On Their Backs, at Their Head: Micah 2 (5)

Opening Prayer: Psalm 28.8, 9
The LORD is their strength,
And He is the saving refuge of His anointed.
Save Your people,
And bless Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also,
And bear them up forever.

Sing Psalm 28.8, 9
(Angel’s Story: O Jesus, I Have Promised)
Our strength are You, O Savior, our strong defense and sure.
Anointed with Your favor, we rest in You secure.
Save us, and bless us, Jesus, upon us turn Your face.
With shepherd’s care, Lord, keep us forever in Your grace.

Read Micah 2.12

Preparation
1. What did God promise do for His people?

2. To what did He compare them?

Meditation
The first two verbs in this verse are in a Hebrew form called an infinitive absolute. Translated literally, they would be “assembling I will assemble you” and “gathering I will gather you.” This is one way the Hebrew language expresses emphasis or certainty. Israel and Judah had become enemies of God; but God would not deny His good words to them. He will fulfill His covenant.

This verse looks ahead to two points in time. First is the restoration from captivity, when God would bring His people back to their land from their captivity in Babylon. He promises to gather them once again and to make them a large and boisterous flock, thriving in good pasture.

Beyond this, the prophecy looks forward to the days when God would gather Jews and Gentiles alike into the one flock of His Church (cf. Is. 54; Jn. 10.16). And even beyond this, a third assembling and gathering of God’s flock may be in view, when He gathers them around His table for the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19).

Hard to believe? Perhaps. But God will surely do it.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“I will surely assemble all of you…”
“I will surely gather the remnant…”
“I will put them together…” (Mic. 2.12)

God is promising to assemble and gather us, like sheep without a shepherd. “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matt. 9. 36).

God will surely do what needs to be done to gather us. And God’s will is for us to be gathered and sanctified (1 Thess. 4.3). God wants His will to be done on earth as it is done in heaven (Matt. 6.10).

God will put us together and make us complete “in every good work to do His will, working in [us] what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ…” (Heb. 12.21).

God will keep His promises to His people because “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3.9).

God will surely do all that He has said He will do.

Will we?

We can live within God’s will for us, we only need say, “I will”. And we can prove it by doing His will for us: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12.2).

“Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” (Rev. 19.9).

“I will.” “I will.”

Reflection
1. God’s promises will not fail. Which of those promises most guides your daily life?

2. What is our role in helping to assemble and gather God’s people?

3. How does your local church fulfill God’s promise to assemble and gather His people?`

The verbs are emphatic, demonstrating the certainty of God’s determination to bring to pass His good pleasure on His people (see Deut. 30:1–6). Earl Radmacher (1931-2014), NKJV Study Bible Note on Micah 2.12
 
Thank You, Lord, that Your promises are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! Help me today to…

Closing Prayer: Psalm 28.1-7
Thank and praise God that He hears your prayers and that He will bless, strengthen, and keep you through the coming day.

Sing Psalm 28.1-7
(Angel’s Story: O Jesus, I Have Promised)
I cry to You, our Savior, O, be not deaf to me!
Lord, speak to me with favor, lest I should dying be.
Hear now my supplications when for Your help I cry.
Receive these, my oblations, before Your throne on high.

Lord, count me not among those who walk in sinful ways.
With words of peace their tongue glows while evil fills their days.
Your works they disregard, Lord, while evil fills their hands.
Destroy them by Your Word, Lord, and let them no more stand.

Blessed be the Name of Jesus, for He will hear our prayer.
His strength protects and shields us with mercy and with care.
In You our heart rejoices; You help us by Your Word.
To You we raise our voices to praise and thank You, Lord.

T. M. and Susie Moore

You can listen to last week’s summary of our study by clicking here.

Micah in God’s Covenant
Where does the book of Micah fit in God’s covenant with His people? Our workbook, God’s Covenant, can help you to answer that question and to gain a better understanding of how the grace of God reaches and transforms us in Jesus Christ. Order your free copy by clicking here.

If you find Scriptorium helpful in your walk with the Lord, please seek the Lord, asking Him whether you should contribute to the support of this daily ministry with your financial gifts. As the Lord leads, you can use the Contribute button at the website to give with a credit card or through PayPal, or you can send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 360 Zephyr Road, Williston, VT 05495.

Except as indicated, all Scripture are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.