Praises for the Future

Many times, we see people who find themselves going through horrific situations, yet they approach each day with cheer, knowing that the future holds great promise.

We’ve read stories of those who traveled by ship from their motherland to this new world which we call the United States. Many lives were lost on the way. Others who were left behind, knew their lives would be quite bleak. Yet, there was great promise for new opportunities in this new world, plus the privilege of being able to worship without fear.

We’ve read stories that took place in the 1930s where families had nothing to eat or to farm because of the dreaded Dust Bowl. We were even required to read the book, The Grapes of Wrath, which became a movie. Those families, who basically had nothing left due to the drought, would pack whatever they had and head out west with the promise of more fertile land and more opportunities to take care of their families.

In today’s lesson, we’ll finally get to see some positive and uplifting verses. Throughout this short book of Micah, we’ve seen some very discouraging times, as we observed the nation thumbing its nose at God. But we’ve had glimpses that there was a remnant who wanted to follow the Lord and live for Him. Yet, we know that they were going to have some rough times ahead of them, as they would suffer along with the guilty. However, there is joy in the future for those who place their hope in the Lord.

Regardless of what we may be required to face, keeping our eyes focused on Jesus reminds us of the ultimate victory that is ours through Him.

Faith for the Future - 7.7-13

Micah 7:7–13 (NASB95)

But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; Though I dwell in darkness, the Lord is a light for me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me out to the light, And I will see His righteousness. Then my enemy will see, And shame will cover her who said to me, “Where is the Lord your God?” My eyes will look on her; At that time she will be trampled down Like mire of the streets. It will be a day for building your walls. On that day will your boundary be extended. It will be a day when they will come to you From Assyria and the cities of Egypt, From Egypt even to the Euphrates, Even from sea to sea and mountain to mountain. And the earth will become desolate because of her inhabitants, On account of the fruit of their deeds.

You’ve got to love the phrase But as for me . . . It leaps out at you telling you that all is not lost. You don’t have to be like the majority. You don’t have to go down the path of the rebellious. You may temporarily suffer alongside the evildoers, but you have chosen to follow the Lord and live for Him.

This whole section is a testimony of trusting the Lord. Verse 7 describes the confidence that is had in God. This isn’t a resigned sighing description; it is active and genuinely hopeful. I will watch expectantly. Just like the remnant, we whose confidence is in God, don’t care what our enemies may think about us or our future. We know that God is [our] salvation. We know that God will hear [us]. In the midst of disappointment all around, we can trust God completely. One commentator stated Waiting is the most powerful form of action by the helpless.

We also can appreciate the certainty of the relationship with the Lord. Notice the personal pronoun, my God. This is an absolute understanding that there is an intimate relationship because of a commitment of trust in all that God is. There is also the complete assurance that God hear[s] [him]. It has been stated that when God hears His children, He also helps them.

As we go to verse 8, we see a confidence that God will bring the victory. We can assume that at this point, the enemy is Assyria. Even though Zion, or Jerusalem, was going to be judged by God, using the enemy, there is confidence of a blessed future. Though I fall I will rise. This is the recognition of the soon judgment, but also of the glorious future.

Interestingly, even in the darkest times, God will be a light for me. For you and me, as believers in Jesus Christ, even when we go through the dark valleys and seemingly impossible situations, God’s Word and His presence is our light for right now and for the future.

Verses 9-10 presents a people who were looked down upon, but would once again rise. The remnant knew that the upcoming punishment from the Lord was completely justified because of the nation’s sinfulness. There was no need for those who were following the Lord to be upset with Him.

There was an understanding that better times lie ahead. The wording is interesting in that it portrays God as the One who is bringing down judgment, but then turns to God being the One who defends the people. It’s at that time that the Lord would execute justice for me. All the others who thought they would get away with attacking God’s chosen and rebelling against God, would eventually face a time of judgment themselves.

The phrase bring me out to the light, is a picture of freedom and the causing of everything to be restored as God wished. This is a picture of forgiveness that allows for restoration. It’s somewhat reminiscent of the song, I saw the light.

Plus, this is all going to be visible to all those who oppose the Lord. All the questions about the relevance of God would be answered in the sight of all the enemies of God and His children.

Then in verses 11-13, we see the confidence in the fact that they are going to grow under God’s provision. There will be a rebuilding of the vineyard walls, which protected the people, plus gave a place for the grapevines to grow. Even the phrase your boundary will be extended implies that the nation’s influence will be much greater. Even in the book of Ephesians, we see that the separation between the bloodline of Abraham and the Gentiles will no longer be. For all who are in Christ will be one. It also is seen geographically as all the nations from all over the world will come to Jerusalem.

What a wonderful picture for the future. Salvation is available to all who will receive the free gift of eternal life. Sadly, for those who choose not to believe, there is only the promise of eternal death. However, for those who choose to follow the Lord, there is great hope.

Prayer and Praise - 7.14-20

Micah 7:14–20 (NASB95)

Shepherd Your people with Your scepter, The flock of Your possession Which dwells by itself in the woodland, In the midst of a fruitful field. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead As in the days of old. “As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt, I will show you miracles.” Nations will see and be ashamed Of all their might. They will put their hand on their mouth, Their ears will be deaf. They will lick the dust like a serpent, Like reptiles of the earth. They will come trembling out of their fortresses; To the Lord our God they will come in dread And they will be afraid before You. Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins Into the depths of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob And unchanging love to Abraham, Which You swore to our forefathers From the days of old.

This section begins with a prayer for God’s protection, as well as His provisions for His people. The first part of verse 14 not only is a request for protection, but also that the Lord would guide and direct His people. Micah latches onto the Shepherd motif for the Lord just like many others throughout the Bible. This goes all the way back to earlier in Micah where it was prophesied that a ruler would go forth out of Bethlehem to shepherd the flock of God.

Without the Lord shepherding His people, all of Israel’s remnant as well as the Christian today, are left wandering. After all, the believer and the remnant belong to the Lord. We, also, are the sheep of His pasture. If we don’t have the Lord’s protection as our shepherd, just like the Jews, we would be in danger of being destroyed. We need our Great Shepherd’s guidance and protection.

How will the Lord respond? We get the answer in verses 15-16. The people may have considered the miracles only from their exodus from Egypt. Yet, when the Messiah comes, there would be even greater miracles. What might they have been? We can think of a few off the top of our heads. After the Messiah’s death, there was the resurrection. Then a little later, was the ascension as seen by many. Then 50 days after the resurrection, there was the coming of the Holy Spirit Who would remain with believers on a permanent basis.

And all those people who have mocked or will mock God, will be ashamed at their foolishness, thinking they or their false gods were greater than the one true God. They will regret how they treated the Jews. Sadly, though they will be silenced by their awe at God’s mighty power, they will still remain deaf spiritually. At that point, some will become fully aware of the mighty forgiveness which God offers to those who turn to Him.

Verse 17 sounds much like several parts of the Psalms, as Micah adds to what the Lord has already stated. Some of you might remember a song from the 70s with the phrase, another one bites the dust. That could have been the background music to the first part of this verse. In other words, there will be a complete surrendering of themselves to the Lord.

The next picture is somewhat like snakes being driven out of their so-called protected places. There is no place in which those who rebel against God can hide.

But the next picture, To the Lord our God they will come in dread and they will be afraid before you, is actually encouraging. This is a picture of someone who has recognized their lostness and come humbly before God; realizing that without the Lord as their Savior, they would be eternally condemned. Thus, they will find themselves serving and worshiping the Lord alone.

Verses 18-20 are the conclusion of a praise session to the Lord above. You probably remember there are two types of praise described in the Bible. One type is giving praise to God, where we are talking to God, acknowledging to Him our love and praise for Him. The other type of praise is giving praise for God. This is praise about and for God, with the intent that others will hear about Him. We are proclaiming praises for God to any who are within range of our voices.

In these verses, Micah is giving praise to God first, then giving praise for God to others, then he goes back to praising God directly.

The first part of verse 18 is praise to God, as seen in the personal pronoun You. Whatever sin might be committed, Micah lets God know that Micah finds God beyond comparison in His willingness to forgive. Iniquity is that built-in sin nature that all humanity has that puts us in the camp of the guilty. Rebellious act or transgression as some other translations word it, are those intentional and purposeful acts of rebellion and defiance against God and His Word. It doesn’t matter if the sin is committed intentionally or a sin of omission, there is none like God Who provides forgiveness.

Then the last part of verse 18 and the first part of verse 19 is Micah giving praise for God to any who can hear. The focus seems to still be on the facts of God’s forgiveness. Everyone should be grateful to God that He does not retain His anger forever . . . If God chose to hold onto that anger over our sin, there would be no hope for anyone.

Then Micah points out that it is such a wonderful reality that He delights in unchanging love or that He delight[s] to show mercy or unfailing love. Even when God’s people are not faithful, God remains faithful.

Thirdly, Micah praises God to the people for the truth that He will again have compassion on us. Not only does God not hold onto His anger, He remembers and keeps His covenant to redeem His people, which causes Him to lavish His care on all who are so needy.

Finally, to cap this off, Micah proclaims praises for God to the people regarding the fact that He will tread our iniquities under foot. We, and all who are truly followers of the Lord and have placed our hope and trust in Him, will experience victory over sin.

Then in the last part of verse 19, Micah gives praise to God once again. He gives glory to God in recognizing that the Lord completely forgives, never bringing up our sin against us again. Yes, You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. We might wonder why Micah chose to use the pronoun their in this situation. So far, when Micah referred to Israel, he chose to use the pronoun in the first person. Here, and in other places, Micah used the third person pronoun when referring to other nations. I believe Micah is acknowledging to the Lord that he recognizes that God’s forgiveness is being given to Gentiles who will come humbly before the Lord.

Verse 20 seems to be a request in the form of a prayer. Micah is basically asking that because of God’s forgiveness, those who have been forgiven will experience all of the heavenly blessings.

He shares the request that God will enable the people who truly follow after Him to remain true and faithful, even as God is to those who follow Him. This can only happen if God gets the glory. God is also the One who enables His children to change for His glory because of His grace.

And do not forgot that the Abrahamic Covenant included a coming Messiah Who would be a blessing to all people on the earth.

Ponderings

Jerusalem, along with the rest of the nation, had been so blessed by God, yet the majority chose to rebel against God and tried to become like the surrounding nations. They wanted to fit in and chose to no longer be unique and different as God’s chosen people. Yet, throughout their history, the nation had been warned and told of the need to repent. They were assured that if they did, there would be acceptance and blessing by God.

However, within all of those who pretended to belong to God, while opposing His commandments and His Word, was a small group who we know as the remnant. They wanted to live for God, but they also understood they were going to suffer for the nation’s evil, along with the rest. Yet, there would be a day, when they would be restored. There would come a day when the Messiah would come to rescue all who would turn to Him for salvation.

That is what is being celebrated in this section we’ve covered today. And there’s celebration for the believer today, as well. Most likely, we also are going to go through some very difficult times because of the evil that is being promoted in our culture and even by some who claim to belong to Christ. However, this world will not write the final chapter in history. That chapter is known to be true only by those who truly belong to Jesus Christ. That chapter speaks of the reality that there will be the experience of ultimate victory, since our Lord has defeated Satan, death, and the grave.

In our next sermon series, I plan on walking us through the book of Revelation again. There we will gain even more insight as to how the Lord will ultimately bring about the final victory and will rule forever.

In the meantime, church, remember:

Regardless of what we may be required to face, keeping our eyes focused on Jesus reminds us of the ultimate victory that is ours through Him.