The Wrath and Justice of YAHWEH

Micah 1—7

Israel’s Sin and Punishment

• Israel and Judah have to leave the land of their inheritance because they have defiled it [Mic 2:10; 3:10; 6:16]
• Zion, Jerusalem and the temple will be reduced to nothing [Mic 3:12]
• Judah will be exiled to Babylon [Mic 4:10]

Israel’s Restoration and the Messiah

• Israel’s messiah will be born in Bethlehem [Mic 5:2]
• He will be struck on the cheek. This refers to his rejection by his people [Mic 5:1]
• His rejection will bring about the desolation/abandonment of Israel [Mic 5:1,3]
• Israel’s abandonment will be till ‘She who is in labour gives birth’[Mic 5:3]
• The Messiah will lead the remnant and exiles back to Israel, and has brothers that must return—they are his brothers. [Mic 5:3-4]
• After He has brought them back, Israel will no longer be abandoned [Mic 5:2-5]
• The remnant of the Jews will judge the nations as they return [Mic 5:8-9]

Israel Judging the Nations

• ‘The daughter of Zion’ will thresh the nations in her restoration [Mic 4:13]
• ‘Rise and thresh’ this willbe after resurrection [Mic 4:13]
• The remnant of the Jews will judge the nations as they return [Mic 5:8-9]

Israel Restored

• The Israelites will be gathered to the land of Israel, and they will be a great multitude [Mic 2:12]
• The messiah—“One who breaks open the way… their king… Yahweh…”—will go before them [Mic 2:12]
• Israel’s restoration will be in the last days [Mic 4:1,6]
• The exiles of Israel dwelling in other nations will be brought back—assembled—to the land of Israel [Mic 4:6-7a]
• Yahweh will rule over his restored people from Zion [Mic 4:7b]
• Jerusalem will be restored to its kingship [Mic 4:8]
• Israel will extends its borders after her restoration [Mic 7:11]
• In the day of Israel’s restoration, the earth will be desolate [Mic 7:13]
• Signs and wonders will accompany Israel’s restoration, just as in the days when Moses led Israel out of Egypt [Mic 7:15]
• The wonders will bring about the desolation of the earth making men go into hiding wherever they can. From their hiding places they will come out and acknowledge Yahweh [Mic 7:17b]

Peace, Zion and the Nations in the Last Days

• In the last days of this age, before the kingdom proper,
• Yahweh will be the only one worshiped in all the earth [Mic 4:1]
• The Temple will be a focal point of many nations, even Gentiles will go up to the temple to learn Yahweh’s ways [Mic 4:1]
• The Nations will all eagerly serve Yahweh and will learn his ways [Mic 4:2]
• Yahweh will judge between many nations and settle their disputes bringing about peace throughout the earth [Mic 4:3]
• There will be real peace and nations will no longer fight wars, nor train for wars, nor will there be weapons of warfare any longer [Mic 4:3]
• The peace of Yahweh’s reign will not just be for nations but also for individuals [Mic 4:4]

Main Characters in Micah’s Prophecy

1. Yahweh
2. Yahweh’s people
3. The Messiah [Mic 2:13; 5:1-2]
4. The nations [Mic 5:8]
5. The Assyrian [Mic 5]

Cities, Nations and Peoples in Micah’s Prophecy

1. Judah
2. Mount Zion
3. Assyria, the land of Nimrod

The Conflict of Micah’s Prophecy

The conflict of Micah is captured in the closing verse of Micah,

“You will be true to Jacob, and show mercy to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our fathers in days long ago.” Mic 7:20

1. Yahweh has a promise to fulfill in spite of Israel’s sins.

Major Events & Turning Points in Micah’s Eschatology

1. Israel and Judah sin [Mic 2:10; 3:10; 6:16]
2. They are judged by God, their land made desolate and her people scattered among the nations [Mic 2:10; 3:10; 6:16]
3. The Messiah is rejected by Israel [Mic 5:1-2]
4. Israel is abandoned till the Messiah brings back the exiles [Mic 5:3-4]
5. The Assyrian invades the land of Israel [Mic 5:5-6]
6. The Messiah delivers his people [Mic 5:5-6]
7. Yahweh shows wonders as he gathers his people terrifying the nations who go into hiding out of fear [Mic 7:15-17]
8. Peace will reign in all the earth and all the nations will serve Yahweh [Mic 4:1-4]

Resurrection of the dead in Micah’s Prophecy/Eschatology

1. “One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gates and go out. Their king will pass through before them, Yahweh at their head.” [Mic 2:12]
2. The following facts about resurrection are contained in this verse:
3. 1. The people will be raised from the dead.
   2. The king of Israel, the Messiah, will be the first to be raised from the dead as he is the one who ‘breaks open the way’.
   3. Also, since it is the Messiah who breaks open the way, his resurrection is not only the first but the guarantee that his people will be people resurrected.
   4. Also, since he is going before them, the resurrection of the people and that of the Messiah are will not take place at the same time.
      • By the way, this verse if taken actually and not figuratively, implies that Yahweh, the God of Israel is himself going to be the Messiah of Israel and that he will be the first partaker in the resurrection. This of course implies that he would become a man since only men die.

The Restoration of Israel “You will be true to Jacob, and show mercy to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our fathers in days long ago.” Micah 1—7