Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

MICAH - CHAPTER 5

Verses 1, 2:

Birth and Rejection of Zion’s King

Verse 1 describes first how Israel’s enemies have repeatedly laid siege against them, smiting their king’s cheeks, considered the most serious indignity against an oriental, Job 16:10; La 3;30; Amos 2:3. Second, there is a specific prophecy that their own leaders in Israel would smite the true king upon the cheek, at His first coming, which they did, an evidence of fulfilled prophecy, without collusion, Isaiah 1:6; Matthew 5:39; Matthew 26:67; Matthew 27:30.

Verse 2 foretells the town, country, and people to whom the Redeemer and coming King should be born. It is the Bethlehem in Judah, Genesis 35:14; Genesis 48:7, not to be confused with the Bethlehem in Zebulon, Joshua 19:10; Joshua 19:15. Genesis 49:10 foretold His coming from the tribe of Judah and Balaam prophesied of His coming from the nation of Israel, or out of Jacob, Numbers 24:17; Though little in population, unnumbered among the cities of Judah’s census, Joshua 15:21 ; and Nehemiah 11:25; But it became a city under Rehoboam, 2 Chronicles 11:6. Tribes were divided with 1,000 to the clan, over which a leader presided, and commanded in times of war, Exodus 18:21-25; Numbers 1:16; Deuteronomy 1:15. He is identified as God, existing from eternity, as certified in both Old and New Testaments, Isaiah 9:6-7; Psalms 90:2; Proverbs 18:22-23; John 1:1; Hebrews 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:17.

Verse 3:

Israel Given Up Till She Receives Her Redeemer

Verse 3 concluded that all the nation of Israel, who rejected the Virgin born Son, should be dispersed among all nations, until the remnant should return to receive Him who came, Isaiah 7:14; Genesis 49:10; Luke 21:24. When all prophesied of Israel is fulfilled, those of the nation brought forth in a day, shall receive their Redeemer in repentance and faith, Isaiah 66:7-11; Revelation 12:1-2; Revelation 12:4; Matthew 24:14; John 16:20; Romans 8:22.

Verses 4-15:

Conditions And Events In The Millennial Age

Verse 4 describes how this Messiah shall stand and govern (rule by leading like a shepherd) the whole earth, in the majesty and glory of the Lord, Matthew 2; Matthew 6; Isaiah 40:11; Isaiah 9:5. Then the "they", of the returned remnant, shall dwell in perfect peace and safety, Micah 4:4; Isaiah 14:30. And now or "then," at that time, He, the King of glory and peace alone, shall be recognized as majestic, as declared Psalms 72:8; Isaiah 52:13; Zechariah 9:10; Luke 1:32; Joel 2:21; Luke 2:14.

Verse 5 declares that "this man," shall be (exist as) the source and power of peace, when enemies assault from Assyria or Gentile dominions, for He is the permanent peace-giver, for peace between God and man, Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 9:6; Ephesians 2:14; Ephesians 2:17; Colossians 1:20; Hosea 2:18; Zechariah 9:10; Luke 2:14. When the enemy comes in, Micah asserts that in that day, they of Israel, with their majestic king of peace, power and glory, shall raise up seven (the number of perfection), yea, eight, (the number of new beginning, starting over), a sufficient number of shepherds and principal men, anointed men, able leaders, divinely appointed and sustained to preserve peace, with the twelve apostles on twelve thrones, Luke 22:30; Job 5:19; Proverbs 6:16; Ecclesiastes 11:2.

Verse 6 assures that the Assyrian armies that would come to plunder, destroy, and lead them captive, would after many days, at the final coming of the Messiah, as the majestic King of glory, lay waste the land of both Assyria and Nimrod, when they came up against their restored remnant at Armageddon, Micah 4:10; Genesis 10:10-11; 2 Kings 3:21; See also Joel 2:11; Joel 3:9-16; Joel 3:20; Revelation 19:11-18. A day of triumph and glory awaits Israel’s acceptance of the rejected Redeemer and Messiah, and the marriage of the Lamb to His church-bride, Hebrews 10:36-37; Revelation 19:5-9.

Verse 7 is a description of the redeemed remnant of the nation of Israel, as dwelling in their land with peace and tranquillity, as a welcome dew from the Lord, or like a needed and appreciated shower of rain upon the thirsty grass, Deuteronomy 32:2; Psalms 72:6; Psalms 110:3; Isaiah 66:19; Zechariah 8:13. They shall then have gratitude for His grace and mercy to them, Romans 11:33-36.

Verse 8 also describes the remnant of Jacob (national Israel) restored among the Gentiles, empowered to subdue them after many years of dispersion, Luke 21:24; They shall, under their Great Shepherd King, subdue Gentile persecutors, like a lion among the beasts of the forests, or a young lion having his way among the flocks; For they shall be led by "the lion of the tribe of Judah" in that day, as He and they prevail, Revelation 5:5.

Verse 9 pledges to Israel that she shall be exalted to raise her hand of strength high, to suppress every foe, when she shall have received her returned redeemer and king, as her true Lord, Exodus 13:9; Isaiah 26:11. Israel’s foes are God’s foes, and they shall be put down by the uplifted hand of Israel’s armies, captained by the Glory-King, Revelation 19:11-18.

Verse 10 declares that the Lord will cut off or destroy their horses, as He comes with better forces from glory to put down the raging war of Armageddon, Revelation 19:11-18. He had forbidden Israel to trust in horses for battle, in ancient times, or the use of cavalry under the law, Deuteronomy 17:16; lest they should trust in worldly forces, rather than in God, Psalms 20:7. Solomon had disregarded this mandate, 1Ki 10;26, 28. The removal of horses for purposes of war is here declared, by Micah, to be an act of Divine mercy, Zechariah 9:10.

Verse 11 further prophesies that God will remove the strongholds of battle ramparts from every city. Peace will be so perfect that neither battle-ramparts nor walls will need be built around the cities in all the Holy Land, or all the earth, in that day. They will not be needed or desired when men beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks and peace covers the earth and men learn of war nor more, Isaiah 2:2-5; Ezekiel 38:11; Jeremiah 23:6; Jeremiah 49:31; Zechariah 2:8.

Verse 12 explains that witchcraft and soothsaying will be cut off from the land in that great day of peace and holiness. Such deceitful, fraudulent offenses will no more be found in Israel or all the earth, in that day, Isaiah 2:6-8. Though they were then prevalent in all the land. Both practices of witchcraft and soothsaying are forms of lying, deception, dishonesty, and fraud, perpetrated on frustrated people, for personal carnal, covetous gain. They are always condemned in the scriptures, in whatever form they take, 2 Kings 9:22; Nahum 3:4. See also Exodus 22:18; Deuteronomy 18:10; 1 Samuel 15:23; 2 Chronicles 33:6; Galatians 5:20. Consultation of or consorting with magicians, soothsayers, or clairvoyants was forbidden, under penalty of death, in the law of Moses, and the principle of many, Exodus 7:11; Acts 8:9; Acts 13:6; Acts 9; Leviticus 20:6; Leviticus 20:27; 1 Samuel 28:3; 1 Samuel 28:7-8. Sorcery was another lucrative form of this popular lying and deception, also forbidden in the Word, Jeremiah 27:9; Malachi 3:5; Revelation 9:21; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15.

Verse 13 asserts that graven statues and images of worship shall all be cut off, as objects of disobedience and offense, in that day, Exodus 20:1-4; Isaiah 2:8; Isaiah 2:18-21; Isaiah 30:22; Zechariah 13:2. They shall no more be an idolatrous people, 1Ki 14;23; Psalms 115:1-9.

Verse 14 also asserts that their groves or stumps of trees left standing, as idols to the Canaanitish goddess of nature, shall all be plucked, (uprooted) destroyed out of their midst, as even a visible object of temptation to false worship, Exodus 34:13; Deuteronomy 16:21-22. No images of graven, lifeless, god-worship is to be left in the land in that day, that the first of all God’s commandments may have none occasion of offense, Exodus 20:1-5. Their city-enemies are to be destroyed.

Verse 15 assures that furious vengeance-judgment is to be poured out upon the heathen in that day, of all days, of judgment fury, as they have never heard or hearkened to the warnings of the Lord, Jehovah; He will exterminate every ungodly power before His fury is abated, Psalms 110:5-6; Psalms 149:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:8.