Michah: He is their peace

Introduction

Open to Micah 5. Micah Chapter 5 and we will be looking at verses 1-6

Last time in Jonah we saw that God grants repentance.

Edom was warned, and they were prideful.

Nineveh was warned and they repented.

And it was not the preachers desire of skill.

Speak the truth about Jesus, God does not need your wisdom, eloquence, cleverness to convince anyone.

This bought us back to Jesus because he is the one that will raise up everyone that the Father gives him. (John 6)

He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and other a foolish person questions him. (Ro 9 Quoting Deut)

His sheep will hear his voice. (John 10)

This is the consistence proclamation of scripture and it is all about Jesus.

Tonight we get to talk about passages directly addressing Christ.

the Context for Micah’s ministry is important.

The fall of Israel, northern kingdoms

The message of destruction from prophets like Isaiah and Joel and Amos.

This passage is the what Pastor Gabe calls an oasis, its a passage of hope int he middle of what looks very bleak.

Our job tonight it to see and know where the scriptures point to for hope and enjoy the fact that we have the same hope only more revealed.

Please Stand for the reading of God’s Word

Micah 5:1–6 ESV

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.

May God bless the reading of His Holy, Infallible, and Sufficient Word

Let’s Pray

Transition

Lets get into verse 1-2.

Body

Oh little Town of Bethlehem

Micah 5:1–2 ESV

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.

I enjoyed Calvin’s comment about this first two verses of Chapter 5. Though i do not envy Gabe trying to translate.

“To encourage the faithful to patience, the Prophet again reminds them that hard and severe time was nigh; for it was needful to put them in mind often of the approaching calamity, lest terror should wholly discourage them. As then there was danger from despair, the Prophet often repeats what he has already said of God’s judgment, which was then suspending over the people of Israel. And this mode and order of teaching ought to be observed. When the Prophets threaten us, or denounce the punishment we have deserved, we either become torpid, or grow angry with God, and murmur: but when they set forth any thing of comfort, we then indulge ourselves and become too secure.” [1]

TO sum that up, the words of God here are balances so that the faithful hearer will on the one hand bewared to walk diligently before God and on the other to have no fear

“judge of Israel on the cheek”

The now and not yet in every part of this text, because everything is in him and for him and through him.

But a greater is coming in verse 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.” (Mic 5:2, ESV)

Little Bethlehem

the rule, to the rules, not a ruler, the next ruler, ruler. Period end of story.

What right has he to rule, he is the ancient of days.

Not only that, he was here from the begging.

He was the one that said before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:48-59, ESV)

and they wanted to stone him for think about that.

The scriptures says it, right here, he is the rule from of old of ancient days.

Dear hearer do not make a God of your own imagination,

They wanted a savior who was not of old, who was not God.

A savior of their own design

But God sent us a savior of his own design and it is to him we must run for salvation him as he is revealed in the Word.

Transition

This ruler is revealed as the shepherd that units Israel. Verse 3-4.

“he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD”

Micah 5:3–4 ESV

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.

There is a lot here, “she who is in labor has given birth”

who is the one to give birth,

There are actually several applications for this statement.

The people at the time, the intimidate application.

The virgin to bare the Lord (Isaiah was talking about) “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Is 7:14, ESV)

The creation waiting for the consummation “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” (Ro 8:22, ESV)

“ 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.”

Fearless security now, boundless comfort later

Transition

The fearless ness not is because, he is their peace. verse 5-6

Peace in Everything

Micah 5:5–6 ESV

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.

“And he shall be their peace:

“When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces” (Mic 5:5, ESV)

The then, the now and the coming.

“he shall deliver us from the Assyrian when he comes into our land and treads within our border.” (Mic 5:6, ESV)

The then the Now and the coming victroy.

Conclusion

Peace now?

Hope for then

The travail now the delivery then.

Doxology

Romans 16:25–27 ESV

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

References

[1] John Calvin and John Owen, Commentaries on the Twelve Minor Prophets, vol. 3 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 292.