Rebirth in the Kingdom

This text also contains a “double fulfillment” prophecy. A double fulfillment prophecy is one that has both a present-day application for the author and a future application for the saints. In Micah’s day God was preparing to send Israel into Assyria and Judah into Babylon. Micah said that after an appointed time, God would rescue His people from the Babylonians. As we know, the people of Judah were captives in Babylon for 70 years before Ezra and Nehemiah began to lead people back to Jerusalem during the reign of Cyrus of Persia. God fulfilled this promise for the people.

But there is a future application to this promise that will be fulfilled during the reign of Messiah. Micah wrote, “The Lord will redeem you from the power of your enemies” (v. 10). While God freed His people from the Babylonians, they continued to be plagued by foreign powers, first by Greece and then by Rome. Between Nehemiah and the time of Jesus, Israel developed some autonomy in Palestine but never to the extent that they had under David and Solomon, or even in the divided kingdoms. When Titus conquered Jerusalem in AD 70, Israel ceased to exist as a nation in Palestine for nearly 2,000 years. Even today it occupies a fraction of the land God promised to Abraham. The fulfillment of the second part of this prophecy is still in the future, when Messiah will claim His forever throne in Jerusalem.

Between now and then, however, Israel will continue to be the most oppressed nation on earth. Despised by her enemies and reluctantly aided by her friends, Israel maintains a precarious position in our world. But a day is coming when Israel will embrace Messiah en masse (Rev 7:1-8). Until that day, however, God will not abandon His covenant people.

Micah 4:11-13

The nations that surrounded Israel and Judah during Micah’s day wanted to destroy them. And to all onlookers, it must have looked like Assyria and Babylon had accomplished that feat. The pagan nations didn’t understand that God had orchestrated these events as an act of discipline. God said He would redeem His people, and that is exactly what He did when the people of Judah returned to Palestine under Nehemiah’s leadership.

Today, the nations of our world would still love to destroy Israel, especially those nations that immediately surround her. God will not let this happen. The pagan nations have never understood God’s purposes for His people, nor can they. How has Israel survived all of this opposition? God continues to guard them with His power. He has never ceased to honor His covenant with His people. Every last promise will be fulfilled through Messiah.

These words were a source of hope to the people of Israel during Micah’s day, and they remain so for the Jews. In the future the largest assault on Israel in history will occur at a place called Armageddon (Rev 19:11-21). God will gather the armies of the world “like sheaves to the threshing floor” (Mic 4:12). There, King Jesus, the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the church, will defeat Israel’s foes once and for all in the climactic battle of history. Israel will survive victorious, and God will make them an invincible nation (v. 13). Messiah will reign, God’s law will encompass the earth, and righteousness and justice will prevail over all creation.

As we read these ancient verses, we may be tempted to ask if they really have any significance for our lives today. Let’s be honest: Even as followers of Jesus we may wrestle to find hope in our daily lives. For instance, as you read this today, you may be struggling to overcome a challenging circumstance in your life. Your actions may have contributed to those circumstances, or the situation may be totally outside your control. Maybe you’ve lost hope because you failed to take advantage of a great opportunity. You live with regret because you think that missed opportunity has derailed your future. Perhaps you feel downhearted because you’ve suffered a loss in your life. Maybe you’ve lost someone that you love—a spouse, a child, or a friend. Maybe you lost a job and the financial challenges have been difficult in your life. You may wonder if you’ll ever have another opportunity at a good career.

Maybe you’re battling depression in your life. Depression often occurs when we experience failure in some way. We begin to wonder if we will ever succeed, and soon we’re trapped in a downward spiral of discouragement. Depression is dangerous because in many ways it’s a manifestation of the absence of hope. Why do so many millions of people turn to narcotics? Often it is to try to cure hopelessness. Maybe you’re struggling under the weight of disillusionment. You don’t have to live very long to discover that people will let you down. Often people are disillusioned because they have been the victims of broken promises. Disillusionment produces a lack of trust, and that leads to hopelessness. It can leave you feeling that you’re alone in the world. Finally, you may feel defeated by sin. Perhaps you have an obstacle in your life, and you’re weary of fighting it. Maybe it’s an addictive behavior that is controlling you. Perhaps anger, frustration, bitterness, or lust is consuming you, and you feel hopeless to overcome it.

Ultimately, Micah is reminding us that no matter what type of difficult situation we face, whether it’s an invading army or an invasive sin, there is only one source of hope—His name is Jesus! Jesus is the only source of hope in life—period. When people feel hopeless, a new job will not fix it; a new wife will not fix it; driving a new car will not fix it; moving to a new state will not fix it; drowning oneself in alcohol or drugs every night will not fix it. These things are just temporary distractions from hopelessness. Only Jesus can bring hope into a hopeless life.

Consider Abraham, the father of the Jewish people. He was married to a woman named Sarah. They were a happy couple, but they couldn’t have any children. When God called Abraham, He promised him that he would have descendants like the stars of heaven (Gen 12:1-3). Years passed and Abraham still had no children with Sarah. It would seem to me that Abraham’s faith should have waned over the years. After all, “Delayed hope makes the heart sick” (Prov 13:12). The book of Romans tells us something special about Abraham:

He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be. He considered his own body to be already dead (since he was about 100 years old) and also considered the deadness of Sarah’s womb, without weakening in the faith. He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, because he was fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. (Rom 4:18-23)

Think about this amazing text. In spite of the fact that he was 100 years old, he did not weaken in his faith! This is phenomenal! News flash: 100-year-old guys don’t father children. He didn’t weaken in his faith when he remembered that Sarah was no youngster either—she was 90! What was Abraham’s response? “He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise.” He never doubted God.

When our hope in God begins to waver, it is because we’re questioning whether we can trust God with our circumstances, especially when they seem impossible to overcome. Abraham didn’t see any way to have a son in his old age, but he held fast to his hope and trust in God. How could he manage this? Notice that next phrase: He “was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, because he was fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.” It was his hope that strengthened his faith. He was “fully convinced” that God would honor His promises.

What about you? Are you fully convinced that God can work out His will in the area of your life that is threatening your hope? I want you to keep these things in mind. God is sovereign over the events of your life, and He has promised to direct your steps (Ps 37:23). God will work all things together for good in your life as He fulfills His purpose in you (Rom 8:28). Are you feeling disappointed over missed opportunities? There is no such thing as a missed opportunity for a Sovereign God. God has a purpose for your life, and He will guide you to the exact opportunities that He wants you to pursue. Are you feeling downhearted because of a loss in your life? Remember that God is life. While it is always difficult to lose the ones we love, we must pursue God’s purpose and live for His glory while we still have life. Are you depressed because of some failure in your life? God is the master at turning failure into victory. Keep in mind that our greatest achievements are often byproducts of our greatest hardships. Are you disillusioned because of someone’s broken promises? God is truth, and you can always trust Him. “It is impossible for God to lie” (Heb 6:18). Claim His promises and live in the hope they provide for you. Do you feel defeated because of some sin in your life? God promises victory and transformation as we surrender our lives to Him and follow Him by faith.

Ultimately, our source of hope is found in Jesus. If you’re reading this and you’ve never placed your faith in Jesus, I want to encourage you to give your life to Him. Confess your sin to God and turn to Christ by faith. Receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. If you do have a personal relationship with Jesus, I want to remind you that there is no place for a lack of hope in the life of a Christian. There is no room for a lack of faith in God. We can have confidence in God, His Word, and His promises. So, we must hear the truth, believe the truth, hope in the truth, and wait on the truth to guide our lives. This is how we live in the reality of God’s hope in Christ every day.