Post by alon on Jul 14, 2016 1:31:59 GMT -8
Micah 5:6 – 6:8, Haftara for Par’shah Balak
Micah is a contemporary of Yeshayahu. In Micah 1:1 it places his ministry in the days of Kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Yehuda. This would be about the latter half of the eighth cen BCE and early seventh cen BCE. This is about the same time as Yeshayahu 1-39 was written.
Micah 1:1 (ESV) The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
Isaiah 1:1 (CJB) This is the vision of Yesha‘yahu the son of Amotz, which he saw concerning Y’hudah and Yerushalayim during the days of ‘Uziyahu, Yotam, Achaz and Y’chizkiyahu, kings of Y’hudah:
Micah is said to be a Morashite prophet, which places him in Yehuda. However the intended audience was the people of Yerushalayim. He prophesied concerning both Yehuda and Yisro’el.
Micah’s name means “Who is Like the Lord?”
This is essentially a Messianic prophecy. To get this idea we must read a bit before the haftarah really starts:
Micah 5:2-5a (KJV) But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
Note it says of this Messianic figure His “goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” This absolutely contradicts the Ebionite claim that Yeshua was not God. It also debunks the Jewish idea that HaShem would not come as a man to be HaMoshaich.
Because He is Elohim Machase Lanu- God of Our Refuge, the saved remnant can dwell securely as He extends His kingdom power over the entire earth.
Micah 5:5-15 tells us of two victories HaMoshiach will win in those days. He will make His people victorious asthe lion and fruitful as the dew. This is to be total victory over His enemies. However He will also have to win a victory over those very people who call themselves by His name, purging them of their sins. The things they relied on, Armaments, fortresses, sorceries, and idols would have to be removed so they will learn to trust El Emunah- The Faithful God.
Micah 5:5b-8 (KJV) And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders. And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.
“And this man shall be the peace”:
Zechariah 9:10 (ESV) I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth
Isaiah 9:7 (ESV) Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
As God’s people we are to refresh the world like dew and must be like lions in strength and courage. The reference is to the peace Moshiach has purchased with His blood and will mete out to His restored people Yisro’el. This peace achieved by destroying the northern invader of the end time.
Revelation 19:17-21 (ESV) Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
The Assyrian from the land of Nimrod may be two different men. Yehezkel 38 and 39 describes what may be two separate end time wars. If so, scholars think one will be led by Turkey and the other by some unclear northern ruler. The lands described in those chapters include most of the region around Yisro’el to the north and northeast.
Genesis 10:9-10a (ESV) He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.” The beginning of his kingdom was Babel.
We have a promise however that whenever “the Assyrian,” whether ancient or modern threatens, shepherds and princes will be raised as deliverers by YHVH Magen- The Lord, the Shield.
Micah 5:9-14 (KJV) Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots: And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds: And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers: Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands. And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.
Elohim’s purge of Yisro’el and the nations emphasizes the importance of obedience. The powerful oratorical repetition of “thy/thine” and “I will” serves here to stress the central theme: the relationship between El Elohe Yisra’el and His people in this future time. Here too we see a transformation from the destruction of sinful elements of Yehuda to punishment on the goyim.
Notice that horses and chariots, and walled cities are classed with witchcraft. these detach the trust of the people of Elohim, themselves becoming types of elohim’s. “Thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands” says that these things we build, make or attain when used to hedge our bets with the protection of Elohim Machase Lanu, the God of Our Refuge are themselves idols which we worship. Now I don’t think this means we should not prepare; however anything you have can be taken or destroyed save the trust you place in El Marom- God Most High. Other people will fail you, but not El Emunah- the Faithful God.
Micah 6:1-8 is an instructive passage about the behavior Elohim expects of us. It employs the metaphor of a lawsuit to address the relationship between God and His people Yisro’el. The mountains, hills and the very foundations of the earth called to witness against them.
The Hebrew of verses one and two is somewhat ambiguous, and several possible meanings. However the message of verses three through five are unequivocal: Yisro’el had no cause to abandon Elohim Shophtim Ba’aretz- God Who Judges in the Earth, as he had done them no wrong. He had in fact done many things for Yisro’el.
Micah 6:1-5 (KJV) Hear ye now what the Lord saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me. For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord.
The indictment: God called on the mountains to witness His grievances against Yisro’el. They had despised His word and sinned against Him. What had He done to deserve this? Had they forgotten all He had done on their behalf? Why repay good with evil?
Isaiah 5:3-4 (CJB) Now, citizens of Yerushalayim and people of Y’hudah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more could I have done for my vineyard that I haven’t already done in it? So why, when I expected good grapes, did it produce sour, wild grapes?
Micah 6:8 asks “what doth the Lord require of thee?” The prophet puts aside his vision of the future, coming back to existing condition of the people, which is nearly hopeless. As proselytes to a Hebrew faith we have been delivered from the bondage of sin by the enduring love of Yeshua. And yet we too are often willfully disobedient.
Verses 5-8 prove impuissance of external religion with no internal qualities given by the indwelling of and our yielding to the Ruach HaKodesh.
Micah 6:5-8 (CJB) My people, just remember what Balak the king of Mo’av had planned, what Bil‘am the son of B‘or answered him, [and what happened] between Sheetim and Gilgal — so that you will understand the saving deeds of Adonai.” “With what can I come before Adonai to bow down before God on high? Should I come before him with burnt offerings? with calves in their first year? Would Adonai take delight in thousands of rams with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Could I give my firstborn to pay for my crimes, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” Human being, you have already been told what is good, what Adonai demands of you — no more than to act justly, love grace and walk in purity with your God.
Micah 6:4 (KJV) For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
The role of Miriam here, as opposed to how it is portrayed in 
is portrayed as equal to that of her brothers. There are no small roles in the economy of El Rai- God Who Sees Me.
Micah 6:6-7 (KJV) Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
This is not as some claim a prophecy that sacrifices will be done away with. It is speaking of a common biblical concept of the primacy of morality over sacrifices:
1 Samuel 15:22 (ESV) And Samuel said,“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
Proverbs 21:3 (ESV) To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
Read in context this is the only meaning we can get from this passage. When the Temple in Yerushalayim is rebuilt, sacrifices will be resumed:
Daniel 9:27 (ESV) And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week [seven years] and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
The Anti-Christ cannot stop what has not been resumed.
Micah 6:7 (KJV) Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Here this theme is continued, but shifts to include another reference to HaMoshiach. Some Jewish scholars in trying to discredit this as a reference to Yeshua say it appears to indicate that human sacrifice was acceptable. This however goes against the vast majority who have said human sacrifice is absolutely not allowed in Judaism. This too of course is used to say Yeshua could not be HaMoshiach because He could not sacrifice Himself for our sins. I would counter that it is illegal in Judaism to sacrifice a human, but nowhere does it say a man cannot step in front of a spear, arrow or bullet to save another. This is in effect what was done at Calvary, when Yeshua willingly gave His life for our sins.
Micah 6:8-9a (KJV) He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? The Lord's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name:
This saying is one of the most oft quoted sayings in prophetic literature. It is considered a concise yet comprehensive summary of all the mitzvoth. It instructs us as to how we should live as Elohim Kedoshim- a Holy God’s forgiven people.
“To walk humbly with thy God”: the original meaning is more likely “to walk wisely with your God.” The result of our salvation should be an obedient walk with El Hayyay- the God of My Life. Our religious acts and words are meaningless if we lack character shaped by the Ruach HaKodesh as we yield to Elohim Ozer Li- God My Helper.
The word we have today is "kana," spelled kaf nun ayin." Pictographically we get kaf- the palm or open hand/giving, nun- life or activity, and ayin- to see or experience. So in humility we experience the giving of life.
"Wise or wisdom" is "hakam," hey, kaf mem. Hey is the window through which we see or understand, kaf the open palm, and mem is the power of waves crashing against the shore and/or the life sustaining quality of water. So it could be said that hakam or wisdom is to understand the power of the life sustaining act of giving. And if one gives, another receives. This is an important point in how the TNK views wisdom. Religion is not a routine, ritual, or even a faith experience. It is the mastery of the art of living as Elohim expects us to live. It is a lifelong process of attainment, not an accomplishment.
I find both words very instructional here. Both have the letter kaf, so both speak to the central quality of Judaism, which is "chessed" or mercy and giving. We search the Word in humility, gaining an understanding which leads us to a life of chessed.
Matthew 5:7 (KJV) Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Matthew 12:7 (KJV) But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
Matthew 23:23 (KJV) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
James 2:13 (ESV) For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
So mercy is an extremely important quality even in the B'rit Chadashah. “All controversy, all resentful intellectualism, all selfish calculation, all vicious political Christianity [Messianism], must fall before sublime revelation” Joseph Parker. It is the same for learning and improving our walk with Hashem:
Deuteronomy 8:6 (ESV) So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him.
Colossians 1:10 (ESV) so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
Ecclesiastes 7:12 (ESV) For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved [after being tested] a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Joshua 1:8 (ESV) This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
1 Timothy 4:6 (ESV) If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.
The more we give to Elohim, the more we receive. And the more we receive from Him, the more we share with others and the more we practice chessed.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13,16 (ESV) “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? … Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.
While this was written to and for the Jewish people, it applies to us as Meshechim also. One because we are adopted into Yisro’el (Heb 11, Gal 4:4-5), and also we practice an essentially Jewish form of religion. The early believers were all Jewish and proselytes to what was then a recognized sect within Judaism. Even after being banned by Rabbi Akiva’s decree and the subsequent blame and ostricization for the loss of the rebellion, and in the face of persecution from both Judaism and the Christian Church; the Nots’rim (early Ma’amim Mesichi- Messianic believers) held to a Jewish form of faith for over seven centuries before being mostly wiped out. It is this faith and form of religion which we try to emulate. The charges brought here could also be laid against us in all the western countries. So it is as pertinent today as when it was written those many centuries ago.
Dan C
References: JPS Study TNK, W Wiersbe, FB Meyer, MF Unger, F Seekins, Vine's, Rav S, my father and others.
