Micah 4
COMMENTARY:
: 1 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow to it. (5102 “flow” [nahar] means stream, to move or progress freely as if in a stream, as in a movement of a crowd, travel in mass, or be lightened.)
DEVOTION: When the Bible talks about the last days it is talking about a time period that has not happened yet. We don’t know the future but the LORD does and HE reveals it to us through HIS prophets in the Old Testament. HE has a future plan for the children of Israel. Now they are still looking for the Messiah to come because they don’t believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Some Jews believe and worship HIM now.
In the future the nation of Israel will be restored and Jerusalem will be the center of the world. People from all nations will come to Jerusalem to worship the LORD Jesus Christ as HE will be reigning over the world.
People from all nations will come to worship HIM. HE will instruct them concerning the proper way to walk. There will be children born to those who enter this time period called the Millennium. They will need to be taught who HE is and how to worship HIM. It seems that even when the devil is in chains and the world is in the control of Jesus Christ that our human nature still wants to worship false gods.
The LORD wants us to understand that we are to worship HIM in spirit and in truth today.
CHALLENGE: If you don’t understand what that means ask someone who genuinely loves the LORD and is serving HIM.
: 2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and w will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (3384 “teach” [yarah] means instruct, direct, to throw, display, show, or give guidance.)
DEVOTION: One of the things that is confusing about studying the prophets is that they move from the present to the future and back without really helping us understand what is going on. The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those who are followers of the LORD helps us see the different time period and once that is understood helps us interpret the passage in the right manner.
Too often when people are confused they just stop studying instead of praying and asking the LORD for wisdom to understand the passages that cause confusion in us. We have to remember that God is not the author of confusion.
I had a deacon of a large church tell me to not send Leviticus to him but wait until I start Numbers. He didn’t understand Leviticus and didn’t seem to want to learn. Many times the letters of Paul in the New Testament can confuse people because of his terms and repetition.
The LORD wants us to understand HIS Word. HE can be a great teacher if we allow HIM to teach us through the ministry of HIS servants and the Holy Spirit. Once we learn we can walk correctly.
In the future in Jerusalem this is going to happen to those who have survived the Tribulation. Only those who didn’t receive the mark of the beast will enter into this time period called the Millennium. Christ is going to reign as King.
CHALLENGE: Continually ask the LORD for wisdom to understand not only the present ministry of the LORD but the future plans of the LORD for HIS people.
: 3 And HE shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (3925 “learn” [lamad] means instruct, expert, teachers, exercise in, be skillful, to accustom oneself, well-versed, or gain information.)
DEVOTION: What would the world be like to not have any nation fighting with another nation? Many people are praying for world peace like it could happen at any time. It is not wrong to pray for peace but world peace can never happen until the LORD returns to reign on this earth.
Our human nature is at war within us on a daily basis if we are a believer. We want to serve the LORD but our flesh wants to serve self because we are selfish. We are also lazy because we don’t want to change. The LORD knows these facts about us and still has sent HIS Son to die on the cross for our sins and offer us salvation for eternity.
This verse informs us that there is future time period when the LORD is reigning in this world and the devil is in chains that nations will not learn war anymore.
Today nations are learning war. It is important for a nation to be strong with a military to fight if necessary. With a strong military we count on our weapons to defend us against our enemies.
The Bible instructs us in the fact that the LORD is the one who is in control of our world and HE will protect HIS people even during times of war. Does that mean that no Christians will be killed in our present time period? NO!! Christians are going to be killed because the world doesn’t want us around.
Now is different from later. In the future kingdom the LORD is going to do all the fighting. Satan is going to take a final stand at the end of the Millennium but the LORD is going to defeat HIM alone. We are just going to be watching from heaven.
CHALLENGE: No more war is going to happen in the future but we can still pray for peace in our family, church and nation.
: 12 But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. (4284 “thoughts” [machashabah] means devise, plan, purpose, work or invention.)
DEVOTION: We are reminded over and over in the word of God that the LORD’S plan is different than our plans (Isaiah 55: 8, 9). Once we chose to follow the LORD, we receive a divine nature in us but we still can’t fully understand the LORD’S plans for the present or future. HE is working out HIS plan.
This chapter gives us a picture of the future of Israel and the present of Israel. They are two different pictures. The present state is one of going into captivity in Babylon because of their sin. Their future state is promised to be one of blessing.
This future time period is after the seventieth week of Daniel or the Tribulation period. It will take place during a time period called the Millennium. Christ is going to reign in Jerusalem. It is thought that only those who are followers of Christ will enter the Millennium. However, during the thousand years reign of Christ there will be children born that chose not to follow the LORD. They will be worshiping false gods. Even with the devil in chains and Christ reigning people will still have a sin nature and chose to follow it instead of the LORD. Those who chose not to follow the LORD will be gathered as sheaves and put in the lake of fire with the devil and his angels.
In the future state all nations will come to Jerusalem to learn about the LORD. In the future state there will be peace. In the future state the LORD will be ruling over them. In the present state they are not doing what the LORD wants them to do. Our nation which once honored the LORD is not following HIM. We are getting further and further away from HIM.
We have a responsibility that includes trying to honor the LORD with our actions. Many times we fail. Sometimes we succeed. We only succeed as we yield ourselves to the LORD. We don’t understand all that the LORD is doing in our lives, just like Israel didn’t understand all that the LORD was doing to them as a nation.
Our understanding is clouded because of our perspective on things. We just have to remind ourselves that all things that happen to us are for our good. The Holy Spirit is willing to teach us how to walk closer to the LORD. There is a gathering coming to the church in the rapture. Are we ready for HIS calling us to the Judgment Seat of Christ for the distribution of our rewards for service to HIM? There will be seven years of Tribulation and then the time period described in this chapter. Are we praying for HIS trumpet to sound? Are we working as if today is the last day before we meet HIM in the air? Are we saying, even so come Lord Jesus!!!
CHALLENGE: Remember that our thoughts are not God’s thoughts. Many false teachers are giving their thoughts in our pulpits which confuse the people of God. Go to the source and ask HIM for wisdom and instruction.
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