Micah 5:7-15 [click on Micah to read this passage)

NKJV: A Remnant shall be saved.

One needs to go back to verse 6, the last sentence, to continue in verse 7. In Micah *5:6b it identifies Assyria being defeated in the land of Israel. History, both secular and Biblical, tells us that Assyria totally dispersed the ten Tribes of Israel in the Northern Kingdom in 722 B.C. This happens just a few years after Micah prophesies of this dispersion. Is this a conflicting statement? Not if one realizes that the people of Assyria, Israel’s greatest long-time enemies, in the eyes of Micah, is prophetic of Israel’s End Time enemies. They are marching into the lands of Israel and attacking Jerusalem to do one thing; eliminate their occupation of the Promised lands.. Even after the return of a handful of Judean captives from Babylon, at that time controlled by the Persians and the Medes, over 160 years later, the northern ten tribes did not return to a land of their own. Only a few returned to the land that the Romans would soon thereafter rename Palestine, but not to a kingdom of Israel.

* He (God/Jesus) shall deliver us from the Assyrian, When he comes into our land And when he treads within our borders.

In our previous narrative commentary, Micah 5:1-5 we skipped over a sentence in verse 5. It reads in the NKJV: “We will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princely men.” The meaning of this 7 and 8 may be related to Ecclesiastes 11:2. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz [tries to] identify this passage of 7 shepherds and 8 anointed ones of Israel this way:

The “seven shepherds,” the prophet refers to are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph, and David. The “eight princes of men” — Jesse, Saul, Samuel, Amos, Zephaniah, Zedekiah, the Messiah, and Elijah.

We cannot verify this as being the people to which Micah infers but those in Judaism believe it to be these men. If Rabbi Steinsaltz means a future anointed one called Messiah and not Jesus, we know he has one that is wrong or misidentified.

Back to Micah 5:7-15…

Micah 5:7 When one thinks of a remnant it is assumed to be something of a left over. This is NOT what Micah 5:7 is saying… “And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples.” If one stops reading at this point it reads like the left over’s from the previous evening’s meal (pun intended). We do learn that Israelis will be scattered amongst many different people in the four corners of the earth. This makes verse 7 a prophetic future. At the time of Micah’s prophecies, the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah were still intact. Micah 5:7 does not end here. This remnant or those of Jacob DNA who are alive and on the face of the earth (in that day) will be like the morning dew or showers on a blade of grass (paraphrased). This means they are widespread, very numerous and mixed well with the Gentiles. This part of Micah’s prophecy is true even as we write this commentary.

JIV: Verse 7 does not say or allude to the Christian church of believers. It is all about Israel and Israelites.

Micah 5:8 affirms verse 7… “And the remnant (those of Jacob’s DNA who are living when this prophecy reveals itself) of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep (who both tramples and tears in pieces if he passes through) and there is no one to snatch back.”

“Shall be among the nations; in the midst of many (different) peoples.” This references *Jacob’s descendants. Many people in the mix of nations and people today do not realize s/he is even of Jacob’s DNA. As ancestries are checked universally by science, this will be a huge revelation. Authorities will know (yadda) who is and who is not a remnant of Israelis. The world of antisemitism will not be apoplectic. This is not even so today. These DNA Israelis will not be able to run and hide other than to escape back to the land of their ancestors, ISRAEL, hoping for protection from the outside world. We may suggest this is or one of the tools used to “call his (God’s) people home.” They were not scattered throughout the world by choice, mostly by force. Why not consider that they will be returned in a similar manner? All through scripture, God had to force the hand of his chosen. Modern DNA records may just be the ultimate delivery and fulfillment of the beginnings of the Millennial Kingdom.

*We do not know other than by speculation if descendants of Jacob includes Samaritan types…mixed offspring.

For one of the few times in scripture, Israel and Israelis are described as a lion instead of sheep being led to slaughter or under the shepherd’s staff.

Micah 5:9 underscores Israel being the lion. Your hands shall be high above your foes, and all your enemies shall be cut off. Take this for precisely what it states. Israelis come out on top when Jesus sits on the Throne of David in Jerusalem. Let’s not forget that he will rule with a scepter or rod of iron [Revelation 2:27]. We explained this in our Revelation narrative commentary in ahabiblemoments. Briefly put, the word “rod” in Revelation is translated from the word shepherd. It can also be symbolic of authority. Jesus will rule with full authority on earth. Satan is bound in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years. At this time sin or rejecting the leadership in Jerusalem is a personal decision with no influence of Satan or his minions.

(cf. https://www.thetruthstandsforever.com/the-lord-will-rule-with-a-rod-of-iron.html) We recommend this web site to enhance a Bible student’s knowledge. This is not a full endorsement of what they write.

                                                            We teach – You decide

Micah 5:10 shifts identities to the pagan Gentile world. Once again as we have pointed out many times in ahabiblemoments narrative commentaries we read “in that day.” Strong (H3117) puts it this way: a space of time defined by an associated term. The Millennial Reign is certainly a space in time (1,000 years) and it is associated with Jesus ruling the world from Jerusalem.

The rest of verse 10 explains that the means of war will then be eliminated. It will be a fulfillment of Micah 4:3, Psalm 46:9, John 16:8-11, etc.

Micah 5: 11-15 explains the stretch and reach of God’s arm.

1. All man-made strongholds will be destroyed. This includes missiles, war ships, space artillery…any form of weaponry.
2. Soothsayers will be no more. This includes all false doctrine, religions, fake and false news.
   1. Every decision will be a personal choice meaning wrong may still happen in one’s heart.
   1. This must be so since Satan, once released from his 1,000 year bondage, will recruit a human military force to go up against Jesus in Jerusalem.
3. The works of human hands will no longer be of any significance.
4. Dominant cities will be no more. No UN is another way of translating verse 14.
   1. Most Bible translations state the destruction of cities. God is not going to leave or assign mankind to a wilderness during his Millennial reign. He will bring to naught then remove cities and nations. Goodbye UN. No longer needed!
   1. Those who fight against God once Satan is released from the bottomless pit, will suffer His judgement. [Romans 2:6]

Rev. Dr. Jstark
2021