MICAH for TODAY and TOMORROW—CHAP. 1 and 2— MY COMMENTARY 1-5

 Micah 1 and 2— for today and tomorrow——

New Living Translation

1 The Lord gave this message to Micah of Moresheth during the years when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. The visions he saw concerned both Samaria and Jerusalem.

Grief over Samaria and Jerusalem

2 Attention! Let all the people of the world listen!
    Let the earth and everything in it hear.
The Sovereign Lord is making accusations against you;
    the Lord speaks from his holy Temple.
3 Look! The Lord is coming!
    He leaves his throne in heaven
    and tramples the heights of the earth.
4 The mountains melt beneath his feet
    and flow into the valleys
like wax in a fire,
    like water pouring down a hill.
5 And why is this happening?
    Because of the rebellion of Israel[a]—
    yes, the sins of the whole nation.
Who is to blame for Israel’s rebellion?
    Samaria, its capital city!

[Probably London—Keith Hunt]

Where is the center of idolatry in Judah?
    In Jerusalem, its capital!

6 “So I, the Lord, will make the city of Samaria
    a heap of ruins.
Her streets will be plowed up
    for planting vineyards.
I will roll the stones of her walls into the valley below,
    exposing her foundations.
7 All her carved images will be smashed.
    All her sacred treasures will be burned.
These things were bought with the money
    earned by her prostitution,
and they will now be carried away
    to pay prostitutes elsewhere.”

8 Therefore, I will mourn and lament.
    I will walk around barefoot and naked.
I will howl like a jackal
    and moan like an owl.
9 For my people’s wound
    is too deep to heal.
It has reached into Judah,
    even to the gates of Jerusalem.

10 Don’t tell our enemies in Gath[b];
    don’t weep at all.
You people in Beth-leaphrah,[c]
    roll in the dust to show your despair.
11 You people in Shaphir,[d]
    go as captives into exile—naked and ashamed.
The people of Zaanan[e]
    dare not come outside their walls.
The people of Beth-ezel[f] mourn,
    for their house has no support.
12 The people of Maroth[g] anxiously wait for relief,
    but only bitterness awaits them
as the Lord’s judgment reaches
    even to the gates of Jerusalem.

13 Harness your chariot horses and flee,
    you people of Lachish.[h]
You were the first city in Judah
    to follow Israel in her rebellion,
    and you led Jerusalem[i] into sin.
14 Send farewell gifts to Moresheth-gath[j];
    there is no hope of saving it.
The town of Aczib[k]
    has deceived the kings of Israel.
15 O people of Mareshah,[l]
    I will bring a conqueror to capture your town.
And the leaders[m] of Israel
    will go to Adullam.

16 Oh, people of Judah, shave your heads in sorrow,
    for the children you love will be snatched away.
Make yourselves as bald as a vulture,
    for your little ones will be exiled to distant lands.

………………………..

Micah 2

New Living Translation

Judgment against Wealthy Oppressors

2 What sorrow awaits you who lie awake at night,
    thinking up evil plans.
You rise at dawn and hurry to carry them out,
    simply because you have the power to do so.
2 When you want a piece of land,
    you find a way to seize it.
When you want someone’s house,
    you take it by fraud and violence.
You cheat a man of his property,
    stealing his family’s inheritance.

3 But this is what the Lord says:
“I will reward your evil with evil;
 you won’t be able to pull your neck out of the noose.
You will no longer walk around proudly,
 for it will be a terrible time.”

[IT WILL BE THE TIME OF GREAT TRIBULATION AS JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW 24— A TIME OF TROUBLE LIKE THERE NEVER HAS BEEN AND NEVER WILL BE AGAIN— Keith Hunt]

4 In that day your enemies will make fun of you
by singing this song of despair about you:
    “We are finished,
      completely ruined!
     God has confiscated our land,
      taking it from us.
     He has given our fields
      to those who betrayed us.[a]”
5   Others will set your boundaries then,
  and the Lord’s people will have no say
  in how the land is divided.

True and False Prophets

6 “Don’t say such things,”
 the people respond.[b]
“Don’t prophesy like that.
  Such disasters will never come our way!”

7 Should you talk that way, O family of Israel?[c]
Will the Lord’s Spirit have patience with such behavior?
If you would do what is right,
you would find my words comforting.
8 Yet to this very hour
my people rise against me like an enemy!
You steal the shirts right off the backs
of those who trusted you,
making them as ragged as men
returning from battle.
9 You have evicted women from their pleasant homes and forever stripped their children of all that God would give them.
10 Up! Begone!
This is no longer your land and home,
for you have filled it with sin and ruined it completely.

11 Suppose a prophet full of lies would say to you,
“I’ll preach to you the joys of wine and alcohol!”
That’s just the kind of prophet you would like!

[YOU WANT SMOOTH  LULL TO SLEEP PREACHERS, WHO SAY WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO SAY. THEY DO NOT TEACH THE PLAIN NITTY-GRITTY OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. THEY WILL NOT TEACH OBSERVANCE TO THE 4TH COMMANDMENT— KEEPING THE 7TH DAY SABBATH. THEY ALLOW ABORTION ON DEMAND. THEY ALLOW SAME SEX MARRIAGE, WITH CHILD RAISING. THEY ALLOW ALL KINDS OF IMMORALITY.  THEY ALLOW TEACHING OF EVOLUTION. THEY ALLOW ALL KINDS OF GAMBLING AND SEEKING MATERIALISM WITH DRUNKENNESS. THEY WILL NOT DO AS GOD TELLS THEM TO DO; LIFT UP YOUR VOICE LIKE A TRUMPET AND SHOW MY PEOPLE THEIR SINS— Keith Hunt]

Hope for Restoration

12 “Someday, O Israel, I will gather you;
I will gather the remnant who are left.
I will bring you together again like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture.
Yes, your land will again
be filled with noisy crowds!
13 Your leader will break out
and lead you out of exile,
out through the gates of the enemy cities,
back to your own land.
Your king will lead you; the Lord himself will guide you.”

………………………..

With the last words we are given the time of this prophecy— JESUS the Messiah has come in glory and power; He will deliver all the peoples of Israel, all 13 tribes, from their enemies, and from destruction and scattering. The LORD Himself will gather them and lead them back to the Holy Land!

We have seen this prophecy repeated over and over in the other prophetic books of the Old Testament.

All that is written shall come to pass; destruction and death upon Israel and Judah during the GREAT TRIBULATION, then RESTORATION, when the Messiah Christ returns to earth.

Keith Hunt

Micah for Today and Tomorrow 

Chapters 1 to 5

MY COMMENTARY Micah lived in Moresheth-gath, located some thirty miles from Jerusalem. He had a message to both the house of Judah and the house of Israel. He lived in the last half of the 8th century B.C. He boldly proclaimed judgment on the capital cities, the leaders, and the people. He offered a message of restoration vested in the mighty Messiah whose birthplace would be in Bethlehem. CHAPTER 1 The people are to HEAR, the world is to listen: The LORD will come down from His place in the heaven and will tread upon the high places of the earth. the mountains shall be molten and the valleys as wax before the fire, and waters pouring down the steep place (verses 1-4). HERE WE HAVE THE TIME SETTING - IT IS THE VERY LAST DAYS OF THIS AGE! Why, will God be this way? It is for the transgressions and sins of the house of Israel. And the high places in the analogy above is Judah. Samaria (the house of Israel - NW Europe; the British people and the USA) will be as a desolate heap. All the graven images of false religion will be smashed. As she gained much of her wealth in a wrong manner, as like a harlot, she will return to the hire of an harlot (verses 5-7). Micah's Lament Micah will wail and howl, strip himself naked and mourn and be in depression; for the wound of Israel and Judah is incurable. Some people wait for the good to come: but it is evil that will come down from the Lord on to Jerusalem. They are to make themselves bald (a way of mourning by cutting off the hair) for destruction will come on their children, as they will go into captivity (verses 8-16).                  THIS IS THE VERSES OF LUKE 21: 20-21. JERUSALEM IS SURROUNDED             BY ARMIES OF THE KING OF THE NORTH— THE LAST RESURRECTION            OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE; BABYLON MYSTERY POWER DRUNK            ON THE BLOOD OF THE SAINTS.  AS IT WAS IN  THE PAST, SO IT WILL BE            AGAIN AT THE END TIME, THE LAST 42 MONTHS OF THIS AGE, AS GIVEN            IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION— Keith Hunt  CHAPTER 2 God says WOE to those who can only think and dream of iniquity, who practice it as a way of life. They covet physical things, fields, houses, and in so doing they oppress a man, even his inheritance (verses 1-2). WE HAVE SEEN THIS MIGHTILY DEMONSTRATED IN THE SEPTEMBER 2008 WALL STREET BANK INVESTORS ***CRASH*** Many have lost their homes and jobs, their savings, their retirement savings. And so far there is no talk of taking the BILLIONS from those filthy rich investors, but it seems the tax payer will foot the bill. God WILL remember all this iniquity and He will bring evil upon Israel and Judah for their totality of sins. The people better get ready to lament for utter destruction will come upon them. Micah is not to prophecy like the prophets (so-called) among the children of Jacob. He is to tell them that the words of God ARE GOOD to those who WALK UPRIGHTLY. But God's people are acting like an enemy to Him and to other people. Women (many times with children) are being CAST OUT OF THEIR HOMES - that is what the greedy Wall Street bankers have done. It will not be a rest to you, this will not continue to be your land of plenty, because of your sins, you have ruined it completely. Suppose a prophet full of lies were to say to you, "I'll preach to you the joys of wine and drink!" That is just the kind of prophet you would like! (verses 3-11). Yes, the true prophet of God would not be welcome, sins and wickedness and iniquity the people do not want to hear. The leaders do not want to hear it. Most people in the churches do not want to hear it - sin and repentance they do not want to know about - they want smooth things, they want the joyful party talk, not the words of destruction and captivity because of great wickedness in the land. But death for sin is coming on Israel and Judah! God says, "Someday, O Israel, I will gather the few of you who are left. I will bring you together again like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture. Yes, your land will again be filled with noisy crowds. Your leaders will break out and lead you out of exile. He will bring you through the gates of our cities of captivity, back to your own land. Your king will lead you; The Lord HIMSELF WILL GUIDE YOU!"(The New Living Translation - verses 12-13). WE HAVE SEEN THIS PROPHECY REPEATED MANY TIMES ALREADY IN THE BOOKS OF ISAIAH, JEREMIAH, EZEKIEL AND OTHERS. IT IS THE THEME OF THE PROPHETS: DESTRUCTION UPON ISRAEL AND JUDAH FOR SINS; FEW LEFT ALIVE; BUT THE LORD COMING IN POWER BACK TO EARTH TO DELIVER THE CAPTIVES OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH FROM THE NATIONS THEY ARE SCATTERED IN; AND BRINGING THEM BACK LIKE A MIGHTY EXODUS, TO THE HOLY LAND, WHERE THEY WILL MULTIPLY, BE AT PEACE, HAVE BLESSINGS, RE-ESTABLISH THEIR OLD LANDS OF THE WEST, AS THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH PROCEEDS THROUGH THE 1,000 YEARS OF THE NEW AGE. CHAPTER 3 God says LISTEN O house of Israel. It should be the natural thing for your leaders to want to know JUDGMENT. But it seems you HATE the GOOD, and LOVE the EVIL! You PLUCK OFF THE SKIN, AND THE FLESH FROM OFF THEIR BONES. You leaders eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them. You break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as to put it all in the flesh pot (verses 1-3). This is a figurative way of saying the LEADERS lead the people into sin and iniquity, doing them much harm, leading the people for destruction and brokenness. It COULD ALSO be a prophecy concerning our HORRID ABORTION PRACTICES!! Our leaders do not SERVE the Lord with ALL their heart and mind; they have an outward form of "Christian religion" but it is NOT BIBLICAL Christianity; they do not lead the people as with the TRUTH of the Bible! How many of the leaders of Israel and Judah, really SEEK the TRUE servants of the Lord, to inquire from them what are the LIFE and DEATH words of the Lord? I and my fellow co-workers do NOT have our phones ringing by the leaders of our lands to ask us HOW to lead and govern such a great people as the nations of Israel and Judah. The day and time will come when the leaders of Israel and Judah will CRY OUT to the Lord for help and guidance, BUT HE WILL NOT HEAR THEM! He will HIDE HIS FACE FROM THEM, FOR they have BEHAVED THEMSELVES ILL IN ALL THEIR DOINGS! (verse 4). Listen you prophets of Israel that say "peace, peace," and cause God's people to err. You say peace to those on your side, but you plan war on others, who do not serve your interests. Such is often your politics. You will not see visions, your days will be darkness, the sun will go down on your way of life. The time is coming when the so-called prophets will be ASHAMED, and the diviners CONFOUNDED. They shall ALL KEEP THEIR LIPS SHUT IN THAT DAY AND TIME. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE LORD. BUT THE TRUE SERVANTS OF THE LORD WILL BE STRONG IN POWER AND JUDGMENT AND MIGHT, TO DECLARE UNTO JACOB THEIR TRANSGRESSIONS AND TO ISRAEL THEIR SINS! (verses 5-8). When God says it is time for the end of this age to start to come to a close, the true servants of the Lord will be KNOWN, people will KNOW they have SPOKEN THE TRUTH! For a short while BEFORE the European Beast Babylon power STRIKES to conquer the Western world, God's prophets WILL BE BOLD! They will have a time when they will be able to "SHOUT ALOUD, SPARE NOT, LIFT UP YOUR VOICE LIKE A TRUMPET, AND TELL MY PEOPLE THEIR TRANSGRESSIONS, AND THE HOUSE OF JACOB THEIR SINS" (Isaiah 58:1). Listen your leaders of Israel Jacob, that abhor true judgment, and pervert equity. Zion is built on blood, and Jerusalem is full of INIQUITY! Your leaders are often corrupt; your religious leaders work for money, teach what you want them to teach; your prophets speak what you pay them to say and do, while saying you are Christian nations, that in God you trust, and so no evil can come on you. BUT ZION AND JERUSALEM WILL FALL - IT WILL BE PLOWED AS A FIELD ONE DAY (verses 9-12). CHAPTER 4 BUT, AH IN THE LAST DAYS, WHEN ALL THIS PROPHECY COMES TO PASS, GOD PROCLAIMS: "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. 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; and he will TEACH us His ways, and we will WALK in His paths: FOR THE LAW SHALL GO FORTH OF ZION, AND THE WORD OF THE LORD FROM JERUSALEM. And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations a far off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nations shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken it. For all the people will walk every one in the name of his God (the resurrected saints ruling the people under Christ), and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever" (verses 2-5). It is the time of the Kingdom of God on earth. Jesus has returned, the saints are resurrected, the nations of the earth will come under the rule of Christ. Jerusalem will be planted again, built up; the law and the word of the Lord will go forth from Zion. The physical people of the land will be willing to be led by the saints who now have the name of God as a full inheritance. David, as we have previously seen, will be resurrected and rule over the 12 tribes of Israel, under him will be the 12 apostles of Christ, resurrected to rule each over one tribe of Israel. It will be the time when the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea beds. Let's go on. NOTICE IT: "IN THAT DAY, says the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will GATHER her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted. And I will make her that halteth a remnant, and her that was cast off a strong nations: and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever" (verses 6-7). There is NO DOUBT when this prophecy is for! It is for the TIME OF THE END ... IN THAT DAY ... THE DAY JUST SPOKEN ABOUT IN VERSES 1-5. IT IS A PROPHECY FOR THE KINGDOM AGE, THE TIME OF THE MESSIAH COMING IN POWER AND GLORY, TO RESTORE ISRAEL AND JUDAH BACK TO THE HOLY LAND, TO DELIVER THEM FROM THE LANDS OF THEIR ENEMIES, TO EXODUS THEM AGAIN BACK TO THE LAND OF PROMISE (see Isaiah 11:10-16). The KINGDOM shall come to the DAUGHTER of Zion. She is for a moment in travail and sorrow. She is in pain to bring forth. Jerusalem and Judah shall go forth to the end time Babylon, the king of the north of Daniel 11:40-45. It is from BABYLON, modern Babylon, the Babylon of the book of Revelation; it is from the WOMAN WHORE RIDING the BABYLON BEAST of THE EUROPE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, that God will redeem Israel and Judah and Jerusalem.   Many nations will be gathered against Zion and Jerusalem in the end time. They will say, "Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion." Of course their eye will be evil towards Jerusalem. But they do not know the thought of the Lord; they do not understand His ways; the false prophet of Revelation will not understand the workings of the Lord. It is to all happen because God will gather all nations to that battle of Armageddon. As the sheaves into the floor to be threshed. At that day Zion, Jerusalem, the people of Judah are to ARISE AND THRESH (as told in Zechariah 12 to 14). Judah's horn will be strong as iron, with hoofs of brass. They shall be in pieces many people: and God will consecrate the gain, all, the whole earth, will belong to the Lord (verses 8-13). This section is ENLARGED UPON in the prophecy of Zechariah chapters 12 to 14. I shall cover that section in detail when we get to that prophetic book. This is all the wonderful prophecy of the coming of Christ the Messiah, the deliverance of Israel and Judah from their enemies. The might and power given to Judah in Jerusalem (those still alive) to also fight the enemy. The great and terrible battle of Armageddon, where the armies of the TEN NATION confederacy under the man beast, together with armies from the East, over the other side of Euphrates (all told us in the book of Revelation) WILL BE DESTROYED, and THE LORD WILL BE KING AND RULER OF THE EARTH! THE LAW AND WORD OF GOD WILL GO FORTH FROM JERUSALEM. THE FESTIVALS OF GOD WILL BE OBSERVED (Zech.14). ALL NATIONS WILL FINALLY DESIRE TO LEARN AND BE TAUGHT THE WAYS OF THE LORD. IT IS THE TIME WHEN THE EARTH WILL BEGIN TO BE COVERED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA BEDS!! PRAISE BE HIS NAME. A NEW AGE IS COMING!! ..................... To be continued