< Micah 5 >

The Lord Jesus has always been foremost in the thoughts of the LORD and he was spoken of extensively in the scriptures, even before he was born. This chapter declared he would be born in Bethlehem, a fact noted by the scribes at the time of his birth, Matthew 2:6Matthew 2:6XWaiting for response and would be “ruler in Israel” v.2Micah 5:2XWaiting for response and called “the judge of Israel”.v.1Micah 5:1XWaiting for response The scriptures speak of both Jesus’ suffering and his glory, and here we see that he was to suffer being smitten by men.v.1;Micah 5:1XWaiting for response Matthew 27:29-30Matthew 27:29-30XWaiting for response Most people know of his suffering upon the cross but do not anticipate him being ruler in Israel, but this doctrine is essential for salvation because God requires us to believe the good news of the Kingdom of God which is the kingdom of Israel.

Jesus will also be “great unto the ends of the earth” because he will be endued with the power of God and will reign with his majesty.v.4Micah 5:4XWaiting for response He will also save Israel from the northern invader,v.5Micah 5:5XWaiting for response the Russian autocrat. The invader is referred to here as “the Assyrian” because he will come against Jerusalem from the north and suffer the same overwhelming destruction v.6Micah 5:6XWaiting for response as Sennacherib and the Assyrians of old. 2 Kings 19:35-372 Kings 19:35-37XWaiting for response Jesus will be assisted in this work by the saints who will be raised from the dead and made immortal to reign with him, and these are represented symbolically as “seven shepherds and eight principal men”.v.5Micah 5:5XWaiting for response The people of Israel will return safely to the land and none will be able to stop them.v.7Micah 5:7XWaiting for response At this time the Jews will be hated in many parts of the world and attempts will be made to destroy them. When this happened in Europe during the second world war six million Jews went meekly to their deaths in the holocaust, but in the future they will be like a lion among the sheep, all their adversaries will be cut off vs.8-9Micah 5:8-9XWaiting for response and in the promised land they will be cleansed of their idolatry and wickedness.vs.10-14Micah 5:10-14XWaiting for response For the world this will be a time of trouble, vengeance and judgment,v.15Micah 5:15XWaiting for response but the outcome will be righteousness, peace and prosperity in the earth.

The prophet Micah was contemporary with the prophet Isaiah, and Isaiah describes the "Assyrian" too, it being recorded in Isaiah chapter 10. The "Assyrian" referred to in this chapter is likely a symbol for Gog from Ezekiel 38, as in Isaiah chapter 10.