Christ in Micah -- The Everlasting Ruler

The prophet Micah lived in an area near Jerusalem, and he preached at the same time as Isaiah, about 700 B.C.  Much of this book’s seven chapters are dedicated to warning the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel of their coming destruction by the Assyrians.  The reasons for God’s judgment are spelled out in chapter two. Chapter three continues with God’s indictment against His people, and especially against those who claimed to be His prophets, but were, instead, leading the people away from Him, taking bribes, and preaching only what made the people feel good (and give more generously to those greedy, self-serving priests).  Then, skipping to chapters six and seven, we see God’s indictments against His chosen people and their replies – much like a formal hearing in a courtroom.  By the end of that hearing, beginning in chapter seven, we see Israel’s desperate reply, “Woe is me!”  The case was made against God’s people and they knew it.  But the book ends with an epilogue, assuring God’s chosen people that the coming destruction would not be their final judgment, but only a temporary punishment for their disobedience.    We have seen this pattern of prophecy all through the books we have been studying over the last several weeks – a coming judgment, the reason for the judgment, and a promise of restoration.

But since we are specifically looking for Christ in every book of the Bible, it is most important for us to look at the middle of the book of Micah.  Chapters four and five might be seen as set apart in parentheses in the middle of all of Micah’s dire prophecy.  Here, in the middle of the doom and gloom of disobedience and punishment, we see God’s promise of deliverance -- Messiah!

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. (Micah 4:1)

Beginning with this verse through verse eight, Micah describes the Millennial Kingdom which Christ will rule from His throne on Mt. Zion.  Then, beginning in verse nine Micah describes the suffering that will precede Christ’s earthly Kingdom, the tribulation.  Then, in chapter five, Micah gets very specific with his prophecy.  He predicts the birth of Jesus Christ in the little town of Bethlehem, His first coming:

“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.” (Micah 5:2)

And then in the verses following, Micah proclaims His second coming and His rule in peace over a reunited Israel:

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; and this One shall be peace. (Micah 5:4-5)

As exciting as it is to read about the second coming of Jesus Christ and His Millennial Kingdom, we need to be careful to take to heart the judgment and chastisement that Micah was preaching to God’s people.  After all, we are not that different from them, and we need to be careful that we do not fall into the same traps that they did.  As much as I love God, and as much as I love to study His Word, I can fall into bad habits of idolatry (worshiping the gods of self, political correctness, expediency, laziness, worldliness, etc.)  I sometimes jump headlong into worry, rather than into prayer.  I sometimes place my faith in politicians or earthly governments to fix my problems, rather than trusting God who loves me and knows what is best for me.  I sometimes waste my time and energy on things that have no eternal value, rather than investing in things that matter to God.  I sometimes forget to thank God for all He does for me and praise Him for all that He is.  If Christ returns today, I hope He will find me being faithful and obedient to Him.  So my prayer this week will be taken from Micah 7:7-8.  Even though I know I will still fail from time to time, I will trust God to pick me up and forgive me.  I trust that He will not allow Satan to find any pleasure in my life.  I hope you will join me in this prayer:

I will look to (You,) the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; (You,) my God will hear me. Do not (allow my enemy to) rejoice over me; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me.

All Scripture is from New King James Version