Miquéias 5
Thomas Constable · Citado em PreceptAustin
Miquéias 5
Constable: Yahweh would give the Israelites over to chastening until Israel had ended her painful period of suffering (like a woman in labor, Micah 4:9) and she had brought forth a child. In view of previous revelation about Israel’s continuing discipline by God until her Redeemer appeared (Micah 4:10), this seems to be a reference to the Second Coming of Messiah, not His First Coming. This interpretation gains support from the promise in the last half of this verse. Then the remainder of the Redeemer’s brethren, the Jews, will experience a regathering (cf. Micah 2:12; 4:6–7). They will return to the land and rejoin other Israelites. (Micah 5 Expository Notes) John Martin sees only one fulfillment commenting that "the time will come when the labor will end and birth will come. This refers not to Mary’s giving birth to Jesus, but to Israel’s national regathering (cf. Mic 2:12+; Mic 4:6-7+), likened here to a childbirth." (BKC) Warren Wiersbe sees only one fulfilment noting that "Between the cross and the Kingdom Age, Israel will be “given up” by the Lord until the time when Jesus returns and the nation is “born” into her kingdom (see Isa. 66:8). This King will reign to the ends of the earth and will bring peace to all nations. A C Gaebelein interprets she as Israel explaining that "Israel will be in travail pains to give birth to the remnant, so prominently mentioned in prophecy. Since the nation rejected the Messiah they have had nothing but suffering, but the great travail pains come in the future. “For thus says the LORD, ‘I have heard a sound of terror, Of dread, and there is no peace. 6 ‘Ask now, and see, If a male can give birth. Why do I see every man With his hands on his loins, as a woman in childbirth? And why have all faces turned pale? 7 ‘Alas! for that day is great, There is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s distress, But he will be saved from it.” (Jer 30:5-7). That godly remnant turning then to the Lord, born in that future travail, are called here “His brethren.” Other writers favor two fulfillments of this prophecy: Tony Garland suggests that "Scripture record’s two pregnancies in relation to Messiah. The first labor (Mic 5:3) terminates in the First Coming of Messiah (Rev 12:2-4+). The second labor terminates in the ushering in of the Millennial Kingdom. It is this second period of labor, subsequent to the going forth of Messiah from Bethlehem, which Micah 5:4 sets forth. This second labor leads to the millennial age “at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth.” The time of Jacob’s trouble describes the labor pains associated with the second "pregnancy." (Jacob’s Trouble and the Great Tribulation) Charles Ryrie also sees two fulfillments, noting that "she (the virgin Mary, Isa. 7:14+) gives birth to Messiah, Who will reunite Israel (a work in connection with His Second Coming)." KJV Bible Commentary sees two fulfillments, noting that "Just as surely as God in His sovereign program has brought Messiah upon the scene historically (ED: FIRST "FULFILMENT"), so He will bring the believing remnant into existence (ED: See phrase borne a child); and in His time both redeemed people and reigning Messiah will be brought together!"
Miquéias 5
Constable - This ruler must be divine since He had been conducting activities on Yahweh's behalf from long ago, even eternity past (literally = days of immeasurable time; cf. Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 1:17; Revelation 1:8). (Note) The ESV Study Bible comments on from long ago, from the days of eternity - This has been taken to indicate either an ancient (Davidic) lineage or eternal (and therefore divine) origin of the predicted Messiah. The first time-related expression (“from of old”; Hebrew miqqedem) generally refers to ancient historical times (e.g., Neh. 12:46; Ps. 77:5, 11; 78:2; 143:5; Isa. 45:21; 46:10) but can also refer to eternity past (e.g., Ps. 74:12; Hab. 1:12). The second time-related expression (“from ancient days”; Hebrew mime ‘olam), however, refers to ancient historical times both in Micah (Mic 7:14; cf. Mic 7:20) and elsewhere (Dt. 32:7; Isa. 63:9, 11; Amos 9:11; Mal. 3:4); thus this text is referring to the Messiah’s ancient Davidic lineage, confirming that the ancient covenantal promises made to David still stand. G Campbell
Miquéias 5
Constable - This messianic prophecy not only gives the birthplace of Messiah, and thus assures His humanity, but it also asserts His deity. No mere human could be said to have been carrying out the will of Yahweh eternally. (Expository Notes) Related Resource: Is Micah 5:2 a Messianic prophecy? Who were the Ephrathites? Messianic Prophecy in Poetry Mary Had The Little Lamb Mary had the little Lamb, who lived before His birth; Self-existent Son of God, from Heaven He came to Earth. Mary had the little Lamb; see Him in yonder stall -- Virgin-born Son of God, to save man from the Fall. Mary had the little Lamb, obedient Son of God; Everywhere the Father led, His feet were sure to trod. Mary had the little Lamb, crucified on the tree The rejected Son of God, He died to set men free. Mary had the little Lamb -- men placed Him in the grave, Thinking they were done with Him; to death He was no slave! Mary had the little Lamb, ascended now is He; All work on Earth is ended, our Advocate to be. Mary had the little Lame -- mystery to behold! From the Lamb of Calvary, a Lion will unfold. Revelation 5: 5,6 When the Day Star comes again, of this be very sure: It won't be Lamb-like silence, but with the Lion's roar. Marv & Marbeth Rosenthal - Copies of this poem may be used without written permission from the authors. Micah 5:1-5 "What If?" When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His son, born of a woman, born under the law. - Galatians 4:4 Several years ago a group of historians authored a book called "If - Or History Rewritten." Some of the "ifs" those scholars considered were these: What if Robert E. Lee had not lost the battle of Gettysburg? What if the Moors in Spain had won? What if the Dutch had kept New Amsterdam? What if Booth had missed when he shot at Abraham Lincoln? What if Napoleon had escaped to America? The attempt to reconstruct the past on the basis of these "ifs" was only a historian's game. But apply it for a moment to the central event in history - the birth of Jesus Christ. It was foretold with pinpoint accuracy hundreds of years before by the prophet Micah. The greatest "if", therefore - the most startling question to the imagination - is, "What if Jesus had not been born as predicted?" Such an "if" staggers the mind. It is like imagining the earth without a sunrise or the heavens without a sky. Yet this "if" must be taken seriously, especially at Christmas, because our world is oblivious to the true meaning of Christ's coming. On the first Sunday of Advent, try to think of the world without Christ. If Christ had never left His throne To enter time and space, We'd have no hope beyond the grave, No knowledge of His grace.- Sper A world without Christ would be a world without hope. Micah 5:2 Small Things It's getting harder to visit Bethlehem because of ongoing political tensions, but visitors to Israel still trek that way; and many are surprised at how close this little town is to Jerusalem—only about five miles away, and so small—"only a small village among all the people of Judah." Sometimes we think our place is too small, and we're disappointed at our meager lot. Perhaps we're in a small church, a small town, a small ministry, or a small house. Don't underestimate how greatly Jesus uses small things. Historian David Hackett Fischer points out that, compared to the great battles of history, Washington's crossing of the Delaware was a very small event. But the outcome saved the United States of America. French Jesuit Father Jean Nicolas Grou once wrote, "Let your aim be to please our dear Lord perfectly in little things." If your place is a small one, remember Bethlehem. Of all the cities of Judah, God chose this little town as the birthplace of the Messiah and as the junction of time and eternity. - Rob Morgan Jesus bids us shine With a pure, clear light, Like a little candle Burning in the night. In this world of darkness So let us shine— You in your small corner, And I in mine. —Susan Warner Micah 5:2 Born In Us Bethlehem Ephrathah, . . . out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel. —Micah 5:2 During a visit to England's picturesque Stratford-upon-Avon, I was struck by how a town's identity and future can be affected just because someone was born there. Every year, half a million people come to visit the birthplace of William Shakespeare, whom some consider the most influential playwright in the English language. And what about Bethlehem? With the birth of Jesus, Micah's prophecy of significance was fulfilled: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting" (Micah 5:2). Bethlehem is defined by Jesus' birth. Isn't the same true for us? When Christ comes to live in us, we are changed. No longer just ordinary human beings, we become the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Our identity and destiny are marked by Him, just as surely as a town becomes known for the significant person who was born there. O holy Child of Bethlehem, Descend to us, we pray; Cast out our sin and enter in- Be born in us today. -Brooks God came to live with us so we could live with Him Micah 5:2 Eat This Bread Christmas isn’t the time of year when our thoughts naturally turn to the Last Supper—or what the Jews called Passover. But that particular Passover is critical to Christmas. After breaking bread and giving it to His disciples, Jesus said, “Take, eat; this is My body” (Matt. 26:26). Breaking bread was a traditional part of Passover, but adding “this is my body” was a striking departure from the familiar liturgy. The disciples must have been bewildered. Later the meaning became clear. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which means “house of Bread.” He was laid in a manger—a feeding trough. He once said, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh” (John 6:51). The prophet Micah indicated that One born in Bethlehem would rule over Israel (5:2). But not until Jesus came did anyone realize the uniqueness of this Kingdom. Christ’s rule would not be imposed upon anyone; it would be imparted to those who accepted this new citizenship. As we sing of Bethlehem’s manger, let’s remember that the heaven-sent infant King came so that we might “eat this bread” and partake of His divine nature.— by Julie Ackerman Link Thou art the bread of life, O Lord, to me, Thy holy Word the truth that saveth me; Give me to eat and live with Thee above, Teach me to love Thy truth, for Thou art love. —Lathbury Only Christ the Living Bread can satisfy our spiritual hunger. I have a piece of old plaster on my desk that comes from the ancient site of the Herodium in the land of Israel. It reminds me of the humility of our Lord Jesus. Herodium was a lavish residence that served as King Herod’s summer palace, a sumptuous villa with opulent apartments furnished for the royal family and their guests. It boasted a Roman bath with hot and cold pools, surrounded by colonnaded gardens. It’s said that Herod built his palace to commemorate a victory in battle, but knowing Herod’s selfish ambition it’s possible he had another purpose in mind. Some have conjectured that Herod, despite inquiring of the scribes (Matt. 2:4-6), knew about Micah’s prediction that Israel’s Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. He may have wanted Israel’s King to be born in his palace. The Father’s plan, however, was for our Lord to be born not in a castle but in a cave. It was in a lowly manger that the little Lord Jesus was born. This is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, “Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). This is the gift of lavish salvation—of all gifts, the greatest gift that you and I will ever receive.— by David H. Roper He did not use a silvery box Or paper green and red; God laid His Christmas gift to me Within a manger bed. —Prentice The goodness and love of God became incarnate at Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 Matthew 16:13-20 You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. - Matthew 16:16 TODAY IN THE WORD Some things aren’t what they appear to be! In 1867 Secretary of State William H. Seward purchased Alaska for $ 7.2 million--about $12 per square mile! At the time, the deal was called “Seward’s Folly” and Alaska was dubbed “Seward’s Icebox.” Then, in 1880, gold was discovered. During the 1930s, drought-weary Midwesterners began to farm Alaska’s fertile soil. By the 1970s, oil was flowing through the Alaska Pipeline. Some things aren’t what they appear to be! Jews living in Palestine at the time of Jesus’ birth certainly weren’t expecting their deliverer, or messiah, to be born in a feeding trough for cattle! Everyone knew that God’s messiah would come in power, conquering the Romans, reestablishing the throne of David, and restoring the temple! Yet, contrary to expectations, the promised Messiah was born in the lowliest circumstances. These mistaken notions made it impossible for Jesus to openly claim this title, even though He alone was the promised Messiah. Jesus didn’t want people to settle for a liberator from Rome when He knew that what they really needed was a liberator from their sin. But Jesus didn’t have to call Himself the Messiah--His birth and life revealed both the true nature of the Messiah and that He was the Messiah. When Jesus proclaimed the coming kingdom of God, He associated it with His own coming (Matt. 12:28). As Jesus taught, healed, and performed miracles, people began to recognize that He was the Christ (John 4:29). (Christ is Greek for Messiah; cf. John 4:25.) Even more significantly, when people identified Jesus as the Messiah, He never corrected them. Indeed, Jesus blessed Peter when he realized that Jesus was the Christ (Matt. 16:17). At Jesus’ trial, He never denied that He was the Christ (Mark 14:61–62). TODAY ALONG THE WAY - Many in Jesus’ day were so sure that they knew how the Messiah would come that they overlooked Jesus. Micah 5:2 The Place Of Going Forth Bethlehem . . . , out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel. —Micah 5:2 A lot of attention was suddenly focused on the small town of Bethlehem. Jews from many parts of the world came to be counted in a census. Mary and Joseph traveled there from Nazareth. Shepherds came from the fields to see the Baby lying in a manger (Luke 2:15-16) after a multitude of angels had come to announce, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (vv.13-14). Every Christmas, in our imagination, we go to Bethlehem to celebrate Jesus' birth. But we cannot stay there; we must leave. The angels returned to heaven. Mary and Joseph went to Jerusalem, then sought safety in Egypt. The shepherds' exit gives a clear message to us. They left the stable and told everyone about the holy Child. "And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds" (v.18). Go tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere— Go tell it on the mountain That Jesus Christ is born! —Traditional The gospel is one gift you can keep and still pass on to others Micah 5:2-15 TODAY IN THE WORD Abraham Lincoln's humble beginnings have become part of American lore. But one historian says that the most difficult part of young Abraham's life came not during his early years in a Kentucky cabin, but after Thomas Lincoln moved the family to Indiana in 1816. The family arrived in Indiana during early winter, needing immediate shelter. Thomas and his son built a three-sided log shelter called a ""half-faced camp,"" the only protection on the fourth side being a fire that burned day and night. The Lincolns began building a log cabin after finishing the shelter, and the family moved in during February, 1817. Many of the world's great rulers came from humble beginnings, but none more so than earth's rightful Ruler, Jesus Christ the Messiah. Actually, Micah's famous prophecy in verse 2 speaks both of Jesus' earthly beginnings as the Son of Man and of His eternality as the Son of God. This great verse is like an early touch of Christmas joy, since it is so much a part of the Advent story. But the prophecy is even more glorious in its context of the coming judgment and ultimate blessing. The Ruler from Bethlehem of Judah will one day reign in power and majesty over His millennial kingdom. Of course, the fifth chapter of Micah does not end with verse 2. That's good news, because the remainder of the chapter outlines a half dozen items on the Messiah's list to accomplish at His Second Coming and the establishment of His kingdom. First, He will reunite the nation of Israel (v. 3). Second, He will rule His people as a caring and protecting Shepherd (vv. 4-5a). Their security and peace will never be in doubt. What about Israel's enemies? That's the third item on Micah's list. They will be routed before the Messiah (vv. 5b-9), never to rise up again. Therefore, fourth, Israel will no longer need to rely on military might, but only on the Lord (vv. 10-11). TODAY ALONG THE WAY Yesterday we praised God for the peace we can enjoy today as His children. We urge you to praise God for the coming peace of His kingdom. Remember, we who know Christ will rule with Him in the Millennium! Our strife-filled world makes universal peace seem like a pipe dream. On the contrary, it is a wonderful reality recorded for us in the pages of God's Word . (Copyright Moody Bible Institute. Used by permission. All rights reserved) Believing Christ died—that’s history Believing Christ died for me—that’s salvation. Isaiah, Micah, and many of the other prophets foretold many details of Jesus' birth, life, and death hundreds of years before they were fulfilled. The likelihood of these events occurring exactly as they were prophesied is too remote to explain away the phenomenon by calling it coincidence. In Science Speaks, Peter Stoner applies the modern science of probability to just eight prophecies. He said, "The chance that any man might have...fulfilled all eight prophecies is one in ten to the seventh degree. That would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000." Stoner said that if we took that many silver dollars and laid them across Texas they would cover the state two feet deep. PROPHECY IS HISTORY WRITTEN AHEAD OF TIME. Micah 5:2 - G Campbell
Miquéias 5
Constable - Assyria was the main threat to the Israelites in Micah's day, but this prophecy predicts Israel's victory over the Assyrians. This did not happen in the history of Israel; Assyria defeated the Northern Kingdom and most of the Southern Kingdom. Thus this prophecy must continue the vision of the distant future that God gave Micah (Micah 4:1 to Micah 5:5a). When future Assyrians, representative of Israel's enemies (cf. Micah 7:12; Isaiah 11:11; Zechariah 10:10), again invade the Promised Land and break down its mansions (cf. Zechariah 12:9; Zechariah 14:2-3), the Israelites will rise up against them. (Expository Notes) (Bolding added)