seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Micah 4:1 In the last days
the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and peoples will stream to it.
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and peoples will stream to it.
2 Many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 He will judge between many peoples
and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
4 Everyone will sit under their own vine
and under their own fig tree,
and no one will make them afraid,
for the Lord Almighty has spoken.
5 All the nations may walk
in the name of their gods,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord
our God for ever and ever.
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 He will judge between many peoples
and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
4 Everyone will sit under their own vine
and under their own fig tree,
and no one will make them afraid,
for the Lord Almighty has spoken.
5 All the nations may walk
in the name of their gods,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord
our God for ever and ever.
6 “In that day,” declares the Lord,
“I will gather the lame;
I will assemble the exiles
and those I have brought to grief.
7 I will make the lame my remnant,
those driven away a strong nation.
The Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion
from that day and forever.
8 As for you, watchtower of the flock,
stronghold[a] of Daughter Zion,
the former dominion will be restored to you;
kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.”
I will assemble the exiles
and those I have brought to grief.
7 I will make the lame my remnant,
those driven away a strong nation.
The Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion
from that day and forever.
8 As for you, watchtower of the flock,
stronghold[a] of Daughter Zion,
the former dominion will be restored to you;
kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.”
9 Why do you now cry aloud—
have you no king[b]?
Has your ruler[c] perished,
that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?
10 Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion,
like a woman in labor,
for now you must leave the city
to camp in the open field.
You will go to Babylon;
there you will be rescued.
There the Lord will redeem you
out of the hand of your enemies.
have you no king[b]?
Has your ruler[c] perished,
that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?
10 Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion,
like a woman in labor,
for now you must leave the city
to camp in the open field.
You will go to Babylon;
there you will be rescued.
There the Lord will redeem you
out of the hand of your enemies.
11 But now many nations
are gathered against you.
They say, “Let her be defiled,
let our eyes gloat over Zion!”
12 But they do not know
the thoughts of the Lord;
they do not understand his plan,
that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 “Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion,
for I will give you horns of iron;
I will give you hooves of bronze,
and you will break to pieces many nations.”
You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord,
their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
are gathered against you.
They say, “Let her be defiled,
let our eyes gloat over Zion!”
12 But they do not know
the thoughts of the Lord;
they do not understand his plan,
that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 “Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion,
for I will give you horns of iron;
I will give you hooves of bronze,
and you will break to pieces many nations.”
You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord,
their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
This morning.... this sounds almost like God is teasing people through Micah. "Where's that great king y'all just had to have? I told y'all you didn't need a king but nnnoooo you wanted to be like everybody else..... and all it got you was war, poverty, starvation, grave injuries, rape, castration, enslavement or death. Now maybe you will listen. You don't need a king. You have a Living God!" Or something like that in more Godly words......
This is from enduringword.com.
He shall judge between many peoples: During the reign of the Messiah, there will be no more war. There will still be conflicts between nations and individuals, but they will be justly and decisively resolved by the Messiah and those who reign with Him (He shall judge between the nations, and shall rebuke many people).
It isn’t the reign of the Messiah itself that will change the heart of man. Citizens of earth will still need to trust in Jesus and His work on their behalf for their personal salvation during the millennium. But war and armed conflict will not be tolerated.
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore: It is important to see that this is not the peace of capitulation. This is the peace of enforced righteousness. There will be no more war, and no more need for swords – so it makes sense to them into plowshares. There will be no more war because there will be a new ruler on earth, Jesus Christ.
It shall come to pass in the latter days: In 1941 Franklin Roosevelt gave a famous speech about four freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. Micah 4:1-5 describes four freedoms:
- Freedom from ignorance (He will teach us His ways).
- Freedom from war (Neither shall they learn war anymore).
- Freedom from want (everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree).
- Freedom from fear (no one shall make them afraid).
I will make the lame a remnant, and the outcast a strong nation: God’s restoration will not be just for the strong, but also for the weak and disadvantaged. They will especially know the blessing of His restoration.
To you shall it come: These promises are so glorious that it would be easy for Israel to think they were too good to be true. Therefore, God gave them a special promise, vowing to you it shall come.
This is from the easy English site.There is a very great difference between the old Jerusalem and the new Jerusalem. Often in the old Jerusalem, the rulers and priests were evil. They did not teach people the right way to live. God’s message did not reach into society. Just a few people were loyal. But there is hope. In the end, God’s message will reach the nations. And so the people will hear his message about the right way to live. This will bring great changes in society.
God’s law will become the law for the nations. People will live by his laws. God will be active among the nations. He will be the judge in quarrels between many people. He will settle the arguments of strong nations. This will happen all over the world. Leaders will ask God for wisdom and instruction. He will be their authority. There will be no evil judges any longer. God will be the most important person at the courts. The judges in the courts will study the Bible, the book that tells about God’s law. They will check it when they are making their decisions. God will therefore be the judge. He will make the decisions.
People will not love money any longer. They will not desire the goods that belong to other people. They will not need to fight in wars to obtain them. They will not need arms for war any longer. They will have no enemies. So they will not be afraid that an enemy might kill them. The earth will produce enough food and fruit. There will be enough fruit trees for each person. Each person will sit under his own fruit trees. The word ‘sit’ gives the impression that there is peace. People will be content with what they have. They will not want more than they need. That is one main thing that Micah writes about. Each person will sit in peace under his own fruit trees.
Nobody will make the people afraid. It will be like that in the new Jerusalem. People will come to see the new city. That city will be a model for other cities. People will come from all over the earth. They will get to know the new way that people live there. There will be new towns and cities all over the earth. They will be like the new Jerusalem.
There will be no fear any longer. There is fear that comes because of God’s punishment. But that fear will disappear. The nations will trust each other. Then they can destroy the arms that they had used for war. People will lose their great desire for other people’s possessions. All this can happen only when God is the king over all.
I was watching some kind of documentary about the middle east recently. In the documentary.... the narrator seemed to be saying that the arms dealers were really running things. The money some people make off of ammunition, according to the narrator, is astronomical. I heard the best way to fight a war is to keep the war on foreign shores. So with all the guns and ammunition, there would also be "advisers" to show them the best way to kill someone.... cloaked in peace making directives.... on foreign shores. it's still gun and ammunition sales gone wild [IMHO].I hesitate to use a school classroom as an example..... but it's what keeps coming to mind. Johnny, the class bully, just has to have Jimmy's pen. It's the best pen ever.... it even rights on the moon..... and Johnny has got to have it. Johnny goes into action.... first little nudges "Hey Jimmy.... let me see that pen".... then spit wads enter the plan.... and then Johnny sends a threat "meet me at recess by the wall". Johnny is intent on getting that pen.
At noon, though, by the wall.... the new kid is in the crowd..... While Johnny and Jimmy tussle over the pen.... the new kid makes His way through the crowd.... and when He gets to the spot right in front of the two boys.... they stop and look at Him. The bully, Johnny, can not believe that this new kid is getting involved.... he must want a bloody nose! The pen guy, Jimmy, is grateful for the break in hostilities. The new kid is calm.... doesn't seem to worry about getting a bloody nose.... and he's calm.... unlike Jimmy who is wondering if there will be two bloody pulps.
The new kid knows what the fight is about. "Jimmy" he says, "Johnny wants your pen. Johnny.... the pen belongs to Jimmy." To which.... Jimmy responds "Oh is that all.... I have a whole pack of them... I'd be happy to share"...... and the problem is over. That's how I figure this whole chapter would play out. The judge won't take sides..... the people will be happy with what they have.... and the people will be happy to share.
If the world wasn't spending so much on war.... there would be more food and clothing and shelter. Armies go around blowing up people's homes... and destroying their food crops. No wonder people are so angry at each other. Just like Johnny and Jimmy..... there's a whole pack of everything so there's every reason to share and little reason to war...... but if there is a reason to war.... there will be a new kid to sort it out..... and He won't take sides. That's what I figure this chapter is about.
