3/05/20 – Micah 5:9-15

 

This passage continues to relate to the end times when Israel will be tested and purified during the tribulation, leading into the millennial rule of their Messiah. Micah 5:15 says And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard. This can only be referring to Armageddon where there will be a far greater slaughter of those opposed to Israel than at any other time, ever. This is a vengeance that eclipses all other vengeance, the battle that eclipses all other battles, Armageddon where possibly billions die when God avenges His people, His remnant of Jacob who have now been redeemed. Today’s passage speaks of the victory of God’s people Israel over all those who seek to destroy them. The antichrist has sought to utterly destroy Israel but instead has utterly destroyed his own in the do-or-die all-or-nothing battle of Armageddon.

 

While this passage appears to refer to God’s judgment upon the Gentile nations who oppose Israel, much of this passage could also apply to God removing (or eliminating) all those temptations that ensnared Israel and led to her captivity and/or dispersion across the Gentile world. The remnant of Israel is now purified and redeemed, and reclaimed as God’s people. Much of this passage could relate to God removing all temptations for His people to trust in anyone else but Him as their God. It was largely the influence of Gentile nations that led Israel into sin (Balaam and Moab; Canaanite false gods; Babylon etc) so the cleansing of the Gentile world would be beneficial for Israel here.

 

Micah 5:9Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.

 

cut offcut off; cut down; cut off a body part; cut out; eliminate; kill; destroy; take away; permit to perish.

hand – hand (of man); strength; power. Used for “hand” (to emphasise ability to carry out actions against others in Micah 2:1Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

In Micah 5:9 it would signify the strength and power to overcome their enemies. It is used in the same way in Micah 5:12 and Micah 5:13, each time emphasising that they will not be able to do such things. Note and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. (Exodus 14:8) where “an high hand” could be translated “the upper hand”.

 

Here it has the idea of a statement of fact, that they will lift up their hand upon their enemies, and their enemies will be cut off. This is prophecy and when God prophesies, it will happen. If it didn’t happen exactly as stated, then Micah would have to be declared a false prophet (Deuteronomy 18:22). The remnant of Jacob (Israel) will demonstrate their ability to oppose their enemies, and their enemies will be cut off (will be cut down; will fail; will be eliminated; will be destroyed; etc).

 

While man has some measure of free will, it is limited by the requirements of God’s will. If man chooses to sin, he cannot also choose to retire to heaven without repentance. Man may choose but God decides the consequences. Man’s free will brings God’s sovereign will into action, such that man does not have the free will to choose the consequences of his free will decisions. If the enemies of Israel choose to oppose Israel, then that is initially their free will option to do so (as Pharaoh initially chose to oppose Moses and the Hebrews). But (also like Pharaoh), that choice will bring God’s consequences, even to the extent of eventually losing their free will option and to be required (that is, be forced) to do exactly what God demands of them. Thus Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. And other nations who choose to oppose God’s people may be forced into a conflict with God’s people, a conflict that those other nations will lose if that is God’s consequences for them.

Ezekiel 38:3-43And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I [am] against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 4And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts [of armour, even] a great company [with] bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:

 

When God says that His people will win (and therefore their enemies will lose), then that is exactly what will happen! This does not deny man’s free will, but instead requires that man be responsible for all his free will decisions (2 Corinthians 5:10). In Micah’s day, God prevented Sennacherib from defeating Jerusalem after Hezekiah prayed for help.

Isaiah 37:29Because thy (Sennacherib’s) rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.

But Sennacherib’s siege of Jerusalem can only be a possible first level of this prophecy in Micah 5:9 where Israel’s enemies are defeated (Sennacherib wasn’t defeated, but withdrew from the siege) and sets them up as God’s people in the millennial reign of their Messiah.

 

Micah 5:10And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:

 

Isaiah 2:4; 6-84And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

6Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and [are] soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers. 7Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither [is there any] end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither [is there any] end of their chariots: 8Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:

 

cut offcut off; cut down; cut off a body part; cut out; eliminate; kill; destroy; take away; permit to perish. It appears to have the idea of radical surgery or amputation.

As used in Vs 9 above and also in Vss 11, 12 and 13 below.

 

Note also the continuing use of the word “will” in Micah 5:10, and throughout today’s passage. Everything here is a not a threat but a clear statement of fact. Even though it is yet in the future, it will happen!

 

in that day – in the day of the remnant of Jacob (Micah 5:7-8), the future where Israel calls upon the name of the Lord to be saved.

Joel 2:31-3231The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. 32And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

 

In that day when Israel returns to being God’s people and God can return to being their God ….

Ezekiel 37:23Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

…. and when God’s mission statement is on the way to being achieved ….

Daniel 9:24to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

…. God now turns His vengeance upon all those who sought to destroy His people.

Revelation 19:15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Zechariah 14:12And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

 

I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots – The horse was a symbol of might in battle. Likewise an army’s strength was measured by how many chariots they had. Foot soldiers had little chance against those on horses or in chariots. (Much like the knights were used to win battles in the middle ages, charging through foot soldiers who stood no chance against such onslaught.)

Psalm 20:7-87Some [trust] in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. 8They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

 

Therefore God will take away all their might and give them nothing to trust in for victory. Today, instead of horses and chariots (although who knows, they may probably still use horses), this would include the vast arsenal of modern-day weaponry and armament (atomic bomb as well, if Zechariah 14:12 is noted!).

It can also be read as God removing the option of horses and chariots (especially for Israel) such that they just won’t be able to choose these options. There will no longer be an option for them to trust in horses or chariots. Others might trust in horses, but Israel was always supposed to trust in God alone.

 

Micah 5:11And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:

 

the cities – There are 2 options here, according to original manuscripts which had one word in the text and another word suggested as the correct one in the margin, according to Hebrew scribes.

(In the Hebrew Bible, the scribes did not alter any text they felt had been copied incorrectly. Rather they noted in the margin what they thought the written text should be. The written variation is called a kethiv and the marginal note is called the qere. Where the translators of the Authorised Version followed the kethiv reading rather than the qere, we indicate the qere reading by the number 08676.)

 

In Micah 5:11 the text word means “enemy; adversary; foe”. It is used 6 times, and translated “enemy” (1 Samuel 28:16); “enemies” (Psalm 139:20); and 4 times as “the cities”.

The margin word means “excitement; anguish (of terror); city; town; guarded city or town” and is translated “city/cities” 1074 times, “town” 7 times, out of 1089 total.

It appears that the scribes did not agree with the manuscript text, but they would never alter it without definite proof of a mistake, so they instead suggested (in the margin) that the correct word was the one translated “city/cities” 1074 times out of 1089 altogether.

 

strongholds – fortifications; fortresses; fortified cities; strongholds.

The picture seems to be of walled cities and fortified strongholds. The enemy who opposed Israel would find that no amount of protection would help; Israel would win no matter what, simply because God has prophesied that they would! In the Armageddon world, what good would a city wall be?

 

Also note that both walled cities and fortresses would be unnecessary in the millennium. If horses and chariots (weaponry and armament) were unnecessary, then why would they need protected cities and fortresses? Note that this goes with Micah 4:3And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

God will prevent Israel from choosing walled cities or fortresses for their protection. God will prevent them from being able to trust in anything else but Him alone. A fortified city might make them feel secure but God wants them to feel secure (with Him alone) without having to rely upon fortifications.

 

Micah 5:12And I will cut off witchcrafts (sorceries) out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no [more] soothsayers:

 

soothsayersto observe times; practice soothsaying or spiritism or magic or augury or witchcraft; enchanter; diviner; fortune telling.

God will cut out (eliminate; destroy) witchcraft (sorceries) from your hand [God will remove your ability (power; authority) to trust in anything other than Him], and you shall have no more fortune-tellers to misplace your trust in.

 

A major problem for Israel was that other nations seemed to gain power by trusting in false gods, witchcraft and human sacrifices. Like all stupid people, Israel just had to know what it was like to try all the false religions of their neighbours. God made it abundantly clear that they were not to practice the abominations of the people whose land they would possess. But, as they say, curiosity (or stupidity?) killed the cat!

Deuteronomy 18:9-129When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10There shall not be found among you [any one] that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12For all that do these things [are] an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

 

God told them to not even wonder what it would be like to enquire after other gods.

Deuteronomy 12:29-3129When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; 30Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

 

And people do the same today when they try drugs etc. It just shows that people never learn. But in these days leading into the millennium, God will not only destroy all that opposes Him and His people (by removing their option to rely upon their witchcrafts), but He will remove that temptation for His people to enquire after the rebelliousness of the Gentiles. By cleansing the Gentiles of their iniquities, God is also preventing His people from being able to access those iniquities.

 

Micah 5:13Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.

 

standing imagespillar; stump; pillar as a monument or personal memorial, or with an altar.

 

God will destroy all graven images (idols) and standing images (monuments; pillars; could include obelisks and other statues) such that no one (including Israel) may have the option to be able to worship such things again.

Isaiah 45:5aI [am] the Lord, and [there is] none else, [there is] no God beside me:

Psalm 86:8-108Among the gods [there is] none like unto thee, O Lord; neither [are there any works] like unto thy works. 9All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. 10For thou [art] great, and doest wondrous things: thou [art] God alone.

Isaiah 44:8Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared [it]? ye [are] even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, [there is] no God; I know not [any].

Deuteronomy 32:39See now that I, [even] I, [am] he, and [there is] no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither [is there any] that can deliver out of my hand.

 

Micah 5:14And I will pluck up (pull out by the roots) thy groves (‘asherah) out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.

 

groves‘asherah [“groves” (for idol worship)] [a Babylonian (Astarte)-Canaanite goddess (of fortune and happiness), the supposed consort of Baal; her images; the goddess; sacred trees or poles set up near an altar]

Smith’s Bible Dictionary – “Asherah” – (straight), the name of a Phoenician goddess, or rather of the idol itself (Authorized Version "grove"). Asherah is closely connected with ASHTORETH and her worship, (Judges 3:7) comp. Judg 2:3; 6:25; 1Kin 18:19 Ashtoreth being, perhaps, the proper name of the goddess, whilst Asherah is the name of her image or symbol, which was of wood. See (Judges 6:25-30; 2 Kings 23:14)

 

cities – see “cities” Vs 11 above.

It appears that these cities depended upon false god worship. Many cities over the years have been built around the place of worship (just like you might find a town built around the church). Even Jerusalem is known by its temple. Remove the temple and you would have effectively destroyed Jerusalem. God will remove all those places of false worship that are the focus of the people’s attention.

 

Take away their gods and the idol-makers will go out of business.

Acts 19:24-2624For a certain [man] named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; 25Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. 26Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:

 

Instead, the focus will be on God alone. Note how King Josiah dealt with this problem.

2 Kings 23:13-1513And the high places that [were] before Jerusalem, which [were] on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile. 14And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves (‘asherah), and filled their places with the bones of men. 15Moreover the altar that [was] at Beth–el, [and] the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, [and] stamped [it] small to powder, and burned the grove (‘asherah).

Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. (Exodus 20:3)

 

Micah 5:15And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.

 

This has to apply to Armageddon as it stands alone in its ferocity, anger and fury.

Revelation 14:19-2019And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast [it] into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand [and] six hundred furlongs.

 

such as they have not heard – Note that we will always hear about more things than we will actually see. We may never have seen many of the atrocities of history but we may “hear” about them by reading etc. If we limited our understanding to what we had actually seen, then we would be limited indeed. But “such as they have not heard” encompasses a far greater range of options than just what they have seen. Thus this vengeance and fury will be exceptional for all known history, not just what they have seen!

 

On a side note, a recent website comment tried to tell me that Acts 13:48 proved that God unconditionally chooses people for salvation. I wrote back: If you checked the context of Acts 13:48, you’d realise that the Jews were offered the same eternal life in Acts 13:46. It is clear that Paul was at first speaking to the Jews and not to the Gentiles. He had been appointed to preach the gospel to the Jews (as God’s chosen people), but the Jews refused (with blaspheming) Paul’s appointment to hear about eternal life. Paul then turned to the Gentiles who were anxiously waiting for the opportunity to have this same gospel of eternal life preached to them. (The word in Acts 13:48 is correctly translated as “appointed”.) What had been appointed to the Jews (which they had rejected) was now appointed to the Gentiles (who had come along that day hoping to hear the gospel that had until then been denied to them). The Jews despised the gospel; the Gentiles on the other hand yearned so much to receive the gospel that when it was given to them, they eagerly grasped that which up until then was out of their reach. (Clearly they exercised their free will!) Whatever the Gentiles accepted, the Jews had just previously rejected. In interpreting Acts 13:48, Acts 13:46 must be taken into account!

It's just another example of calvinists taking one verse at a time to teach their heresies. I’m sure I’ve heard a claim somewherre to unleash satan’s lies one verse at a time? Must have been a calvinist!

 

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