Micah 4 7

God's Perfect Reign

December 28, 2014
C S Lewis Mere Christianity Quotes. The Life-Force is a sort of tame God. You can switch it on
when you want, but it will not bother you. All the thrills of religion and none of the cost. Is the LifeForce the greatest achievement of wishful thinking the world has yet seen?
What does the Bible mean?
Read. Micah 4:1-5
Chapter 3 ended with Jerusalem becoming a heap of rubble. Now we see a hope for universal peace.
The mountains of Jerusalem will be pre-eminent. All nations will come to it to hear God's ways so
they may walk in his ways. The Lord will judge. There will be worldwide peace. The people of an
agrarian society will appreciate that the tools of war can be turned into tools of farming. (Note that vs
1-3 are almost identical to Isaiah 2:2-4) What better evidence of peace and security could there be
when one can sit beneath his own fig tree and vine in safety? The vision of nations walking in the
name of their own gods while Israel walks in the Lord our God is curious. Following other gods
brought judgment. Here it seems to be at least an earthly path to tolerance and peace.
Read. Micah 4: 6-8
Here is the promise of restoration. The Lord will assemble the exiles that he has brought to grief.
Many are lame or were wounded by the encounters. The remnant will be gathered where the Lord
reigns in Jerusalem.
Read. Micah 4: 9-10
But now (This is the first of three now questions. The nows are more prominent in the KJV and
RSV.) do you cry aloud over the loss of a king? Now the people will be exiled but they will be rescued
or redeemed and delivered.
Read. Micah 4: 11-13
Now hostile nations or neighboring countries will gather to defile and gloat over Zion. But they don't
understand or know God. He will gather them like the waste sheaves on the threshing floor. The gains
of the enemies will be wealth to the Lord of all the earth. The phrase Lord of all the earth is a rare
divine title and evidence of the visionary nature of the passage.
Read. Micah 5:1-4
[Now] Marshall your troops . Out of Bethlehem (the smallest clan of Judah but the home of David)
will come a ruler whose origins are from of old, from ancient times (or from everlasting). He will
shepherd his flock in the name of the Lord his God. His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.

We see this shepherd to be Jesus per Matt 2:5-6 and John 7:42.
Read. Micah 5:5-9
Assyria will never again dominate Israel. God's remnant will be secure among the nations. They will
be like dew or respected leaders among the nations. This is like Jesus' teaching that his followers
(disciples) will be like leaven and salt.
Read. Micah 5:10-15
In Chapter 1, god announced that he would judge Samaria, Jerusalem and all peoples. Here he will
take away those false crutches that they rely upon horses and chariots, fortresses, witchcraft, images
which they made and bow down to and Asherah poles. He will destroy all that is offensive to him.
Those nations who do not listen will be destroyed.
Read. Micah 6:1-5
Again, Chapter 1 has God calling his people for a trial an accounting of themselves. They will be in
the presence of each other and also the mountains the foundations of the earth. God speaks as a
plaintiff in vs 1-2 and defendant in 3-5 called a covenant lawsuit.
Has God been a burden? He redeemed them from slavery with great leaders to the promised land.
Balak had urged Balaam to curse the Israelites but Balaam refused and Israel defeated the Amorites.
Read. Micah 6:6-8
The people answer God. What pleases him? Should they bow down and exalt him? make burnt
offerings? offer countless rams and rivers of oil? offer their children as sacrifices for their souls?
No. God requires justice which requires honoring relationships. He wants them to love mercy or
kindness or devotion to loyalty. He wants us to walk humbly - not presumptively with our God.
Read. Micah 9-16
God will punish because of social injustices. Terrible things will happen because they followed the
way of evil kings of Israel. Should he forgive the use of dishonest scales? or violence? or lies?
or deceit? They will eat but not be satisfied. They will save but have nothing because it was used
wrongly. They will plow and not use the harvest. Other nations will treat them with derision and
scorn.
Read. Micah 7:1-7
The times are miserable. They gather but have nothing to eat. The godly are gone. All who are left
only seek to prey on one another. There is no trust even between lovers or among family members.
But Micah and the faithful ones hope in God their Savior. These signs are the same as signs of the end

of the age in Matt 10:21,33-39, Mark 13:12-13 and Luke 12:52-53.

Read. Micah 7:8-20
Verses 8-10 are a song of trust. Though I have sinned he pleads my case and brings me out into the
light.
Verses 11-13 are a promise of restoration. A time of building will come when people come to their
God from everywhere.
Verses 14-17 is a song to appeal to other nations sung by the people. Nations will be ashamed and will
turn to the Lord our God.
Verses 18-20 is a song of praise. Who is a God like you who pardons and forgives the remnant of his
people? You show mercy. You have compassion. You are true to your oath to the fathers long ago.

What does the bible mean to me?

What is your vision of perfect peace? Is it disarmament? How do we work for peace?
Pain and birth go together. Would be be Christians now if there were no pain?
Who are the lame, the exiled and the grief stricken among us?
What makes us feel secure?
Should nations only rely on God for their national defense?
Are we and Wesley like dew?
What does God have against horses and chariots, fortresses, witchcraft and carved images?
To Micah, preached obedience over victory. How does that work in a success-oriented society?
What do you think about the misery/hope index?
Does God love us because we are so good or because he is so good?