Opening Prayer: Psalm 110.1-3
The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion.
Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
Your people shall be volunteers
In the day of Your power;
In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning,
You have the dew of Your youth.

Sing Psalm 110.1-3
(Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
“Sit by Me at My right hand,” the Lord says to my Lord,
“until I make Your foot stand on all who hate Your Word.”
From in His Church the Savior rules all His enemies;
while those who know His favor go forth the Lord to please.

Read Micah 2.13

Preparation
1. What did Micah say the Lord’s flock would do?

2. Who would lead them in doing this?

Meditation
As God comes to assemble and gather His sheep into a boisterous flock (v. 12), they seem fairly bristling with energy. All they need is someone to set them loose and lead them out. And God has just the Man for that.

“The one who breaks open” is a clear reference to our Lord Jesus Christ. By His death He rent the veil separating us from the Presence of God and broke us free from the chains of sin that bound us for death. From His seat at the right hand of God, Jesus, with the Father, sent the Spirit into His people, energizing them to break out in all directions, just as we see in the book of Acts. Following their King, Who is also the LORD, the people of God will be contained and captive no more. Their breaking out into the world signals the coming of the Kingdom of God and the rule of Christ as depicted in Psalm 110.

First, of course, the people must go into exile, then, under the decree of Cyrus, be assembled again in the land. But no king will be established among them, and this is why we believe this passage looks beyond that first time of assembling and gathering to the assembling and gathering and breaking-out accomplished by Jesus and His Spirit in the last days (cf. Mic. 4.1, 2).

These are the times in which we live (cf. Acts 2.16, 17). Each day our King and Lord leads us to break out of our old lives into the new life in Christ He has given us by grace through faith. “They will,” says the Lord. Will we?

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
We will! And indeed, we must. How can we resist this invitation to action?

Jesus “breaks open” the gate so that we can “break out” from the imprisonment of sin; and thus we “pass through” the displeasure of God and “go out” to be free, as we are led by our King Jesus who “passes before” us and leads us out – “the LORD at their head” (Mic. 2.13).

And He leads us to freedom, true liberation to follow Him.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jn. 8.32).
“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (Jn. 8.36).
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8.2).
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5.1).

When we say, “I will”, God confirms His Presence with us. And our departure from sin is well-planned by the LORD of peace and order. “For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight; for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard” (Is. 52.12).

“He has done all things well” (Mk. 7.37). Let’s go!

Reflection
1. How does Jesus “break us out” of our sin?

2. What’s the nature of the freedom that we have in Jesus? What threatens that freedom?

3. What does it mean for you to “break out” for Jesus, following our King today?

… inasmuch as Christ says that the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, (Matthew 11:12) they then mean that the people will have courageous leaders, whom nothing will stop from breaking through, and that they will also lead the whole people with them. They shall therefore go forth through the gate, and their king shall pass through. This also well agrees with the kingdom of Christ. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Micah 2.13

Closing Prayer: Psalm 110.4-7
Pray that, as you go forth for the Lord this day, He will lead you and strengthen you for the work of the day.

Sing Psalm 110.4-7
(Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
Filled with the Spirit’s power, in holy robes of love,
from early morning’s hour they serve their Lord above.
Christ reigns a priest forever, the King of Righteousness
and King of Peace who ever His chosen ones will bless.

The Lord at Your right hand, Lord, in wrath shall shatter kings,
when judgment by His strong Word He to the nations brings.
Then, all His foes defeated, He takes His hard-won rest,
in glorious triumph seated with us, redeemed and blessed!

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.

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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.