Micah 5:1-5a · Micah 7:2 · Micah 2:1-9 · Micah 3:1-4 · Micah 3:11 · Micah 5:12-15 · Micah 6:5-7 · Micah 6:8 · Jeremiah 26:18 · 2 Kings 18-19 · Isaiah · Ephesians 2:14
Micah: Prophet of God's Hope
This sermon examines Micah's messianic prophecy of a shepherd-ruler from Bethlehem (Jesus), calling listeners to trust God rather than their own strength and to find true peace and security in Christ alone.
Introduction
We are looking today at the prophet Micah and his prophesy. Micah is a prophet of the southern kingdom. Isaiah is a contemporary and he is prophesying in Jerusalem. During Micah’s prophesy, Assyria is the main threat from the north. Assyria will destroy the northern kingdom and will move into the southern kingdom. While the capital of the northern kingdom, Samaria, will be destroyed, Jerusalem will survive. Micah lists the sins of Judah in his prophesy. There are few righteous among the people (7:2); the wealthy take advantage of the poor (2:1-9); the rulers are susceptible to bribes (3:1-4); prophets and priests are for hire (3:11); and there is idolatry present (5:12-15).
In addition to the sin in the southern kingdom, there was the presumption among the people that God would not destroy them because they belonged to him (3:11). In other words, they presumed upon God’s grace. Furthermore, the people thought that a good worship assembly would take care of the problems (6:5-7). Make a good sacrifice and God will forgive. This presumption upon God’s goodness and election left the people with little moral balance. Assyria attacks from the north. Jerusalem is threatened. Micah did a good job as a prophet. One of the few cross references from one prophet to another is found in Jeremiah 26:18. 100 years later Micah’s words are remembered and applied.
Perhaps one of the most notable texts of the OT comes from Micah 6:8, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Many believe this is somewhat a summary text of the OT. Without a doubt, Micah does teach that worship and how one lives are not two separate concepts. They are intertwined and dependent upon each other for validity. But as wonderful as this text is, I want to focus on another text: 5:1-5a. This is a clear messianic text. It is a text which speaks of the coming Messiah. These words would have inspired Micah’s listeners and they can inspire us as well.
Depending on God
The southern kingdom had come to depend on their strength and their election rather than trusting in God. When Assyria came from the north and wiped out Samaria, Jerusalem knew it was in trouble. In fact, the Assyrian army overran several major cities in the southern kingdom but could not bring Jerusalem under its control (2 Kings 18-19). Before any of these incidents, Micah prophesies that God is going to destroy the northern kingdom and will make the southern kingdom rethink its power. Notice in 5:1 that the southern kingdom will marshal its troops to fight Assyria, but the defeat will take place nonetheless. The army will be ineffective.
The southern kingdom believed that their military might could save them from the threat to the north. Read 2 Kings 18-19 and see the complete inability of their army to even slow the Assyrian threat. If God had not directly intervened Jerusalem would have fallen. The southern kingdom deluded themselves into believing that they could take care of themselves. There are a number of things that we might depend on in this life. Like the southern kingdom we may delude ourselves into thinking that God isn’t needed.
The southern kingdom believed that if they just had a good worship assembly that God was then obligated to provide for them. They could live anyway they wanted to and God would have to take care of them. Why did you come here today? I would like to believe that most of us came because we wanted to be in God’s presence with our brothers and sisters. We wanted to honor God with our words today as we have honored him with our words throughout the week. But it is easy for this assembly to become our “fix” so that God will do what we think he ought to be doing. Or we trust in our abilities, our intellect, our power, our position, our strength. The southern kingdom acted as if God wasn’t needed. But in spite of not needing God, they still wanted God to get them out of trouble.
The truth is it comes down to who you trust. Sometimes people will say, “I can’t trust what I can’t see.” Sometimes we think that God is just too hard to explain. We don’t always know what is going on in our lives. We don’t always understand, but the truth is that we either trust God or we trust ourselves. We look for all kinds of ways to explain things and then treat God like he is obligated to us when things are going well. We may not understand, but we either trust ourselves or we trust God. Communion.
Jesus, the Shepherd of Peace
In 5:2-5a, God through Micah predicts the future. Assyria is going to be a problem. Finding a good king is difficult. But God says a ruler is going to come. A ruler will come from Bethlehem. This ruler will be like David of old. The end of verse 2 signifies the lineage of David. What will this new ruler do? He will, like David, be a shepherd. He will do so not by his own power and strength but with the power and strength and name of God. His shepherding will reach to the ends of the earth. He will be known throughout the world as the good and loving shepherd. And the sheep will live securely and confidently knowing that this good shepherd is leading them. “And he will be their peace.” This is the idea of security. He will provide their security, assurance, confidence, and well being.
We believe this prophesy refers to Jesus. He was born of the house of David. Born in Bethlehem. He is known as the prince of peace in Isaiah and Paul calls him our peace in Ephesians 2:14. This prophetic view is designed to bring hope and assurance to God’s people. To those who were struggling against the military might of the day and whose future was uncertain, God’s promise is that it will not always be this way.
One of the things that we long for is peace. The image of life which is not hectic; which has time for relaxation; which has time for family; which is not being swirled around by the challenges of life—health, acceptance, view of self, and vitality. This is the image of a Jesus who holds each little lamb close to his chest and calms the nervousness of uncertainty. It is a picture of quiet and calm. It is a picture of resting calmly in the powerful arms of another knowing and trusting that he will not harm you but will protect and provide for you. It an image of hope.
Do you have real peace? Are you calm and assured as you depend upon God rather than your own strength? Are you secure in knowing that God will protect you? Are you confident knowing that a promise made long ago has been fulfilled in the person of Jesus who wants to hold you to his chest and give you peace? Life is filled with uncertainties. We cannot change that. But we can find our peace in one whose mission was to bring peace. The security he brings is far better than what we can provide for ourselves. Invitation.
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