Micah 4

In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Micah 4:1

The fourth chapter of the Book of Micah opens with such an incredible statement that it had to be verified in almost identical words by the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 2:2-4). This is like the required testimony of two witnesses spoken of in John 8:17, so it must be really true and really important.

In speaking out these words today, one might be identified as a lunatic or perhaps even a heretic. Nevertheless, let us speak them, and the verses following, for they are God’s words. Here they are – At the end of days, or the start of the Messianic Era, the whole world will be governed by God Himself and from the city of Jerusalem. Zechariah says: “The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name” (Zech. 14:9). The little city of Jerusalem will become the spiritual, geographical, and political center of the world. In saying this, we can see why, for at least four thousand years, the devil and the nations have despised the land of Israel and its people and have tried constantly to destroy them both.

It is clear from the Bible that the Lord will come and make his home in Jerusalem. He says: “This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it” (Psa. 132:14). The Almighty God says to Ezekiel, “…Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever….” (Ezek. 43:7).

The Book of Revelation confirms this, saying: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God’” (Rev. 21:3). Can we even imagine that God will come and live forever with the Israelis? This idea would surely chap most people living on the earth today, along with some Christians.

Since God will ultimately come to live forever on the earth, there will be some changes made.

We read about a few of the physical changes in Zechariah 14:9-10. Apparently, the city or parts of it will be greatly elevated. The city will be wonderfully enlarged to about 1400 miles wide (2254 km), 1400 miles long and 1400 miles high. (Rev. 21:16-17). We are told that there will be no more sea (Rev. 21:1). There will certainly be no more room for seas, at least in the Middle East. This may all sound strange, but if we believe the Bible, this is exactly how things will work out.

Alcorn says, “A metropolis of this size in the middle of the United States would stretch from Canada to Mexico and from the Appalachian Mountains to the California border… The ground level of the city will be nearly two million square miles. This is forty times bigger than England and fifteen thousand times bigger than London…” [1]

What can we say about the size of this city? A city that is 1400 miles high must surely include heavenly realities. Does this mean that God will now rule the whole universe as well from Jerusalem? If God lives in Jerusalem forever, it certainly seems so. There is much involved in that prayer he taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come….”

This lets us know that we have a few things out of kilter in our theology. Since the time of our Greek-thinking early church fathers, we have focused on fleeing the earth and going to heaven. Yet, Jesus told us to pray, “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). We have had everything going up and the Bible has everything coming down. There will be a New Heaven and a New Earth right here (Isa. 65:17; 66:22). And Jerusalem will take on incredible and astounding importance for the whole world.

Jewish people would understand this much better than most Christians. Fortunately for them, the Jews have always kept a great appreciation for the natural, while they have sought the spiritual. Theologian Marvin Wilson says: “Judaism serves to keep Christianity grounded in the world by addressing the most challenging of human needs and real-life problems. From Bible times to the present, Judaism has never been a religion indifferent to the here and now.” [2]

Some Bible interpreters seem to understand the coming importance of Jerusalem. Wiersbe comments: “…Jerusalem would become the world’s most important city…” [3] Phillips says, “…Jerusalem will become the capital of the world and will be exalted above all nations.” [4]

Gathering Of The Nations

Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Micah 4:2

It is important for us to realize that there will always be nations, even in the world to come. The Bible tells us of two great gatherings of nations. First, they will all gather to fight against God and Israel (Zech. 14:2-3; Joel 3:1-2). Then the survivors will gather to worship God and to honor Israel. The Bible says, “…All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed” (Rev. 15:4). In Psalms 22:27-28 we read, “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.”

For the first time in the history of the world, the nations will come to inquire of God and to give honor to Israel. The church has spent much of the last two thousand years hating and persecuting Israel. Zechariah comments: “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, “Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you”’” (Zech. 8:23).

God’s law will go forth from Jerusalem to all the nations. As one old pastor used to say, then the world will at last be run by the manufacturer’s handbook. The law will include the Old Testament and the New. Then people will delight themselves in the perfect law of Christ (Jam. 2:8, 12). Gone will be lawlessness and man’s ideas of what is right and true.

Meyer comments: “In the millennial age Israel, in her restored beauty, will be the center of a renovated world. That restoration will bring great glory to God and blessing to mankind…The time center of unity is not to be found in creeds or systems, but in the impulse of a common desire after God and common worship.” [5] Phillips adds: “Jerusalem will be the legislative capital of the world. An omniscient, absolutely righteous King will govern an empire stretching from pole to pole and from sea to sea…There will be universal peace, prosperity, and progress. No wonder the nations will flock to Jerusalem to see the beautiful, benevolent capital and its all-glorious King!” [6]

“He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore” (4:3). This is a picture of the Millennial Age or the thousand-year initial reign of Christ on earth. During this period Christ will rule the earth with a rod of iron (Psa. 2:9). No longer will Christ pamper nations and extend great grace to the wicked. The presence and glory of Christ will be evident for all to see.

Smith points out how our values today are twisted and that our nations spend more in their budgets to destroy others than to help them, and that we seem to be beating plowshares into swords, with military spending almost bankrupting nations. [7] In fact, worldwide military spending in 2023 was two thousand four hundred and forty-three billion dollars. Phillips says that in the Millennial Age “Factories, built for the manufacture of military hardware, will be used for the production of consumer goods…” [8] Guthrie adds concerning Jesus: “He shall judge between many people; He shall become the absolute Arbiter for all moral and ethical questions among all the nations of the earth.” [9]

“Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the LORD Almighty has spoken” (4:4). This was a proverbial expression in Israel that meant perfect peace and lasting security (1 Ki. 4:25; 2 Ki. 18:31; Isa. 36:16). The vine became the symbol of Israel and was later found on Jewish coins. [10] It seems that Nathaniel was either sitting or praying under his fig tree before he was called to Jesus (Jn. 1:48).

“All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever” (4:5). Some commentators have noted how this verse does not seem to fit. They assume that the Millennium is a time of perfect obedience and devotion to the one True God. However, there are many mysterious things about this age that we do not yet understand.

The Millennium will be a near-perfect earth, but it is interesting that there still will be some rebellion present. We see that a perfect society will not produce perfect people. Only Jesus can do that. We not only see stubborn Egyptians refusing to come and worship (Zech. 14:18-19), but at the end of the Millennium there is mentioned the final battle of Gog and Magog against God and Israel (Rev. 20:8-9). That last rebellion will be quickly terminated by God, with Israel spending seven months just burying the dead enemies. We are assured by this that there will still be some rebellious flesh on earth.

Guzik says: “In the millennial reign, the inhabitants of the Earth will not be compelled to follow the LORD. Some will walk each in the name of his god; those who do walk in the name of the LORD will enjoy great blessing and peace.” [11]

The Lord’s Ministry

“In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will gather the lame; I will assemble the exiles and those I have brought to grief. I will make the lame my remnant, those driven away a strong nation. The LORD will rule over them in Mount Zion from that day and forever.” Micah 4:6-7

Pett points out that this was good news for the lame since they were originally excluded from the precincts of the Tabernacle (Lev. 21:18). [12] We see this inclusion in the ministry of Jesus. He often healed the lame (Matt. 11:5; 15:30; 21:14; Lk. 7:22). The idea of the holy remnant is very prevalent in scripture. In our time we have watched as God has gathered his remnant back to the land of Israel. Many were weak, sick, lame and with various other maladies as they came from the Holocaust. God gathered them and made them into a strong nation, as we have mentioned earlier.

“As for you, watchtower of the flock, stronghold of Daughter Zion, the former dominion will be restored to you; kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem” (4:8). The Hebrew Migdal Eder is generally translated as “tower of the flock” or “watchtower of the flock.” This statement is a bit mysterious. The early church father Jerome lived in Bethlehem, and he notes that the Tower of Eder was about a thousand paces (a mile) from the city. [13] Genesis 35:21 tells us that Israel once pitched his tent there.

This strange verse seems to connect with King David. Perhaps he kept his sheep there. Eder is a very short distance from Jerusalem, and we seem to have a promise that the throne of David will be re-established in the city (Isa. 1:26). Wiersbe says, “Messiah, the Son of David, will one day reign from Jerusalem and care for his flock as a faithful Shepherd-King.” [14]

Utley probes the mystery saying: “This is possibly a special place name near Bethlehem itself, where sacrificial sheep for daily sacrifice were raised…This will become the focus of prophecy in Mic. 5:2 (cf. Luke 2:8-20), which relates to the Messiah’s (who is the sinless Lamb of God, cf. John 1:29) birthplace where the daily sacrifices of lambs…are kept year round.” [15]

Their Situation

Why do you now cry aloud – have you no king? Has your ruler perished, that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor? Micah 4:9

Micah turns from his glorious vision of Israel’s future to sad and bewildering events of her present and even immediate future situation. Both Israel and Judah were facing much suffering, leading to awful exile from their homelands. Because of Micah 4:10, Utley sees this section as primarily reflecting the destruction of Jerusalem much later in 586 BC by Nebuchadnezzar II. [16] Judah’s king was removed, abused, bound, and taken to Babylon (2 Kings 25:7). Micah seems to accurately envision these events which were almost a century and a half away. Feinberg comments: “Before the blessed day of the coming of the great King, Judah will lose all kingly rule.” [17]

“Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion, like a woman in labor, for now you must leave the city to camp in the open field. You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued. There the LORD will redeem you out of the hand of your enemies” (4:10). All the pains of both Israel and Judah are compared to the birth pains of a woman in labor. Labor pains throughout the Old Testament are pictures of judgment and suffering (cf. Isa. 42:14; Jer. 4:31; 6:24). The good news is that through the labor pain, a new reality is born. This same verse tells of Judah’s eventual redemption and return from captivity.

Micah was writing about the time of Israel’s defeat and capture. Normally, one would think that he would mention Assyria and her capital city Nineveh. We see here the beauty and accuracy of biblical prophecy. Guthrie comments: “Amazingly enough, the prophet foretells the land of their captivity: not Assyria (which was then mistress of the Middle East), but Babylon, which in Micah’s day was only a subject province of Assyria.” [18]

Another Picture Of Their Future

But now many nations are gathered against you. They say, “Let her be defiled, let our eyes gloat over Zion!” Micah 4:11

Here the prophet seems to be looking far into the future, centuries and millennia from the threats of Assyria or even Babylonia. He may very well be picturing the great approaching Battle of Armageddon, where the armies of the whole world will be defeated (Rev. 16:16). It seems that antisemitism will spread to all nations and increase with such ferocity that the armies of the world will at last come to deal with their perceived “Israel problem.”

Their purpose would be to conquer, defile and gloat over defeated Zion (Joel 3:1-16; Zech. 12:2-9). Jamieson says, “Her foes desired to feast their eyes on her calamities.” [19] Zechariah describes the beginning of this great battle saying: “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” (Zech. 14:2-3). It seems that Jerusalem will suffer a partial defeat before the awful anger of the Lord is aroused.

“But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD; they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor” (4:12). Likely, Armageddon is a sort of biblical code word that speaks of an attack against the whole nation of Israel. Armageddon may well include the great battle that will be fought in the Kidron Valley next to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. It is called the Valley of Jehoshaphat or the valley where God judges.

Armageddon and Jerusalem are scarcely over fifty air miles apart (80 km.) and such a large battle will cover both, even all the tiny nation of Israel. It is unthinkable that a worldwide battle involving all nations against Israel will not cover and saturate the whole country in war. The prophet Joel says: “I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land” (Joel 3:2).

We read that initially the houses of Jerusalem will be looted and the women raped. Rape was often a hallmark of Muslim victories in the past. Surely, the surrounding Muslim nations will gladly join in with the international forces to vent their ancient rage once more against Israel.

“‘Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion, for I will give you horns of iron; I will give you hooves of bronze, and you will break to pieces many nations.’ You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the LORD, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth” (4:13). We observe something here that is not evident in other places. The military forces of Israel will be involved in the last great battle of this evil age. We have watched God make Israel invincible in several of her modern battles. He has already given them iron horns and bronze hoofs on several occasions. More than once, small Israel has defeated the combined armies of all the Arab Middle Eastern nations.

This last battle will witness the long pent-up and horrible wrath of God against the nations for all of their antisemitism. God will put the nations on trial, as we observed in Joel 3:2. In prophecy, we will later see the survivors of the world’s nations meekly coming to Israel in order to worship the Lord of the whole earth. Isaiah says that even, “The children of your oppressors will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel” (Isa. 60:14).

Footnotes

1. Randy Alcorn, Heaven (Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004), p. 250.

2. Marvin R. Wilson, Exploring Our Hebraic Heritage, A Christian Theology of Roots and Renewal (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2014), pp. 37-38.

3. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT. p. 1456.

4. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 170.

5. Meyer, F.B. Meyer’s ‘Through the Bible’ Commentary, Micah, vs. 4:1-13.

6. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 170.

7. Smith, Smith’s Bible Commentary, Micah, v. 4:3.

8. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 170.

9. Guthrie, et. al. The New Bible Commentary: Revised, p. 756.

10. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 169.

11. Guzik, Enduring Word Bible Commentary, Micah, vs. 4:4-5.

12. Pett, Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, Micah, vs. 4:6-7.

13. Barnes, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible, v. 4:8.

14. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT. p. 1456.

15. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, Micah, v. 4:8.

16. Ibid., vs. 4:9-13.

17. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 170.

18. Guthrie, et. al. The New Bible Commentary: Revised, p. 757.

19. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Commentary on Micah, v. 4:11.