The Glories of the Coming Kingdom
Micah 4:1-5 (ESV)
1 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills;
and peoples shall flow to it,
2 and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore;
4 but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
5 For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.
In 1981, Eugene Lang, a well-known businessman and philanthropist, was invited to speak at the graduation ceremony for a sixth-grade class at Public School 121 in East Harlem, his former elementary school. While preparing his speech, he wondered how he could motivate these students, most of whom he learned were expected to drop out of high school. So, during his address, he made a pledge to the graduating class: “Stay in school, and I’ll help pay the college tuition for every one of you.” At that moment, the lives of these students changed. For the first time, they had hope. One student even said, "I had something to look forward to, something waiting for me. It was a golden feeling." This promise made a profound impact, with nearly ninety percent of students staying in high school and graduating.
Similarly, hope is a powerful factor in the lives of all believers. It is the very foundation of our faith. Listen to Hebrews 11:1:
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
This verse clearly shows us that our trust in the person of God and His promises to us always results in our hope for a better future. It is also the basis of our confidence to keep moving forward despite all the difficult times and suffering we face in life. As Romans 5:3-5 says:
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
So, there’s a very strong connection between our faith and hope in God. Without faith in God, there will be no hope in life. We will constantly feel hopeless. I believe this is the very reason why God gives this glorious revelation in our passage. If we go back to Micah chapter 3, the prophet prophesied about their coming judgment. Listen to the conclusion of this chapter.
Micah 3:12 (ESV)
12 Therefore because of you, Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.
Clearly, the nation of Judah will be completely destroyed because of their sins against God. Jerusalem, for the nation of Judah, is the center of their political and religious life. The king lives in this city, and the temple is located here. The mountain reference to Jerusalem is quite common because it is about 2500 feet above sea level.
Yes, God will discipline them, but because of His steadfast love and abundant grace toward His people, He will not completely abandon them. He will reveal what He has planned for their future in our text this morning. I love this truth: that our sins will never cause God to change His mind about the deliverance and preservation of His people. He will remain faithful to us.
As we examine Micah 4-5, let’s explore together the precious promises that God will reveal through the prophet Micah.
I THE REBUILDING OF THE KINGDOM (Micah 4:1-5)
As you read these verses in chapter 4:1-5, the Lord goes beyond the restoration of the nation of Israel, but He takes the time to describe the final restoration of all things and what life will be like when the new heaven and earth are established on earth. Let me highlight the comment of Paul David Tripp about the establishment of Christ’s Kingdom in the last days:
“Passages like this are in the Bible because God loves us. He knows how hard and disheartening life in this broken, groaning world can be. He knows the extent of the evil that is in us and around us. . . He knows that there are times when it looks as though his great plan has failed. So, with a tender heart, he reminds us that he is not absent and that his work is not done. He will bring His plan to a final and glorious end. Everything that breaks our hearts and makes life hard will finally and forever end.”
When you examine these verses, you will find specific descriptions about this coming Kingdom. Here they are:
The Lord will govern from Jerusalem – “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (v. 2).”
The Lord Jesus Christ will govern not in Washington, D.C., but in Jerusalem. This city will be the capital city of the world; it will be exalted above all the major cities of the world.
The Lord will govern according to the Law of His Word – “For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (v. 2).”
Evidently, it would be easier to submit to the authority of the King if you know His Word. So, in those days, the nations will go to Jerusalem so they can receive direct instructions from the Lord.
The Lord will govern peacefully without fighting any wars. – “He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore (v. 3).”
I love the picture showing how weapons of war, like swords and spears, are being turned into tools for farming because they are no longer needed. Do you know how much money is spent to ensure that countries can defend themselves against other nations' military aggressions? For example, in 2023, the U.S. allocated about 13.3 percent of its federal budget to national defense, which amounts to $872 billion. Imagine the wealth our country could build if we used this money for our economy instead. This nation would surely become more prosperous.
The Lord will govern, ensuring complete security for the people – “but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken (v. 4)”
Can you imagine people relaxing under the shade of their own trees without fear of evil people coming to hurt them? This will certainly happen when His Kingdom is established on earth. This scenario reminds me of some powerful verses in the Bible:
Psalm 23:4 (ESV) – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Isaiah 41:10 (ESV) – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
In these verses, the assurance of His presence with us should remove the fears from our hearts. This is also the reason why people will no longer be afraid when Jesus is reigning on earth.
II THE RESTORATION FROM THEIR CAPTIVITY (Micah 4:6-13)
Let’s read our next passage first:
6 In that day, declares the Lord, I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away and those whom I have afflicted;
7 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.
8 And you, O tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, the former dominion shall come, kingship for the daughter of Jerusalem.
9 Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished,
that pain seized you like a woman in labor?
10 Writhe and groan,[a] O daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor, for now you shall go out from the city and dwell in the open country; you shall go to Babylon. There you shall be rescued; there the Lord will redeem you from the hand of your enemies.
11 Now many nations are assembled against you, saying, “Let her be defiled, and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.”
12 But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord; they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze; you shall beat in pieces many peoples; and shall devote[b] their gain to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.
Bible scholars often refer to this entire passage as “Double-fulfillment prophecy.” A double-fulfillment prophecy has both a present-day application for the author and a future application for the saints. In other words, during Micah's time, God was preparing His people for captivity by the Assyrians and Babylonians. However, at God’s appointed time—seventy years, to be exact—He will bring them back to the Promised Land. But there is also a future application to this promise, which is described in verses 10-13. I will explain this later.
First, if you look back at verses 6-8, you'll see the Lord promising to gather His people from their captivity. Notice the descriptions of the people He will gather – the lame, the cast-off, and the afflicted. These are likely the individuals we tend to overlook or ignore because we consider them insignificant. But God promises to gather them and transform them into a strong nation.
Now, when we look at verses 9-10, you’ll see the description of God’s people being taken into captivity. They are like a woman in labor, crying out in great distress. They have no king or counselor.
But then, when you look at verses 11-13, the Lord will ultimately give His people complete victory. In a sense, the Lord has been demonstrating this through what is happening today in Israel. Many nations in the Middle East, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis—all supported by Iran—are doing their best to wipe out Israel, but the Lord has allowed Israel to succeed against all of them. Fast forward to the Battle of Armageddon, as described in Revelation 19:11-21, nations will gather in Israel to destroy them, but the Messiah will return and defeat them all.
Let’s highlight verse 13 – Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze; you shall beat in pieces many peoples; and shall devote their gain to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth. In the end, God will use His people to triumph against their enemies, and whatever they gain from their battles will be dedicated to the Lord.
III THE REIGN OF THE MESSIAH (Micah 5:1-15)
1 Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel.
4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.
5 And he shall be their peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men;
6 they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod at its entrances; and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian when he comes into our land and treads within our border.
7 Then the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which delay not for a man nor wait for the children of man.
8 And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep,which, when it goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is none to deliver.
9 Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off.
10 And in that day, declares the Lord, I will cut off your horses from among you and will destroy your chariots;
11 and I will cut off the cities of your land and throw down all your strongholds;
12 and I will cut off sorceries from your hand, and you shall have no more tellers of fortunes;
13 and I will cut off your carved images and your pillars from among you, and you shall bow down no more to the work of your hands;
14 and I will root out your Asherah images from among you and destroy your cities.
15 And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance on the nations that did not obey.
To break down this long passage, allow me to give you two major divisions:
The Promised Messiah (vs. 1-9)
Reading verse 1, we see the prophet Micah telling God’s people to get ready for their siege by the Babylonians who will treat their King disrespectfully. The reference to the striking of the judge on the cheek can refer to King Nebuchadnezzar humiliating King Zedekiah, which is referenced in 2 Kings 25:7 (They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains and took him to Babylon.)
Right after, the prophecy about the Messiah's birth in Bethlehem was clearly stated – “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be a ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” It is the most well-known verse in the Book of Micah. Micah prophesied about the Messiah’s birth 700 years before it happened. Bethlehem is about 5.6 miles from Jerusalem, and it's a small city compared to others, but God chose it to be the birthplace of the Messiah.
Of course, Bethlehem is very important in the prophecy of the Messiah because King David came from Bethlehem. In God’s covenant with David, found in 2 Samuel 7:8-16, God made a promise that his kingdom would last forever. The key verse in the covenant is—“And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever (v. 16).”
Now, the prophecy is that He will be the ruler over Israel, but He won’t just be a ruler; His origin is from antiquity. Meaning, He came from eternity.
One last thing on this section, the ruler will also play the role of a Shepherd to His people. In the Old Testament, the concept of shepherding was quite familiar. The shepherd is most responsible in caring, guiding, providing, and protecting his flock. Jesus Christ is clearly presented to us in the New Testament as our Good Shepherd who willingly gave His life for His sheep as stated in John 10:11 – “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” So, when Jesus finally reigns on earth, He will not rule as a tyrant, but a gracious Shepherd.
The Purging of God’s People (vs. 10-15)
Once the Messiah begins reigning, He will also start removing from people's lives those things that led them to rebel against the Lord. Here they are:
He will remove them from their false sense of security (vs. 10-11) - Sadly, what led to their becoming self-sufficient was their trust in their military forces and alliances with strong nations. God will remove them, so they only trust in Him.
He will purge them from their false sources of counsel (v. 12) – The Messiah will also cleanse the nation of their occultic and demonic practices. Imagine that God’s people, who have been blessed with the Word of God, would turn to listening to sorcerers and fortune tellers. God commanded them in His laws to eliminate these practices.
Leviticus 20:27 (ESV)
27 “A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.”
Despite the presence of clear laws, Israel failed to obey the Lord in this matter. So, God Himself will remove these practices from them.
He will purge them from false objects of worship (vs. 13-14) – Micah also prophesied that a day is coming when God will destroy every form of false worship from the earth. If you examine the Old Testament, Israel as a nation always struggled with idolatry. This will ultimately come to an end during the reign of the Messiah.
As we close, I trust that we won’t miss the over-all message of hope and restoration of God’s people. God will remain faithful to His people because of His steadfast love for them. Yes, God could discipline His people because of their sins of rebellion and disobedience to Him, but He will never abandon His covenant with them. Let me close with these verses:
Lamentation 3:22-24 (ESV)
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
Jeremiah ministered during Judah’s peak of rebellion and their refusal to listen to God’s warnings of discipline. Yet, amid all their hard-heartedness, his greatest comfort is that God will remain faithful in loving His people.