Well, good evening, everybody. Thank you to Archie and to the band for leading us so far.
If you do grab a pew Bible, we're going to continue our reading in Micah in chapter 5.
Just to say as we start, for those of you who don't know me, my name is Alistair.
I have the privilege of being the assistant pastor here and the joy of leading us through this wonderful passage this evening.
So continuing in the book of Micah chapter 5, if you're in the pew Bibles, that's on page 933.
Just the first six verses.
Micah 5, 1-6.
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.
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.
Therefore, Israel will not 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.
We will stand and shepherd his, 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.
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.
Let us pray as we think about these verses together.
Father, as we come to a long passage in a book that often we, isn't our go-to, one that we wouldn't necessarily read of our own self.
Lord, we ask that you would give us strength by your spirit.
Lord, by your spirit, would you help us to understand what you would have us learn from this passage.
And Father, we ask that you would be glorified.
That we would leave here with a greater picture of the hope that you give us in Christ.
And it is in his name that we pray.
Amen.
I recently read the story of Kerry McIntosh.
Maybe some of you read this story in September as well.
A mom from Livingston who for 18 years refused to leave her home, which was condemned by the council.
Dean South is a housing scheme in Livingston that was earmarked for demolition in 2004
due to some of the building materials that were used in construction.
The whole neighborhood was told to leave.
But a handful of the homeowners stuck it out, refusing to leave because they said they weren't offered enough money for their property
or they weren't offered an equivalent one.
Now, Kerry said that it felt daunting being surrounded by derelict buildings.
She felt unsafe.
There were fires.
And to quote her, there were weirdos walking around, checking the area.
She lived in a condemned neighborhood.
Now, come with me from Livingston in 2022 to the city of Jerusalem, approximately 600 BC.
Now, whilst those two places are vastly different in climate, in culture and in language, they're both condemned.
One was condemned by a council for unsafe building materials, whilst the other has been condemned by the almighty God for the sin of its people.
See, in these chapters, we hear the voice of God's prophet, God's spokesperson, Micah.
We step back into a time where the nation of Israel, once called the people of God,
saved mightily by his hand from slavery and given the law so that they can live the way they were created to live,
is left in a state of ruin that should bring a tear to our eye.
The once united nation has been split in two for a while into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah.
Both kingdoms marked by rebellion and idolatry, by injustice and a complete disregard for God's word.
Now, looking at the state of affairs during Micah's time, we can say that these two cities, these two countries rather, were condemned.
But not because of faulty building materials, but because of pride and idolatry.
Because of self-centeredness and disobedience.
Because of bribery and rebellion.
Last week with Jonathan in chapters 1 and 2, we saw Micah predict the coming judgment of God against the northern kingdom.
That would ultimately happen in 722 BC as the Assyrian army would sweep through the land and conquer the nation of Israel.
But we saw hope too, didn't we?
Because God's judgment is not rash.
It isn't off-the-cuff anger or hatred, but it is measured.
God's judgment does not come without warning.
There was a promise of hope.
If you look in chapters 2, verses 12 to 13, that God, like a shepherd, would gather up a faithful remnant and the Lord would be their head.
And now in chapters 3 to 5, again, we see the prediction of judgment and we're reminded of wonderful hope.
We see the hard news and hope.
In these chapters we see condemnation of a corrupt city and restoration of a redeemed city.
So let's turn to chapter 3 and see condemnation of a corrupt city.
Now who are the culprits?
Who are the people responsible for bringing about this declaration from God that Jerusalem, that all of Judah, is condemned and corrupt?
In these 12 verses we see three different indictments, three different accusations against different people who are responsible for creating a corrupt city.
And then we see the sentences that God brings against them.
Now it may not look like it at first, but these verses are very structured as Hebrew poetry often is.
It's a bit like a courtroom.
The accused is standing in the dock.
In this case, it's the city of Jerusalem.
But when an accused person normally stands in a dock, they show humility or regret.
They realize the severity of the situation and hope and pray for an innocent verdict.
But Jerusalem isn't like that at all.
This city has been proud from the get-go, expecting that because they are the people of God, they'll get away with anything under the sun and still be under the protection of God.
But through Micah, God brings three indictments or accusations and three sentences against this corrupt city.
We see them in verses 1 to 4, 5 to 8 and 9 to 12.
Now read verse 1 with me.
Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of Israel, should you not embrace justice?
God is calling out the leaders and rulers of the people.
And normally when we hear those words, we think of kings or city governors or counsellors, princes.
But in this context, God is speaking about judicial leaders.
Those who are given the role of ensuring justice would be served in the land.
They're a bit like the high court or the parliament today.
These leaders are judges who should be governing the people of Judah well.
But they weren't doing their job.
God had made provisions in his law so that all people in the nation of Israel would be cared for properly.
That justice would rule.
That nobody should take advantage of others.
But what does verse 2 say?
Instead of these people leading with justice and integrity, they are people who hate good and love evil.
In fact, the imagery is much more brutal than that.
Verses 2 to 3 elaborate on how the leaders treated the people.
God says that they tear the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones in verse 2.
Though these rulers in verse 3 chop them up like meat for the pan, like flesh for the pot.
Now this is graphic imagery of how a farmer would treat a cattle in his day and age, preparing them for human consumption.
God is saying, you corrupt leaders are treating my covenant people like cattle going to be taken for slaughter.
These judicial leaders should be taking for justice.
These judicial leaders should be offering help to people, standing for justice, but instead they're treating them like animals.
And so God gives them a sentence in verse 4, basically saying,
On the day you cry out to me for help, I will remember how you treated my people.
And no help will come to you.
As the end of verse 4 says,
At that time he will hide his face from them because of the evil they have done.
And the second indictment is in verses 5 to 8.
This time it's against the so-called prophets.
Read what God says in verse 5.
As for the prophets who lead my people astray, they proclaim peace if they have something to eat,
but prepare to wage war against anyone who refuses to feed them.
See, the problem is here that these so-called prophets have become religious mercenaries.
They're prophesying for personal gain rather than truth.
Speaking whatever people want to hear in order to line their own pockets and fill their own bellies.
Speaking words of peace and comfort to the highest bidder when in reality there's an army on the horizon who are coming to destroy this city.
These charlatans have no regard for the truth and are misrepresenting God.
They only preach hope and never hard news.
They preach wealth and prosperity as long as you pay the right price.
They look for the approval of man rather the approval of God.
Now it's easy for us, isn't it, to read things like this and think of false teachers today,
to make that direct line application.
It's easy to see these religious mercenaries and think of modern day prosperity preachers
who live in mansions, who fly all over the world in private jets whilst asking their listeners to sow a seed,
to donate to their ministry and receive a blessing.
Now that certainly is true, but let's bring it a bit closer to home.
How would those around us describe the God that we believe in?
What would they say he is like based on how we live and how we talk about our God?
I think we're more in danger of being like the religious mercenaries than we like to think we are.
Because it's more comfortable, isn't it, to talk about love and forgiveness than it is about sin and judgment.
People like to hear about heaven, but hell is a no-go topic for many people, even many Christians today.
But there can be no true love without justice and discipline.
There can be no forgiveness without true repentance of sin and without the death of Jesus.
And there can be no perfection in heaven unless the Lord punishes sin and wrongdoing in hell.
Brothers and sisters, we need to stay true to the whole message of God.
Do not bend the gospel to suit those listening.
Do not be ashamed to hold the good news and the hard news of Jesus high and boldly for all to hear.
We need to give people the whole gospel.
And these religious mercenaries were not doing that.
And so the second sentence is in verses 6 to 7.
Read those with me.
Read verse 6 with me.
Therefore, God says, night will come over you without visions and darkness, without divination.
The sun will set for the prophets and the day will go dark for them.
God says the sun will go down on them.
Their time will come to an end.
They will be eclipsed.
They will cover their faces, verse 7 says, which is a sign of disgrace or humiliation.
Because the Lord does not answer when they call.
And then contrasted with these false prophets is Micah in verse 8 where it says this.
But as for me, I am filled with power and with the spirit of the Lord and with justice and might
to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin.
Micah is an example of what a true prophet should be like.
And he can be that example because he is filled with power and justice.
He can be that prophet not by his own strength, but because the spirit of the Lord is with him.
Micah boldly proclaims the message of God by the spirit of God.
And his message isn't always a comforting one.
This book has more verses about judgment than it does about hope.
Micah's message wasn't one of comfort, but it was, as verse 8 says,
a message that revealed transgressions and sin.
People need to know the hard news in order to understand the hope.
He declared this message because that was what God wanted him to say,
but also because people need to know the hard news to see the beauty of hope.
And then the final set of indictment and sentence comes in verses 9 to 12.
And this indictment or accusation goes out to all the leaders of the people.
It starts with the leaders who have, as verse 10 says,
built Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with wickedness.
Then it goes a little bit wider in verse 11,
which is basically a summary sentence of this whole indictment.
Read it with me.
Her leaders judge for a bribe.
Her priests teach for a price.
And her prophets tell fortunes for money.
Yet they look for the Lord's support and say,
is not the Lord among us?
No disaster will come upon us.
The prophets, priests, and rulers are supposed to be leading the Lord's people with justice.
They are to have a love for the Lord's people, but they don't.
This whole city is seeing this corruption going on and they're partaking in it.
Building a city, a livelihood and the foundation of bloodshed.
Now we're not exactly sure what that means or that looks like,
but the words used here to describe the city being built on blood
seem to ring of the city being built at the great cost of human life.
Which makes me think that this city was built or expanded through oppression,
maybe even forced labor.
This city was supposed to be a holy place where the Lord was worshipped,
where justice was served, where people were free from oppression
and free to serve the Lord as he commanded.
But instead it has become a place of death.
A city condemned and built on blood, a pit of corruption.
And a place of great pride.
As the end of verse 11 says,
they have a deep-seated pride and self-righteousness.
They can't even tell how evil they are
and they assume that God's mercy and favor is in their lives
because they're the people of God.
It's as if they think that we're so great,
God chose us because of how great we are.
It's got nothing to do with his love or his mercy.
It's because of us.
They are blind to their own sin.
But a day is coming, Micah says.
A day is coming when he, the perfect prophet,
the perfect priest, the perfect king, Jesus,
the true Israel who stands between God and his people,
who loves and will govern over his people rightly.
The day is coming where he will come in judgment.
Jesus fulfills all of these offices that these leaders could not.
And so the Lord delivers the sentence in verse 12.
Read that with me.
Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field.
Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble.
The temple hill, a mound overgrown with thickets.
God says, this prestigious city where you all sit
and think you're untouchable,
where you all think that nothing will harm you,
ruin will come.
Disaster will before you.
You and this whole city will be destroyed.
This is the condemnation of a corrupt city.
Brothers and sisters, is this the God that you know and proclaim?
It's easy to hide the uncomfortable truths of the gospel from people.
It's easy to stop talking about sin,
to stop talking about hell,
to mention only grace and peace, love and heaven.
And they are wonderful things that we do need to mention.
But we need to stay true to the entire message of God.
Don't bend the gospel to suit the audience.
And ask yourself the question,
how would your friends describe the God you believe in?
Are we portraying the whole picture?
Because we're called to be mouthpieces of God
in the places that he has put us.
We're not to determine the message,
but we simply proclaim it as the word of God says.
There's also a warning here
that having a close relationship with the people of God
is not the same as having a close relationship with God himself.
These people thought that they were safe
because they lived in Jerusalem.
They thought that they had the temple
and so they were safe.
But judgment was coming
because their hearts were not right before the Lord.
The warning here is that just because people sit in a church
doesn't mean that they know Jesus.
There are people who sit in churches
week in and week out all over the world
who do not know the Lord for themselves.
They assume they're fine
because of their proximity to the Lord's people.
If we do not know and love the Lord Jesus,
when he comes,
we will find him as judge, not as savior.
But there is still time to repent
and put our trust in him.
The second thing that we see in this passage
is restoration of a redeemed city
in chapters four and five.
Please do have those open in front of you.
We're just going to kind of skip through
some of the verses as we go through this.
Restoration of a redeemed city.
Now these two chapters paint for us
a glorious picture of the future.
This is the hope element of these chapters.
Micah was looking beyond his day,
beyond the judgment that would befall
this condemned city,
to a day of wonderful restoration.
A day where peace reigns,
where war is but a distant memory,
where hunger is no more,
where oppression is no longer happening,
and where the Lord is reigning
and ruling over his people.
Now it's important to say
when we come to passages
that discuss the end times
and the future that awaits
the Lord's people,
there will be differences of opinions.
I know for a fact
that there are different opinions
in this room
about how exactly the end will come about
and what it will look like.
And I can see a few people laughing
so they know who they are.
But the main thing
is that we stick close to the text,
that we look at the imagery
God has given us through Micah
and instead of getting caught up
in all the disagreements of it all,
we stand in awe of the future
that God has prepared for us
and we praise him more because of it.
See, the truth that this passage teaches us
is that after a time of judgment,
after difficulties,
a wonderful restoration awaits.
There's both an element
where this restoration happened
in part at the rebuilding of the temple,
but ultimately this is still to come about
as we look forward to the eternal future
that awaits all of the Lord's people.
God says through Micah,
he has given the hard news of judgment,
now comes hope.
Read chapter 4 verse 1 with me.
In the last days,
the mountain of the Lord's temple
will be established
as the highest of the mountains.
It will be exalted above the hills
and peoples will stream to it.
The term in these last days
refer to the time
when God's kingdom
will break into our time
and into this world.
It refers to a time
where God's kingdom
will be established
and continue to grow,
but ultimately,
it refers to the fullness
of time in the end,
in the new creation
that we read about
in Revelation.
Chapter 4 verses 1 to 5
talk about the restoration
of the temple in Jerusalem,
a place where nations
from all over the world
will be drawn to see
the splendor of God
and worship Him
as the one and only God.
Verse 2 says that many nations
will come and be taught
God's ways.
Read verse 3 with me.
They will beat their swords
into plowshares
and their spears
into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up
sword against nation,
nor will they train
for war anymore.
Is that not a day
we all long for?
It will be a time of peace
where God will rule
over the people
and there will be
no more need for weapons
because peace rules.
It will be a time of security.
Look at verse 4.
Everyone will sit
under their own vine
and under their own fig tree
and no one
will make them afraid
for the Lord Almighty
has spoken.
Now imagine hearing this
for the first time.
Sitting in an oppressive Jerusalem
where leaders rob
and steal left, right,
and center from the poor.
Where the weak
and marginalized
are taken advantage of
and you hear this news
that one day God
is going to bring you
peace and security.
each person will have
what rightly belongs to them
and God will rule.
What a comfort that is.
And then verses 5 to 13
of chapter 4
give us multiple illustrations
of that one truth
that on that day
in the kingdom of God
the weak will be made strong,
the neglected will be restored,
the ruins will be rebuilt,
the condemned city
will be redeemed.
Now how is all of that possible?
Verse 7
Because the Lord will rule over them
in Mount Zion
from that day and forever.
Because the Lord will be with his people,
he will restore a faithful remnant.
He will gather his people to himself
and there will be joy and celebration
as God's kingdom
is ultimately established.
How exactly will this happen?
After their time of judgment
and exile,
restoration will come
through the eternal king.
Read chapter 5 verse 2 with me.
But you, Bethlehem, Ephrathah,
though you are a small
among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be a ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from old,
from ancient times.
This is all about Jesus
and the fact that he is
the promised Messiah
who would come,
that Jesus is the eternal king
who will bring true restoration
for the Lord's faithful people.
How is that possible?
Because Jesus has always been,
as the end of verse 2 says.
And it was in the beginning of time
that he set to obey
the Father's plan
that Jesus would pay
blood for blood,
that he would pay wound
for wound,
that he would make
our suffering his suffering,
that he would make
our death his death
in order that we might have life.
That is why Jesus can be
the eternal king
who will restore
the Lord's people.
And this is both now
and not yet.
Friends, be encouraged.
If you're struggling
in this life,
if you're oppressed,
if you're downcast,
if you're at your wit's end,
look to this eternal king
because he has secured
your restoration
through his death
and resurrection.
And as verse 4 says,
he will stand
and shepherd his flock
in the strength
of the Lord
and 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.
If you're a Christian
here this evening,
this is your future.
No matter how discouraged
you may be,
no matter how hard
life may seem,
no matter how overwhelming
everything is,
Jesus is the eternal king.
He is the great shepherd
of his sheep
and he will restore
you to God.
Ultimately, in the end,
the day is coming
when that restoration
will be complete.
As Revelation 21 says this
about that great future
that awaits the Lord's people,
I saw a holy city,
the new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven
from God,
prepared as a bride,
beautifully dressed
for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice
from the throne saying,
look, God's dwelling place
is now among the people
and he will dwell with them.
They will be his people
and God himself
will be with them
and be their God.
He will wipe away
every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death
or mourning
or crying
or pain
for the old order of things
has passed away.
Brothers and sisters,
is this the future
that you have your hope in?
Is this the kingdom of God
that you are serving
with your everyday?
Look at this glorious future.
Please do go home
and read these chapters again
and see the glorious future
that awaits you.
Focus on the goodness
of this King
who despite our sin
and our failings,
he promised us
his presence
and he promises
restoration
for those who are
faithful to him.
All won
by the precious blood
of Jesus Christ
shed on the cross
for us.
And therefore,
when the labor pains
of this world
sting as hard
as they ever do,
when our world
groans and longs
for restoration
in the new creation
as Romans 8 says,
the whole of creation
groans in eager
anticipation
of that day.
As we look out
on the difficulties
of war,
death,
illness,
the cost of living
crisis,
and so many other
troubles that plague us
every day,
know that these signs
are pointing us
to the truth
that our bodies,
that our whole planet,
that every single
thing in creation
longs to be restored,
longs to be redeemed,
and be encouraged
that because
we have,
be encouraged
because we have
been promised
that this world
will be restored,
and we will become
a redeemed city.
Look at the character
of God
and the glorious future
we have in him
and look to Christ,
the eternal king
who loves his people.
Micah says,
a corrupt city
that was once
condemned
will be redeemed
because the Lord
is good and faithful,
and the eternal king
has already paid
the price.
Think back with me
to the story
of Kerry McIntosh.
She lived in a
condemned house
and neighborhood
for 18 years
that was earmarked
for demolition.
She waited
and waited
through trials
and insecurities,
but in the end
it all paid off.
In September
the developer
who bought the land
offered her
a new property
in the neighborhood
of new builds
that would suit her needs.
She waited
through the difficulties
and the result
was far better
than what she started
off with.
Friends,
that is a silly
illustration,
but the future
that awaits
every single Christian
is so good,
is so glorious
that we cannot
even begin
to comprehend it.
the hard news
is the judgment
is coming,
but the glorious
news
is the hope
is there
for all
who would humble
themselves
and put their
trust in Jesus.
Let's pray together.
Heavenly Father,
we come to passages
like this
and we thank you
that you have
laid it out
so clear to us
your message
of deliverance,
the realities
that you
warn people
of judgment,
that you want
the whole world
to hear that warning
and yet the glorious
future for all those
who put their
trust in you.
Jesus,
would you give us
a greater picture
of that eternity
spent in the presence
of God?
Holy Spirit,
every single day
we ask that you
would help us
understand it
more and more
and would we
never,
ever tire
of the thought
of that wonderful
sacrifice that Jesus
was and the
wonderful hope
that we have
in him.
We pray this
in his name
and for his glory.
Amen.