The highest of the mountains

The highest of the mountains

Scripture: In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”

The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the LORD Almighty has spoken.

All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever. “In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will gather the lame; I will assemble the exiles and those I have brought to grief. I will make the lame my remnant, those driven away a strong nation. The LORD will rule over them in Mount Zion from that day and forever.

Micah 4:1-7

Observation: Micah 4 gives us a marvelous prophecy of the millennial reign spoken about in Revelation, where our Lord Jesus will come down and reign in Jerusalem for 1,000 years.

In the first passage, we see that the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of all mountains. In Revelation 6, at the great day of the Lord’s coming, it is written that every mountain will be removed from its place. Somehow, the end result of the end-time powerful tectonic movements would be the mountain of the Lord becoming the highest of all mountains. We are given a further picture of many nations coming up this mountain to learn from God. The principle here is the Lord teaching the nations and the nations walking in His paths. There is a teaching and a doing. For us today, the principle is the same, we learn from God’s Word not just for head knowledge, but for practical application. James reminds us of the importance of looking intently into God’s law and then going away and doing what it says. If we do not, we are likened to a man who looks at himself in a mirror and then goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

In the second passage, we see the law of the Lord, the Word of God going out from Zion. The whole world will be under the Lord’s rule, and strong nations far and wide will come to Him for judgment and settlement of disputes. There will be no more war, but peace in all the nations. The Lord is our Prince of Peace, and He will bring lasting peace upon the earth. Today, as we wait for his coming, our role is to seek peace, as it is written, blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God.

In the final passage, we see a cry by the prophet Micah that he and his people will walk in the name of the Lord forever even if other nations follow other gods. This call is for us too, to be loyal to our Lord Jesus always, even if others turn away and follow other gods. The passage further highlights that the Lord will gather the lame and the driven away, making them a strong nation. In the Beatitudes, the Lord declares that blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Those who are strong and powerful in their own eyes, who think they don’t need God, will not be exalted in this coming kingdom. Instead, it will be the meek, the lowly, the humble, whom God will lift up and establish in His perfect kingdom.

Application: Remember that God teaches us so that we can walk in His ways. We are to be not only hearers of the Word but doers also.  Remember that the Lord is the Prince of Peace. We who follow Him must also love peace, pray for peace and endeavor to bring peace wherever we go in our lives. Be loyal to the Lord always, even when others are not. Remember to be meek and humble before the Lord who detests the proud.

Prayer: Blessed be Your Word O Lord, which teaches us Your ways perfectly. Teach me and give me the strength to walk in Your ways always. Let me not be only a hearer of Your Word but a doer. Praise You, Lord Jesus, for You are the Prince of Peace. Let my heart love peace always, and teach me to be a peacemaker. Let my heart stay ever true to You alone O God, even if others fall, let me never forsake You. Forgive my pride O Lord, teach me humility and meekness in You. May Your name be praised forever. In Jesus name, Amen.