Micah 4:1

In the first sentence, Micah uses the phrase ‘in the last days’. This phrase appears many times in the *Old Testament. It does not refer to any particular future date. It means a long period. The situation may have stayed the same for many years. But then it will change. Everything will be different. It may mean ‘in the days that will come’. Centuries before, Moses had spoken to *Israel’s people. He had warned them that they must continue to obey God. Otherwise, terrible things would happen. God would force them out of their country. He would send them into other countries. ‘There will come a day (a special time) when you will be in great trouble. All these things will have happened to you. Then you will start to *worship the *LORD your God again. This will be in later days (at a later time). You will then obey him’ (Deuteronomy 4:30).

In the *New Testament, the phrase ‘the last days’ means something new. It refers to all the results of the time when Jesus Christ came to the Earth the first time. The phrase here may refer to that period (Hebrews 1:1 2). Peter spoke to the people on the special day called Pentecost. (On that special day, God sent out his Holy Spirit onto people.) Peter repeated these words that the *prophet Joel had written. ‘In the last days (last period), God will send out his Spirit onto all people’ (Acts 2:17). At the end of time, there will be a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:12-13; Revelation Chapter s 21-22).

So Micah was looking forward into that future time. Only future events could show that his message was accurate. These events might happen over a long period. ‘Days’ might mean years or even centuries. The rest of this section (Micah 4:1-5) may describe ‘the last days’. Micah’s *prophecy would include the few people that returned from Babylon (Micah 4:9; Micah 4:10). It would include the *Messiah’s birth (Micah 5:2). It would include his rule. This would never end. It would be a time when there is peace. This too would never end (Micah 4:1-4; Micah 5:3).

As Micah looked forward into the future, he saw several events. In ancient times, people used to build *temples on mountains. In *Israel, the people built God’s *Temple on the mountain called Zion. They said that this mountain was higher than all other mountains. But it was not actually the highest mountain. In the *Psalms, however, this is how the writer referred to it. The writer described it as the highest mountain because of its importance. This was the mountain where people *worshipped the real God. And God chose to rule from this mountain (Psalms 11:4; Psalms 68:16-17).

After enemies destroyed Jerusalem, the place would be like a field. It would then be fit only for rubbish and wild animals. But Micah saw into the future. He saw a great change. He looked beyond the stones and rubbish that would be on the mountain called Zion.

People used to walk by the River Euphrates in Babylon. They went to *worship the false god called Bel. The people in Babylon were very proud about their religion. They even said that Babylon’s hill was the entrance into heaven. But Micah saw beyond that. He believed that the situation would change. (Look also at Jeremiah 51:44.) Micah saw that the people from many nations will go to the mountain called Zion (the Jerusalem from heaven) (Psalms 87). The *LORD’s house will be there. People will come to *worship there. The *LORD, *Israel’s God, will be the God of the other nations too. All false gods will lose their power over the people. There is a big difference between Jerusalem and Babylon. In Babylon, there will be confusion. In the new Jerusalem, there will be peace.

v2 People from many nations will come. This will be their message. ‘Come! We shall climb the *LORD’s mountain. We shall go to the house (*temple) of Jacob’s God. God will teach us the right way to live. Then we will live in the way that pleases him.’ The true messages that God teaches will go out from Zion (Jerusalem). The *LORD’s message will begin on the mountain called Zion in Jerusalem. It will go out to the entire world.