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Micah Chapter Five A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1) Why did Micah tell them to marshal their troops, how will they strike Israel's ruler, who is small among the clans of Judah, whom will come out of Bethlehem for God, and where are his origins from?
______________________________________________________________________________ This ruler was probably King Zedekiah, who
was reigning in Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar conquered the city (2Kings 25:1,
2). Zedekiah was the last of the kings in David's line to sit on the throne in
Jerusalem. Micah said that the next king in David's line would be the Messiah,
who would establish a kingdom that would never end. 2) How long will Israel be abandoned?
______________________________________________________________________________ Because a ruler will eventually come to
deliver Israel, God will give her up only temporarily. Israel will enter a
period of absolute abandonment by God because of her sin (1:5-6; 2:1-5; 3:4,
9-12; 4:10; 6:9-16), but a ruler will come who will end the period of Israel's
estrangement; therefore Israel will be given up only till that time. 3) How will this king (the Messiah) stand and shepherd his flock, why will they (God's people) live securely, and what will he (the Messiah) be to them?
______________________________________________________________________________ The peaceful effect of the kingly reign of Messiah is described in pastoral terminology. Israel will be lovingly cared for by the messianic King who will carry out his regnal duties in the strength of God. The gracious benefits of his reign are to extend beyond national limitations, for the authority of the King is to be universal. This description of his power goes perfectly with the description of universal peace seen earlier (4:1-4) and complements it by affirming that the peace described there will be effected by the Ruler born in the insignificant town of Bethlehem. Isaiah called him the "Prince of Peace" (8:6). (NIV Bible Commentary, Zondervan Publishers) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Deliverance and Destruction ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4) What will Israel raise up when the Assyrian invades their land, how will Israel rule the land of Assyria, how will Israel rule the land of Nimrod, and from who will the Messiah deliver Israel?
______________________________________________________________________________ This chapter provides one of the
clearest Old Testament prophecies of Christ's coming. The key descriptive phrase
is "and he will be their peace." In one of Christ's final talks he said, "Peace
I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27). Because
of Christ's first coming, we have the opportunity to experience peace with God
with no more fear of Judgment and no more conflict and guilt. Christ's peace
gives us assurance even though wars continue. At Christ's second coming, all
wars and weapons will be destroyed (4:3-5). 5) Where will the remnant of Jacob be, what will they be like in the midst of many peoples, where will the remnant of Jacob be, what will the remnant be like, what does the lion do as it goes, what can no one do, what will the LORD'S hand be lifted up in triumph over, and who will be destroyed?
______________________________________________________________________________ The "remnant" of believers trusting in the
promises of God is to be transformed from insignificant group to one of the
absolute dominance in the world, disseminating its faith and ideals throughout
the earth. As the dew and showers "do not wait for man" but come from the LORD,
so the remnant will be lifted up to its place of sovereignty by the power of
God. 6) In that day, what does the LORD say he will destroy, what will he demolish, what will he destroy, and what will he tear down?
______________________________________________________________________________ When God rules in his eternal kingdom, our strength and deliverance will not be found in military might but in God's almighty power. God will destroy all the weapons that people use for security. There will be no need for armies because God will rule in the heart of every person. Instead of being overwhelmed by fear of invasion or nuclear attack, we should have confidence in God. 7) What will God destroy, what will they no longer do, what will God destroy, what will they no longer do, what will God uproot from among them, what will God demolish, and whom will God take vengeance in anger and wrath upon?
______________________________________________________________________________ The implication of verse 10-15 is that the
instruments of war and the elements of idolatrous worship are wrong. Horses and
chariots are to be removed because they tend to undermine Israel's complete
trust in God. The cities and defenses are to be destroyed as well as the
elements of false religion. "Witchcraft" denotes the way people sought control
of natural forces or power over individuals. "Cast spells" connotes a type of
sorcery and is always condemned in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 18:10; 2Kings
21:6). The foretelling of the future was an aspect of this type of divination. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Answers Micah Chapter Five ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1) for a siege is laid against them...on the
cheek with a rod...Bethlehem Ephrathah...one who will be ruler over Israel...of
old, from ancient times ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Taken from The NIV Life Application Study Bibl, Zondervan Publishers |