Then the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which tramples and tears as it passes through, with no one to rescue them. Then the remnant of JacobThe term "remnant" refers to a small, surviving group of people. In the Hebrew context, "she'erit" signifies those who remain faithful to God amidst adversity. Historically, the "remnant of Jacob" points to the Israelites who would survive the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles. This remnant is often seen as a symbol of hope and divine preservation, emphasizing God's faithfulness to His covenant people. Theologically, it represents the faithful believers who continue to uphold God's commandments, serving as a beacon of hope and restoration. will be among the nations
This phrase indicates the dispersion of the Israelites among various nations, a historical reality following the exiles. The Hebrew word "goyim" for "nations" often refers to Gentile nations. This dispersion is not merely a punishment but also a divine strategy for the Israelites to be a light to the Gentiles, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham that through his descendants, all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). It underscores the universal scope of God's redemptive plan. in the midst of many peoples
The phrase "in the midst" suggests a central, influential position. The Hebrew "kerev" implies being surrounded or encircled. This positioning among "many peoples" highlights the Israelites' role as witnesses to God's power and glory. Historically, it reflects the reality of the Jewish diaspora, living and thriving among diverse cultures while maintaining their distinct identity and faith. like a lion among the beasts of the forest
The lion, "aryeh" in Hebrew, symbolizes strength, dominance, and fearlessness. In ancient Near Eastern culture, the lion was often associated with royalty and divine power. This imagery conveys the idea that the remnant of Jacob, though small, will possess a formidable presence and influence among the nations, much like a lion commands respect and fear among other animals. like a young lion among flocks of sheep
A "young lion," or "kefir" in Hebrew, suggests vigor and potential. The contrast between a lion and sheep highlights the disparity in power and authority. This metaphor illustrates the remnant's ability to assert influence and enact God's will, even when surrounded by seemingly vulnerable or unsuspecting nations. It serves as a reminder of God's empowerment of His people to fulfill His purposes. which tramples and tears as it passes through
The actions "tramples" and "tears" depict decisive and unstoppable force. In Hebrew, "ramas" (tramples) and "taraph" (tears) convey the idea of overwhelming power and judgment. This imagery suggests that the remnant will execute God's justice and righteousness among the nations, reflecting His sovereign authority and the ultimate triumph of His kingdom. with no one to rescue them
This phrase underscores the inevitability and completeness of God's judgment. The absence of rescue, "matsil" in Hebrew, indicates that no earthly power can thwart God's plans or deliver those who oppose His will. It serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of resisting God's authority and the ultimate victory of His faithful remnant. This assurance of divine justice inspires believers to trust in God's sovereign plan and remain steadfast in their faith. Persons / Places / Events 1. Remnant of JacobRefers to the faithful portion of Israel that remains after judgment. This remnant is often seen as a symbol of hope and restoration. 2. NationsRepresents the Gentile nations surrounding Israel. The remnant's presence among them signifies influence and impact. 3. LionSymbolizes strength, power, and dominance. The lion imagery conveys the authority and fearlessness of the remnant. 4. Beasts of the ForestRepresents the nations or peoples among whom the remnant will dwell. The forest is a metaphor for the world. 5. Flocks of SheepSymbolizes vulnerability and defenselessness, contrasting with the lion's power. Teaching Points The Power of the RemnantThe remnant of Jacob is not just a surviving group but a powerful force among the nations. This teaches us that God can use a faithful few to accomplish His purposes. Influence Among the NationsBelievers are called to be a transformative presence in the world, much like the remnant among the nations. Our lives should reflect Christ's power and love. Strength in GodThe lion imagery reminds us that our strength comes from God. We are called to be bold and courageous in our faith, trusting in His power. Judgment and RestorationThe passage highlights both judgment and the hope of restoration. It encourages us to remain faithful, knowing that God will ultimately restore and vindicate His people. Living as a WitnessJust as the remnant is a witness among the nations, we are called to live as witnesses of Christ's love and truth in our communities. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the concept of a "remnant" apply to the church today, and what does it mean for us to be part of this remnant? 2. In what ways can we, as believers, be like a "lion among the beasts" in our daily lives, demonstrating strength and influence? 3. How does the imagery of the lion challenge us to live out our faith with boldness and courage? 4. What are some practical ways we can be a transformative presence in our communities, reflecting the power and love of Christ? 5. How do the themes of judgment and restoration in Micah 5:8 encourage us to remain faithful in challenging times? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 49:9The lion imagery connects to Jacob's blessing over Judah, where Judah is likened to a lion's cub, indicating leadership and strength. Isaiah 11:6-9This passage speaks of a future peace where predators and prey coexist, contrasting with the destructive power of the lion in Micah 5:8. Revelation 5:5Jesus is referred to as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, connecting the lion imagery to messianic prophecy and fulfillment. People Ephratah, Israelites, Jacob, Micah, NimrodPlaces Assyria, Bethlehem, Nimrod, ZionTopics Animals, Beasts, Bits, Crushed, Deliver, Deliverer, Flock, Flocks, Foot, Forest, Gentiles, Goes, Jacob, Lion, Mangles, Mass, Mauls, Middle, Midst, Nations, None, Passed, Passes, Peoples, Pieces, Pulled, Ranks, Remnant, Rescue, Rest, Saviour, Sheep, Teareth, Tears, Torn, Tramples, Treadeth, Treads, Trodden, Woods, YeaDictionary of Bible Themes Micah 5:8 4448 forests
6738 rescue Micah 5:7-9 7145 remnant Micah 5:8-9 9220 day of the LORD 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 ScriptureChrist 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 Links Micah 5:8 NIVMicah 5:8 NLTMicah 5:8 ESVMicah 5:8 NASBMicah 5:8 KJV
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