Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20100228.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Micah: An Eloquent Presentation Of God's Salvation From Ungodly Leadership
Part V: Micah's Core Section: Three Cycles Highlighting God's Timeless Leadership Deliverance In Christ
(Micah 4:9-5:6)
  1. Introduction
    1. Whether we look at ancient Israel's plight, or the plight of the world's nations today, ungodly leadership in both civil and religious realms plagues and oppresses many people.
    2. For this reason, the core section of the great "chiasmus" of the prophetic book of Micah, Micah 4:9-5:6, details how the Lord Jesus Christ is God's timeless answer to human history's hapless leadership problem.
    3. We view that passage for fitting application to our leadership challenges today (as follows):
  2. Micah's Core Section: Three Cycles Highlighting God's Timeless Leadership Deliverance In Christ.
    1. The Core's First Cycle, Micah 4:9-10, And God's Answer In Ancient Israel's Era:
      1. In the first cycle of doom and hope in the core section of Micah's prophecy, at Micah 4:9-10, God's prophet predicted Judah's Babylonian Captivity (Micah 4:9-10b) in judgment on Judah's people and their leaders who misled her ( cf. Micah 2:11) followed by Israel's return to the land under Cyrus in Micah 4:10c; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., ftn. to Micah 4:9-10.
      2. This return would occur due to God's gracious plan to send Israel the Messiah, cf. Micah 2:12-13.
    2. The Core's Second Cycle, Micah 4:11-13, And God's Answer In The Coming Great Tribulation Era:
      1. In the second cycle of doom and hope in the core section of Micah's prophecy, at Micah 4:11-13, God's prophet predicted the battle of Armageddon in the Tribulation (Micah 4:11) followed by God's causing Israel to defeat her Gentile foes, Micah 4:12-13; Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to Micah 4:11-13.
      2. This future deliverance by the Messiah, Jesus Christ, would be based on His deliverance from Israel's sin and His subsequent true, righteous leadership of the nation, cf. Micah 4:1-4 with Zech. 12:9-13:1.
    3. The Core's Third Cycle, Micah 5:1-6, And God's Answer In Ancient, Present And Future Eras Combined:
      1. In the third cycle of doom and hope in the core section of Micah's prophecy, at Micah 5:1-6, God's prophet at Micah 5:1 predicted the ancient fall of Judah's last, godless king Zedekiah who was taken captive to Babylon in Jerusalem's fall to Babylon, Ibid., ftn. to Micah 5:1 with 2 Kings 24:17-25:7.
      2. However, in hopeful, vast contrast to this king's tragic fall, Messiah Jesus would be born in Bethlehem of Judaea just miles from Jerusalem, and He would be the preincarnate God Who had appeared from ancient times as the Eternal God throughout Old Testament history, Micah 5:2; Ibid., ftn. to Micah 5:2.
      3. Thus, God would give up Judah and Israel to Gentile domination in judgment until the Lord Jesus would be born to His earthly mother, Mary, who would travail to deliver Him in Bethlehem, Mic. 5:3.
      4. However, Messiah Jesus would be rejected by Israel in His first coming, and that would lead to the nation's renewed judgment and destructive fall to Rome in A. D. 70 (predicted in Luke 19:41-44).
      5. Thus, the Messianic Kingdom would be postponed until Christ's return predicted in Matthew 23:37-39.
      6. Micah 5:4-6 then continued predicting the marvelous deliverance God will graciously give to repentant Israel under Messiah Jesus in the Messianic Kingdom following His Second Coming (as follows):
        1. Opposite Judah's failed, sinful leaders in Micah's era or their failure in Christ's first coming or in the coming Tribulation Period under the antichrist, at Christ's Second Coming, Micah 5:4a predicts He will "stand" in the traditional coronation ceremony, being crowned king in Israel as He stands beside a temple pillar, and He will shepherd Israel in the strength and majesty of God, cf. 2 Kings 11:14 NIV; Leslie C. Allen, The Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah (NICOT), 1976, p. 346.
        2. Israel shall dwell securely, for Christ's dominion will extend over all of the Gentiles, too, Mic. 5:4b.
        3. Israel shall thus dwell in peace, for God will then abundantly equip the nation to defeat all the nations that oppose her as symbolized in the fall of the feared Assyians in Micah's era, Micah 5:5-6.
Lesson: Whether one views Micah's era, Israel's Babylonian Captivity, Israel's return to the land, the era of Christ's earthly life, the Great Tribulation or the future Messianic Kingdom, Christ in God's plan stands as man's TIMELESS HOPE over the troubled, errant human leadership that plagues him.

Application: (1) May we trust in Christ as Savior to be part of His coming Kingdom. (2) May we yield to His rule in our lives TODAY for BLESSING in line with His coming reign, Hebrews 13:20-21.