Micah 4:1-5

Micah 4:1 begins, Now it shall come to pass in the latter days.  It is clear that we are now taken to a time beyond the current days of Israel and Judah.  Micah 4-5 is a marvelous passage of hope with some amazing prophetic passages, beginning with the one in today’s reading.  

We noted at the beginning of our study of Micah that this passage is almost word-for-word with Isaiah 2:2-4.  Again, we are not concerned with the discussion of which one quoted the other or if God gave the prophecy to both.  It is not a question that concerns the inspiration and authority of Scripture.  Both prophets claimed to speak the word of the LORD and the earthly medium of the prophet’s message does not obscure the heavenly origin.

We should also note the transition from 3:12 to 4:1.  The previous chapter ended with the prediction of Jerusalem in a heap of ruins and the mountain of the temple (house of the LORD on Mt. Moriah) like the bare hills of the forest.  

Contrast that with the scene in the latter days.  Mt. Moriah is established and exalted above all other mountains.  It is the place where the people of the nations will come, not only to visit but to be taught the ways, the law, and the word of the Lord.  Through this teaching the Lord will judge the people in righteousness so that there will be no more war.  Weapons of war will become instruments of good.  It will be a time when those who walk in the name of the LORD our God will experience peace and prosperity.

Micah 4:1-5 is a magnificent nutshell description of the earthly Kingdom of Messiah.  It might sound like a panacea that could never happen you are wrong.  It is, in fact a panacea, defined as a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.  We are right to assume this will never happen through the rulers and governments that we are familiar, both day and throughout history.  But we are right to say that it will happen in the Kingdom of Messiah.

The reason we have such confidence is tucked into today’s passage, and will be shouted loudly in tomorrow’s passage.  Who is “He” at the beginning of v3?  It is the Lord whose word will be taught and who will, in fact, be the teacher (v2)!  Our confidence is based in the person of the King.  It is God the LORD.  And our confidence, like Micah’s, is based in the fact that this promise was spoken by the mouth of the LORD.  None of the other nations have a god like the LORD our God (v5).  This day will come, and it will be a blessing to Israel and a blessing to the nations.

This hope of the return of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, should sustain us today.  AND, hear now, it should produce likeness to Christ in our lives today.  And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure (1 John 3:3).