Minor Prophets LXI: The Champion

Let us look again at the first (5) verses of Micah 5. We can see certain aspects of the Messianic promise have been realized and some aspects that await their fulfillment. How so you ask? Look at them for yourself. If you don't see it read on...

I sort of hit on this previously but will go into more explicit details. In Micah 5:1-5, Micah was looking ahead to the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. King Zedekiah and his officers will see that their situation is a no-win and will try to escape but they will be captured. The king will be summarily humiliated by smacking him upside the head with a “rod” and his sons will be killed. He is then blinded then taken to captivity. Verse 1 is probably not referring to Jesus since Bethlehem is mentioned in verse 2-5 in contrast to verse 1. Verses 2-5 are clearly alluding to Christ (at least in my mind). As a side note it is this passage that priests share with the magi (three wise men) that came to Jerusalem looking for the King in Matthew 2:1-12 (Wiersbe 396).

What awaits fulfillment is dependent on what is viewed as “the present” day. Micah appears to put together the two advents of Christ in verse 2 & 3. If we are talking about "now" [modern day] as the present it would have to be the latter portions of this unit referring to a remnant that begins to be hit upon in the second half of the first 5 verses. As mentioned above we are dealing with a future day when Jews will see Christ for who he really is. Although Assyria is mentioned and will obviously not exist in “that day” it represents Israel’s future enemies or nations hostile to Jerusalem. What nations? Who knows, who cares? What country hasn't had it out for Israel and the Jews in the last two or three thousand years? It would suffice to say it will be one nation or anther. The nation is irrelevant and to try and guess is pure speculation and foolishness.

Regardless of which it will be Christ that will enable Israel to defeat all comers. In the future Israel will rule over the other nations that had routinely subjugated them because Jesus will be their deliverer. Verse 5:10 drives the nail home with the statement, ‘ “In that day,” declares the LORD” Clearly alluding to a future date where Israel with Christ on their side will rule over the other nations. This hasn’t fully happened yet, at least not as described (in my opinion).

Wiersbe, Warren W.. "Hope: The Promises of The Lord." The Bible exposition commentary . 1. print. ed. Colorado Springs, Colo.: Victor, 2001. 395-397. Print.