Second Discourse – Continued

Birthplace of the Messiah

^14(5:1) Now gather yourself in troops, you who are accustomed to being in troops; they have laid siege to us. They are striking the judge of Isra’el on the cheek with a stick. 5 ¹⁽²⁾ But you, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, so small among the clans of Y’hudah, out of you will come forth to me the future ruler of Isra’el, whose origins are far in the past, back in ancient times. ²⁽³⁾ Therefore, he will give up [Isra’el] only until she who is in labor gives birth. Then the rest of his kinsmen will return to the people of Isra’el. ³⁽⁴⁾ He will stand and feed his flock in the strength of Adonai, in the majesty of the name of Adonai his God; and they will stay put, as he grows great to the very ends of the earth; ⁴⁽⁵⁾ and this will be peace.

God would raise up another ruler from David’s hometown of Beit-Leche Ephrathah (Ruth 4:11) who would be His servant (cp. 1 Samuel 16:1). He would originate from antiquity (lit. “from days long ago”) and “ancient times,” probably a reference to David’s time (Nehemiah 12:46; Amos 9:11). God had not forgotten His promise of granting an eternal kingship to David (2 Sa 7:4–17). This coming Davidic ruler would appear when she who is in labor has given birth. Varying interpretations of this woman include: (1) the mother of Messiah (i.e., Mary), (2) Beit-Lechem, the birthplace of Messiah, (3) a righteous remnant bringing forth salvation, and (4) a historical reference to the upcoming exile (4:10). The exiles would go forth as from the womb into captivity and return once more (v. 3). The ruler will shepherd His people like His ancestor David (2 Samuel 5:2; 7:7), serving with the authority and strength of Adonai. His people will live securely in His kingdom that will extend to the ends of the earth (see Psalms 2:8; 72:8). He would bring God’s “wholeness” or Shalom with His righteous reign (Isaiah 9:6).

Judgement Against Assyria

If Ashur invades our land, if he overruns our fortresses, we will raise seven shepherds against him, eight leaders of men. ⁵⁽⁶⁾ They will shepherd the land of Ashur with the sword, the land of Nimrod at its gates; and he will rescue us from Ashur when he invades our land, when he overruns our borders. ⁶⁽⁷⁾ Then the remnant of Ya‘akov, surrounded by many peoples, will be like dew from Adonai, like showers on the grass, which doesn’t wait for a man or expect anything from mortals. ⁷⁽⁸⁾ The remnant of Ya‘akov among the nations, surrounded by many peoples, will be like a lion among forest animals, like a young lion among flocks of sheep – if it passes through, tramples and tears to pieces, there is no one to rescue them. ⁸⁽⁹⁾ Your hand will be raised over our enemies; all your adversaries will be destroyed.

People confident in their own strength believed they could raise up numerous leaders against their enemies, even ruling over Assyria, Nimrod, or Bavel. Mikhah asserted that only He (God’s ruler) will rescue us from Assyria, not any human leaders. God would make the faithful remnant … like dew and rain showers, which are God-caused phenomena that humans cannot control (Judges 6:36–40; Job 38:28). People must not rely on human strength and initiative for their future but must instead trust in God’s power and wait for Him to act. He can make a feeble remnant become like a young lion to execute judgment on their enemies.

Paganism to Be Destroyed

¹⁰⁽¹¹⁾ I will cut off the cities of your land and lay waste your strongholds. ¹¹⁽¹²⁾ I will cut off sorceries from your land; you will no longer have soothsayers. ¹²⁽¹³⁾ I will cut off your carved images and standing-stones from among you; no longer will you worship what your own hands have made. ¹³⁽¹⁴⁾ I will pull up your sacred poles from among you ¹⁴⁽¹⁵⁾ I will wreak vengeance in anger and fury on the nations, because they would not listen.” and destroy your enemies. [1]

Yhudah’s oppressors did not know God’s ultimate wisdom or understand the purpose of His plan. The Lord had actually gathered these oppressors to be threshed like sheaves of grain. His sovereign power will make His weak and frail people into a mighty army who will rise and thresh God’s enemies and glorify the Lord of all the earth. But until that glorious day of deliverance, Yerushalayim would suffer attack and siege, and her ruler would be utterly humiliated. God always has a purpose for the seemingly random, difficult events of life (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). The Lord of all the earth never loses control and can always bring good from evil.

Connecting to Mikhah 5:1-15, if you and your spouse are facing recurring arguments, pause and pray together about your frustration. This week, rather than pointing fingers, initiate a ‘no blame zone’ during discussions; focus on listening and understanding one another’s perspectives. End each conversation with a prayer, effectively letting God mediate your discussions. This practice can create an atmosphere of love and respect, embodying the peace that Micah promises, and strengthening your relationship.

In our next post, we will continue to learn more about the Prophecy of Mikhah (Micha).

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[1]Mikhah 4:15-5:15