Post by Lee on Dec 7, 2014 15:55:19 GMT
Ch. 5 contains Micah's best-known prophecy: the vital item of information concerning the Messiah that Micah alone was privileged to supply—
V. 2: "But thou, Bethlehem-Ephratah, though thou be little among the 1000'sof Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel"
This was the prophecy to which the chief priests and scribes immediately pointed when Herod asked them where the Messiah should be born. They took the prophecy simply and literally, and of direct divine origin, and they were sure of their ground—and they were absolutely right. Even so will the other prophecies be just as
literally and surely fulfilled.
In v. 5 is another well-known and important prophecy— "This man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land."
We see the vicious Assyrian today, like the Assyrian of old, gathering his forces to carry out his evil thought against Israel, and blasphemously defying Israel's God.
"This man shall be the peace." Not just give peace, but BE peace. Christ IS peace. There is no peace outside of him and we seek it in vain when we seek it anywhere else. But how long it takes foolish man to learn this so simple and easy lesson!—
"GREAT peace have they that love Thy law."
"There is NO peace, saith my God, to the wicked."
"Thou wilt keep him in PERFECT peace whose mind is stayed on Thee."
Israel never learned—shall we be so foolish, too?
"Then shall we raise against him 7 shepherds and 8principal men."
Seven is completeness and perfection. Eight is a new beginning. Does this refer to a particular 15 men? Bro. Thomas suggests Christ plus the 14 (double 7) who dominate the New Testament picture: John the Baptist, Paul, and the 12 apostles.
Vs. 7 and 8 are a striking contrast, but they are harmonious parts of the whole— "The remnant of Judah shall be as a dew from the Lord, as showers upon the grass."
"The remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles as a lion amongst sheep, who treadeth down and teareth in pieces."
These are two essential aspects of Israel's latter-day work with the nations—to discipline and to bless. "The Kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem."
The rest of chapter 5 is the final purification of Israel itself. There is much more of interest in this book of Micah. The next two chapters each have their well-known quotation— (to be continued)
Rene - 1972 Berean 20
V. 2: "But thou, Bethlehem-Ephratah, though thou be little among the 1000'sof Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel"
This was the prophecy to which the chief priests and scribes immediately pointed when Herod asked them where the Messiah should be born. They took the prophecy simply and literally, and of direct divine origin, and they were sure of their ground—and they were absolutely right. Even so will the other prophecies be just as
literally and surely fulfilled.
In v. 5 is another well-known and important prophecy— "This man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land."
We see the vicious Assyrian today, like the Assyrian of old, gathering his forces to carry out his evil thought against Israel, and blasphemously defying Israel's God.
"This man shall be the peace." Not just give peace, but BE peace. Christ IS peace. There is no peace outside of him and we seek it in vain when we seek it anywhere else. But how long it takes foolish man to learn this so simple and easy lesson!—
"GREAT peace have they that love Thy law."
"There is NO peace, saith my God, to the wicked."
"Thou wilt keep him in PERFECT peace whose mind is stayed on Thee."
Israel never learned—shall we be so foolish, too?
"Then shall we raise against him 7 shepherds and 8principal men."
Seven is completeness and perfection. Eight is a new beginning. Does this refer to a particular 15 men? Bro. Thomas suggests Christ plus the 14 (double 7) who dominate the New Testament picture: John the Baptist, Paul, and the 12 apostles.
Vs. 7 and 8 are a striking contrast, but they are harmonious parts of the whole— "The remnant of Judah shall be as a dew from the Lord, as showers upon the grass."
"The remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles as a lion amongst sheep, who treadeth down and teareth in pieces."
These are two essential aspects of Israel's latter-day work with the nations—to discipline and to bless. "The Kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem."
The rest of chapter 5 is the final purification of Israel itself. There is much more of interest in this book of Micah. The next two chapters each have their well-known quotation— (to be continued)
Rene - 1972 Berean 20