Dave Burnette's Commentary

Micah Chapter 5

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Micah
Date Penned: BC 742-687
Overview: To Warn God's People of Judgement and to Repent (c 1-7)
Theme: The Trial of the Leaders (c 3-5)
Message: A Ruler will come from Bethlehem (v 1-15)

Micah: Chapter 5 Commentary
     

(5:1) Jerusalem's leaders were obsessed with wealth and position, but Micah prophesied that mighty Jerusalem, with all its wealth and power would be besieged and destroyed. Its king could not save it. In contrast, Bethlehem, a tiny town, would be the birthplace of the only king who could save his people. This deliverer, the Messiah, would be born as a baby in Bethlehem (Luke 2) and eventually would reign as the Eternal King (Revelation 19) This judge was probably King Zedekiah who was reigning in Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar conquered the city (2 Kings 25) Zedekiah was the last of the Kings in David's Line to sit on the throne in Jerusalem. Micah said that the next king in David's Line would be the Messiah, who would establish a Kingdom that would never end.


(5:2) This ruler is Jesus, the Messiah, Micah accurately predicted Christ's birthplace hundreds of years before he was born. The promised eternal King in David's line, who would come to live as a man, had been alive forever - "From of old, from everlasting." Although eternal, he entered human history as the man, Jesus of Nazareth.

(5:3,4) Micah's prophecy of 7 shepherds and 8 princes is a figurative way of saying that the Messiah will raise up many good leaders when he returns to reign, In sharp contrast are Micah's words in chapter 3 about Judah's corrupt leaders, "The Assyrian" symbolically refers to all nations in every age that oppose God's people. These good leaders will help Christ defeat all evil in the world. 

(5:5) This chapter provides one of the clearest Old Testament prophecies of Christ's coming. The key descriptive phrase is  "And this man shall be the peace." In one of Christ's closing talks he said, "Peace I leave you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14) With Christ's first coming we have the opportunity for peace with God. No more fear of judgement, no more conflict and guilt. Christ's peace gives us assurance even though wars continue. With Christ's second coming all wars and weapons will be destroyed.

(5:6) The land of Nimrod is another name for Assyria which is a symbol of all the evil nations in the world.

(5:10) When God rules in his eternal Kingdom, our strength will not be found in military might but in God's almighty power. He will destroy all the weapons that people use for security. There will be no need for armies, because God will rule in the heart of every person. Our hearts should not be ruled by fear of invasion or nuclear attack. Our confidence should be in the Lord.


Dave Burnette's Life Application


The Bible Stands Alone

 Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue with the book of Micah with Chapter 5. In our text today we see Micah prophesying about a ruler that will come from Bethlehem , the Lord Jesus-Christ, hundreds of years before He comes. How he will be the prince of peace, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords. In making application we see how the Bible stands alone from any "religious book" as it tells of things to come that have come true and things that will come true. How about you? Do you see the power in the prophecy of the Bible? Let us learn from our text today and the prophecy of Micah who told of the things to come that have come true that validate the deity of Christ and how a person must be saved to enter the Kingdom of the Lord.

 

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Micah 5

Micah 5

 1Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.

 2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

 3Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.

 4And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

 5And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

 6And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.

 7And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.

 8And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.

 9Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.

 10And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:

 11And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:

 12And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:

 13Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.

 14And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.

 15And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.