Micah 4:7

And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. I WILL MAKE HER THAT HALTED A REMNANT - I will cause a remnant to remain which shall not perish. AND THE LORD SHALL REIGN OVER THEM IN MOUNT ZION. David's kingdom shall be restored in the person of Messiah, who is the seed of David, and at the same time Yahweh (). FROM HENCEFORTH, EVEN FOREVER - (Isaiah 9:6; ; ; ;...

He then adds, _I will make the halting a remnant _By remnant he understands the surviving Church. Hence the metaphor, halting, is extended even to destruction; as though he said, “Though the Jews for a time may differ nothing from dead men, I will yet cause them to rise again, that they may become again a new people.” It was difficult to believe this at the time of exile: no wonder, then, that the Prophet here promises that a posterity would be born from a people that were dead. For though Babylon was to them like the grave, yet God was able to do such a thing as to bring them forth as new men, as it really happened. He afterwards subjoins _And the driven afar off, a strong nation _When the Jews were scattered here and there, how was it possible that God should from this miserable devastation form for himself a new people, and also a strong people? But the Prophet has put the contrary cl...

1-8 The nations have not yet so submitted to the Prince of Peace, as to beat their swords into ploughshares, nor has war ceased. But very precious promises these are, relating to the gospel church, which will be more and more fulfilled, for He is faithful that has promised. There shall be a glorious church for God set up in the world, in the last days, in the days of the Messiah. Christ himself will build it upon a rock. The Gentiles worshipped their idol gods; but in the period spoken of, the people will cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and delight in doing his will. The word "halteth," describes those who walk not according to the Divine word. The collecting the captives from Babylon was an earnest of healing, purifying, and prospering the church; and the reign of Christ shall continue till succeeded by the everlasting kingdom of heaven. Let us stir up each other to atte...

Verse Micah 4:7. _HER THAT HALTED A REMNANT_] I will preserve them as a distinct people after their return from captivity, for the farther purposes of my grace and mercy. _AND THE LORD SHALL REIGN OVER THEM IN MOUNT ZION_] The _Chaldee_ is remarkable here, and positively applies the words to the Messiah: "But thou, O Messiah, of Israel, who art hidden because of the sins of the congregation of Zion, the kingdom shall come unto thee....

AND HER THAT WAS CAST OFF A STRONG NATION - The prophecy, that there should be a remnant, was depressing. Yet what a remnant should it be! A remnant, which should multiply like the stars of heaven or the sand on the sea-shore. Israel had never been “a strong nation,” as a kingdom of this world. At its best estate, under David, it had subdued the petty nations around it, who were confederated to destroy it. It had never competed with the powers of this world, East or West, Egypt or Nineveh, although God had at times marvelously saved it from being swallowed up by them. Now, the remnant of Judah, which itself was but a remnant of the undivided people, was to become “a strong nation.” So Isaiah prophesied, “A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation” Isaiah 60:22. Plainly not in temporal greatness, both because human strength was not, and

EXPOSITION MICAH 4:1 § 4. _The prophet suddenly announces the future glory of the temple mountain and the ideal happiness of the people_ MICAH 4:1 BUT. There is no adversative particle here; the verse is merely connected with what precedes without any expressed contrast. What is implied is that it was impossible that the temple, to which God's high promises attached, should lie waste forever. The passage, Micah 4:1, occurs in Isaiah 2:2, The question as to which prophecy is the earlier cannot be settled. Possibly both prophets borrowed the language of some earlier work

AND I WILL MAKE HER THAT HALTED A REMNANT,.... That is, make a reserve of her, and not utterly cut her off for her halting or sinning; that there may be a seed, a posterity descending from her, that shall serve the Lord, and appear to be a remnant according to the election of grace; which will be the persons called and gathered in the latter day: AND HER THAT WAS CAST AFAR OFF A STRONG NATION; Kimchi thinks this refers to the ten tribes that were carried far off into Media and other parts, 2 Kings 17:6; who shall now be a mighty and numerous people; and especially shall be strong in a spiritual sense in the Lord, and in the power of his might, in Christ and his grace, and in the faith of him; see Isaiah 60:22; and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from hencefort

Micah 4:1. _But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it._ God's cause and kingdom shall not be hidden away in a corner: «the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains,» an Alp upon other Alps, higher than all the other hills. The day is coming when the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be the most conspicuous thing in the whole world, «and people shall flow unto it.» The heathen, the people who knew nothing about it, shall flow to it like a great river. Micah 4:2. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob;

CHAPTER 4 _ 1. The future of glory (Micah 4:1) _ 2. The restoration and the final victory (Micah 4:6) Micah 4:1. The last verse predicted the long desolation and ruin of Zion. This is followed at once by a great prophecy of the future of glory in store for Zion. Isaiah also uttered this great prediction. Not that Micah copied Isaiah, nor Isaiah Micah, but the same Spirit gave to the men the same prophecy. It concerns the latter days, which means the coming of Messiah's kingdom on earth. These days are not yet here. To apply these words, even in a spiritual way, to the present age, or to the Church, is a serious mistake. The house of the Lord is not the Church, but the house in Jerusalem, to which in the kingdom the

MICAH 4:6 TO MICAH 5:1. EXILE AND RESTORATION: ISRAEL'S VICTORY OVER THE NATIONS. The reference to the Babylonian exile (Micah 4:10) shows that the passage is not earlier than the sixth century, Micah himself being concerned with Assyria, not Babylon. The sequence of thought is not clear, and it has been suggested that Micah 4:9 f. should precede Micah 4:6; Micah 4:11 ff. is apparently a distinct prophecy, describing a siege of Jerusalem which is eschatological rather than historic (_cf._...