Series in Micah - Abhorred But Gloriously Redeemed

 

Abhorred But Gloriously Redeemed

Micah 4:9-13

We have all been the recipient of ill placed rhetorical questions. “Are you going to your self-help group?” “If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why then do we still have monkeys and apes?” But Micah knew the rhetorical questions from God were from His concern for the people of Israel. For God knew the beginning of the exile and  captivity was purposed for Israel, and God’s oracle of hope and of its glorious future was just as unquestionably purposed and sure. So let’s look at the first portion of the text, “But why are you now screaming in terror? Have you no king to lead you? Have your wise people all died? Pain has gripped you like a woman in childbirth. Writhe and groan like a woman in labor, you people of Jerusalem, for now you must leave this city to live in the open country. You will soon be sent in exile to distant Babylon. But  the Lord will rescue you there; he will redeem you from the grip of your enemies.”

Sarcasm slightly oozed from the words spoken from God of the upcoming captivity, but at the climax of time, the redemption of God would elevate the country of Israel and its people to a heavenly eternity. 

Micah’s questions didn’t need an answer, “But why are you now screaming in terror?” The pummeling of Israel by the Assyrians was the evidence of the coming terror awaiting Judah and Jerusalem by Babylon a generation later. The screaming of terror by the women, men, and children would forever echo in the minds, hearts, and souls of those haunted exiled people. Some may have thought that God was rubbing salt into a fresh wound, when He asked, “Have you no king to lead you? Have your wise people all died? But God was only reminding them of the cost of rebellion and the blatant harlotry of the people, from the top down. The infamous Ahab and Manasseh and the rebellious vassal monarch, king Zedekiah, who refused to listen to Jeremiah’ godly counsel and had made an alliance with Egypt which failed as God had said. When Babylon crushed the walls he fled and was captured in the plains of Jericho. The Babylonians ransacked, razed, and ravaged the city of Jerusalem, Zedekiah lost not only his kingship, but his sons were murdered in front of him, and his own sight was taken from him just after, and his life ended in a Babylonian prison. 

There would be no more Davidic king in Jerusalem until the coming of the Messiah. And the Jewish people who cleaved to the significance of the end of David's throne, may have questioned as well the God who loved them, but God still has a glorious plan for them; even the promise of a Messiah.

Micah further elucidated the horrendous outcome awaiting the Jewish people. Their pain would be worse than the pain of childbirth’s tearing of the flesh, and the agonizing departure of Jerusalem through the burned ruins and the death strewn roads around them were like piles of dung. “Say, “This is what the LORD declares: “’Dead bodies will lie like dung on the open field, like cut grain behind the reaper, with no one to gather them.’” (Jer. 9:22)

Then the march from Jerusalem to Babylon would be grisly and harrowing even for the strongest of the exiles.

Application -  Have you ever had someone tell you I told you so, and then apply sarcasm into the fresh wound of remorse, regret, or loss? I can relate somewhat to the Israelites; when I didn’t listen to sage advice from godly counsel, and then the wheels fell off my best made plans. And then I look up to God and whine before Him of my woes, only to have my prayers bounce off a hardened heaven. Now, I don’t let unconfessed sin go by, God the Holy Spirit nudges me to repentance, and He steers me in the right direction again. The later kings like King Zedekiah didn’t have the Holy Spirit, but all the kings from Rehoboam to Zedekiah did have the prophets, like Micah, Isaiah, Hosea and later Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, and Ezekiel. "In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things" (Heb. 1:1-2 NIV)

Today, God has given us His Word, which is directly from the Holy Spirit speaking through the patriarchs, the prophets, and the words of Jesus through the apostles and early leaders (James, Jude, Mark and Luke). The Word of God is God’s revealed plan for the end of time, and just as God revealed his Word to the prophets during the times of the patriarchs and kings, “Whatever the Lord God plans to do, he tells his servants, the prophets.” (Amos 3:7 CEV). Jesus revealed the Father’s plan to the apostles and to us. There is a glorious hope for those who will heed the voice of God speaking through the Word of God. 

The question is clear to us as Peter asked and admonished the church, “I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles…By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly…Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. (2 Pet. 3:2,7,11-13 NIV)

For we have evil permeated in our cultures and societies. We have many people who are mocking the Word of God pertaining to the end of time, and we have many who have been blinded and deafened to the message of Hope by the present ruler of this age, “If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get.” (2 Cor. 4:4 MSG) 

We have leaders: political, sociological, educational, and spiritual who are as was the leaders in the days of the prophets. They have led the world in unholy alliances and in ungodly laws and treaties, are given to idolic worship and immorality that God detests and angers Him to wrath. But we as believers know that there is hope in the promises of our Lord and God. Though the rulers plan evil, God has planned and purposed good for all those who will believe in His Son Jesus the Christ, and destruction for the ruler of this age and all his cohorts and minions.

So again, “since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? There is an eternal promise of a glorious future, and it is with our Lord and God Jesus Christ.

Now Micah’s oracle takes on a distant and differing conclusion from his present time. For Micah now speaks of many nations gathered against Israel, not just one or two, and they are howling over the possible desecration of Israel and the destruction of Jerusalem. They are nearly celebrating the wanton demise of the Jewish people, but they forget or don’t know the purpose and plan God has instore for Israel and for them. So let’s read the next portion of the text. “Now many nations have gathered against you. “Let her be desecrated,” they say. “Let us see the destruction of Jerusalem.” But they do not know the Lord’s thoughts or understand his plan. These nations don’t know that he is gathering them together to be beaten and trampled like sheaves of grain on a threshing floor. “Rise up and crush the nations, O Jerusalem!” says the Lord. “For I will give you iron horns and bronze hooves, so you can trample many nations to pieces. You will present their stolen riches to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.”

Micah not only envisioned the possible destruction of Israel, but again sees the earlier promise of glorified Jerusalem, a prosperous Israel, and a noble future. 

It wasn’t hard to hear the hoots and jeers of the enemies around Israel celebrating the hopeful demise of Israel for its notorious harlotic past, and previous endings. And in the future, it will be like a pack of ravenous and esurient dogs. They longed to come and pick the bones of the booty, plunder, and spoils left. Ezekiel later spoke of this, “Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villages will say to you, “Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?”’ (Ezk. 38:13 NIV)

  But God had a different plan, a future promise and purpose for Israel and Jerusalem later spoken by the prophet Jeremiah. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer. 29:11 NIV)

The Lord God Almighty, El Shaddai, has a covenant to uphold and to fulfill. But first He has to deal with the Usurper, insurgents and interlopers who wanted nothing more than to see Israel complete demise. God revealed to Micah that the jeering jackals were falling into their own demise, like sheaths of grain at the threshing floor. Micah heard from God that it was Israel who would be empowered with iron horns, the strength of God and bronze hooves (implements of judgment) to trample, just as Jezebel’s body was crushed by horses hooves (2 Kings 9:32-37) and it will be many nations that will be destroyed at the great battle of Armageddon. (Zech. 12; 14) (ex. “And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.”(14:12 KJV)

And as in all battles that Israel had fought, the stolen spoils of wealth will come to God, the Lord, the sovereign over all the earth and heaven, Jesus Christ.

Application - With all the anti-semitism around the world and the warring happening in the middle east. It doesn’t take a Bible scholar to hear the resonating voice of the prophet Micah’s words, “Now many nations have gathered against you. “Let her be desecrated,” they say. “Let us see the destruction of Jerusalem.” And the world looks on as they hear the rhetoric and protests for the demise of all Israel. But God had promised and covenanted with Israel’s patriarchs and He will keep His promise and do as He said He would do. For “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” (Num.23:19 NIV)

The world doesn’t understand or perceive the coming judgment that is impending upon the world. There is a coming judgment upon a world as God spoke through Micah, “But they do not know the Lord’s thoughts or understand his plan. These nations don’t know that he is gathering them together to be beaten and trampled like sheaves of grain on a threshing floor.”

They are consumed with hatred not only for Israel but their God as well. But the outcome they desire will be turned against them as the Old Testament prophets foretold.  “I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle…Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him…This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. On that day people will be stricken by the Lord with great panic. They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another.” (Zech. 14:2-3,5b,12-13 NIV)

On that day, Jesus and all the saints and His angels, as well as the people of Israel will fight for Israel and Jerusalem. They will collect the stolen wealth and all that is left on the battlefield and bring it to the Lord, “Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected—great quantities of gold and silver and clothing.” (v.14)

This is the battle of Micah’s oracle and the words of God spoken by the prophets. 

Yet all is not lost, for God will be merciful to the nations; those who survive the battle will be welcomed into the kingdom of God to worship the Lord Jesus Christ in the temple in Jerusalem on the appointed feast days. “Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.” (Zech. 14:16 NIV)

Amen, the day is coming and it may not be that future, but only God knows His appointed times, but we are told be ready and eagerly expect His glorious coming for the Bride and later for it is written that all Israel will be saved when they see their Messiah, repent of their sins, and receive Him as Lord and their God. “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord. “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.” “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

( Rom. 11:27-29; Isaiah 59:20,21; Jer. 31:34b NIV)

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation for all those who have not yet received Jesus Christ for salvation. For Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I have revised my webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. Thank you. http://uss-warfare3.webnode.com