ACCURATE
BIBLE
KNOWLEDGE!
QUESTION: “WHY IS
THE BOOK OF
MICAH SO ASTOUNDING??”
ANSWER: “HE PINPONTS THE BIRTHPLACE OF CHRIST
AND DESCRIBES CHRIST’S
FUTURE 1,000 YEAR MILLENNIAL
REIGN”
EXPLANATION:
The three
wise men who came to see Christ would have had the scriptures of
Micah, and
the information contained therein, which would have pinpointed the
location of
the birthplace of Christ … that the future ruler of Israel was to
be born in
Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and his everlasting reign to follow.
Micah prophesied during the
reigns of three
Southern kings (740-700BC) …
Jotham (a good king),
Ahaz (an extremely wicked
king)
Hezekiah (a good king),
about 130 years
before captivity in Babylon.
He saw a good
government, followed by the worst one, followed by another good
government,
that is, from apostasy to recovery.
Micah
prophesies around at the time of Hosea (Northern prophet) and Isaiah
(Southern prophet).
In
fact, he
had prophecy for both kingdoms, Israel (North) and Judah (South),
addressed at
their capitals of Samaria (North) and Jerusalem (South), with three
main ideas:
1. Their SINS
2. Their DESTRUCTION
3. Their RESTORATION
These topics in Micah’s
book, are ‘mixed
up’, with abrupt switches between their present
desolation
and future glory
Chapter
1
Samaria doomed
Samaria was
the capital of the Northern kingdom.
It’s rulers
were directly responsible for the national corruption (v5). Since their
apostasy from God, 200 years before, they had adopted Calf Worship
from
their history in the desert (Ex 32:4)
Chapter 2
Brutality of the rulers
The wicked
and corrupt rulers were taking the common man’s fields and
house by
force (v2) and ejecting women and children from their houses as
well
(v9).
Having
mentioned their upcoming captivity, Micah tells a picture of God’s
restoration
for them with Jesus Christ as their head (v16)
Chapter 3 A horrible and graphic
description is
given of the rulers eating the flesh of people and children. This is
not symbolic
(v3) and Jerusalem will become a heap (v12)
Chapter 4
Zions universal reign – physical Israel on earth
This is a
prophecy of Jerusalem which will be the happy, God fearing in Zion on
earth,
where swords will be beaten into farming equipment (v3). Micah then
switches to
informing them that Babylon will be their conquerors (v10), but then
goes back
to saying they will overcome all other nations (v13). This is an
amazing
prophecy as Babylon was already capturing Israel (Samaria) and taking
all
before them.
Chapter 5
Zion’s coming king
Micah tells
them they will have a ruler out of Bethlehem … but they don’t know it
will be
Jesus Christ (v2-4) that will deliver them from the Assyrians (v5-6).
This
ruler, Christ, from Bethlehem will also be the child of Isaiah 9:6-7.
The
following
two scriptures describe the same ruler to come:
But 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.
Micah 5:2
For
unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the
government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of
the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end,
upon the
throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to
establish it
with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.
The zeal
of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:6-7
Chapter 6
God’s controversy (anger) with his people
The sins of
Jerusalem are listed. God has a controversy with them (his laws have
been
broken, quarrel, dispute). Ungratefulness, religious idolatry with
statues of
Omri still kept (a former king), corruption, lying, stealing etc.
Absolute and
certain destruction will follow (v16).
Chapter 7
Zions’ final triumph – physical Israel on earth
In spite of
all these sins, the promise to Abraham will be fulfilled (Gen 12:2-3).
Who is a God like unto
thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the
transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his
anger for
ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he
will have
compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt
cast
all their sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform
the truth
to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto
our
fathers from the days of old. Micah 7:18-20
IN SUMMARY:
MICAH
740-700BC
THE COMING
PRINCE OF
BETHLEHEM AND HIS UNIVERSAL REIGN
Coming fall of Judah
& Samaria –
the latter with robbing the poor,
seizing fields, false prophets & national corruption
Micah sees:
1. Birth of
Christ Micah 5:2
2. Millennium Micah 4:1-4,5-7
**** ****
Harley Hitchcock
www.
AustralianBibleMinistries
.com
Prophecy
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