Jeremiah26:17-19 describes how a hundred years later, the impact of Micah had was remembered in the Kingdom of Judah: Then certain of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying: “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, And the mountain of the temple Like the bare hills of the forest.”‘ Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah ever put him to death? Did he not fear the LORD and seek the Lord’s favor? And the Lord relented concerning the doom which He had pronounced against them. But we are doing great evil against ourselves. Do we get this? No one to blame but our-self says Micah.

Micah’s life overlapped his prophetic years with the Kingdom of Israel and their destruction by the Assyrians in 722/721 B.C. We know from Jeremiah that this passage from the Book of Micah is targeting those within the Kingdom of Judah. Micah in his book speaks individually to citizens of the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel, sometimes as a group (the sons of Jacob).

Micah 4:1-5. In the last or latter days it shall come to pass, … — The first three verses in Micah are also found in Isaiah 2:2-4. Since Micah and Isaiah were contemporary, this should be no surprise that the two prophets knew and communicated with each other perhaps over their calling as prophets and as messengers from God to their own people of Israelis. Who originated this common passage found in both Isaiah and Micah? God inspired every word according to Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” It was God who made the in-common Isaiah and Micah statement. Let’s look a bit closer to what is said by Micah and Isaiah, concentrating a bit more on Micah. They prophesied at the same time in a Judah and Israel situation of a split nation; two separate kingdoms.

Micah 4:6 is truly prophetic. It is discussing End Time either at the onset of the Millennial Kingdom or during the Tribulation. Most likely at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom.”In that day,” says the LORD, “I will assemble the lame,
I will gather the outcast And those whom I have afflicted…”IN THAT DAY!

Once again, we are confronted with these incredible three words…in that day. We know that this is a future event yet to become a history-prophecy since verse 6 also states that those who were cast out (of the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel) will be gathered back together. This has yet to happen at the writing of this narrative commentary. Who is the “I” in Micah 4:6? It is not Micah. It is God speaking to and through Micah. We find affirmation of this in verse 7. Who was cast out? Micah! Not his contemporary Isaiah even though both prophesied at the same time to their own people, the Israelites.

Micah 4:7 the outcast will be made a strong NATION. Who else could this possibly be other than Israel? European, Far East, and American continent countries are not even hinted at. Even as we write, Israel is the strong nation sandwiched between Arab/Muslim nations and the Mediterranean Sea. There are multiple millions of Israelis (a people we often identify albeit incorrectly, as Jews) who have yet to be called home by God. Ezekiel 39:28 specifically states that “not one will be left scattered in the world.” Consider the gravity of this promise. NOT ONE Israelite will be left outside of the new Israel. Obviously in 2021 this is a work in progress. Millions of Israeli DNA still reside in the four corners of the earth.

Verse #7 continues using the NKJV: “So the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on, even forever.” This needs no explanation. The Lord will reign over them. From where? Heaven? This is not what Ezekiel tells us. He will reign over them in Mount Zion. This is in Israel just east of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is at times identified in scripture as the city of (in) Zion. FROM NOW ON EVEN FOREVER.

Micah 4:8 is not referencing a flock of sheep. Micah is using a metaphor identifying the flock of Israelites God chose as HIS elect to shepherd as sheep themselves. The “tower” identified in verse 8 references a shepherding practice back then. With a large flock of sheep, shepherds might build a tower. A tower that is high enough to give them a better view of their flock and potential predators. God is saying the same thing. He will shepherd his people from the tower or high viewpoint of Mount Zion. Again, this is a metaphor. God/Jesus does not require a high place to watch over anything (Zechariah 14:10).

“…To you shall it come, Even the former dominion shall come, The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.” The former dominion is the promise God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob… a permanent Promised Land. This “prophetic Promised Land” will be the daughter of the former ISRAEL in Bible times. It will be bigger and better; reigned over by Jesus himself. We have discussed in previous commentary the boundaries and borders of the New Promised Lands of Israel. 1,500 Strada by 1,500 Strada – 1,200 miles square. This is larger than India.

Micah 4:8 again uses the words “daughter of.” First it is a daughter of a future Israeli Kingdom. In verse 8 it is the “daughter of Zion” and the city of Jerusalem. We should note that the Tribes of Israel (Jacob) will once again be one people. No longer, as Ezekiel states, will there be a divided nation of Israel; one that is two kingdoms.  Judah and Israel will be reunited, and their borders will, in that day, far exceed what was ever accomplished or dreamed of before.

Micah 4:9 might appear a bit out of step with verses 10 and 11. Micah calls the question in verse 9, why do you cry out as in pain? Commentaries vary in explaining verses 10 and 11. We see this as a single thought. A woman awaiting the birth of her new-born daughter or son will often cry out in her labor. It is traumatic. However, how quickly that pain or the thought of it subsides when the new child (in this section of Micah, a symbolic daughter) is born. However, in verse 10 Micah proclaims, it will “Be in Pain.” This is the Tribulation time IN THAT DAY.

Micah 4:10 Why be in pain? These Judeans and the remnants of the ten northern tribes of Israel who fled to Judah over a hundred years earlier, will certainly be in great pain of captivity by the Babylonians. Even those not within the cities but in the open fields will be uprooted from their homes, villages, cities, and their beloved Kingdom of Judah. They will be marched a long distance to Babylon or die in their travels. Daniel? Shadrach? Meshach? Abednego? As a woman giving birth to a child, once these labor pains are over, a fresh new life will be in their hands… the daughter city of King David’s original Jerusalem. In That Day.

Let us not get ahead of our thinking and conclusions. Micah identifies Babylon as from where they will initially be freed. Redeemed, as in paid for, is not what happened after Judah’s 70-year captivity in Babylon. They were not redeemed but once again freed. This is all about End Time redemption. Israel will once again be under great (labor) pains (Jeremiah 30:7) as even today UN nations align themselves against her. Jerusalem will suffer great losses. Israelis will need to flee to the mountains, deserts, and the former mountain area of the Edomites. Isaiah 13, Ezekiel 37, Matthew 24, Jeremiah 30 all speak to this prophecy.

Micah 4:11 identifies that this condemnation, then reprieve, is not limited prophetically to Babylon but also to a global event yet to happen. Jews in the United States are by far the majority of religious-based victims. Anti-Semitism is spreading globally amongst people and nations.

“And now, gathered against thee have been many nations, who are saying: `Let her be defiled, and our eyes look on Zion.’” This is a gathering of armies from all nations aligning themselves for the destruction of Jerusalem and Israel as a sovereign nation. Look at this from a spiritual viewpoint. Satan has fought against and tried to destroy everything God has created. He has a particular desire to destroy God’s chosen people of Israel. His target is all humanity whether one follows Jesus Christ or not. New Testament scripture tells us that God wishes all to be saved. Satan wishes just the opposite…that none will be saved.

This battle is not against flesh and blood, but the powers of Satan (Ephesians 6:12). This gathering against Israel in End Time is Satan trying to take down the people God identified through Abraham as his elect, his chosen, HIS people. Such a battle in and around Jerusalem in End Time will not make Satan the winner. The slaughter of the invading national armies will be great. Satan’s goal is to prevent any of the people of the world from entering into the Kingdom of Heaven. His time is limited in a history yet to be lived. He knows the end, his end, is in sight. He only wishes to take as many with him into the Lake of Fire as possible. He knows it is over for him.

Micah 4:12 “But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, Nor do they understand His counsel; For He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor”. The “THEY” referred to here is those who descend from the 12 Tribes of Israel (Jacob).

Micah 4:13 “Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; For I will make your horn iron, And I will make your hooves bronze; You shall beat in pieces many peoples; I will consecrate their gain to the LORD, And their substance to the Lord of the whole earth.”

Rev. Dr. Jstark
2021