This meditation on the Psalms was given at the Grace Church Guildford Prayer Meeting on 24 February 2022.
We have all being watching the news and following recent developments in Ukraine. If you haven’t war was declared and an invasion by Russia commenced last night. We have spent some time praying for the country and region this evening, and yet I return to it now to highlight that the situation is remarkably similar to what we find here in Micah. Even as we speak, the army of Russia is encircling the capital of its smaller neighbour, Ukraine, with the residents of Kiev beginning to either flee or prepare for a fight. However, here in Micah 5:1, we are told that the army of Israel’s large and aggressive neighbour, Assyria, has encircled its capital city, Jerusalem. The response to this in 5:1 is rather like what we have seen in recent days in Ukraine, a call to arms: ‘Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us.’ (Micah 5:1) And yet, unfortunately this resistance will ultimately prove to be in vain. We see in 5:1b that Israel’s ruler (maybe Hezekiah) will be struck and shamed, receive a metaphorical slap in the face. He is so under their complete control, that they could stand and slap his face with a rod and he could do nothing to resist it. Like how a bully can pick on a kid and flick them in the face again and again, knowing they will never stand up to them. Even worse, in 5:3, we are told the land will ultimately be abandoned. As we know from our series in Ezra, the kingdom collapses and the people are taken into exile.
And yet, against this rather gloomy backdrop of disgrace and defeat, Micah 5 is brimming with bright hope for the future. While Israel’s current ruler in 5:1 will be struck in the face, there will be a future ruler who will overcome their enemies and establish the kingdom again in an even greater way. Micah 5 promises and prophesises the coming of a Saviour, one who in 5:6 we read will deliver his people from their enemies. On Sunday night, when we are looking at Matthew 2, where this passage is explicitly quoted, we are going to think a little bit more about the birth of this Saviour in Bethlehem. However, for now, I want to highlight two aspects of our Saviour that Micah mentions. For here we see that our Saviour is both: (1) a Sovereign and (2) a Shepherd.
1. A SAVIOUR WHO IS A SOVEREIGN
Micah leaves us in no doubt that this coming saviour is a sovereign, that he is a king, a ruler. Of course, Israel already had one of these. However, the ruler mentioned in 5:1, maybe King Hezekiah, in the end was powerless to protect his people. Even if he had of been the most cunning military commander imaginable, the Assyrian army was just too big for the small nation of Israel to resist in its own strength. Again, apart from God’s intervention, the situation would probably have panned out much like how we expect the current invasion of Ukraine to go: even if the defendants resist bravely, the difference in size and strength is so great, they cannot expect to emerge victorious. However, Micah draws a clear contrast between Israel’s current ruler and its coming ruler. We see in 5:4 that he will stand in the strength of the LORD. And in 5:5 we are told that this future ruler will ‘rule the land of Assyria with the sword’. The invaders will not only be turned back, but the invaders will become the invaded. For the greatness of this future king will reach to the ends of the earth. This is a sovereign who will sweep all before him with his sword, who will stand in the strength of God, defeat the enemies of God’s people and extend his kingdom to the ends of the earth. As Christians tonight, in the person of Jesus, we have such a Saviour. A Saviour who is a Sovereign. A king who is not only willing, but is able to save us. Has all the power and authority he needs to overcome our enemies: the lusts of our flesh, the opposition of the world and the schemes of the Devil. In Jesus, we have everything we need. We don’t need to look to anyone else, obtain anything else, Jesus is able to do it all. Whether it is a conflict between countries, or difficulties at work or home, it is all under his authority.
2. A SAVIOUR WHO IS A SHEPHERD
As we heard on Sunday night, an authoritative leader doesn’t always lead to people prospering under their rule. In Matthew 23 we were reminded of how the religious leaders of Israel abused their authority, laid great burdens on the backs of those who could not bear them and leveraged their influence and position for their own benefit. Not all leaders are good. Not all kings are kind. Many sovereigns are selfish! In a fallen world, it is easy for leaders to develop into dictators. This has surely been one of the remarkable things about our own monarch here in the UK. You have to wonder why our royal family has managed to maintain much of its popularity during a period when many other countries have moved away from monarchy? Removed their royal families? Part of the reason is surely that the people of the UK appear to feel that Her Majesty has served us selflessly for 70 years now. She is seen as a sovereign who has served her subjects, not merely ruled over them, but looked after them.
Here in Micah 5 we see that our Saviour, Jesus Christ, is not merely a sovereign, but he is also a shepherd. He not only has all authority, but has an affection and connection with his people. Jesus is not only strong, he is also kind. We learn in 5:4 what he does in the strength of the LORD. What end does he expend his great authority for? It is to ‘shepherd his flock’. Like David before him, Christ is a King who is a Sovereign-Shepherd. A ruler who not only knows how to crush his enemies, but also how to care for his sheep. In 5:3 he gathers his people, this flock, from their exile. In 5:4 we are told that these sheep that have gathered round him ‘live securely’, that he spends his strength for their protection. And then in 5:5, Micah declares ‘...he will be our peace...’.This king who cares for us, this Sovereign Shepherd that we have sung about: ‘The King of Love my Shepherd is’. As we are told in the New Testament, our Good Shepherd is determined to deliver us, that he will even die in our stead. The one to whom all power and authority is given, puts himself in our place, allows himself to be struck on the face. The Sovereign Shepherd who even suffers for our sin, that he might be our peace and not only save us from our enemies, but even from ourselves.
ALEXANDER ARRELL