Micah 4:8

God speaks another *prophecy about Zion (Jerusalem). He calls the new capital a *watchtower. This is a tall building. It is in a *vineyard. Men watch from it to guard the *vineyard. These men carry weapons (arms like the ones that people use for war). When *shepherds are looking after their sheep, they watch. They watch to see if there are wild animals. They watch in case someone would steal their sheep. The sheep are like the nation’s citizens. These are the people to whom Micah refers in verses 6 and 7. The former rulers stole from the people (chapter 3). But in the new age, God will protect the people. He will do this by means of the *Messiah (Micah 5:1-6).

God speaks to Zion (Jerusalem) as if it were a strong building. The *Hebrew word for this building also means ‘a hill’. (The same *Hebrew word appears in 2 Kings 5:24.) Zion is an old name for Jerusalem. It was a hill to the east of Jerusalem. There used to be strong men there. They possessed all the military arms that people needed for war. This old name (Zion) linked the hill with David. He was the strong king of *Israel. From his *descendants, the *Messiah would come. God had often promised to David that the rule of David’s *descendant (the *Messiah) would never end. We find that promise in many *psalms. (See Psalms 46 and 48. Look also at Psalms 76; Psalms 84; Psalms 87 and 122). The old name for Jerusalem (Zion) made people remember David’s previous greatness. That would encourage the *remnant. The city would again have the power and glory (greatness) that it had in the past.

The nation called *Israel would belong to the ‘Daughter of Jerusalem’ (Micah 4:6-8). In the *Hebrew language, the word for ‘city’ is a female word. Jerusalem is therefore called a ‘daughter’. The small group of people in Jerusalem can look back. They can look back to the great period in the past. They can then look forward to the wonderful period in the future. They will again be under the rule of the king (who will then be the *Messiah).

At the time when Micah was alive, the people were not able to see these things happen. But Jesus, the *Messiah, has now come to this Earth. Now people from all the nations ask him to help them. They recognise him as their *Saviour and *Lord. They do not still *worship any other gods. They get to know the power of God’s Holy Spirit (Isaiah 61:1-4). But more is still to come.

Jesus, the *Messiah, is the great *Shepherd of the sheep. Nobody can steal the sheep out of his hand (his care) (John 10:28). He promises to be with his people always. He will be with them until time has ended (Matthew 28:20).

4:9-13 Zion’s (Jerusalem’s) people will suffer pains that will lead to the beginning of a new age

The *prophecy develops in two parts (verses 9-10; 11-13). Both parts start from the word ‘Now’. ‘Now’ means the time when the present troubles are happening (verses 9, 11). The second part refers to a wonderful future. In it, Micah uses the phrase ‘Daughter of Zion’ (Jerusalem). That means the people in Jerusalem. In the *Hebrew text, God tells the people that they must shake themselves about. They have to shake themselves because they are suffering so much pain (verse 10). This refers to a mother’s pains when her child is born. Later, God tells the same people to ‘get up’. And he tells them to ‘break these people (the enemies)’ (verse 13). For that, the *Hebrew has a special description, like a picture. It means when people break wheat to separate the inner grains from the rest. After that, Micah describes what the future will be like.

v9 Now you are crying very loudly. Perhaps you think that you have no king. Perhaps you think that you have lost your wise helper. You are suffering like a woman that is having a baby.