Read Micah 5:5–15
Questions from the Scripture text: What will the Ruler be (Micah 5:5a)? Who would hypothetically invade (verse 5b–c)? How would Judah respond (verse 5d–e)? What would these shepherd-princes do (Micah 5:6)? Among whom will the remnant of Jacob be (Micah 5:7a–b, Micah 5:8–c)? What will they be like (Micah 5:7c–d, Micah 5:8d–e)? How promptly/inexorably (Micah 5:7e–f, Micah 5:8f–h)? What will they be able to do (Micah 5:9)? What false military hopes will the Lord remove from them, then (Micah 5:10-11)? What false religious hopes will the Lord remove from them, then (Micah 5:12-14)? And what will the Lord execute upon whom from the nations (Micah 5:15)?
What does the Messiah do for His people? Micah 5:5–15 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word read in the public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eleven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Messiah brings true peace to His remnant from all the nations.
When the God-Man (cf. Micah 5:2e–f), Who will rule Israel (cf. verse 2d), comes as their peace (Micah 5:5a), it will revolutionize God’s people. By His grace, their leaders will have strength to defeat the strongest enemy (Micah 5:5-6). Though just a remnant remain, many peoples will be gathered to them for the inevitable refreshment of their lives (Micah 5:7), while those among the nations who are disobedient will be inescapably destroyed (Micah 5:8, Micah 5:15). Thus, God will give them peace on the earth and with Himself. For, the Lord will cut off from them all false hope security (Micah 5:10-11), all false hope of knowledge (Micah 5:12), and all false worship (Micah 5:13-14). When the God-Man comes, He brings true peace to His remnant from all the nations.
What false hopes of security might you have? To what false places might you be turning for knowledge? In what ways might you be worshiping according to man’s design? For Whose sake will God deliver you from all of that?
Sample prayer: Lord, forgive us for turning to false hopes of security or knowledge. And, deliver us from coming to you to worship in any way that man has devised. For the sake of the Lord Jesus, make us genuinely strong and understanding, and purely worshiping, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested Songs: ARP2 “Why Do Gentile Nations Rage” or TPH2B “Why Do Heathen Nations Rage”
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