What Is The Meaning Of  The Fourth Chapter Of Micah?

"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." Micah 4:1. The scripture is unmistakably clear; that it was intended for the last days, for it reads: "But in the last days it shall come to pass." It is also positive that this scripture would be fulfilled, for it says: "it shall come to pass."

It is an accepted fact that nearly all Bible students agree that the "mountain" spoken of in this chapter is a symbol of God's church (denomination), of which the temple built on Mount Moriah was a type. The prophet declares that God's church would be established in the top of the mountains (denominations), and it shall be exalted above the hills (sects, or organizations). Exalted, not by the world, but by the Spirit of God in power, truth, and righteousness, and people will flow unto it. God has spoken it by His holy prophet, therefore it would be foolish, and deceptive for one to argue, or try to explain away the meaning of the sacred word.

This same prophecy is also described in the second chapter of Isaiah from which we quote. "The Iofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day." Isa. 2:11. If everything that is human would be made low and bowed down, and the Lord alone exalted in that day, one can clearly see that the prophecy is to meet its fulfillment, for the Lord is exalted on earth by His church as portrayed by the prophet Isaiah. "Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: But thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: For the Lord delighteth in thee." Isa. 62:3,4.

When the mountain of the Lord is thus "established on the top of the mountains, and exalted above all hills," then doubtless "people shall flow unto it."

This glorious time spoken of by the prophet, Micah, is none other than the loud cry of the third angel's message. The 60th chapter of Isaiah is a prophecy of the church in the time of the "latter rain," from which we quote: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: But the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: All they gather themselves together, they come to thee: Thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side." Isa. 60:1-4.

"And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory." Rev. 18:1. "The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: For they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid." Zeph. 3:13. "For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: But the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee." Isa. 60:2. Such a glorious time is ahead of God's church.

Micah 4:2, first part: "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." The words just quoted are spoken by the nations. When the church of God is purified and filled with the Holy Spirit, "clad in the armor of Christ's righteousness the church is to enter upon her final conflict. 'Fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners,' she is to go forth into all the world, conquering and to conquer." Prophets and Kings, page 725.

Indeed, people will inquire and invite one another, saying, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob." "Therefore, thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces (margin, wealth) of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought....and I will make the place of my feet glorious. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee; The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel." Isa. 60:11, 13, 14. Indeed, this is the harvest time spoken of by the prophets, and the great ingathering from all nation. "The house of the God of Jacob" meaning the church into which the 144,000 are sealed,--Israel the true.

Micah 4:2, last part: "For the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." When the law of the Lord is proclaimed by His church, you can clearly see what is meant by a righteous church: Righteous people who would obey the voice of the Lord. Zephaniah, looking down through the ages by the prophetic eye, foresaw this glorious church. "The remnant of Israel shall not do Iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: For they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid." Zeph. 3:13. None need misunderstand this scripture. It will be fulfilled just as it is written. Though some may think this prophecy is empty talk because the people are saying, "come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord."

We read in Counsels to Teachers: " 'This shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put My law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: For they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." Jer. 31:33, 34.'

" '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 of 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.' Micah 4:2." Counsels to Teachers, pages 454, 455. Note that the Spirit of Prophecy applies Micah 4:2 as a sure prophecy that will come to pass and find its fulfillment with the people of God, by associating the verse with Isa. 54:11-14; Jer. 31:33, 34; which scriptures find their fulfillment in the time of the "Loud Cry of the Third Angel's Message."

Micah 4:3, "And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." "And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off." In Isa. 60:10, 12, we have the explanation of the text. "And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee:...For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted."

"And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." This verse reads exactly the opposite of Joel 3:10, "Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears: Let the weak say I am strong."

These scriptures reveal two classes of people. One class shall flow into the church by great groups: Kings, and great army leaders who have been building destroying weapons and preparing for war. Now the gospel has conquered them. While they are joining the church they gather their war implements, beating them into plowshares and pruninghooks. "Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise." Isa. 60:18. The other class, outside of the church, prepare for war, beating their plowshares into swords, and their pruninghooks into spears. One people is preparing for translation, while the other is getting ready for conquest. Therefore both scriptures run parallel and will be fulfilled at the same time. Thus the world would be divided into two great separate and distinct classes: Separating the wheat from the chaff, the goats from the sheep.

Micah 4:4, "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 hath spoken it." The meaning of the verse is that God's church is in an absolute security, and none need fear. Remember that the 144,000 are sealed before this time, and their life is sure; none can harm them nor touch their present life, or the life to come, for they are living saints, to be translated. Having this assurance, none can make them afraid, and they shall triumph with victory. Quoting Isaiah 60:17, last part, and 18: "I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise."

Micah 4:5, "For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever." The verse is unmistakably clear that the world would be divided into two great, and separate classes. God's people would have nothing in common with the wicked, and would say, "all people will walk every one in the name of his god." But "we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever."

Micah 4:6, "In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted," meaning the church now, in this present condition. "I will make her a remnant:" That is, after the separation, (purification), those who are left,--the 144,000, being the remnant. The affliction is the time of purification.

Micah 4:7, "And I will make her that halteth 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." "Her that was cast far off,"--the church at this present time was "cast off," or as it reads in Rev. 3:16, "I will spue thee out of my mouth,"--meaning the present Laodicean state. But in His mercy He will gather the remnant (those that are left) and make the church a "strong nation" by the ingathering of the Gentiles into the message. A great army of 144,000, filled with the Holy Ghost will fearlessly proclaim the message in all the world, going forth conquering and to conquer. "A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in its time." Isa. 60:22. "And the Lord shall reign over them from henceforth even forever:" Christ Himself takes charge of the flock once and forever. "God has promised that where the shepherds are not true he will take charge of the flock himself." Volume 5, page 80.

Micah 4:8, "And thou, O tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem." This verse is familiar to all. A prophecy of Christ,--"O tower of the flock....unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion." "The first dominion" is the dominion Adam lost. The promise is that Christ will restore it all, and in turn, by inheritance, it shall come to the church (His people). "The kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem."

Micah 4:9, "Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counselor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail." This time of crying and pain could be no other but the time just before us, the time of purification. "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: And the Lord, whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: Behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' sope." Mal. 3:1, 2.

This purifying process will not be an easy matter on the part of sinners, for "refiner's fire and fullers' sope" is being used, and when God gets through with this washing process, He will have a people pure and clean. Then there will be a glorious time with joy and gladness in the Lord, as it is with a woman in travail, but when a son is born there is great joy. But the question is asked, "Now why dost thou cry out loud? is there no king in thee? is thy counselor perished?" Though it may seem painful yet none need fear, for God's church has a King and a counselor who neither slumbers nor sleeps". The furnace is watched closely. The sinner shall perish, but the godly shall be preserved.

Micah 4:10, "Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: For now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies." This verse shows that after the purification, the church is not immediately translated to the New Jerusalem in heaven, but is left to do her appointed work here on earth. "For now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies."

"Be in pain and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail." The explanation of this scripture is found in Isa. 66:7, 8. We quote verse 7: "Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child." This woman "brought forth before she travailed, before her pain came she was delivered of a man child." The woman is the Old Testament church in the days of Christ. Christ is the man child whom she brought forth, but she travailed not, neither did she have pain. That is, she knew Him not; she felt no pain of deliverance. As it would be a miracle for a woman to give birth to a child in this way, so it was a miracle that Christ was born to that unworthy mother (Jewish church: Because she had backslidden). Quoting Isa. 66:8: "Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children." While it was a miracle for the Jewish church to give birth to Christ; there is a still greater miracle with the church mentioned in this verse, for while the latter travailed she brought forth her children. It would be a wonder for such a thing, as it is impossible for the earth to bring forth in one day, or for a nation to be born at once. Nevertheless it will be done, "for as soon as Zion travailed she brought forth her children."

Humanly speaking, to finish the work of the gospel in this generation (the generation being almost past) would be an impossible task; but prophecy declares that impossibilities will be accomplished. The church which travailed and brought forth her children is the church in the time of the loud cry of the third angel's message. There is a great ingathering to be accomplished in just a little while. "And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory." Rev. 18:1. "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."

Micah 4:11, "Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion." As soon as God's church as a body (not as individuals) escapes the clutches of the devil (for the unclean shall not enter in), and becomes earnest, filled with the Spirit of God, the wrath of the old enemy will be aroused, and will bring about the fulfillment of Rev. 12:17. "And the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus."

This time of trouble is also described by the Spirit of Prophecy. Early Writings, pages 33, 34: "And at the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully....The wicked thought that we had brought the judgments upon them, and they rose up and took counsel to rid the earth of us, thinking that then the evil would be stayed. In the time of trouble we all fled from the cities and villages, but were pursued by the wicked, who entered the houses of the saints with a sword." Also pages 282, 283. "I saw the saints leaving the cities and villages and associating together in companies, and living in the most solitary places. Angels provided them food and water, while the wicked were suffering from hunger and thirst. Then I saw the leading men of the earth consulting together, and Satan and his angels busy around them. I saw a writing, copies of which were scattered in different parts of the land, giving orders that unless the saints should yield their peculiar faith, give up the Sabbath, and observe the first day of the week, the people were at liberty after a certain time, to put them to death." Jeremiah also describes this troublous time. "The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place." Jer. 6:3.

Micah 4:12, "But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsel: For he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor." The wicked cannot understand God. While they seek to destroy His people they are but erecting the gallows to hang themselves upon. As the wicked Haman prepared the gallows to take the life of Mordecai, the Jew, only succeeded to hang his own neck on it, just so the wicked will be confused in the day of God, for they know not the thoughts of the Lord.

Micah 4:13, "Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: For I will make thine horn iron and I will make thy hoofs brass: And thou shalt beat in pieces many people: And I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth." God's church is to thresh garner in, bind in bundles, burn and destroy. The wicked shall perish and be as though they had not been. "For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted." Isa. 60:12.