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Like many of the prophets, Micah’s attention now turns to the future, when the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains. This is, however, no mere ascension of downtrodden Zion, for in this new order the tables will be turned.

Remember Micah’s accusations yesterday, that the powerful among his countrymen covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance… they hate the good and love the evil, who tear the skin from off my people and their flesh from off their bones…

Well, in latter days, the LORD will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away and those whom I have afflicted; and the lame I will make the remnant, and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion from this time forth and forevermore. Furthermore, as in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things.

The oracle in chapter 6 models a courtroom, with the LORD as prosecutor, Israel playing the defendant, and the mountains acting as judge. Listen as the LORD carefully unwraps the indictment: His opening question, the memory of His own faithfulness, His summary of the law, the damning evidence, and the final judgment.

Chapter 7 turns reflective, as though Micah is once again speaking to fellow countrymen. Listen to the end, as Micah offers his own response to the LORD’s promise, and encouragement to his countrymen: “…As for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.”

Our verse for this week is Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Micah 4 through 7. Now let’s read it!

Micah 4 - 7

But in the latter days, it will happen that the mountain of Jehovah's temple will be established on the top of the mountains, and it will be exalted above the hills; and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will go and say, "Come! Let's go up to the mountain of Jehovah, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For the law will go out of Zion, and Jehovah's word from Jerusalem; and he will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war any more. But every man will sit under his vine and under his fig tree. No one will make them afraid, for the mouth of Jehovah of Armies has spoken. Indeed all the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God forever and ever. "In that day," says Jehovah, "I will assemble that which is lame, and I will gather that which is driven away, and that which I have afflicted; and I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation: and Jehovah will reign over them on Mount Zion from then on, even forever." You, tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it will come. Yes, the former dominion will come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. Now why do you cry out aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pains have taken hold of you as of a woman in travail? Be in pain, and labor to give birth, daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now you will go out of the city, and will dwell in the field, and will come even to Babylon. There you will be rescued. There Jehovah will redeem you from the hand of your enemies. Now many nations have assembled against you, that say, "Let her be defiled, and let our eye gloat over Zion." But they don't know the thoughts of Jehovah, neither do they understand his counsel; for he has gathered them like the sheaves to the threshing floor. Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze. You will beat in pieces many peoples. I will devote their gain to Jehovah, and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth. Now you shall gather yourself in troops, daughter of troops. He has laid siege against us. They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek. But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me who is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times. Therefore he will abandon them until the time that she who is in labor gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel. He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of Jehovah, in the majesty of the name of Jehovah his God. They will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth. He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and when he marches through our fortresses, then we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight leaders of men. They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its gates. He will deliver us from the Assyrian, when he invades our land, and when he marches within our border. The remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples like dew from Jehovah, like showers on the grass, that don't wait for man nor wait for the sons of men. The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, among many peoples, like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is no one to deliver. Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries, and let all of your enemies be cut off. "It will happen in that day", says Jehovah, "that I will cut off your horses from among you and will destroy your chariots. I will cut off the cities of your land and will tear down all your strongholds. I will destroy witchcraft from your hand. You shall have no soothsayers. I will cut off your engraved images and your pillars from among you; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands. I will uproot your Asherah poles from among you; and I will destroy your cities. I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations that didn't listen." Listen now to what Jehovah says: "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear what you have to say. Hear, you mountains, Jehovah's indictment, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for Jehovah has a case against his people, and he will contend with Israel. My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me! For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Jehovah." How shall I come before Jehovah, and bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Jehovah require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? Jehovah's voice calls to the city-- and wisdom fears your name-- "Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it. Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short ephah that is accursed? Shall I tolerate dishonest scales, and a bag of deceitful weights? Her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their speech. Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound. I have made you desolate because of your sins. You shall eat, but not be satisfied. Your hunger will be within you. You will store up, but not save, and that which you save I will give up to the sword. You will sow, but won't reap. You will tread the olives, but won't anoint yourself with oil; and crush grapes, but won't drink the wine. For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of Ahab's house. You walk in their counsels, that I may make you a ruin, and your inhabitants a hissing. You will bear the reproach of my people." Misery is mine! Indeed, I am like one who gathers the summer fruits, as gleanings of the vineyard. There is no cluster of grapes to eat. My soul desires to eat the early fig. The godly man has perished out of the earth, and there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; every man hunts his brother with a net. Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe. The powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together. The best of them is like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion. Don't trust in a neighbor. Don't put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your mouth! For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house. But as for me, I will look to Jehovah. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. Don't rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, Jehovah will be a light to me. I will bear the indignation of Jehovah, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my case and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light. I will see his righteousness. Then my enemy will see it, and shame will cover her who said to me, "Where is Jehovah your God?" My eyes will see her. Now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets. A day to build your walls! In that day, he will extend your boundary. In that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and mountain to mountain. Yet the land will be desolate because of those who dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings. Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your heritage, who dwell by themselves in a forest. Let them feed in the middle of fertile pasture land, in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old. "As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things." The nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will lay their hand on their mouth. Their ears will be deaf. They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth, they will come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to Jehovah our God, and will be afraid because of you. Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn't retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness. He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

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