We are not very patient people
+ Esp. when we want something done = Out of our control
+ "It’s coming..." = "So is Christmas"
+ Anxious anticipation for the something we want = Can’t hardly wait for it
+ As with Christmas = Christmas is coming = Can’t hardly wait for it
+ Sights, sounds, smells, tastes = Foods, friends, fellowships = Gifts = Perhaps even the Gospel = Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Well, folks = It’s Dec 2 = AND CHRISTMAS IS COMING
+ In O.T. = God had an anxious anticipation for Christmas to come as well
+ For that first Christmas to come when the Saviour of the World = His Saviour = Christ the Lord would be born
+ And so throughout the OT He sprinkles prophecies of the coming Messiah
+ And with each prophecy it’s like God is saying,
"Christmas is coming, and I can’t hardly wait for it" = And for all that it will mean = Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Do we fail to appreciate this aspect of Christmas = Prophetic nature of it?
+ Certainly, we can look back to that first Christmas
+ And we can read the Christmas accounts in the Gospels
+ And we can certainly see how the baby Jesus was God’s Messiah
+ But we can never look forward to Christmas like they could in the OT
+ And we can never experience that first Christmas like Mary and Joseph and Herod and the Magi
+ And I think that’s in part because we don’t take time to appreciate the prophetic aspect of Christmas
Maybe because we don’t have modern connection with prophecy like they did
+ And they did = Matt. 2 = Wise men looking for the King = And they don’t mean Herod
+ Guess what? = The chief priests and scribes knew exactly where to look!
+ Maybe it’s because prophecy really gets a bad rap today
+ Who are our prophets? = Miss Cleo! = Jeanne Dixon (enquiring minds) = Johnathan Edwards (Crossing over)
+ Either those of their ilk play a good shell game = Or when they might get something right = demonic
+ Either way, scary = Leading people astray = Open to satanic influence
+ Satan surely has a stake at discrediting prophecy
Or maybe it’s because we’re just too familiar with them
+ Especially if you’ve been saved for any number of years
+ I mean, let’s face it = Christmas comes but once a year
+ But it comes EVERY year
+ And there are only so many Biblical texts which you can preach about the birth of God’s Messiah
+ "Familiarity breeds contempt" = Perhaps not here = But perhaps familiarity drains out some of the color and excitement
Let’s consider Micah 5:2 = Perhaps THE best prophecy in all of the Word of God to prove the claims of Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah
+ We know it = Perhaps we can quote it
+ But have you ever wondered why here, why now?
+ That is, Why THIS prophecy in THIS little book of Micah?
+ Why did God give this prophecy at this time in the history of Isreal?
+ If I was a betting man, I’d bet NO = Before I thought about this message, neither had I
So this morning let’s examine this prophecy, and let’s see, Why here? Why now?
Mic. 1:1 = "Micah" = "Who is like God?" = File that thought away = We’ll come back to it
+ Contemporary of Isaiah = With some important differences
+ Unlike Isaiah = Micah was only prophet sent to both N & S Kingdoms
+ The last prophet sent to N Kingdom before her fall
+ Where Isaiah was a court preacher = Micah just a simple country preacher
+ Our church can appreciate that, can’t we?
+ Doesn’t mean that he was ignorant
+ Does mean that he was plain spoken = Didn’t mince words
+ Doesn’t beat around bush = Doesn’t waste any time
In fact, first 3 chapters are basically 3 sermons = Consider his message
+ [1:1-5] = God’s judgment for the sins found in Samaria and Jerusalem = The nation’s capitals
+ [2:1-3] = God’s judgment for those who devise evil within the nation = Including those who would try to shut down / shut up / turn away the people from God’s true prophets [2:6]
+ [3:1-4] = God’s judgment against the leaders who should know better but DO worse (evil) = Especially against the false prophets ("men of God") = [3:5-7]
And what is God’s judgment? = [3:9-12]
+ WOW! = What a contemporary message!
+ So much for those who say the Word of God is old fashioned, out dated and out of touch
+ The pulpits of America need some Micahs, amen!
+ CLONING = SCHOOL PRAYER / MUSLIMS = HOMOSEXUAL DEATH THREATS ONLINE ON MEN LIKE FALWELL / ROBERTSON / DOBSON = PORNOGRAPHY IS STILL # 1 ONLINE BUSINESS = STILL KIDS PLANNING COLUMBINE-LIKE ASSAULTS ON THEIR SCHOOLS (MASS)
+ ESP. SO WE DO NOT END UP LIKE 3:12
+ What a good goal for THIS pulpit = What a good way to pray for THIS preacher
But one of the things I love about God and his Word
+ He’s ALWAYS God = Holy = True to Self = Will judge sin = Esp. among His Own
+ But never leaves Himself without a witness among men = [3:8]
+ And esp. among His own = Never judges just to judge / destroy
+ God judges with a desire to purge = Cleanse = Restore His Own
+ And in the end God will be vindicated and glorified = [4:1-2]
And this really brings us back to the question at hand
+ [5:2] = Why here? = Why now?
+ The true test of a prophet of God is that what he says as "thus saith the Lord" must come to pass
+ And God has clearly spoken through Micah
+ Has judged their sin = Judged them = Guilty
+ However = There’s coming a Day = [4:3] = [4:6-8]
+ But first = [4:9-10] = Babylonian captivity
+ While Samaria / N Kingdom fell & ended perhaps before Micah passed from scene
+ Over 100 years later until this judgment would came to pass
+ But when it did = [4:11] = How sad it would be = How the mighty have fallen!
+ And it was indeed sad! = And it was a great fall!
+ From a united Kingdom under God’s annointed King = Mighty, invincible
+ To divided Kingdoms = Sewing and reaping sin = Defeated, and broken
+ But God always had other plans = [4:12-13]
And how was He going to accomplish this? = That brings us to our text
+ You see, it wasn’t just about God placing a great & marvelous clue about His Messiah in this passage = Or in this book
+ But it was about God saying, "Christ IS coming = And I can’t wait"
+ [5:1] [Dr. Henry Morris] Smiting an official on the cheek was considered a bitter insult, and the ultimate insult was for the representatives of a godless pagan government to strike the true Judge of Israel and of all the earth on the cheek--as they did repeatedly during the mock trials of Christ (Matthew 26:67; 27:30).
+ That’s ok = [5:2] = God says I’ve got a place = Plan = A man =
+ A Messiah = Ruler = God! = And [5:4]
+ "Wonderful! Counsellor! The mighty God! The everlasting Father! The Prince of Peace" (Is. 9:6) = [5:5a]
+ And deliverer = [5:5b-7]
You see = God true to Self = Holy & Righteous Judge = Punishing sin
+ But God = True to Self = "for God is love" (1 John 4:8)
+ So while the punishment for sin seems harsh = No harsher than what He had planned for punishing sin through His Messiah
+ Perhaps seems to take a long time to bring about =
+ But remember, God is long-suffering = He gives many opportunities to accept His mercy and grace
+ When rejected = He is right and just if he extends His punishment over some time
+ But at the same time how merciful and gracious to provide for a Messiah
+ So that the permanent eternal punishment of hell can still be avoided
+ And life eternal through Messiah with God can be gained
Remember I asked you to file away the meaning of Micah’s name?
+ "Who is like God?" = That’s really an outline of the book, isn’t it?
+ Who is like God = That allows us to sin against Him
+ Gives us a fair warning to repent = Keeps His Word in judgment
+ And yet still has room for mercy and grace?
+ And that’s just how this book of prophecy ends
+ And that’s just how this message ends = [7:18-19]
INVITATION
Would you join me in proclaiming praise to this God?
+ Many gods in the world = always have been = But none the God of Heaven!
+ None like His Messiah!
+ Have you accepted His pardon for your iniquity?
If you have, are there some areas perhaps you are struggling with today?
+ Doing good deeds even when the world burns you repeatedly?
+ Walking humbly with your God, even when the world wants you to toot your own horn?
+ Giving in to a weakness, a sin?
+ Holding on to it because you are scared to confess it, get it right?
+ [7:18] "he retaineth not...depths of the sea" [19]
PRAYER
