Series in Micah - The Coming King of Kings, the Good Shepherd

 

The Coming King of Kings, the Good Shepherd

Micah 5:1-5a

One day, the world will see the coming judgment of God; coming upon all who oppose Him and His Son, as the Psalmist had foreseen. “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.” (Ps. 2:1-7)

In this lesson God is dealing with His city of Jerusalem and its people (nation of Israel). In continuing in the theme of judgment for Jerusalem, Micah sees the city of God will be besieged and overcome by the rod of God, the Assryians and the  Babylonians, who Isaiah also called the Rod of God (Isa. 10:24) and Ezekiel called the sword of God (Ezk. 21:19) But then God in a swift move to a future time, the birth of a Shepherd King, and then stealthily to the One who will rule the world from Jerusalem. To which, only Daniel had received insight and the actual timing of God for the coming King, “Listen carefully so that you can understand the meaning of your vision. “A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish their rebellion, to put an end to their sin, to atone for their guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place. Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler—the Anointed One—comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times.” (9:24-25) WOW!

So let’s read the first portion of the text. “Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod.”

The last king of David's earthly lineage, Zedekiah, was captured by king Nebuchadnezzar. He had tried to marshall the few troops he had left in the temple to ward off the Babylonian forces who laid siege ramps on the walls of the temple. The Babylonian army captured king Zedekiah as he ran away in the plains of Jericho and Nebuchadnezzar had his eyes plucked out, but not until he had seen all of his sons murdered before him, it was the last thing he saw and he died in a Babylonian prison. 

Micah, Isiaiah and a host of other prophets had warned the kings, the leaders, and the priests. But they became even more rebellious and stiff-necked towards God. God had the last word in their lives, for he had told Micah that the rod of God (Assyrian and Babylonians armies) would strike the rulers of Israel and Judah on the cheek, a sign of extreme defeat and shame. “The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men or young women, the elderly or the infirm. God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.” (2 Chr. 36:15-17)

Application - It is written that God doesn’t do anything until He has revealed it through the prophets to the people. “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7) Even today, God is revealing the prophetic truth through the Old Testament prophets of the coming judgment upon the world and upon Israel. And we still have stiff-necked rulers and rebellious world leaders who despise the Word of God and scoff at the prophecies concerning the end times. And it is no surprise considering the egregious spiritual state of the end time church, both Paul and Peter spoke of the mocking and the depravity of the apostate church and the world. (2 Tim.3:1-5; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 3:2-4,8-12) 

Like king Zedekiah and the irreligious leaders, they deny the sovereignty of God and His righteousness and justice in bringing His wrath upon the rebellious and wicked people of Jerusalem and  the world. 

We saw an example of it in the attack on the twin towers, the pentagon, and the white house. Our leaders took up the banner of invincibleness, we will arise and rebuild. We in our prideful arrogance will try and succeed in restoring the idols, and their iconic temples that are a symbolic representation of our nation, and like the nation of Israel at the time of their judgment from God. “And the people of Israel and Samaria, who spoke with such pride and arrogance, will soon know it. They said, ‘We will replace the broken bricks of our ruins with finished stone, and replant the felled sycamore-fig trees with cedars.’ But the Lord will bring Rezin’s enemies against Israel and stir up all their foes. The Syrians from the east and the Philistines from the west will bare their fangs and devour Israel. But even then the Lord’s anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike. For after all this punishment, the people will still not repent. They will not seek the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” (Isa. 9:9-13)

Our leaders believed by using this verse in their address to the world that they were just and right in their standings and claiming a blessing from God, but the verse proclaimed was a curse not a blessing on the nation that denies God. “But even then the Lord’s anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike. For after all this punishment, the people will still not repent. They will not seek the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” (vv.12b-13 NLT)

And they didn’t turn fully to God, nor to repentance, and God’s anger was not abated, but He is still patient “The Lord, the God of their ancestors, repeatedly sent his prophets to warn them, for he had compassion on his people…But the people mocked these messengers of God and despised their words. They scoffed at the prophets until the Lord’s anger could no longer be restrained and nothing could be done.” (2 Chr. 36:15-16 NLT)

Again, God will not be mocked as the apostle Paul stated to the Galatians, “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.” (6:7 NLT) or the apostle Peter to the church, “Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires.” (2 Pet. 3:3 NLT) and God will punish, discipline, or destroy those who scoff, mock, or willfully deny him. For the mark of shame and disgrace by His rod will be on their face for the world to see.

So what kind of people should we be, knowing that our unconfessed sins, our pride and arrogance, and our rebellious human nature will bring on us the wrath of God? But it need not be, if we will only humble ourselves, seek His face, and turn from our wickedness, pride, hubris, and arrogance.  Our God is patient and compassionate to those who will kneel and confess before Him, and He will heal our land and lives. So let’s seek the One who loves us and created us for Himself and in His image.

Last, Micah sees a distant future event of an Israelite ruler (judge and King who will bring justice as well as peace). The King whose origin will be from ancient times, literal from eternity. He will be the Messiah King promised by God, to fulfill the covenant He made with king David. For He will have been born in Bethlehem, the birth town of king David and in the lineage of David. Isaiah also spoke of this King, of the coming Messiah, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel…For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isa. 7:14; 9:6-7)

But the captivity for Israel as a nation was appointed by God because of their transgressions; for there would be another time in the future for the return of the remnant of Israel to their land and this time God would not abandon them but would fight for them and will rule from a restored Jerusalem. “In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people…” (Isa. 11:11a NLT)

He will be their God and they will be His people. This was also seen by Daniel’s vision but not disclosed to man, “But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end.” (Dan. 12:4 NIV) but later it was revealed by God through the Apostle John. “There was a woman who was clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet. She had a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out with pain because she was about to give birth…The woman gave birth to a son, who would rule all the nations with an iron rod. And her child was taken up to God and to his throne.” (Rev. 12:1-2,5 NIV)

This was Israel in a later time, the nation who would be graced with the birth of the Messiah King, but they would reject Him until another appointed time by God the Father. He would return at the end of time and redeem Israel. “...a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness 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 banish ungodliness from Jacob” (Rom. 11:25a-26)

The Messiah King will stand in Jerusalem in the temple and reign the world from His throne there. He will guard, care, and nurture all the people like a shepherd. He will bear the name of majesty, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. The people will live securely not only with each other, but with all creation, and there will be peace, unlike any time the world has ever known.

Application - With all the talk about a global government, it was God’s plan and purpose to establish a global government with His Son, Jesus Christ the Messiah King and Good shepherd. And God again has revealed this to all who read and listen to His Word. The prophets were given the details of the birth of the Messiah, Bethlehem Ephrathah. This small town or village was the birthplace of king David and the seed of the woman (Jesus) and of the lineage of Mary and Joseph. It was known by those who desired the understanding from Scripture, but it was oblivious to the residing Idumaean King Herod, a supplanted vassal king by the Roman Government. God had planned the ruling kingship of Jesus before the creation, and foreseen and purposed by a covenant with king David. 

By the rejection of Jesus as King at His first advent, the people were given over to their enemies that subjected and subjugated them from the times of the last kings of David’s lineage. The birth of Jesus was proclaimed by the angels, announced to the shepherds and the Magi, yet the Israelites were oblivious to His coming, which soon incited those in authority to dispose and destroy this new child king. (Matt. 2:16-18) which had been revealed beforehand by Jeremiah the prophet, “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” (Jer. 31:15 ESV) 

But God had all things planned for the good (Rom. 8:28) For there is a second coming, this time the King of Kings will arrive in glorious power, and majestic splendor again, but this time all will see Him and He will rid the world of sin’s creator and his lackeys and rule and reign from Jerusalem for a thousand years. And all of Israel will return and proclaim “Baruch Habah B’shem Adonai” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” And the Good Shepherd will guide, care for, and feed His sheep as they return to Israel. He will guide them to rest, and to drink of the living water from the throne of the King. He will restore and quiet their souls, leading them in His righteousness. And there will be no more evil or death for a thousand years. The anointed One will give them His love and they will partake of His goodness. Amen

Micah had no idea of the complete ramification that the Father was showing him, but God skipping through time allows us to see and hear what they had received from God by the Holy Spirit. “I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.” (Luke 10:24)

This Christmas season, let us realize how blessed we are to know the One true living Lord, Son of God and King, Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace wants to reign in your life today, “And he will be the source of peace.”

As always, I want to end with presenting the gospel in the form of 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