Introduction – Micah cannot stop
at verse 7, “My God will hear me”, but this theme must now be played out with a
glorious crescendo of the forgiveness and restoration of God’s people, of the
wrath of God’s justice upon His enemies, and the expansion of God’s kingdom.
Victory Embedded in Confession
(vv8-10) – Verse 9 is the centerpiece here of confession and deliverance, with
v8 and 10 on either side declaring the destruction of Jerusalem’s enemies.
The Lord My
Light (v8) – Micah speaks, representing Israel as
‘Lady Jerusalem’ (all the pronouns are in the feminine), against her enemy’s
scorn. Certainly, the exile and return
are in the short view. But once again,
these words are truly fulfilled in Christ who would not break a ‘bruised reed’
(Is 42:3), and who would be the Light to men in the midst of darkness (John
1:4-5).
The Lord My
Redeemer (v9) – “Because I have sinned” is truly
understood when we bear with any of the Lord’s chastisements. “Because I have acknowledged my sin” is to
know that Another will grant me true righteousness. This is the essence of Christian brokenness and boldness before
the throne of God.
‘To the Light’
– I see His righteousness because I see His anger at my sin and His graciousness
to forgive and atone for it. I hold
both together so that I do not despair over His anger, nor presume upon His
grace.
The Lord My
Avenger (v10) – Assyria, and later Babylon, become like
an axe that boasts over the One who chops with it (Is 10:15). Attributing their victories to the power of
their own arm, and in scornful defiance of the living God, their wages are
coming.
Victory in Expansion (vv11-13) – Security
and fruitfulness spread to the most unexpected places. These are walls of a vineyard (v11).
“That Day”
– As in Chapter 4-5, Micah is declaring these things regarding the ‘last days’,
when Christ established His kingdom reign.
As we saw, the NT teaches that this was established at the time of
Christ’s death, burial, resurrection and ascension (i.e.Heb 1:1, 1 Pet 1:20,
etc.).
The Enemies of
God – Assyria and Egypt, present and past enemies
of God’s people, will turn by the hordes to the Lord. The righteousness and Light of the Lord will spread to the world
(Is 42:5-9). Encompassing all the
world, ‘from sea to sea…’, the stark contrast to those who do not come to the
land of fruitfulness is a desolate land.
But the overwhelming sense here is of the borders of the Kingdom
victoriously extended far and wide.
Victory Through the Great Shepherd
(vv14-17) – God has promised the victory of His Church, and brings it to
fruition through His own hand of mercy and judgment
Praying for
What is Promised (v14) – Micah asks what already has been
promised of Christ (Mic 5:4). ‘Carmel’
means ‘garden of fruit trees’. Bashan
and Gilead were agricultural areas of great fertility that became symbols of
plenty. It is proper to pray for a
return to days of gospel-prosperity, for God has promised such days.
God Answers
(v15) – The Lord answers with ‘more than you can ask or imagine’ (Eph
3:20). “Wonders” is not a little word,
but reflects the catastrophic wrath of God poured out upon Egypt. The same will be done to nations of
arrogance, and the bondage to slavery will again be broken. And what has happened to you in Christ?
Writhing in the
Fear of Judgment (v16-17) – The antithesis is being
declared here. When God brings His
judgment to bear, the castles of the most powerful nations become hell-holes
(same word in Psalm 18:45) for serpents, cursed by God, and brought out
crawling like charmed snakes licking the ground in fear.
A Call to Brokenness and Boldness
– External threats are not your most dangerous enemies. Sin is what brought Israel to ruin. As Micah represents in v9, we must tremble
at our sins. There is a time to sit
quietly and bear the indignation of our sins.
But, according to His grace and the promises to His people, we must not
despair utterly. We must root our
confidence that this very God of wrath will plead our cause and bring us from
the darkness of judgment to the light of life.
We must be full of both real repentance and real hope.
Praying ‘With
the Grain’ – So often one hears other prayers that are
reflected in the Lord’s Prayer – ‘forgive us our debts’ is clear in v9 and ‘Thy
kingdom come’ is certainly in v14. God
desires us to long for the things He has promised and plead for them in His
courts. Our hearts are kept close to
Him then in the midst of all trials and afflictions. And as we embrace His promises ‘by faith’ we are able to pray
with great boldness and with great effectiveness.
Anticipate and
Hunger for the Impossible – Do you long to see the chains of sin
broken from your flesh and your practical holiness more manifest? Do you long to see your family or loved ones
turned from darkness to light? Do you
long to see these cities and this nation return to the Lord and then to see
reformation take us even farther? Do
you long for the world to be as full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters
cover the see? Do you expect to see
it? Dave
Hatcher – January 21, 2001