Micah 5:7 Study Bible: The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples, like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, that do not wait for man, nor wait for the sons of men.

◄ Micah 5:7 ►

Then the remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or linger for mankind.

Study Bible

Then the remnant of Jacob

God preserves a faithful people from Israel despite judgment, exile, and national unfaithfulness. Micah’s promise follows the prophecy of the coming Ruler from Bethlehem, showing that the Messiah’s reign secures the future of Jacob’s surviving people. Judgment never nullifies God’s covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Isa 10:21 A remnant will return—a remnant of Jacob—to the Mighty God.
Jer 31:7 For this is what the LORD says: “Sing with joy for Jacob;…
Rom 11:5 In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant…

will be in the midst of many peoples

Israel’s scattering among the nations began through Assyrian conquest and later Babylonian exile. God would also use that dispersion for His redemptive purposes, placing His people among the nations as witnesses to His holiness, faithfulness, and saving mercy. The remnant points forward to the worldwide blessing promised through Abraham’s offspring.

Zec 10:9 Though I sow them among the nations, they will remember…
Ezk 36:19 I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered…
Deu 28:64 Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations,…

like dew from the LORD,

Dew brought life to vegetation in the dry lands of Israel without human control or labor. God Himself would make the remnant a source of refreshment and blessing among the peoples. Hosea likewise portrays the Lord as dew bringing renewal and fruitfulness to Israel.

Hos 14:5 I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom…
Deu 33:13 Concerning Joseph he said: “May his land be blessed…
Gen 27:28 May God give to you the dew of heaven…

like showers on the grass,

Rain nourishes the earth and produces growth, depicting the life-giving work of God through His people. The Lord’s blessings would reach beyond Israel, anticipating the gathering of people from every nation under the reign of the promised King.

Psa 72:6 May he be like rain that falls on freshly cut grass,…
Deu 32:2 Let my teaching fall like rain and my speech settle like dew…
2Sa 23:4 is like the light of the morning at sunrise…

which do not wait for man or linger for mankind.

God accomplishes His purposes according to His own will and timing. The remnant’s preservation, restoration, and influence among the nations rest on divine grace rather than human strength, planning, or permission.

Job 38:26-27 bring rain on a barren land, on a desert…
Job 36:27-28 For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain…
Isa 55:10-11 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven…

Persons / Places / Events

1. Jacob
Represents the nation of Israel, specifically the faithful remnant that remains true to God amidst adversity.

2. The Remnant
A recurring theme in the Bible, referring to a small, faithful group of God's people preserved through trials.

3. Many Peoples
Symbolizes the nations of the world among whom the remnant of Jacob will be dispersed.

4. Dew from the LORD
A metaphor for the refreshing and life-giving presence of God's people among the nations.

5. Showers on the Grass
Illustrates the nourishing and sustaining influence of the remnant, independent of human intervention.

Teaching Points

The Faithful Remnant
God always preserves a faithful remnant, even in times of widespread unfaithfulness. This encourages believers to remain steadfast in their faith.

Influence Without Dependence
Like dew and showers, believers are called to influence the world positively without relying on human approval or timing.

God's Sovereignty
The imagery of dew and showers highlights God's sovereignty in using His people to fulfill His purposes, independent of human efforts.

Living Among the Nations
Christians are called to live among diverse peoples, bringing God's refreshing presence and truth to all cultures and societies.

Hope and Restoration
The promise of a remnant offers hope for restoration and renewal, reminding believers of God's faithfulness to His promises.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the concept of a "remnant" in Micah 5:7 encourage you in your personal faith journey?

2. In what ways can you be like "dew from the LORD" in your community or workplace?

3. How does understanding God's sovereignty in using His people impact your view of current world events?

4. What are some practical ways you can live out the influence of the remnant among "many peoples" today?

5. How do the themes in Micah 5:7 connect with Jesus' teachings in the New Testament about being the salt and light of the world?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Genesis 32:28
The transformation of Jacob's name to Israel, signifying the beginning of a nation that would carry God's promise.

Isaiah 10:20-22
Speaks of the remnant of Israel returning to the mighty God, emphasizing the theme of a faithful few.

Zechariah 8:12
Describes the blessings and prosperity that come from God, akin to the dew and showers mentioned in Micah.

Matthew 5:13-16
Jesus' teaching on being the salt and light of the world, paralleling the influence of the remnant among the nations.

Romans 11:5
Paul speaks of a remnant chosen by grace, reinforcing the idea of God's faithful few throughout history.

Sermons

A Dew from the Lord	A. Maclaren, D. D.	Micah 5:7
A Dew from the Lord'	Alexander Maclaren	Micah 5:7
Christian Influence	William Hurt.	Micah 5:7
God's People, Their Tender and Terrible Aspect in the World	Homilist	Micah 5:7
God's Purposes of Mercy	W. L. Alexander, D. D.	Micah 5:7
The Church in the World	E. Prout.	Micah 5:7
The Paucity, Position, and Power of the True	E. D. Green.	Micah 5:7
The World's Silent Benefactor	A. Rowland, D. D.	Micah 5:7
God's People, Their Tender and Terrible Aspect in the World	D. Thomas	Micah 5:7-9
The Gentleness and Terribleness of the People of God	E.S. Prout	Micah 5:7-9

People

Ephratah, Israelites, Jacob, Micah, Nimrod

Places

Assyria, Bethlehem, Nimrod, Zion

Topics

Awaited, Delay, Dew, Grass, Hands, Herb, Jacob, Kept, Linger, Mankind, Mass, Midst, Peoples, Remnant, Rest, Showers, Sons, Stayeth, Tarrieth, Tarry, Vegetation, Wait, Waiteth, Waiting

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Micah 5:7

     2233   Son of Man
     4460   grass
     4814   dew

Micah 5:7-9

7145 remnant

Library

'A Dew from the Lord'
'The remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.'--MICAH v. 7. The simple natural science of the Hebrews saw a mystery in the production of the dew on a clear night, and their poetic imagination found in it a fit symbol for all silent and gentle influences from heaven that refreshed and quickened parched and dusty souls. Created by an inscrutable process in silence and darkness, the dewdrops lay innumerable …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Christ is Glorious --Let us Make Him Known
I want to conduct you in such a frame of mind through the glories of my text. First, bidding you observe the perpetual reign of Christ: "He shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God;" then I shall beg you to observe that flowing from this is the perpetual continuance of his church: "and they shall abide;" and then proceeding both from his continued reign and from the Church's consequent perpetual existence comes the greatness of our King: "for …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 10: 1864

The Incarnation and Birth of Christ
"Who with more care keep holiday The wrong, than others the right way." The old Puritans made a parade of work on Christmas-day, just to show that they protested against the observance of it. But we believe they entered that protest so completely, that we are willing, as their descendants, to take the good accidentally conferred by the day, and leave its superstitions to the superstitious. To proceed at once to what we have to say to you: we notice, first, who it was that sent Christ forth. God the …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 2: 1856

Whether this is a Good Definition of Eternity, "The Simultaneously-Whole and Perfect Possession of Interminable Life"?
Objection 1: It seems that the definition of eternity given by Boethius (De Consol. v) is not a good one: "Eternity is the simultaneously-whole and perfect possession of interminable life." For the word "interminable" is a negative one. But negation only belongs to what is defective, and this does not belong to eternity. Therefore in the definition of eternity the word "interminable" ought not to be found. Objection 2: Further, eternity signifies a certain kind of duration. But duration regards existence …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

And Again the Prophet Micah Speaks of the Place Where Christ Should be Born...
And again the prophet Micah speaks of the place where Christ should be born, that it should be in Bethlehem of Judæa, saying thus: And thou, Bethlehem of Judæa, art thou the least among the princes of Judah? for out of, thee shall come a prince who shall feed my people Israel. [229] (Micah v. 2) But Bethlehem is the native place [230] of David: so that not only in respect of the Virgin who bore Him is He of David's race, but also in respect of His birth in Bethlehem the native place of …
Irenæus—The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching

Balaam
He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me.'--NUM. xxii. 6. Give a general outline of the history. See Bishop Butler's great sermon. I. How much knowledge and love of good there may be in a bad man. Balaam was a prophet: (a) He knew something of the divine character, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The visit and Homage of the Magi, and the Flight into Egypt
With the Presentation of the Infant Saviour in the Temple, and His acknowledgment - not indeed by the leaders of Israel, but, characteristically, by the representatives of those earnest men and women who looked for His Advent - the Prologue, if such it may be called, to the third Gospel closes. From whatever source its information was derived - perhaps, as has been suggested, its earlier portion from the Virgin-Mother, the later from Anna; or else both alike from her, who with loving reverence and …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Signs of the Redeemer's Return
As we have shown in the last chapter, the apostles and their converts looked for Christ to return in their own lifetime. They did not affirm that He would but they believed that He might. But eighteen centuries have passed since then and yet He has not come. The question therefore arises, What evidence is there that the second advent of our Lord is now nigh at hand--that is, nigh as judged even by human measurement of time? May there not be another eighteen centuries which must yet run their weary …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

The Greatest Trial on Record
Brethren, as the Lord gave commandment concerning even the ashes and offal of the sacrifices, we ought to think no matter trivial which stands in connection with our great burnt offering. My admonition is, "Gather up the fragments which remain, that nothing be lost." As goldsmiths sweep their shops, to save even the filings of the gold, so every word of Jesus should be treasured up as very precious. But, indeed, the narrative to which I invite you is not unimportant. Things which were purposed of …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 9: 1863

The Song of Solomon.
An important link in the chain of the Messianic hopes is formed by the Song of Solomon. It is intimately associated with Ps. lxxii., which was written by Solomon, and represents the Messiah as the Prince of Peace, imperfectly prefigured by Solomon as His type. As in this Psalm, so also in the Song of Solomon, the coming of the Messiah forms the subject throughout, and He is introduced there under the name of Solomon, the Peaceful One. His coming shall be preceded by severe afflictions, represented …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Covenanting Provided for in the Everlasting Covenant.
The duty of Covenanting is founded on the law of nature; but it also stands among the arrangements of Divine mercy made from everlasting. The promulgation of the law, enjoining it on man in innocence as a duty, was due to God's necessary dominion over the creatures of his power. The revelation of it as a service obligatory on men in a state of sin, arose from his unmerited grace. In the one display, we contemplate the authority of the righteous moral Governor of the universe; in the other, we see …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

The Millennium in Relation to Sin.
In spite of the fact that Satan will have been removed from the earth, and that Christ reigns in person over it, yet conditions here will not be perfect even in the Millennium. Unregenerate human nature will remain unchanged. Sin will still be present, though much of its outward manifestation will be restrained. Discontent and wickedness will not be eradicated from the hearts of men, but will be kept beneath the surface by means of the Iron Rod. Multitudes will yield to Christ nothing but a "feigned …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

The Birth of Jesus.
(at Bethlehem of Judæa, b.c. 5.) ^C Luke II. 1-7. ^c 1 Now it came to pass in those days [the days of the birth of John the Baptist], there went out a decree [a law] from Cæsar Augustus [Octavius, or Augustus, Cæsar was the nephew of and successor to Julius Cæsar. He took the name Augustus in compliment to his own greatness; and our month August is named for him; its old name being Sextilis], that all the world should be enrolled. [This enrollment or census was the first step …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Fulfilled Prophecies of the Bible Bespeak the Omniscience of Its Author
In Isaiah 41:21-23 we have what is probably the most remarkable challenge to be found in the Bible. "Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and show us what shall happen; let them show the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods." This Scripture has both a negative …
Arthur W. Pink—The Divine Inspiration of the Bible

The Millennium in Relation to Israel.
"And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In that same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land" (Gen. 15:17, 18). Here the two great periods of Israel's history was made known to Abram in figure. The vision of the smoking furnace and the burning lamp intimated that the history of Abraham's descendants was to be a checkered one. It was a prophecy in …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

The Restoration of Israel is Only Made Possible by the Second Advent of Christ.
Under this head we shall seek to prove briefly three things--that Israel as a nation will be restored, that Israel's restoration occurs at the Return of Christ, that Israel's restoration will result in great blessing to the whole world. That Israel as a nation will be actually and literally restored is declared again and again in the Word of God. We quote now but two prophecies from among scores of similar ones:--"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

Balaam's Prophecy. (Numb. xxiv. 17-19. )
Carried by the Spirit into the far distant future, Balaam sees here how a star goeth out of Jacob and a sceptre riseth out of Israel, and how this sceptre smiteth Moab, by whose enmity the Seer had been brought from a distant region for the destruction of Israel. And not Moab only shall be smitten, but its southern neighbour, Edom, too shall be subdued, whose hatred against Israel had already been prefigured in its ancestor, and had now begun to display Itself; and In general, all the enemies of …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Paul's Departure and Crown;
OR, AN EXPOSITION UPON 2 TIM. IV. 6-8 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR How great and glorious is the Christian's ultimate destiny--a kingdom and a crown! Surely it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive what ear never heard, nor mortal eye ever saw? the mansions of the blest--the realms of glory--'a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' For whom can so precious an inheritance be intended? How are those treated in this world who are entitled to so glorious, so exalted, so eternal, …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Sun Rising Upon a Dark World
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon then hath the light shined. C ontrasts are suited to illustrate and strengthen the impression of each other. The happiness of those, who by faith in MESSIAH, are brought into a state of peace, liberty, and comfort, is greatly enhanced and heightened by the consideration of that previous state of misery in which they once lived, and of the greater misery to which they were justly exposed. …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

What Messiah did the Jews Expect?
1. The most important point here is to keep in mind the organic unity of the Old Testament. Its predictions are not isolated, but features of one grand prophetic picture; its ritual and institutions parts of one great system; its history, not loosely connected events, but an organic development tending towards a definite end. Viewed in its innermost substance, the history of the Old Testament is not different from its typical institutions, nor yet these two from its predictions. The idea, underlying …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Eastern Wise-Men, or Magi, visit Jesus, the New-Born King.
(Jerusalem and Bethlehem, b.c. 4.) ^A Matt. II. 1-12. ^a 1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem [It lies five miles south by west of Jerusalem, a little to the east of the road to Hebron. It occupies part of the summit and sides of a narrow limestone ridge which shoots out eastward from the central chains of the Judæan mountains, and breaks down abruptly into deep valleys on the north, south, and east. Its old name, Ephrath, meant "the fruitful." Bethlehem means "house of bread." Its modern …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

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