Tanak Foundations-Concepts in Micah-Chapter 4

Micah 4.1-13 tells us about some promises concerning the last days after Yeshua returns and the kingdom was renewed. This is given because all of this was lost when Babylon took the city, the Temple was destroyed and the kingship was lost, so a picture of the coming glory of it all is re-established.

v 1…And it will come about in the last days (“acharit yamim” and v 13 repeats the words of Israel in Isa 2.2-4-they lived at the same time; acharit yamin is an eschatological term for when the Messiah comes) that the mountain of the house of the Lord (Moriah, but mountain also alludes to “kingdom”) will be established as the chief of the mountains (or “kingdoms”). It will be raised above the hills (the Messianic Kingdom will be exalted over all the kingdoms, small and great), and the peoples will stream to it.

v 2…And many nations (non-Jews) will come and say, “Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob (the Messianic Temple in Ezek 40 through 48-the people would say this when they started to go to Jerusalem for the festivals-Hertz Pentateuch and Haftorahs, p.429, 860), that he may teach us about his ways (the Torah) and that we may walk in his paths (the non-Jews should and will walk in the Torah as it applies to them, proving it has not been done away with).” For from Zion (Jerusalem) will go forth the law (Torah), even the word of the Lord (the same as the Torah) from Jerusalem (this is called the “Ki Mitzion” and is said when a Torah scroll is taken out of the ark in a synagogue-see “The Authorized Daily Prayer Book” by Dr. Joseph Hertz-p. 475).

v 3…And he will judge between many peoples and render decisions for mighty, distant (far off) nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks (weapons of war will be turned into agricultural instruments); nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war (the opposite of Joel 3.10).

v 4…And each of them will sit under his vine, and under his fig tree (these are idioms for peace in the Messianic Kingdom-1 Kings 4.25; Isa 36.16; Zech 3.10; John 1.48), with no one to make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts (Yehovah Tzavaot or armies) has spoken (so it will certainly come to pass, no matter how incredible it sounds or what anybody says to the contrary).

v 5…Though all the peoples walk each in the name of his god (for now), as for us, we will walk in the name of the Lord (Yehovah) our God forever and ever (olam vaed).

v 6…”In that day (when Messiah comes),” declares the Lord, “I will assemble the lame and gather the outcasts (the Jewish people), even those whom I have afflicted (because of their sins).

v 7…I will make the lame a remnant, and the outcasts a strong nation (those in distress and in misery in the world), and the Lord (Yehovah) will reign over them in Mount Zion (the monarchy restored as it has never been through the Messiah) from now on and forever (never interrupted again).

v 8…And as for you tower of the flock (Hebrew “Migdal Eder”), hill (ophel) of the daughter of Zion (the hill where Jerusalem stood-the Ophel was a hill on the south side of the Temple-2 Chr 27.3, 33.14; Neh 3.26-27; it refers to the Davidic palace on Zion as shepherd of the nation-Neh 3.25; Migdal Eder was also in the neighborhood of Bethlehem where the Temple sheep were raised, and where Yeshua was born), to you it shall come (the former dominion of David and Solomon through the Messiah; it was withdrawn from the Davidic line but will return; this alludes to the birth of Yeshua, a descendant of David, at Migdal Eder and the kingdom of God returning) -even the former dominion will come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem (restored-Dan 7.27, Matt 11.7-19).

v 9…Now, why do you cry out loudly (“cry a cry” and Micah turns from the glorious future to the current situation-telling the people what will precede the glory-the loss of the kingdom and the exile)? Is there no king among you (did he die, is that why there is lamentation), or has your counselor (also the king-Isa 9.5) perished (a parallelism), that agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth (true believers mourning the loss of the kingdom; this also alludes to the birth-pains before Yeshua returns to restore the kingdom-Isa 66.7-9; Matt 24.8)?

v 10…Writhe and labor to give birth, daughter of Zion (the calamity of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, and the people going into exile is related as birth-pains), like a woman in childbirth (this also alludes to when Rome came in 70 AD and took the city and dispersed the Jewish people). For now you will go out of the city (as captives), dwell in the field (exposed, in the open weather, etc; it also alludes to the Jews leaving Jerusalem in 70 AD and dwelling in the world-Matt 13.3-8), and go to Babylon (at the time Assyria was the main enemy of Israel; this also refers to Judah being carried away there, confirming Jeremiah’s prophecy and this verse and Mic 3.2 was used to defend him in Jer 26.18-19; eschatologically this alludes to the fall of Jerusalem and the Jews going into the world, but eventually coming to the USA, which many believe is “Babylon”). There (in Babylon through Cyrus and their return to the land) you will be rescued (Hebrew “natzeli” and related to “natzal” meaning to “pluck up, preserve” but it is also a term for what is known as the “rapture” on Rosh Ha Shanah, year 6001; Jews will flee Babylon before the destruction of the USA), there the Lord will redeem you from the hand of your enemies (historically through Cyrus when they were given the freedom to leave Babylon and go back to the land, but we know Babylon is a type for the USA who will become more anti-semitic as we get closer to the birth-pains)

v 11…And now (presently, back to the current time) many nations are assembled against you, who say, “Let her be polluted and let our eyes gloat over Zion (this refers to Assyria and their attempt to destroy Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah-Isa 10.5-7. Assyria was dominant when this was written, not Babylon).

v 12…But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord, and they do not understand his purpose; for he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor (we know Assyria attacked Judah in the fall and were defeated at the time of the harvest-Deut 16.13; Exo 23.14-16; Isa 9.1-5, 10.12-19. This invasion is a picture of the defeat of Gog and Magog/Russia during the birth-pains-Ezek 38 and 39).

v 13…Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion, for your horn (power) I will make iron and your hoofs I will make bronze (give his people strength that can’t be conquered), that you may pulverize many peoples (many peoples were allied with Assyria, but this won’t be done with fleshly power, but through God’s power) that you may devote to the Lord their unjust gain and their wealth to the Lord of all the earth (their possessions that were taken by plunder after they were defeated will be consecrated to Yehovah-Isa 9.2-5).

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

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