Bible Study

Micah 4: The Blessings of the Latter Days

Posted on by Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller

Rightly Divided is a daily Bible meditation blog. I write on Tuesdays.

We take three chapters of the Bible (a Psalm, and an Old and New Testament chapter), and make a few notes. If you’re interested, here are a few links:

Here are the notes for Micah 4, today’s Old Testament reading:

(13 verses, 2:41 to read)

READ & LISTEN

What I am about to READ

  • Micah preached about Pentecost, the renewal of Jerusalem in the life of the church, and the joy of Jesus’ kingdom.

MARK

  • First, compare Micah 3:12 with 4:1. The mountain that the Lord will be destroyed will be established throughout the earth.
  • Kretzmann divides up the chapter like this:
    • 4:1-7, The Glory of the House of the Lord
      • “Thus this sketch, composed of bold figures taken from the general aspects of Judah’s history, sets forth the glory of the Church of the New Testament, beginning here in time, and continuing through all eternity, as the Church Triumphant.”
    • 4:8-13, Zion Established throughout the Earth
  • The entirety of this prophecy, then, is to be understood in the establishment of the Church of the New Testament, and the “Latter Days” of which Micah speaks are the days in which we live.

LEARN

  • 4:1, the people shall “flow” to the mountain. This is a captivating image. Water flows away from the mountain heights, but the people will flow up hill to the name of the Lord.
  • 4:2, the Law and the Word will go forth from Jerusalem. Compare this promise to the words of Jesus, “You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
  • 4:3, the beating of plowshares to pruning hooks is a beautiful image of peace which Micah learned to preach from his contemporary Isaiah (see Isaiah 2:4).
  • 4:5, Unlike the pagans who each have their own god, in the church we walk in the name of the LORD, and this walk is eternal, it brings us to everlasting life.
  • 4:9-10, labor pains are a frequent reference in the Scriptures. Ever since the Lord promised Eve in the Garden of Eden that her Seed would crush the head of the devil, the woman in labor has been the image of God’s people, waiting for the Messiah to be born. See especially Revelation 12.

MEDITATE

  • The Lord always has promises. Imagine the comfort of this chapter to the people who had been listening to Micah preach. His thundering Law is now met with kindness, grace, and the promise of Christ and His Church. The Lord always has promises for us, the promise that He will not leave us. The promise that our sins are forgiven. The promise of everlasting life and joy in the resurrection to life. So we, too, like the people in Jerusalem, listen to the preaching of Micah, our faith is strengthened, and we have the joy and confidence of faith.

Questions? Comments? Join the conversation in our facebook group.

Lord’s Blessings,
Pr Bryan Wolfmueller
Hope Lutheran Church, Aurora, CO
www.wolfmueller.co

 

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller
Bryan Wolfmueller, pastor of St Paul and Jesus Deaf Lutheran Churches in Austin, TX, author of "A Martyr's Faith for a Faithless World", "Has American Christianity Failed?", co-host of Table Talk Radio, teacher of Grappling with the Text, and theological adventure traveler.