Micah 4:1-7 (Part 1) - Beating Swords Into Plowshares

Outline is attached below.

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Micah 4:1-7 I. Micah prophesied in Mic 4:1-7 of a time to come in the "last days" when the following things would happen. 1. The house of the Lord would be established in the top of the mountains (v.1). 2. People would flow into it (v.1). 3. Many nations would come to the house of God to be taught the Lord's ways (v.2). 4. The word of the Lord would go forth from Zion and Jerusalem (v.2). 5. God would judge among many people and rebuke strong nations afar off (v.3). 6. The nations would beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks (v.3). 7. There would be no war anymore (v.3). 8. They would no longer be afraid (v.4). 9. All of the people would walk every man in the name of his god (v.5). 10. God's people would walk in His name (v.5). 11. God would assemble His halted, driven out, and afflicted people and make them a strong nation, and He would reign over them in mount Zion forever (v.6-7). II. Many people assume that this prophecy describes a time yet future in the "millennium." 1. They believe that it tells of a time when Jesus will return to setup His earthly kingdom in Jerusalem. 2. The Jews will be re-gathered in their land and will rule over all nations. 3. It will be a time of political peace. 4. But was that what Micah prophesied of? A. Is the fulfillment of this prophecy yet future? B. Or was it fulfilled long ago? C. Let's walk through it verse by verse and compare scripture with scripture (1Co 2:13) to understand the interpretation. III. Micah 4:1 1. But in the last days it shall come to pass, A. The last days began in the 1st century when Christ came (Heb 1:2). B. The Holy Spirit was poured out on the church in the last days in 33AD (Act 2:16-17). 2. 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; A. The kingdom of God was set up in the days of the Roman Empire (Dan 2:44 c/w Mar 1:15). B. Jesus, using the kingdom of God, destroyed the Roman Empire and it (His kingdom) became a great mountain that filled the whole earth (Dan 2:34-35 c/w Dan 2:44). C. The kingdom of God is the local church that came at Christ's first coming (Mat 16:18-19 c/w Luk 22:29-30 c/w 1Co 10:16-17, 21). D. The local church is the house of the LORD (1Ti 3:15). E. It's called Mount Sion (Heb 12:22-23). F. Therefore, the NT church was established in the top of the mountains and was exalted above the hills. 3. and people shall flow unto it. A. Jews from all over the world flowed into the church (Act 2:5; Act 2:36-42). B. Men pressed into the kingdom (Luk 16:16). IV. Micah 4:2 1. And many nations shall come, A. Nations is synonymous with Gentiles (Deut 32:43 c/w Rom 15:10). B. Gentiles from many nations came into the church when they heard and believed the gospel and were baptized (read the book a Acts). C. The gospel was preached in all the world (Mar 16:15, 20; Col 1:6, 23). 2. and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; A. These Gentiles were brought into the house of God (1Ti 3:15 c/w 1Ti 1:3 c/w Eph 3:1). B. They were made part of the commonwealth of Israel (Eph 2:11-22). 3. and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: A. In the church they were taught God's ways (1Co 11:1 c/w 1Co 4:17; Act 18:26). B. They no longer walked as other Gentiles walked (Eph 4:17). 4. for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. A. The church is Zion and Jerusalem (Heb 12:22-23). B. The New Testament scriptures issued from the apostles of the NT church (2Pe 3:15-16; Heb 2:3-4). C. Therefore, the law and the word of God went forth from Zion and Jerusalem from the apostles in the NT church. V. Micah 4:3 1. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; A. The gospel of Jesus Christ judged and rebuked the Gentile nations (2Ti 4:2; Tit 1:12-13). B. They were commanded to repent and obey the gospel (Act 17:30; 1Jo 3:23). 2. and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: A. Those that had been violent were made peaceful by the grace of God (Tit 3:3-7). B. They became peacemakers (Mat 5:9) who followed the Prince of peace (Isa 9:6). 3. nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. A. There was peace made between Jews and Gentiles (Eph 2:14-17 c/w Act 10:28). B. There are no national or racial distinctions in the church (Col 3:11). C. The NT church is characterized by love not war (1Jo 4:11-12, 20-21).