According to the NASB Ryrie Study Bible organization, Chapters 3 and 4 combine in a sub section titled, A Message of Doom and Deliverance. There was much doom in Chapter Three. Bring on the deliverance!
In Chapter 3 we see the leaders, priests, and prophets taking advantage of the people and spreading bloodshed and violence. This concludes in Chapter 3, verse 12 with Zion being plowed under and Jerusalem a heap of ruins, according to Micah's prediction.
Which does come to pass by the Babylonians.
The End Times
However, these prophesies also look much further forward to the last days, the end times, as noted in verse 1 of Chapter 4. The Temple Mountain (and all of Jerusalem) will be established by God as the chief mountain, high above the hills.
Ryrie adds a footnote that this is almost identical to Isaiah 2:2-4. As the chief mountain, this will be the center of the government when Christ reigns for 1000 years.
People will stream to Jerusalem to learn from the Lord about His ways.
It's interesting to see that they come to learn from the Lord directly. What a beautiful idea to start my day. Learning directly from the Lord. I am so grateful for the Holy Spirit, who guides me and teaches me His ways. And I am grateful for the Bible, doing the same. But we are designed with these 5 senses. It will be amazing when all of these people can come learn from Jesus, like His small band of followers did centuries ago. Sadly, if the pre-tribulation interpretations are true, these people won't have the Holy Spirit in the way current believers do, so they will only be able to understand through their 5 senses.
More in verse 3 about actually having Jesus here during that season. He will judge and render decisions, which will strip away the position for man to make unrighteous judgements between rich and poor complainants. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. No more war. No more training for war. We can be about our work without having to account for defending ourselves.
What a beautiful promise. Come, Lord Jesus, come.
Oh, it gets even better in verse 4.
And each of them will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
Micah 4:4
Can you imagine not being afraid? As I've drawn closer to God and learned more about Him, I've seen my fears lessen. But the reality is, there is a lot to be afraid of. Lots of bad stuff in this world. But to just sit. Unperturbed. Unafraid. Rest under a tree. And why? Because the Lord of host, Jehovah Sabaoth, has spoken. With just His speaking, there is peace without fear. Truly awe inspiring.
What a beautiful promise. Come, Lord Jesus, come.
And despite all of that, it seems from verse 5, that many people will still cling to their gods. "Though all of the peoples walk each in the name of his god, as for us, we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever." Even with everything so much better and Christ in His 1000 year reign, many will choose other gods. It just shows to me how far Jesus is willing to go to collect all of those who will come to Him.
I looked up the original language and the word for the peoples' gods is elohim; while the "name of the Lord our God" is Jehovah Elohim. I thought that was interesting. In the final phase, people get another chance to choose Him and everything that happens causes many to stream into Jerusalem in verse 2; with many still choosing to worship wood and stone and themselves. It's just so hard to imagine how they still manage to deny Him; but my guess is I see it in the eyes and hearts of those today who demand that we call men "woman" and women "men". Those who scheme and scam and take on corruption in leadership. Hard hearts.
God's End Times People
Those who God assembles in the end times, according to Verse 6:
- the lame
- the outcasts
- those who were afflicted BY GOD
I will make the lame a remnant, and the outcasts a strong nation, and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on and forever.
Micah 4:7
What a beautiful promise. Come, Lord Jesus, come.
As someone who feels like I fit in all three categories at one time or another; the hope is beautiful.
Back to the Suffering
But before the remnant and their permanent victory, comes the suffering in verse 9 and 10. Like a women in childbirth- suffering. But ultimately redeemed by the Lord from captivity.
Verses 11 and 12 describe a day coming when many nations assemble against Zion, thinking it's their time to take over. But the author points out that these nations don't know the thoughts of the Lord and don't realize that they are now assembled to be threshed like wheat on the threshing floor. In verse 13 Israel will defeat them with a horn of iron and hooves of bronze.
This makes me think of the 6 day war and the iron dome. So many times God has blessed them in this modern age.
Both Ryrie and MacArthur state that verses 11-13 are describing the time leading up to Armageddon.