Rebirth in the Kingdom

Micah 4:1-13

Main Idea: Israel and Judah will be united when Messiah reigns on earth.

1. I. Messiah Will Govern Israel by God’s Laws (4:1-3).
2. II. Messiah Will Govern Israel as God’s Leader (4:4-7).
3. III. Messiah Will Govern Israel by God’s Discipline (4:8-10).
4. IV. Messiah Will Govern Israel by God’s Power (4:11-13).
5. V. Messiah Will Bring Hope into a Hopeless Life.

Hope is essential to life, and yet as I travel the world, I meet countless people who live without hope. I’ve seen hopelessness on the faces of people in the Philippines, Romania, Hungary, Brazil, Belize, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, St. Thomas, Oman, Turkey, and Cuba. Many of them are hopeless because of their personal situations. Life is a struggle every day, and they have no hope that their lives will ever improve. Many of them are hopeless because of their religious heritage. Many go through the motions of religious activity, but they have no hope of forgiveness or eternal life. Many are forced to pursue criminal activity or prostitution just to survive, and many others simply succumb to the numbing influence of addictions. They live day after miserable day without hope.

America is filled with hopelessness too; we’re just better at masking it. We have the potential to live in a decent place, drive a decent car, and have some nice clothes and a cool phone. We can attend fun parties, sporting events, and a host of other activities, but underneath it all we can be just as hopeless as the guy in Cuba. We mask our hopelessness with alcohol, drugs, or excitement, but it’s there. There is only one group of people on the planet who have the potential to experience real, authentic hope: Christians! In all of those hopeless places around the world, and right here in the US, the only people I meet with real hope are Christ-followers. They have come to know the love and forgiveness of God, and they have found hope and joy in Him!

In Micah 4 there is a dramatic turn in the tone of the book. As we’ve seen, Micah 1–3 is pretty discouraging. Micah told the people of both Israel and Judah that God was preparing to come down from heaven to judge them because they had rejected His covenant, commands, and counsel. In spite of this, the people were content to maintain the status quo, unwilling to turn back to God through repentance and confession. Now, I’m sure there were legitimate God-fearers among the people—those who were faithful to God, even as the culture was collapsing around them. They were the few who were striving to live in covenant loyalty and obedience to God. But they were going to suffer because of the sinful choices of the people around them. I’m sure they wrestled with hopelessness as they listened to Micah’s message.

As we begin to read chapter 4, we get this amazing word of hope: Israel will be restored when the Messiah reigns on earth and finally fulfills the covenant promises made to Abraham and David. In chapter 4 Micah provided the believing Jewish remnant with four specific promises designed to give them hope in the troubled world in which they lived.

Messiah Will Govern Israel by God’s Laws

Micah 4:1-3

Micah promised the people that a day was coming when God’s law would govern them completely. Of course, God had already given them His law, and they had chosen to ignore it. For the righteous remnant, however, this was a word of hope: “God’s law will one day govern our people and cover this planet with justice!”

In these verses Micah revealed several key aspects of this promise. First, God’s law will cover the earth “in the last days,” when Messiah reigns on earth. Scholars have interpreted this phrase in different ways, but I believe it refers to the literal thousand-year reign of Jesus the Messiah on earth during the millennium. Second, Micah noted that Messiah would reign in Jerusalem, which will be exalted above every other capital city on earth. It will be the primary place of influence on earth, the place where Messiah will reign and proclaim God’s truth. Third, he notes that Messiah’s reign will be supreme. No other nations will have the need or capacity to maintain armies or weapons. All weapons will be remade into other, more necessary items.

This is an amazing promise for those of us who live in the twenty-first century, too. When I look around our nation and the world, I see examples of injustice everywhere. We live in a day when laws favor the wealthy and connected, just as it was in Micah’s day. I see a world where a nation’s military might allow it to oppress the very people it should protect. In this text God reminds us that He is just. Because of this, when Messiah reigns on this planet, true justice will prevail. What an amazing day that will be when the law of God has triumphed on earth!

Messiah Will Govern Israel as God’s Leader

Micah 4:4-7

Micah looked around his nation and the world and saw countless people who chased after false gods. Micah said that when Messiah appears, “we will walk in the name of Yahweh our God forever and ever.” Never again will God’s people worship the idols of false gods. There will be one King who will lead the people and be worshiped by Israel. Who is it? Micah gives the answer: “Then the Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion from this time on and forever.” It’s the Messiah—the Anointed One—who will reign over Israel. Here is the promise of Messiah. We find references to the Messiah throughout the Old Testament, especially in the prophets. He is the One promised in the Davidic covenant, the One who will reign on David’s throne forever and ever. He is King Jesus! Micah will address this in more detail in chapter 5.

But here he referenced several specific roles of the Messiah. First, He will ensure the security of Israel. Every one of God’s people will dwell securely with “no one to frighten him.” Israel and Judah were about to go through some very frightening times. Their descendants have experienced fear throughout their history. Even today, numerous enemies threaten Israel with destruction. But on that future day, when Messiah reigns on earth, no one will ever cause His people to fear again. They will be totally secure in Him, glorified in His presence forever. Second, Messiah will reward the faithful among His people. On that day, all those who were deemed insignificant or had been scattered by the providence of God will be gathered into a mighty nation before the Messiah. Third, Messiah will reign forever. The prophets talked often of the unending reign of Messiah (Rev 11:15). Micah emphasized this truth as well.

When we think about the history of our world, we understand that nations have been warring against nations for millennia. Today, the superpowers of our world jostle with one another for economic and military preeminence. Smaller countries strive for weapons of power that promise them greater control over their own destinies. The threat of global war is an ever-present reality. That is why placing one’s hope in national identity is a fool’s errand. At any given moment our entire way of life could be wiped away, either by the external influence of another powerful nation or the internal control of a government that embraces totalitarianism. Regardless, our hope is never in our national identity—our hope is in God. One day, God’s Messiah will rule on earth, and we will find true “justice for all.”

Messiah Will Govern Israel by God’s Discipline

Micah 4:8-10

In these verses Micah returned to his present day. While the promised Messiah will reign in the future, for now the people of Israel and Judah would soon be captured by foreign powers. They will have no king to lead them and no counselors to provide them wisdom. What was God’s ultimate reason for this discipline? He was using it to draw His people back toward a covenant loyalty and obedience motivated by love for God and neighbor.

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.

Messiah Will Govern Israel by God’s Power

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.

Messiah Will Bring Hope into a Hopeless Life

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.

Reflect and Discuss

1. Read Proverbs 13:12. Why is hope so necessary for life?
2. Read Romans 15:4. In this verse we see that hope is derived from two specific things. What are they, and how are they related to each other?
3. Micah reinforces a fundamental truth found in Jeremiah 29:11—God has good plans for His people. How does Micah 4:1-2 clarify the hope that Jeremiah references?
4. Micah has much to say about the purpose of God’s discipline. Read Hebrews 12:7-11. What does God’s discipline say about Him and about our relationship to Him?
5. Have you ever experienced God’s discipline in your life? How did God use it for good in your life?
6. God also uses trials to build our faith. Read James 1:2-12. What does James have to say about trials and God’s purpose for them in our lives?
7. Has God ever taken you through a difficult trial? How did God use it for good in your life?
8. What is the difference between God’s use of discipline and trials in our lives?
9. God was faithful to His people in spite of their sin. Read Lamentations 3:22-23. How should God’s faithfulness to Israel encourage us in our own spiritual journey?
10. Ultimately, like Abraham, we claim God’s promises by faith. Read Hebrews 11:17-19. How do these verses demonstrate the growth of Abraham’s faith and hope?