March 6th, 2014
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Look Up!

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

“His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth” (Mic. 5:4). Risen Lord, open my eyes to see Your greatness.

Read Micah 5:1-15

[1] Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod. [2] “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” [3] Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. [4] He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. [5] And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses. We will raise against them seven shepherds, even eight commanders, [6] who will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod with drawn sword. He will deliver us from the Assyrians when they invade our land and march across our borders. [7] The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for anyone or depend on man. [8] The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue. [9] Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed. [10] “In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will destroy your horses from among you and demolish your chariots. [11] I will destroy the cities of your land and tear down all your strongholds. [12] I will destroy your witchcraft and you will no longer cast spells. [13] I will destroy your idols and your sacred stones from among you; you will no longer bow down to the work of your hands. [14] I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles when I demolish your cities. [15] I will take vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations that have not obeyed me.”

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright &copy 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.&reg Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Meditate

“Has the Christ, who was born in Bethlehem, Ephrathah, been born in you because you have been born again by faith in him” (A. Morgan Derham)? May we all answer a resounding “Yes!”

Think Further

The first of two dominant images in Micah 5 is that of a new Davidic king. David’s home town symbolizes his life, a journey from insignificance to greatness, which is a pattern to be repeated (2). Although some of the details of opposition to Israel are obscure (1,3), the picture of the Davidic king, whose strength and glory will be God’s, is clear (4). When he is king, an Assyrian invasion will come to nothing (5,6). Although Micah uses the language of his own time (Assyrian invasion, swords, borders), his concern with God-given strength and peace resonates with a Christian vision of Jesus as the one who realizes what this vision is ultimately about. Jesus, through his death, resurrection and ascension, has become sovereign over the world, and we look to him in hope as our deliverer. Assyrian invasion becomes a metaphor for the many continuing assaults on God’s people and on God’s truth, which we seek to resist in the strength of our Lord.

The second image is the “remnant of Jacob,” the faithful few who have to live through divine judgment upon all of Israel and who form the nucleus for the future people of God. They are nourished by divine provision (7), which will give strength over enemies (8,9). This will be accompanied by a remarkable, divine purging of the renewed Jacob, who will be deprived of conventional military resources (10,11) and any lingering idolatrous practices (12-14). They will thus be a people unlike any other, presumably in keeping with their divinely enabled king. Again, to a Christian this picture is suggestive of the distinctive ways in which the church should live: with deep roots in God and with victory over enemies such as sin, poverty and ignorance only when purged by God, and so enabled genuinely to channel God’s truth to his world.

Apply

The Lord is always doing a purging work among his people (10-14). Is the Holy Spirit revealing things you need to deal with? Bring these issues before him now.

Closing prayer

Risen and ascended Lord, keep my eyes fixed on You, and may I triumph only in Your strength.

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