Where Is The Hope?
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Micah 4:1-13
It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the LORD
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it,
and many nations shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples,
and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore;
but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,
and no one shall make them afraid,
for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. For all the peoples walk
each in the name of its god,
but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God
forever and ever.
In that day, declares the LORD,
I will assemble the lame
and gather those who have been driven away
and those whom I have afflicted; and the lame I will make the remnant,
and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion
from this time forth and forevermore. And you, O tower of the flock,
hill of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come,
the former dominion shall come,
kingship for the daughter of Jerusalem. Now why do you cry aloud?
Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished,
that pain seized you like a woman in labor? Writhe and groan, O daughter of Zion,
like a woman in labor,
for now you shall go out from the city
and dwell in the open country;
you shall go to Babylon. There you shall be rescued;
there the LORD will redeem you
from the hand of your enemies. Now many nations
are assembled against you, saying, “Let her be defiled,
and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.” But they do not know
the thoughts of the LORD; they do not understand his plan,
that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor. Arise and thresh,
O daughter of Zion,
for I will make your horn iron,
and I will make your hoofs bronze; you shall beat in pieces many peoples;
and shall devote their gain to the LORD,
their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth. 1
This chapter was a clear message of hope to a people who knew the truth but ignored it. They had chosen ignorance and felt good. They were living in a prosperous time, and all seemed good. Certainly, if things were going well for them, it meant God was pleased. Right?
Chuck Colson, a man who truly is remembered in America as two distinct and opposed personas – he was Nixon’s hatchet man during the era of the Watergate scandal, for which he went to prison. Then, after surrendering his life to Jesus Christ and founding Prison Fellowship, he became a voice of truth as a brother in Christ, proclaiming and teaching the gospel and a biblical worldview of life in a culture that previously defined him.
In the early 1990s, he said this:
Where is the hope? I meet millions of people who feel demoralized
by the decay around us. The hope that each of us has is not in who
governs us, or what laws we pass, or what great things we do as a
nation. Our hope is in the power of God working through the
hearts of people. And that's where our hope is in this country. And
that's where our hope is in life.
Where is the hope? Micah knew. And God used this prophet to ensure his people knew.
Here is a story that I first saw quoted from a 1992 copy of the devotional book “Our Daily Bread.”
During the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century, German pastor Paul Gerhardt and his family were forced to flee from their home. One night as they stayed in a small village inn, homeless and afraid, his wife broke down and cried openly in despair. Tocomfort her, Gerhardt reminded her of Scripture promises about God's provision and keeping. Then, going out to the garden to be alone, he too broke down and wept. He felt he had come to his darkest hour.
Soon afterward, Gerhardt felt the burden lifted and sensed anew the Lord's presence. Taking his pen, he wrote a hymn that has
brought comfort to many.
Give to the winds thy fears; hope, and be undismayed; God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears;
God shall lift up thy head.
Through waves and clouds and storms He gently clears the way.
Wait thou His time, so shall the night soon end in joyous day."
It is often in our darkest times that God makes His presence known
most clearly.
He uses our sufferings and troubles to show us that He is our only source of strength. And when we see this truth, like Pastor Gerhardt, we receive new hope. Are you facing a great trial? Take heart. Put yourself in God's hands. Wait for His timing. He will give you a "song in the night."
Some of you today are listening a little closer now. Why? Because this story of despair is resonating more than you wish. There are times, maybe even now, when you just feel as if you are at the end of your rope. As if there is no answer. You are in church. You have always come to church...but let’s be honest, you may feel that something is still missing. Something just isn’t right.
Chapters 1-3 of Micah are rough, hard-hitting and yet, needed. The word from Micah was that judgment was to come. God would no longer allow unaddressed sin and continual doctrinal drift to occur. The “good days”
of the nations of Judah an Israel were coming to an end and even in their prosperity, it was now declared that God was not pleased. How difficult is it to hear such things when things are seemingly going well? Israel would be destroyed. The nations of God’s people would face trials.
Yet, there would come a day defined by hope. A day of restoration. This will happen when the Messiah reigns on the earth and ultimately fulfills the covenant promises made to Abraham and David.
God promises this hope – which is an assurance, not simply a possibility – was coming.
HOPE IN THE PRINCE OF PEACE
For a people facing war, destruction, battling nations, slavery, overwhelming enemy forces (in their past, and ultimately to come,) and the ramifications of their own idolatry and sin, God promises there will come true peace. “swords will be turned into plowshares” and“spears into pruning hooks.” Weapons of destruction would become tools for growth and nourishment. The imagery is clear.
HOPE IN THE KING OF KINGS
The nation that begged for a human king will eventually have a king who is truly human, and truly God as well. This king of kings has been, is, and will continue to be eternally sovereign. There is no king above him. There is no king before him. There is no succession to the throne, for he has created this throne, sits upon this throne, and will do so for eternity.
HOPE IN THE LORD OF LORDS
The people were claiming God’s name but chasing after false gods and idols. The day will come when every knee will bow and every tongue confess this truth.
each in the name of its god,
For all the peoples walk
but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.
There is a hope to come for these Old Testament people of God living under a broken (by their own sin, not by God’s abandonment) covenant of the law. They will...their descendants will...we will and are under the authority of a king – but not just any king. This is the King of kings. This is our Prince of peace. This is the Lord of lords. This is the one whose name is above all others. This is the one to be born in a small town during a time of despair, hopelessness, world conflict, wars and rumors of wars. The one to grow into adulthood, sinless and perfect – to die an undeserved death so that the undeserved may live.
The prophet spoke of the coming Messiah. The prophet spoke truth and this Messianic word has been fulfilled and will be fulfilled. You see, there will come another day, a second-coming as it’s been stated. And yet, we’re here today. In this moment. Between the Bethlehem birth and the glorious appearing.
In this moment, we may still ask “Where is the hope?” Where is the hope? This is the hope. His name is Jesus.
1 John 5:13
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
End Notes
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mic 4:1–13). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
