Micah 5

CHAPTER 5

A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem (5:1–15)

1–2 Here Micah starts out talking about the Babylonians’ siege of Jerusalem and the striking down of King Zedekiah (2 Kings 25:1–7); he calls upon Jerusalem to mobilize its troops in the hopeless effort to defend the city. This fearful prediction, however, is followed in verse 2 with a prediction of great hope: out of Bethlehem Ephrathah¹⁶ will come one who will be ruler over Israel. Israel will not be permanently destroyed; it will rise again under a new “ruler.”

This “ruler” will rule on behalf of God, but he will not be an ordinary earthly king; his origins will begin from before his birth (see John 8:58)—indeed, from ancient times, from the beginning of the world (see John 1:1–2). Only the eternal Christ, the Son of God, can be the fulfillment of such a PROPHECY.

3 Here Micah continues his prophecy about the ruler of the restored Israel. Until he comes, Israel itself will be abandoned. Indeed, for the seven hundred years between Micah’s prophecy and the birth of Christ, Israel was in effect “abandoned” by God because of its SIN. Yes, the remnant was preserved, but the kingdom was not. For those centuries between the fall of Jerusalem and the coming of Christ, Israel had no king. But when she who is in labor gives birth¹⁷ (to the ruler) and when the ruler’s brothers¹⁸ return to join the Israelites, then Israel will cease being “abandoned,” and its former dominion and kingship will be restored (Micah 4:8).

4 He (the ruler, the Messiah) will shepherd his flock, and the sheep will live securely; no one will be able to harm them because of the greatness of their shepherd, their ruler (see John 10:7–18). His “greatness” and the benefits of his rule will reach to the ends of the earth.

5 And he will be their peace. Isaiah called the Messiah the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). The Apostle Paul wrote that Jesus Himself is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). Jesus has brought PEACE between man and God and between JEW and GENTILE. However, there cannot be total peace on earth until the Assyrian is defeated.

Who is “the Assyrian”? The Assyrian stands for all the enemies of God’s people in every age; he also stands for SATAN. Even now, Satan invades our land (the Church, the spiritual Israel), and even now God is raising up shepherds—“under–shepherds” (1 Peter 5:1–4)–to protect the flock.¹⁹

6 These shepherds will rule the land of Assyria with the sword. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, they will rule over the spiritual forces of evil in the world; they will do so with the “sword,” God’s word, the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). The ruler (the Messiah) will deliver His followers from “the Assyrian,” from the power of Satan; the Messiah's ultimate victory is assured.

7–9 Micah speaks again about the remnant of Jacob (Israel); he uses the term “remnant” here to mean the restored spiritual Israel, the Church, which will ultimately become the strong nation of the Messianic kingdom (Micah 4:7; Revelation 20:1–6). This remnant, the Church, even now is like dew, like showers of spiritual blessing in the world (verse 7); these blessings come from God and not from man.

But the remnant of Jacob will also be like a lion in the midst of many peoples (verse 8). Under the rule of the Messiah, the remnant will achieve final victory over all the forces of evil (verse 9).

10–15 In that day—the day when the remnant is being restored and purified—the Lord will cleanse the remnant of all those things that undermine one's faith in God. Even those faithful Israelites who would become part of the remnant still needed to be purified.

What things would need to be “destroyed” in order to purify this remnant of Israelites? First, their reliance on their own strength, their own military might—horses and chariots and fortified cities (verses 10–11). Second, their reliance on false religion—witchcraft and images (idols) and Asherah poles (symbols of the Canaanite goddess Asherah); all this would have to be destroyed (verses 12–14). The remnant must rely on God alone.

In these verses, Micah also speaks to us today; we too are the “remnant.” And we too must not rely on power, wealth, education, technology, family name, or any other worldly “idol”; we must rely on God alone if we are to inherit His eternal blessing.

In verse 15, the Lord concludes with a general warning to all nations and people who choose not to obey His word; for them, there will be a final day of judgment.

Before we leave this important chapter, let us reflect on Micah’s amazing prophecy that Christ would be born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem was a tiny, insignificant town, and yet God chose it to be the birthplace of His beloved David and His beloved Son. Micah joins with Isaiah in having been given the most detailed vision of the coming Messiah: Isaiah knew that Christ would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23), and Micah knew that that birth would be in Bethlehem—seven hundred years before it happened.