turn again,” that is, he will show them his face—he will lift up his countenance upon them and give them peace. Then it will be that from the face of the Lord—as indicated by the Greek text in Acts 3:19—“times of refreshing” shall come to Israel and to the whole world.

It will be then that the Lord will perform, or fulfill the promises made to Abraham and to Jacob. That oath-bound covenant with Abraham will reach its fruition in the blessing of all the families of the earth. When this is fully brought to pass it will mean that the Lord’s will is done in earth even as it is in heaven. This is the glorious consummation of his plan which is involved in his covenant with Abraham, that covenant which he bound with his oath.—Isa. 45:18,22,23; Phil. 2:10,11

QUESTIONS

What are the “last days”?

What is the “mountain” of the Lord and the “house” of the Lord?

What must the nations experience before they are fully ready for the kingdom of Christ?

Explain the statement, “The Law shall go forth from Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

Will all the nations recognize the sovereignty of Christ’s kingdom at the same time?

What will be one of the contributing factors in the Millennium to economic security?

During the Millennium will all people worship the true God?

Who is the “tower of the flock,” and what is the “first dominion”?

How does Micah’s prophecy refer to Jesus’ prehuman existence?

Who is “she which travaileth”?

Who are the “other sheep” over which Jesus will be Shepherd?

What does Micah mean by the statement that the Lord will “turn again”?

| Home Page | Table of Contents |