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Micah, the Prophet of Unchanging Love, part 9

Speaking of the Messiah from Bethlehem, Micah 5:5, 6,

⁵ This One will be our peace. When the Assyrian invades our land, when he tramples on our citadels, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight leaders of men. ⁶ They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod at its entrances; and He will deliver us from the Assyrian when he attacks our land and when he tramples our territory.

We know from biblical history that when the Assyrians invaded Israel, they did indeed conquer that territory and deported the people to the land of Gamir. Hence, the “seven shepherds and eight leaders of men” were not raised up at that time to deliver them. It may be possible that 7 or 8 leaders were prominent in the government of Jerusalem under King Hezekiah and that these men were somehow involved in the destruction of the Assyrian army. If so, their role was limited to spiritual warfare.

However, there is no biblical record of these men. It is almost certainly a prophecy of the future that overlooks thousands of years of dispersion and exile. Whoever they are, they will be raised up to end the captivity of Israel. This will also coincide with the fall of Babylon. Micah seems to treat Assyria and Babylon as the same prophetic entity. Nimrod was the builder of Babel as well as Nineveh (Genesis 10:8-11).

The Remnant is Like Dew

Micah 5:7 continues,

⁷ Then the remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on vegetation which do not wait for man or delay for the sons of men.

Dew has been a symbol of blessing since the early days. Isaac blessed Jacob in Genesis 27:28, saying,

²⁸ Now may God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth, and an abundance of grain and new wine.

In a literal application, dew is associated with “an abundance of grain and new wine.” But it is also a spiritual blessing that has prophetic implications. Manna came with the dew to feed the Israelites. Numbers 11:9 says,

⁹ When the dew fell upon the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.

Manna, of course, is the bread from heaven, which represented Christ Himself (John 6:51), who was sent from heaven as the dew to give the true bread of life to the people. Again, we read in the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32:2,

² Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, as the droplets on the fresh grass and as the showers on the herb.

The words of Moses were the words of God in his day. The words of Christ contain greater revelation, but both are equally true. Micah tells us that the remnant of Jacob is also like dew insofar as they speak the words of God faithfully. When the dew arrives, the manna accompanies it. Whether or not we can apply this to the seven shepherds and eight leaders is perhaps debatable, but it certainly applies to the remnant of Jacob. It does not seem probable that we can exclude these latter-day shepherds, who may, in fact, be leaders among this remnant.

The point is that during the time of the fall of Assyria/Babylon in the latter days, the remnant of grace (Romans 11:1-7) will be like refreshing dew from heaven and will be called to bring forth the manna of the word, comparable to Moses and Christ Himself.

The Lions

Micah 5:8 continues,

⁸ The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, among many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which, if he passes through, tramples down and tears. And there is none to rescue.

An Old Covenant viewpoint would picture something negative and even violent here, as if the remnant were equipped with physical swords to conquer in times of war. But we who have a New Covenant outlook understand that we are equipped with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17), with which we overcome evil and ignorance by the power of the Spirit. By this, we fulfill the Great Commission to disciple all nations in the word of God.

Hence, Micah prophesies of a time when no one will be rescued from these “lions” of God. Their mission will be accomplished because of their divine protection. Micah 5:9 concludes,

⁹ Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries, and all your enemies will be cut off.

There is more than one way to “cut off” one’s enemies. One can either kill them or turn them into friends. No doubt both will occur, but killing enemies is something that we leave to God. Our task is to turn the hearts of the people and turn enemies into friends. This will require a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit with signs following (Mark 16:17, 18).

So in Micah 5:10-15, God takes credit for destroying the nations and cities that do not repent.

False Religion Destroyed

¹⁰ “It will be in that day,” declares the Lord, “that I will cut off your horses from among you and destroy your chariots. ¹¹ I will also cut off the cities of your land and tear down all your fortifications.”

Here the prophet mentions the theme of “horses,” which is expanded in Isaiah 31:1-3. Horses represent fleshly efforts at self-defense. Isaiah was very critical of Judah’s attempt to make an alliance with Egypt so as to depend upon their horses and chariots to defend against Assyria. So Micah tells us that at the end of the captivity, when the remnant becomes like the dew, God will undermine and destroy the weaponry of Assyria/Babylon.

Perhaps we are already witnessing this as Europe and America send their weapons to Ukraine where they are soon used up or destroyed.

¹² “I will cut off sorceries from your hand, and you will have future-tellers no more.”

It would surprise most people to learn how men retain power today through sorceries. Selling one’s soul to the devil has been more well known in the music industry or in those pursuing an acting career; but it is equally true of corporate CEO’s, top bankers, politicians, and even in some churches. Micah tells us that this will come to an end. How? Through spiritual warfare and knowing how to break curses and sorceries.

¹³ “I will cut off your carved image and your sacred pillars from among you, so that you will no longer bow down to the works of your hands. ¹⁴ I will root out your Asherim from among you and destroy your cities. ¹⁵ And I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations which have not obeyed.”

False religion, based on worshiping “the works of your hands,” will end as the remnant-dew proclaims the word of God and as the people accept their word as manna. The prophet also mentions specifically the “Asherim” to be rooted out. These were pillars (phallic symbols) built upon the high places (hills) where Canaanite places of worship were located.

In general, these Asherim represent sexual practices as part of their religious system. We tend to think that the western obsession with sex in all of its perversions is the result of a lack of religion. In fact, it is part of the ancient religious practice that the Babylonian West has adopted as its cultural religion.

This should not be a surprise, however. In the Law of Tribulation in Deuteronomy 28:64 we read part of the divine judgment upon Israel during their captivity:

⁶⁴ Moreover, the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth, and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known.

Micah speaks of the end of that long time of tribulation during which time they blindly worshiped “other gods.” Whereas Deuteronomy 28 sets forth the bad news of judgment for persisted lawlessness, Micah 5 gives us the light at the end of the tunnel. God Himself will overthrow these false gods made by human hands, which neither hear nor speak or breathe.