2024-11-18 “he shall judge among many people”

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

The “many people” in the “many nations” who “say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD” (Micah 4:2) are those who live to worship Him, obey Him and whose interest is toward Him and not to the ugly and vain motives of those who do not know Him.  In this context, to “judge” is to rule over, to watch over, and to care for those who lovingly obey Him.  This is what our Lord was speaking of when, just hours before His Crucifixion, He told His disciples and us, that “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).  For the sake of His faithful “people”, he compels the abusive “strong nations” to submit to His Sovereign Power and Authority.  The “many people” in the “many nations” who worshipfully submit to His Commandments, that He plainly presented in His Inaugural Message to His “people” (Matthew 5-7), are those who enjoy such loving peace (Micah 4:3-7), even while “the heathen” are separately raging and imagining “vain” things (Psalms 2:1; Acts 4:25).  Our gracious God has prepared a “place” in this life where we can “flee to” Him and find that “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” (Psalms 46:7).  This blessed “refuge” is a paradisal “place” for His “people” who joyfully find that, “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.” (Proverbs 14:26).  In our day, “the heathen” are certainly raging and imagining “vain” things; but, let us earnestly pray that His true “Gospel” will spread near and far and that His “people” will worshipfully act upon it so that we might joyfully and peacefully “eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:19).