THE GLORY OF CHRIST AND HIS KINGDOM ( 5:5-15)

Previously we studied verse four under the title, The King and His Kingdom, 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. We saw how this verse speaks firstly of the coming of Jesus Christ the Messiah to , and secondly when He returns, - in the future, - to establish His Kingdom on earth. We looked at the verse from five viewpoints 1. Christ will be our Strength, He shall stand … in the strength of the LORD 2. Christ will be our Shepherd, He shall … feed in the strength of the LORD 3. Christ will be our Sovereign, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God 4. Christ will be our Shelter, and they shall abide 5. Christ will be our Surety, for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

That is the ‘launching pad’ for our study today. … Some people, - even some Christians, - shy away from studying God’s Word as it relates to the future. This can be for a number of reasons but one reason is that students of prophecy have made so many outlandish predictions in the past that have dampened the enthusiasm of some to study the doctrine of end times, ‘eschatology’. They are afraid of looking silly … so they avoid it completely. Another reason that some shy away from studying this subject is that no matter how you read the Word of God relating to the end times you will often arrive at conclusions which seem well-nigh impossible to be fulfilled. Some of the teachings of Scripture sound so fantastic that it would seem as if they ought to be relegated to fiction and fantasy.

… Like, after all, say to ‘the person in the street’ Jesus Christ is coming back again … and they will think you are crazy! Tell them, Yes, He is coming back, and He is going to set up His Kingdom here on earth … and during that time the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them (Is. 11:6). … And there is going to be peace on the earth … and all kinds of wonderful things! … Do you believe that? You ought to, for it is what the Word of God teaches very plainly and very clearly! However, - … and I’m exaggerating a little, - but I could imagine that within a very short space of time after you have told ‘the person in the street’ Jesus Christ is coming back again … you would hear the sound of an emergency vehicle pulling up alongside you, and men in white coats jumping out and taking you away!!

2 The subject of Christ’s return sounds crazy … and yet, throughout the history of this world, God has brought the strangest of predictions into reality … just as His prophets prophesied He would. …

Here, He was speaking through the prophet Micah to the people of Israel and Judah and He was telling this affluent and self-confident society that a terrible and cruel invader was preparing to some and smite them with a rod upon the cheek (Micah 5:1) … But they wouldn’t listen! It would never happen … Not at all! … But it did, II Chron. 36:5 Jehoiakim [was] twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in : and he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD his God. 6 Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon. 7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.

So when the says, 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 … then that is exactly what He will do … no matter how far-fetched it might sound! He has proved in the past He keeps His Word literally, - no matter how incredible it may sound - and He will keep His word that He has had written in Scripture concerning His plans for the future!

So, as Micah continued to view the distant scene, he 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). This would be as the consequence of Christ the Messiah coming to reign … Let’s take each of those thoughts using God’s Word as our only guiding principle.

ISRAEL’S FUTURE ENEMIES WOULD BE DEFEATED (vv.5-6) The history of Israel is shrouded in conflict since almost from the very beginning when God gave His promise to Abram (Gen. 12:2 I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing). They have borne the brunt of wars and conflicts carried out by countries to the north, to the east, and to the west. One of their main problems was that their land covered an area that warring factions frequently travelled through … and hence, they were invaded. They were conquered by the Egyptians, the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes and Persians, Greeks, Romans, Turks … and others. … On many occasions throughout their history, the land of Israel was ‘there for the taking’, 4:11 Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion. … Ah, don’t forget, though, v.12, But they know not the 3 thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. … That is what He will do!

The world has no understanding of Scripture and of this One Who shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. Verse five, this man shall be the peace (v.5a). Well, actually the word ‘man’ is in italics because it is not in the original Hebrew text. Yet, it is obviously referring back to He Who was prophesied to come out of Bethlehem Ephratah, Who is the Everlasting One. When He comes again He shall be the peace.

That is not according to man’s credentials. It is not prophesying about someone who will start off his career by winning a Nobel Peace Prize. When God says in His Word, this man shall be the peace [shalom] … the term ‘peace’ is defined by the perfection and holiness of God. … This One Who is the peace is the Christ Paul informed the Ephesians about, 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us]. … Isaiah calls Him the Prince of peace (9:6). When the angels announced His birth they proclaimed Him, peace on earth (Lk. 2:14). He came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh (Eph. 2:17). … Christ is the Peace Who, - it is promised, - will come and shatter the distress and the anguish brought by the Assyrian. That is the sound of victory we read in verse six, they shall waste the land of with the sword, and the land of 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 [cf. 1:3].

Notice the mention of the “Assyrian”, - … not the “Assyrians”, but the “Assyrian”. That is very important! And it is also significant that Micah 5:6 emphasises the correlation between the land of Assyria and the land of Nimrod. You see, the Assyrian had his origins in Gen. 10, in the times of Nimrod. Nimrod was a descendant of the rebel Ham, who was the son of Noah who carried out evil relations with his father. In the genealogy you find the sons of Ham … the sons of Cush … Nimrod. It is stated clearly how he was a mighty hunter before the Lord (v.9), - he stood up and rebelled against God … and he sought to create a world that had no place for God, v.10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 Out of that land went forth Asshur [from which we get Assyria], and builded Nineveh. … So this ‘Assyrian’ who Micah is prophesying about comes from a long line of out-and-out rebels against God and His people!

4 And this is why you will notice the Assyrian is in the singular … and he will come into the land of Israel and Judah, and he will cause great havoc (v.5). He will tramp all over the palaces and the places of government …

And he will bring a great disgrace to the land. Since this is happening immediately prior to the second coming of Christ, I believe this refers to the ‘little horn’ Daniel speaks about (Dan. 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn [were] eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things; 8:9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant [land]. 10 And it waxed great, [even] to the host of heaven; and it cast down [some] of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. 11 Yea, he magnified [himself] even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily [sacrifice] was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down). This is the same ‘man of sin’ Paul refers to in II Thess. 2:3ff. who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. … Jesus referred to him in Mt. 24:15 and in Mk. 13:14 as the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet [see Dan. 11:31 they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate; also 12:11] and how this man, - Assyrian, - will stand in the holy place. … Antiochus Epiphanes was merely a shadow, - a type, - of this man.

This man will start off by being friendly and helpful to the people in the land, - he will be the answer to all their problems … but then he will turn on them and make their lives into absolute unimaginable misery. He will cause more distress and tribulation than the nation has ever experienced … Jeremiah speaks about it as the time of ’s trouble (30:7). … It will seem as if it will be all over for the nation … as if Satan is about to eliminate and annihilate the people of Israel and Judah, - God’s ancient people, - once and for all …

However, God has not finished yet! Micah, - in keeping with other Scriptures, - informs us that when the cruelty of this man is at its worst, v.5 then shall we [i.e. within the nation of Israel and Judah] raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. … This Assyrian is going to be halted by the Man, - Christ, - Who is our peace. Jesus will return! … And when Jesus, - Who shall be the peace (v.5a), - returns, then shall we raise against him [the Assyrian] seven shepherds, and eight principal men. … Who are they? Well, the Bible commentators give you many suggestions … but we simply don’t know. 5 Whoever and whatever they are, God has raised them up … and they will be victorious under the command of the One Who is their peace (v.5a).

So, that is our first thought … Israel’s future enemies would be defeated (vv.5-6).

THE JEWISH REMNANT WOULD BE BLESSED (vv. 7-9) Now, it is a ‘remnant’ (v.7) that shall return (cf. Rom. 9:27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved [cf. Is. 10:21,22]). When will this remnant be saved? Paul explains that at the present time blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in (Rom. 11:25) … That blindness, - as we see in our own day, - has not been removed yet, in its entirety, - but it is a precursor He would have learned about from the teachings of Jesus, Who said, Lk. 21:24 Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. …

And that is the time that will usher in the period when Rom. 11:26 all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob [cf. Is. 59:20,21]: 27 For this [is] my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, [they are] enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, [they are] beloved for the fathers' sakes [i.e. , Isaac, Jacob]. This remnant, then, will have, - at long-last, - come to recognise Jesus as their Messiah (cf. v.4) and King, - the Ruler in Israel (v.2), Who shall be great unto the ends of the earth (v.4).

And look at how God describes how great a blessing His people, - these people, - will be … They will be v.7 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. ... He said it to Hosea also, 4:5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. 6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

To a certain degree, God’s promise to Abram has been fulfilled, Gen. 12:2 I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing. Indeed, the Jewish contribution to civilization surpasses any other nation ever! (see http://www.jinfo.org … and incidentally, the heading of this Jewish website has Micah 5:7 And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people) … However, God’s promise to Abram will be absolutely fulfilled in all its glory during this time about which Micah speaks.

6 Just like the Saviour Who was despised and rejected, God’s people were also the object of the nations’ scorn … but God has always promised they would one day be a blessing throughout the world … and that day will eventually arrive when Jesus is King on this earth!

But here is the pinnacle of their contribution … It will come in their service to the Lord, for Micah prophesies, v.8 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. 9 Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off. … That’s when the Lord shall consume the enemy, - the Assyrian and his hosts, - and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming (II Thess. 2:8) … And the Jewish nation, who for so long rejected Christ, will become His greatest heralds, - the promise to Abram will be complete, Gen. 12:3 in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

You will remember how God spoke to in the wilderness, and He told him how He had chosen the Hebrews from out of every other nation (Dt. 7:1). His original plan for them was this: v.5 thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. [… and that is what Micah prophesies the people of God will do at the commencement of the reign of Christ] 6 For thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that [are] upon the face of the earth. … And God will fulfil in its entirety this ancient prophetic promise He made to His servant Moses, when Christ comes again!

Israel’s future enemies would be defeated (vv.5-6), the Jewish remnant would be blessed (vv. 7-9) … and finally …

THE NATION WOULD BE PURGED OF ITS SINS (VV. 10-15) v.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: 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 [Heb. asherah, asharim, planted for idolatrous worship … the Canaanite goddess Astarte/Ashtaroth] out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities. 15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard. … All the things you used to depend upon … and all the things you used to put before Me … that you used to put your confidence and trust in, God says, I shall remove them all. You will no longer be depending upon your defences, 7 or your old superstitious religion. Here is what He promised through Jeremiah, 33:7 I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first. 8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. 9 And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it. … And Joel, 3:20 Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. 21 For I will cleanse their blood [that] I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.

If you stand at the Western Wall in Jerusalem and watch them ‘bobbing’ backwards and forwards as they repeat their empty prayers … there will be no more of that when they recognise Christ as Messiah and King. All their old places of idolatrous apostasy will be forever removed. … Only in Christ will there be safety and joy! … Only in Christ will there be the fulfilment of the promises of God. Yes, once again, He will be our Strength, our Shepherd, our Sovereign, our Shelter, and our Surety.

For those who will continue not to receive Him, God declares, Micah 5:15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard. Their world will collapse around them. But, on that day the long- awaited sound of rejoicing from God’s people will fill His creation, Ps. 8:9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent [is] thy name in all the earth … and He is King of all the earth (Ps. 47:7)!

These verses we have studied are concerning Israel, - the ancient people. We don’t need to make it read anything else … because to make it read anything else we would be distorting what God has said to Micah. Nevertheless, … two things … (i) You and I are instructed to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and Israel, for they are the apple of God’s eye (Dt. 32:10; Zech. 2:8), - pray for their salvation … for God promises a blessing to those who bless them … (ii) You and I, - as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, - have been ‘grafted in’ (Rom. 11) to the ‘olive tree’ … and so, through God’s sovereign and saving grace, - through the precious blood of Christ that was shed on the cross, - the Jew and Gentile are one in Him. We shall share together in the King’s victory! There is no longer any middle wall of partition, - we are fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God (Eph. 2:14,19) … and we shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years (Rev. 20:6).