Micah 5:7-8

The words ‘will be’ start another message about the ‘last days’ (last period). It is about the events after the *Messiah’s birth. It is about the *remnant from Jacob’s family (Micah 4:7). Micah uses the name ‘Jacob’ to mean all *Israel (Micah 1:5). The weak *remnant are the rest of the ‘brothers’ (those that believe in the *Messiah). (See Micah 5:3.) They will become strong. *Israel will become a strong nation. It will be in the middle of many strong nations. It will be stronger than those nations. But *Israel’s people will not win by their own strength. The *Messiah is on their side. He rules by the *LORD’s strength (verse 4).

Micah refers to the *remnant by the name ‘Jacob’. Also the man called Jacob was weak in his body. (Look at Micah 4:6.) Then God gave to him a new name, Israel. Then Jacob (Israel) became strong. He became strong enough to achieve God’s purposes. He completed many of the promises that God made to Abraham (Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:17-18). The nation called *Israel came from him. God was loyal to his people. He did for them what he had promised. He achieved it by means of the *remnant. Abraham has now become the father of many nations (Romans 4:16-17).

The *remnant brings *eternal life to those who believe in the *Messiah. And it brings death to those who do not believe in him. Verses 7 and 8 are similar in one way. They show the effect that *Israel will have on the nations. Verse 7 describes the *remnant as *dew and showers of rain. These are things that show God’s *eternal life and his help. They come from God in heaven. They do not wait for (expect) people to send food (or goodness) to the earth. ‘Wait for’ means to look towards the future. It means to expect good things to happen. It does not mean to delay. Dew and rain do not depend on people’s actions. People are weak. People do not control the supply of water. It comes by means of God’s action. God is good and kind. And he has all power.

In verse 8, there is a different description. Micah describes the effect that Zion’s (Jerusalem’s) people will have among the nations. Its people will be like a strong animal. They will break up the nations like grains of wheat (Micah 4:13). God’s *remnant among the nations will be like a lion. A lion lives among the wild animals in the forest. It is proud and fierce. The lion is like a leader among the other wild animals. The *remnant is like a young lion. The young lion tries to find food among groups of sheep. He tears the sheep to pieces. And nobody can rescue them. This describes God’s punishment. Nobody can escape from it (Deuteronomy 32:39; Psalms 50:22; Hosea 5:14).

This *prophecy has a *spiritual meaning. The things in it are happening now. And Jesus Christ’s church (the people that belong to him) will see it happen completely. God is saving his people. They are like a sweet smell of *eternal life. They are like a sweet smell because they will bring *eternal life to people. But other people do not accept the *eternal life that God’s people bring. And so they are dying. So it is as if those other people taste a flavour (taste) of death (2 Corinthians 2:14-16). The church (people that belong to Jesus Christ) still has these two effects (*eternal life and death) on people today. God’s Holy Spirit gives power to his people. They will spread God’s kingdom (rule) across the whole world.

But this *prophecy also has a physical meaning. Jesus, God’s *Messiah, will return to this Earth. He will rule as King of *Israel. And then all the nations will have to obey him. Before this happens, there will be a terrible time on the Earth. The most wicked people will rule by the devil’s power. But Jesus will defeat them and their ruler, the devil (Revelation 19:11-16). Then Jesus’ rule will begin. He will be a strong ruler (Psalms 2). He will rule with his people. And nobody will be able to oppose his rule (Zechariah 14:16-19).

v9 You will lift your hand to strike your enemies. You will kill them all.