"STUDIES IN THE MINOR PROPHETS"

Micah - Judgment Now, Blessings Later (3:1-5:15)

INTRODUCTION
  1. In our previous lesson on the book of Micah...
    1. We briefly considered some background material
      1. Concerning Micah, the man
        1. His name means "Who is like Jehovah?"
        2. He was from Moresheth-Gath, 20-25 miles SW of Jerusalem
        3. A contemporary of Isaiah
        4. A prophet of the poor and downtrodden
      2. Concerning Micah, the book
        1. The prophecies occurred around 735-700 B.C.
        2. They were directed toward both Israel and Judah
        3. The general theme appears to be "Present Judgment, Future Blessings"
    2. We briefly considered the first of three messages in the book
      1. Each message begins with "Hear..." - Mic 1:2; 3:1; 6:1
      2. The first message proclaimed "The Coming Judgment And Promised Restoration", as it described:
        1. The judgment pronounced upon Israel and Judah - Mic 1:2-16
        2. The reasons for the coming judgment - Mic 2:1-11
        3. The promise of the restoration of a remnant - Mic 2:12-13
  2. In this lesson, we shall consider Micah's second message...
    1. As presented in Mic 3:1-5:15
    2. Which follows a similar theme as in the previous message:
      1. God's condemnation of Israel
      2. With a glimpse of the future hope

[This second message has much more to say about the future hope, especially regarding the Messiah. But it begins with...]

  1. GOD'S CONDEMNATION OF ISRAEL'S LEADERS
    1. INDICTMENT OF ISRAEL'S CIVIL LEADERS...
      1. The outrageous conduct of the rulers - Mic 3:1-3
        1. They hate good and love evil
        2. They consume the people (i.e., oppress them)
      2. The judgment to come upon them - Mic 3:4
        1. They will cry to the Lord, but He will not hear them
        2. He will hide His face from them
    2. INDICTMENT OF ISRAEL'S RELIGIOUS LEADERS...
      1. The judgment to come upon the false prophets - Mic 3:5-7
        1. Because they lead God's people astray
        2. They shall have no vision, they shall be made ashamed
      2. Micah's own ministry, in contrast to that of the false prophets - Mic 3:8
        1. He is full of the power of the Spirit, and of justice and might
        2. He declares the transgression and sin of Israel
    3. INDICTMENT OF ISRAEL'S LEADERS RENEWED...
      1. Addressing once again the rulers of Israel, their sins are categorized - Mic 3:9-11
        1. They abhor justice and pervert equity (fairness)
        2. They build up Jerusalem with bloodshed and iniquity
        3. Whether judges, priests, or prophets, they do it only for the money, belying their claim to trust in the Lord
      2. The judgment to come upon Israel because of them - Mic 3:12
        1. Zion shall be plowed like a field
        2. Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins

        [This prophecy of Micah was fulfilled when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B. C. (cf. 2Ch 36:17-21). But his message is not finished; as ominous as it was in proclaiming the coming judgment, he now continues with a glimpse into the future...]

  2. THE FUTURE EXALTATION OF ZION AND MESSIANIC HOPE
    1. THE GLORY TO COME IN "THE LATTER DAYS"...
      1. What will happen "in the latter days"
        1. The "mountain of the Lord's house" will be established, and many people will want to go it - Mic 4:1-2
        2. They will want to learn of God's ways, and the word of the Lord will go forth from Jerusalem - Mic 4:2
        3. The Lord will judge the nations, and there will be peace - Mic 4:3
        4. Everyone will be content, walking in the name of the Lord forever - Mic 4:4-5
        -- Isaiah had a similar prophecy - Isa 2:1-4
      2. What is the fulfillment of this prophecy?
        1. Some believe it is all yet to come (e.g., premillenialists)
        2. Some believe it is all past (e.g., some amillenialists)
        3. I am inclined to believe there are past, present, and future elements
          1. It began in Jerusalem with the preaching of the gospel on Pentecost
            1. For Peter identifies the events of that day as beginning the fulfillment of what would occur in the "last days" - cf. Joel 2:28-32; Ac 2:16-17
            2. For Jesus said the gospel would go forth from Jerusalem as prophesied - Lk 24:46-47; cf. Mic 4:2; Isa 2:3
          2. It continues as people respond to the gospel that originated from Jerusalem
            1. Such people "have come to Mount Zion" - He 12:22-24; cf. Mic 4:2
            2. They learn the ways of the Lord - Ep 4:20-24; cf. Mic 4:2
          3. The "judging among many people" may be both present and future
            1. The book of Revelation reveals the Lord as judging both in the present and in the future - cf. Re 1:5; 2:26-27; 17:14; 20:11-15
            2. Peter viewed some of Isaiah's prophecies as yet to be fulfilled - 2Pe 3:13; cf. Isa 65:17-19; 66:22
            3. Therefore Mic 4:3-5 may find some of its fulfillment in the eternal destiny of the redeemed, as part of the "New Jerusalem" of the "new heaven and new earth" described in Re 21-22
      3. As Micah continues, he describes what will occur "in that day" - Mic 4:6-8
        1. The Lord will assemble a remnant of those whom He afflicted - cf. Ro 11:5
        2. He will reign over them forever - cf. Lk 1:30-33
        -- I understand that the fulfillment of this prophecy began with the first coming of Christ, and that the church is a spiritual kingdom in which the "former dominion" of Israel has been restored and given to Jesus who reigns from heaven - cf. Mt 28:18; Ac 1:6-8; 2:30-36; Re 1:5; 2:26-27; 3:21
    2. THE DISTRESS AND CAPTIVITY BEFORE RESTORATION...
      1. The "Now" of Mic 4:9 suggests that Micah has returned from his glimpse of the future hope to what will occur in the immediate present
      2. Their judgment will involve distress like a woman in labor, as they will be delivered to Babylon, from which they will also be redeemed - Mic 4:9-10
      3. Even "now", many nations (e.g., Assyria) have come up against them - Mic 4:11-5:1
        1. Who seek to defile Zion, whom God will use to break them into many pieces
        2. Yet the daughter of Zion (Israel) shall be humbled also - cf. Mic 5:1
    3. THE COMING MESSIAH...
      1. Here we find the prophecy of the Messiah's birthplace - Mic 5:2; cf. Mt 2:1-6
        1. The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem Ephrathah
        2. He would become the ruler of Israel - cf. Isa 9:6-7; Lk 1:30-33
        3. His "goings forth have been from old, from everlasting" - cf. Jn 1:1-3
      2. The Messiah will lead His people in peace - Mic 5:3-5a
        1. Though first they must be given up for a short time (Babylonian captivity)
        2. Then a remnant shall return, whom the Ruler shall feed in the strength of the Lord
    4. FURTHER JUDGMENT ON ISRAEL AND HER ENEMIES...
      1. Some take this section to be Messianic
      2. I tend to take it as pertaining to Micah's day and those that followed shortly after...
        1. The Assyrian threat would prove to be no real threat (for Judah - Mic 5:5b-6; cf. Isa 36-37
        2. When the remnant is dispersed (as a result of Babylonian captivity), they shall be a lion among flocks of sheep - Mic 5:7-9 (e.g., Daniel, Esther?)
        3. God would cut off her false strengths (such as horses and chariots, cf. Isa 31:1) and her idolatry - Mic 5:10-15
CONCLUSION
  1. With the recurrent theme in his messages ("Present Judgment, Future Blessings"), Micah's purpose appears to be two-fold...
    1. To warn the people, that they may repent as necessary
    2. To encourage the people, that their hope for the future might help them to endure the hard times to come
  2. A similar two-fold message is found in the New Testament as well...
    1. Warnings to persevere, lest we fall away - e.g., He 4:1,11
    2. Promises to encourage us for whatever lies ahead - e.g., 2Pe 3:13-14
  3. Today, we have an advantage over the Israelites of Micah's day...
    1. We have already seen much of his prophecy fulfilled with the first coming of the Messiah
    2. As Peter wrote, "we also have the prophetic word made more sure" - 2Pe 1:19
    3. Made more sure by virtue of its fulfillment, it can serve to comfort us and strengthen our hope regarding any future promise of God - cf. Ro 15:4
    -- If God kept His promise concerning the first coming of His Messiah, we can have confidence He will keep His promise concerning His return!

Perhaps that is why Peter went on to say concerning "the prophetic word" (e.g., The Minor Prophets)...

"which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts" (2Pe 1:19)
By careful study and consideration of the prophets, both in the Old Testament and New Testament, our hope for the future is strengthened!