Daily Readings and Thought for December 6th. “IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LATTER DAYS”
One cannot help but be attracted by the way the 4th chapter of Micah’s prophecy begins with the above words. But first let’s think of the significance of v.11-12, “Now many nations are assembled against you, saying, ‘Let her be defiled and let our eyes gaze on Zion.’ But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, they do not understand his plan … “ This seems to be exactly the attitude of the enemies of Israel today.
Now when Micah was prophesying (BC 740-720) as it states in Ch.1 v.1 it was the last days of the northern kingdom and in the southern kingdom of Judah the same decay of true worship was now happening. The attitude of the surrounding nations was to encourage and help the destruction of God’s nation by Assyria and later by the Babylonians.
But God’s words, quoted above, were not about those days but about the “latter days” for we read “ … they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor. Arise and thresh O daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn (symbol of strength) iron, and your hooves bronze; you shall beat in pieces many peoples … “ [v.12-13] This started to happen when Israel became a nation in 1948, but how are we to understand the present? We see a parallel to when Israel first became a nation under King Saul and were successful. We know that when the Jews first started to return to their promised land a 100 and more years ago that reading the Bible was an essential part of life in the kibbutzim, but like as Saul and his supporters failed to really believe and trust in God, so life became difficult – until God raised up a far more spiritual King – David!
Today we await David’s greater son to come and complete the fulfilment of these words. Of course the most wonderful thing to happen “in the latter days” is that “many nations shall come and say; let us go up to the mountain of the LORD … that he may teach us his ways … for out of Zion shall go forth the law … he shall judge between many peoples … nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” [v.2-4] And then, in contrast to the gods of human imagination, “we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.” [v.5] Let our aim be to walk in his name here and now!
