Chapter 5 - Birth of the King in Bethlehem (JESUS!:)
5 “[a]Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops; [b]They have laid siege against us; With a rod they will (A)strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.
PROVERBS 13:24 HE WHO WITHOLDS HIS ROD HATES HIS SON
2 [c]But as for (B)you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From (C)you One will come forth for Me to be (D)ruler in Israel. His times of coming forth are (E)from long ago, From the days of eternity.”
Second, Micah “stuck his neck out” even farther when he identified the city as “Bethlehem Ephrathah.” Few people probably realize that Palestine contained two towns named Bethlehem. http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=100&article=1219 Dave Miller, Ph.D. (re: birthplace of the Messiah)
3 Therefore He will (F)give them up until the time When she (G)who is in labor has given birth. Then the (H)remainder of His kinsmen Will return to the sons of Israel.
4 And He will arise and (I)shepherd His flock In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will [d]remain, Because [e]at that time He will be great To the (J)ends of the earth.
JOHN 10: 11, 14 I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD.
5 This One (K)will be our peace. When the (L)Assyrian (N. Iraq / SE Turkey) invades our land, When he tramples on our [f]citadels, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight leaders of people. those great instruments of God's revenge, and his church's deliverance.
ISAIAH 9: 6, 7 For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will [a]rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace On the throne of David and over [b]his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of armies will accomplish this.
6 They will (M)shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, The land of (N)Nimrod* at its entrances; And He will (O)rescue us from the Assyrian when he invades our land, And when he tramples our territory.
* a descendant of Ham represented in Genesis as a mighty hunter and a king of Shinar
7 Then the (P)remnant of Jacob Will be among many peoples Like (Q)dew from the LORD, Like (R)showers on vegetation That do not wait for man, Or delay for [g]mankind.
8 The remnant of Jacob Will be among the nations, Among many peoples (S)Like a lion among the animals of the forest, Like a young lion among flocks of sheep, Which, if he passes through, (T)Tramples and (U)tears, And there is (V)no one who can rescue.
9 Your hand will be (W)lifted up against your adversaries, And all your enemies will be eliminated.
REVELATION IS ABOUT THE WRATH OF GOD (MENTIONED 12X).
10 “And it will be on that day,” declares the LORD, “(X)That I will eliminate your (Y)horses from among you, And destroy your chariots.
11 I will also eliminate the (Z)cities of your land, And tear down all your (AA)fortifications.
12 I will eliminate (AB)sorceries from your hand, And you will have no fortune-tellers.
13 (AC)I will eliminate your carved images And your memorial stones from among you, So that you will no longer bow down To the work of your hands.
VERSES 11 AND 12 ARE WARNINGS FOR THOSE WHO DON’T FOLLOW JESUS.
14 I will uproot your [h](AD)Asherim from among you, And destroy your cities.
WEBSTER: “a sacred wooden post, pole, or pillar that stood near the altar in various Canaanite high places and that symbolized the goddess Asherah”
15 And I will (AE)execute vengeance in anger and wrath On the nations which have not obeyed.”
Footnotes
Micah 5:1 Ch 4:14 in Heb
Micah 5:1 Lit He has
Micah 5:2 Ch 5:1 in Heb
Micah 5:4 Or live in safety
Micah 5:4 Lit now
Micah 5:5 Or palaces
Micah 5:7 Lit sons of mankind
Micah 5:14 I.e., wooden symbols of a female deity (Asherah)
Chapter 6 God’s Indictment of His People
1. Hear now what the LORD is saying, “Arise, plead your case [a]before the mountains, And let the hills hear your voice. SHOUT TO THE LORD
2 Listen, you mountains, to the indictment by the LORD, And you enduring (A)foundations of the earth, Because the (B)LORD has a case against His people; And He will dispute with Israel.
3 (C)My people, (D)what have I done to you, And (E)how have I wearied you? Answer Me.
4 Indeed, I (F)brought you up from the land of Egypt, I (G)redeemed you from the house of slavery, And I sent before you (H)Moses, Aaron, and (I)Miriam.
5 My people, remember now What (J)Balak king of Moab planned And what Balaam son of Beor answered him, And what happened from (K)Shittim to (L)Gilgal, [b]So that you might know the (M)righteous acts of the LORD.”
What God Requires of Mankind
6 (N)With what shall I come to the LORD And bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with (O)burnt offerings, With yearling calves?
7 Does the LORD take pleasure in (P)thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of [c]oil? Shall I give Him my (Q)firstborn for my wrongdoings, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
JESUS WAS THE SACRIFICE FOR ALL HUMANKIND. KEY VERSE OF BOOK:
8 He has (R)told you, mortal one, what is good; And (S)what does the LORD require of you But to (T)do justice, to (U)love [d]kindness, And to walk [e](V)humbly with your God?
Re: Micah 6:8. In King’s notes on this verse, he wrote: “Here again we find one of the high watermarks of the O.T. The divine demand upon men is expressed in terms of elemental simplicity—justice and kindness between man and man, and a humble walk with God. This was religion as Micah saw it. Jehovah’s good will is served not by a careful observance of the ritual, or by the bringing of sacrifices, whatever may be their intrinsic value, but by a life in accord with the principles of righteousness, by the diligent practice of kindness and brotherliness, and by a living fellowship with God in the spirit of humility. Few notions so sublime have been conceived in the whole history of religion” (King, Notecards on topics from Micah, 22 September 1952-28 January 1953).
9 The voice of the LORD will call to the city—And it is sound wisdom to fear Your name: “[f]Hear, you tribe. Who has designated [g]its time?
10 Is there still a person in the wicked house, Along with treasures of (W)wickedness, And a [h](X)short measure that is cursed?
11 Can I justify dishonest (Y)balances, And a bag of fraudulent weights?
12 For the rich people of [i]the city are full of (Z)violence, Her residents speak (AA)lies, And their (AB)tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
13 So also I will make you (AC)sick, striking you down, (AD)Making you desolate because of your sins.
14 You will eat, but you will (AE)not be satisfied, And your filth will be in your midst. You will try to remove valuables for safekeeping, But you will (AF)not save it all, And what you do save I will turn over to the sword.
15 You will sow but you will (AG)not harvest. You will tread the olive press but will not anoint yourself with oil; And tread out sweet wine, but you will (AH)not drink any wine.
16 The statutes of (AI)Omri And every work of the house of (AJ)Ahab are maintained,
And you (AK)walk by their plans.Therefore I will give you up for (AL)destruction,
And [j]your inhabitants for [k](AM)derision, And you will suffer the (AN)taunting of My people.” BRITTANICA: Omri, (reigned ~ 884–869 bce), king of Israel, father of Ahab
Footnotes
Micah 6:1 Lit with
Micah 6:5 Lit In order to know
Micah 6:7 I.e., olive oil
Micah 6:8 Or loyalty
Micah 6:8 Or circumspectly
Micah 6:9 Or Hear about the rod and who designated it
Micah 6:9 Lit it
Micah 6:10 Lit shrunken ephah (Webster: over a bushel).
Micah 6:12 Lit her are
Micah 6:16 Lit her
Micah 6:16 Lit whistling (in mockery)
Chapter 7 The Prophet Acknowledges Injustice
1 Woe to me! For I am Like harvests of summer fruit, like gleanings of (A)grapes. There is not a cluster of grapes left to eat, Nor an (B)early fig, which [a]I crave.
2 The [b]godly person has (C)perished from the land, And there is no upright person among mankind. All of them lie in wait for (D)bloodshed; Each of them hunts the other with a (E)net.
THIS IS LIKE THE STORY OF NOAH – ONLY HIS FAMILY SURVIVED.
3 As for evil, both hands do it (F)well. The leader asks for a (G)bribe, also the judge, And the great one speaks the capricious desire of his soul; So they plot it together.
4 The best of them is like a (H)thorn bush, The most upright like a (I)thorn hedge. The day [c]when you post your watchmen, Your (J)punishment is coming. Then their (K)confusion will occur.
5 Do not (L)trust in a neighbor; Do not have confidence in a close friend. Guard [d]your lips From her who lies [e]in your arms.
6 For (M)son disavows father, Daughter rises up against her mother, Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; (N)A person’s enemies are the people of his own household.
God Is the Source of Salvation and Light
7 But as for me, I will (O)be on the watch for the LORD; I will (P)wait for the God of my salvation. My (Q)God will hear me.
WE NEED TO WAIT THEN ACT AT RIGHT TIME.
8 (R)Do not rejoice over me, (S)enemy of mine. Though I fall I will (T)rise; Though I live in darkness, the LORD is a (U)light for me.
ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT.
9 I will endure the rage of the LORD Because I have sinned against Him, Until He (V)pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me out to the (W)light, And I will look at His [f](X)righteousness.
JESUS IS THE ULTIMATE JUDGE. USP TO FCI TO FPC / HOME
10 Then my enemy will see, And shame will cover her who (Y)said to me, “Where is the LORD your God?” My eyes will look at her; [g]At that time she will [h]be (Z)trampled down Like mud of the streets.
11 It will be a day for (AA)building your walls. On that day your boundary will be extended.
12 It will be a day when [i]they will (AB)come to you From Assyria and the cities of Egypt, From Egypt even to the Euphrates River, Even from sea to sea and mountain to mountain.
13 And the earth will become a (AC)wasteland because of her inhabitants, On account of the (AD)fruit of their deeds.
14 (AE)Shepherd Your people with Your (AF)scepter, The flock of Your [j]possession Which lives by itself in the woodland, In the midst of [k]a fruitful field. Let them feed in (AG)Bashan and Gilead (AH)As in the days of old.
JESUS IS OUR ROYAL SHEPHERD.
15 “As in the days when you went out from the land of Egypt, I will show [l](AI)you miracles.”
16 Nations (AJ)will see and be ashamed Of all their might. They will (AK)put their hand on their mouth, Their ears will be deaf.
17 They will (AL)lick up dust like a snake, Like [m](AM)reptiles of the earth. They will come (AN)trembling out of their [n]fortresses; To the LORD our God they will come in (AO)trepidation, And they will be afraid of You.
18 Who is a God like You, who (AP)pardons wrongdoing And passes over a rebellious act of the (AQ)remnant of His [o]possession? He does not (AR)retain His anger forever, Because He (AS)delights in mercy.
WHOM HAVE I BUT YOU? PASSOVER IS A FAMOUS JEWISH HOLIDAY.
19 He will again take pity on us; (AT)He will trample on our wrongdoings. Yes, You will (AU)cast all [p]their sins Into the depths of the sea.
20 You will give [q](AV)truth to Jacob And favor to Abraham, Which You (AW)swore to our forefathers From the days of old.
IN JOHN 14: 6 JESUS SAID, "I AM THE WAY, TRUTH AND THE LIFE."
Footnotes
Micah 7:1 Lit my soul desires
Micah 7:2 Or faithful
Micah 7:4 Lit of your
Micah 7:5 Lit the openings of your mouth
Micah 7:5 Lit on your chest
Micah 7:9 I.e., right dealing
Micah 7:10 Lit Now
Micah 7:10 Lit become a trampled place
Micah 7:12 Lit he
Micah 7:14 Or inheritance
Micah 7:14 Or Carmel (MT is in NW ISREAL; 1 KINGS 18 IS ABOUT IT:
20 “How long are you going to [g]struggle with the two choices? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him so much as a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left as a prophet of the LORD, while Baal’s prophets are 450 men . . .
37 Answer me, LORD, answer me, so that this people may know that You, LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back.” 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood, and the stones and the dust; and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 When all the people saw this, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God!” 40 Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slaughtered them there.)
Micah 7:15 Lit him
Micah 7:17 Lit crawling things
Micah 7:17 Or prisons
Micah 7:18 Or inheritance
Micah 7:19 Several ancient versions our
Micah 7:20 Or faithfulness
