Micah 4

The church (vs. 1-5)—Micah 4 and 5 are exclusively Messianic and refer to the New Testament age. These first five verses speak of the future establishment of the church. This is evident in several ways. Micah speaks of the following and I will compare his statements with New Testament verses:
“the last days” (v. 1)—Acts 2:17 tells us we are in the last days;
“the mountain of the Lord’s house” (v. 1)—I Tim. 3:15 calls the church the “house of God”;
“many nations shall come” (v. 2)—the gospel is for all, of course (Mark 16:15);
“He will teach us His ways” (v. 2)—"They shall all be taught of God” (John 6:45);
"For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (v. 2)—“that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47);
“He shall judge between many peoples” (v. 3)—His word will judge us all (John 12:48);
“They shall beat their swords into plowshares" (v. 3)—“that in Me you may have peace” (John 16:33). The peacefulness of Christ’s kingdom is also described in Micah 4:4, “But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid.” The vine and fig tree reference is a proverbial Jewish picture of being at peace with others, God, and one’s self. Even in the Christian age, many will continue to follow their own gods, “but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever” (v. 5). A lovely picture of the church and the gospel age.

The members of that kingdom (vs. 6-8)—It won’t be just the rich and powerful who will compose the membership of Christ’s body. The lame, the outcast, “those whom I have afflicted” will be a “remnant,” and “a strong nation” (vs. 6-7). It was a common belief among the Jews in the first century that only the rich could be saved. They must be righteous or God would not have blessed them so much. This was even the view of the Lord’s apostles (Matt. 19:23-25). But God’s love extends to all, the His true kingdom is spiritual, not physical, something the Jews never learned, and haven’t learned to this day. Verse 8 once again appears to reference the beginning the church in Jerusalem.

Crisis before deliverance (vs. 9-13)—These last few verses of chapter 4 seem to lead into chapter 5 where the Messiah Himself is introduced. Israel had rejected its true king and counselor, Jehovah, thus “pangs have seized you like a woman in labor” (v. 9). Thus, “to Babylon shall you go” (v. 10), but the Lord will deliver them. “Many nations have gathered against you” (v. 11), “but they do not know the thoughts of the Lord, nor do they understand His counsel” (v. 12). God has had a plan for mankind since Genesis 3:15—yea, from before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:4)—and that plan included the children of Israel. And no nation, or collection of nations, can overturn the purposes of the Lord. His people will be victorious with a powerful, mighty victory (v. 13).