“Ain’t Gonna Study War No More”

Series: “God Speaks”

Text: Micah 4:1-13

Introduction: (What?)

There is an old Spiritual that lauds the time when God will reign on earth (the Millennial Reign) with the line “Ain’t Gonna Study War No More”. Micah wrote about “the last days” when Zion (Jerusalem) would be restored. This is a victorious passage that is for all people who are in Christ. Although written to the Jews of his time, Micah’s message is also for us today. The passages from Micah 4:1-5:15 are called the “Salvation Prophecies”. During the first part of the book we Micah had shown three judgments of God against Judah. Beginning in Chapter 4, he gave seven prophecies of salvation for the remnant of Israel.

Examination: (Why?)

1. The LORD will Reign (vv1-5)

Micah 4:1-5 “In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s house will be established at the top of the mountains and will be raised above the hills. Peoples will stream to it, and many nations will come and say, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us about his ways so we may walk in his paths.” For instruction will go out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will settle disputes among many peoples and provide arbitration for strong nations that are far away. They will beat their swords into plows and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not take up the sword against nation, and they will never again train for war. But each person will sit under his grapevine and under his fig tree with no one to frighten him. For the mouth of the Lord of Armies has spoken. Though all the peoples walk in the name of their own gods, we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.”

This segment of scripture contains one of the more memorable scriptures from the OT beginning in 3b., but leading up to that is an opening that causes the heart of any Jew (and Christian” to quicken.) Usually when we hear the words, “in the last days” we expect the worst, such as what Paul wrote in 2 Tim. 3:1-4 “But know this: Hard times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of religion but denying its power. Avoid these people.”

Instead, Micah follows the phrase “in the last days” by a breath-taking prophecy of a whole different slant. This is almost identical to Isaiah 2:2-4 “In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s house will be established at the top of the mountains and will be raised above the hills. All nations will stream to it, and many peoples will come and say, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us about his ways so that we may walk in his paths.” For instruction will go out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will settle disputes among the nations and provide arbitration for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plows and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not take up the sword against nation, and they will never again train for war.” Since Isaiah and Micah were contemporaries, no one really knows if one copied from the other or if the Holy Spirit gave each of them the same vision. The invitation, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob” should cause hope that had been dashed by the judgments to be restored in spades. (Liken to someone in Ukraine saying, “Come, let’s go back to Keiv and Mariopul to our homes which are restored just as we left them.”)

This announcement designates a time when Israel and Judah would repent and our just God would restore the prosperity of Israel. This invitation involves not only the Jews, but rather “all nations” or some translations say “many nations” who would “stream to it” which denotes a vast number of people trekking up what had become the most prominent mountain in the world. Zec 14:9-10 “On that day the Lord will become King over the whole earth—the Lord alone, and his name alone. All the land from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem will be changed into a plain. But Jerusalem will be raised up and will remain on its site from the Benjamin Gate to the place of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses.”

But that is not the best part; when we get there, “He will teach us about His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” This is talking about God directly teaching us, not through an intermediary. It will be like God meeting with Moses “face to face”.

2. O Glorious Day! (vv 6-8)

Micah 4:6-8 “On that day— this is the Lord’s declaration— I will assemble the lame and gather the scattered, those I have injured. I will make the lame into a remnant, those far removed into a strong nation. Then the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from this time on and forever. And you, watchtower for the flock, fortified hill of Daughter Zion, the former rule will come to you; sovereignty will come to Daughter Jerusalem.”

“On that day...” refers to the coming Millennial Reign of Christ. At that time God will gather those whom He has scattered and “lamed” (as Jacob was “lamed” when he wrestled with God) and make them the remnant from which Israel will be restored. There is a pattern in scripture that shows that before God uses someone greatly, He tries them sorely. Going back to Jacob’s experience. Prior to God injuring him when they wrestled, he was primarily known as a charleton who took advantage of others. Afterward his name was changed to Israel and he became the namesake for God’s Chosen People. Most of those in scripture whom God used mightily have similar stories. Moses, Joseph and David in the OT. Jesus, the disciples and Paul in the NT. The trials they endured tended to rid them of any reliance on their own power and teach them to lean solely on God.

The remnant will become a strong nation when Jesus reigns in Jerusalem for 1,000 peaceful years. The description of the “strong nation” is in v 8 “And you, watchtower of the flock, (Migdal-eder; a location near Bethlehem) fortified hill (a place where people run for protection) of Daughter Zion, the former rule will come to you; (righteous judges will be restored {Rev 20:4 “Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”} and peace will reign) sovereignty will come to Daughter Jerusalem.”

3. But in the Meantime (vv 9-13)

Mic 4:9-13 “Now, why are you shouting loudly? Is there no king with you? Has your counselor perished so that anguish grips you like a woman in labor? Writhe and cry out, Daughter Zion, like a woman in labor, for now you will leave the city and camp in the open fields. You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued; there the Lord will redeem you from the grasp of your enemies! Many nations have now assembled against you; they say, “Let her be defiled, and let us feast our eyes on Zion.” But they do not know the Lord’s intentions or understand his plan, that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor. Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion, for I will make your horns iron and your hooves bronze so you can crush many peoples. Then you will set apart their plunder for the Lord, their wealth for the Lord of the whole earth.”

Before the Millennial Reign, will come the Babylonian captivity. However, God will not forget them. Using Cyrus, King of Persia, God will send a remnant back to Jerusalem to rebuild. Isa 45:13 “I have stirred him up in righteousness, and will level all roads for him. He will rebuild my city, and set my exiles free, not for a price or a bribe,” says the Lord of Armies.” This refers to Cyrus, king of Persia.

Before this happens, the enemies of Israel will celebrate her captivity and the destruction of Jerusalem and will come with a giant army against Israel. However they don’t know what God had in mind for His people. They don’t realize that God will thwart their plans and reverse the circumstances of Israel. J. McArthur thinks that this is referring to Armageddon when Christ will lead “Daughter Zion” in victory over their enemies. In v 13 Micah describes the victory to come when Israel will permanently defeat their foes.

Application: (How does this apply to me?)

We must take the “God view” of the events taking place in the world today.

Don’t despair over the “doom and gloom” prognostications of politicians and news personnel.

Surrender to Christ and be part of the victorious army when His Chosen will prevail.