Micah 4

But in the last days (Micah 4:1)

Or in the later days. So we move on out into yet the future. This has not yet happened, far from it, but it is going to happen. And I am convinced that it is going to happen in the near future.

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).

God is going to establish His throne upon the earth and the mountain of the house of the Lord is going to be established.

And many nations shall come, and say, Come, 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).

He is talking now about the Kingdom Age when Jesus comes and reigns again. And God shall give to Him the throne of David and He will order it and establish it in righteousness and in judgment from henceforth, even forever. And the nations will be going up to Jerusalem, for out of Zion will come the law of the Lord. They'll say, "Come let's go to Jerusalem and let's sit at the feet of Jesus and just learn for a while." Hey, those are the days when I'm really wanting to take the tours to Israel, when the Lord is there sitting on the throne reigning in Zion. Won't that be exciting? And thank God we won't have to go on these old 747 jumbo jets. God will have a whole new mode of transportation for us. And we'll go and when we arrive Jesus will be there teaching us the ways of the Father. And we can sit at the feet of Jesus and just learn, for the law will go forth out of Zion. Oh, that's glorious to me. What an anticipation!

And he shall judge among many people, he will rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: and nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more (Micah 4:3).

Now I get rather upset when many times politicians make reference to this verse and intimate if you'll just vote for them they will bring in this age. It will not be brought in by any politician. It is not going to come until Jesus the Prince of Peace comes and reigns in righteousness. This is not something that man will ever be able to affect. In fact, we're doing just the opposite right now. We are beating our plowshares into swords so to speak. What this says to me is that in the Kingdom Age the military budgets which are almost bankrupting us here in the United States today, the military budgets will be diverted to agricultural development.
Now this past year the nations of the world spent approximately one trillion dollars for weapons, for armament, for defense. One trillion dollars. Imagine if we had spent one trillion dollars this past year to develop agriculture. You would not have thousands of people starving to death in Cambodia or thousands more in the deserts of Oden, nor would you have them starving in Ethiopia. There would be enough for everybody and you wouldn't be paying a dollar for a loaf of bread if we would put this much money in feeding the world. You see how twisted man's values become when he is governed by his greed and his lust rather than by the Lord? Because it is necessary for us to arm ourselves to defend ourselves from being subdued by the enemies, there has been a misappropriation of funds. And money that could go for the betterment of mankind is being spent to destroy mankind. How twisted are the values of sinful man, more money in the budget to destroy than to aid and to help.
Now I'm not arguing with Reagan's budget. I feel that the defense budget is necessary, because I know what Russia has done and is doing. And if we are going to survive, we've got to be strong. But it is tragic that we live in a world where there are those who are greedy for more power and more control who have to be stopped and will only stop through the threat of force of arms. It's a sad world that you live in. It is a world that is preparing for war. A world that is coming to another gigantic conflict like our minds cannot imagine or conceive, as nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel. After the next major world war, men will realize there is no profit and there is no future in this. And Jesus will come as King of kings and Lord of lords and we will have one ruler over the whole earth. And He will establish His throne in Jerusalem on Mount Zion and then, and only then, will they beat their swords into plowshares and their swords into pruning hooks, and they will not learn war any more. They'll begin then to divert the resources towards the betterment of mankind, towards agricultural development, towards just a better overall life for everyone.
In that day,

They shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and no one will make them afraid (Micah 4:4):

You can send your children to the store to get a bottle of milk and not worry about them being molested or accosted. You can take a walk in the evening along the beach and not worrying about someone assaulting you. They will live in safety. They will live in peace. No one will make you afraid. You will not have to lock your doors at night. You'll not have to put chains up and all. You can live in safety and in peace; not be afraid.

for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken it (Micah 4:4).

That day is surely going to come. God has declared it.

For all the people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of Yahweh our God for ever and ever (Micah 4:5).

Literally, all of the peoples do now walk in the names of their god, but then they will walk in the name of Yahweh in that day.

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 (Micah 4:6);

In other words, here is God prophesying now the regathering of the Jews, the people of Israel, those that have halted, those that were driven out, those who have been afflicted.

And I will make her that halted 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 (Micah 4:7).

Of course, that's what also Isaiah said, "He shall sit upon the throne of David to order it, and to establish it in righteousness and in justice from henceforth even forever the zeal of the LORD of host shall perform it" (Isaiah 9:7).

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 daughters of Jerusalem. Now why do you cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is your counselor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail (Micah 4:8-9).

Before this comes, Israel is yet to have a period of great sorrow. They are going to be in travail. But when Zion travails, then shall she bring forth, then will Christ come. When the Jews really begin to cry out for their Redeemer, for their Savior, and when Zion travailed, then she brought forth, the scripture said. So he speaks here also of the woman in travail.
Now Jesus said to the Jews, "Look, you're not going to see Me again until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'" The Lord has gone on up to be with the Father. He's not going to come back until they really travail and say, "O blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."

Be in pain, and labor 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 (Micah 4:10),

They are actually going to be driven out into the wilderness where God will nourish them for times, time and a half time--or three and a half years.

and thou shalt go even as far as Babylon [which is Iraq]; and there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies (Micah 4:10).

And now the kingdom is to be set up.

Now also many nations are gathered against thee, and they say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion (Micah 4:11).

There will be many who will be looking at Jerusalem with a covetous eye.

But they know not the thoughts of the LORD (Micah 4:12),

Now today this is actually what is happening. So many nations, the Arab nations especially, looking at Israel, looking at Jerusalem, calling for a holy war against Israel, and these very things are happening right now. Many nations gathered against her. I think Israel has that unfortunate distinction of being probably the most isolated nation on the face of the earth; almost every nation is gathered against her. Even as Zechariah prophesied though the whole world be gathered together against her, if she didn't have the Lord on her side, she'd really be in big trouble.
They know not the thoughts of the Lord. They're all looking at Jerusalem saying, "We'll make Jerusalem the universal, the international city and all." They don't know the thoughts of the Lord.

and neither do they understand his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves on the threshing floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; for I will make thine horn iron (Micah 4:12-13),

The horn is always a symbol of power. Now make your power as iron.

and I will make thy hoofs brass (Micah 4:13):

I will use you for judgment against these nations.

and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD (Micah 4:13),

You're going to spoil them. You're going to take their spoil.

Now we read in Ezekiel 38 that as Israel has been regathered as a nation, in that time when God makes them a nation again that He's going to put an evil thought into the leaders of Magog, which are identified historically as those north of the Krymia Mountains, or the present day Russia. And He will bring them out of the north quarters with all of their bands, the hordes, along with Iran and Iraq and Togarmah (the Balkan states) and Gomer (the eastern European states), along with Libya and Ethiopia to invade the Middle East in order that they might take the spoil, the vast oil resources of the Middle East. But when they come into the mountains of Israel, God's fury is going to arise in His face and He is going to turn them back. And the Bible says that the Israelis will not have to worry about fuel for seven years. They will burn the fuel of the invading armies for seven years. So no worries about oil prices for them for seven years as they just take and burn the fuel that has been brought in this invasion into the land, and it will be a seven-year supply. So it is here he said, "Thou shalt beat in pieces many people, and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord." You'll spoil them. You'll take the gain.

and their substance unto the Lord of the whole eaRuth (Micah 4:13). "