Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Micah 5

Mic 5:1 Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.

gather thyself in troops

The "word of the Lord that came to Micah" (Mic 1:1), having described the future kingdom (Mic 4:1-8), and glanced at the Babylonian captivities (Mic 4:9-10), goes forward into the last days to refer to the great battle (see "Armageddon,") Scofield Rev 16:14; Scofield 19:17, note), which immediately precedes the setting up of the Messianic kingdom (see "Kingdom (O.T.)," Scofield Gen 1:26; Zec 12:8, note; also, "Kingdom (N.T.)," Luk 1:31-33; 1Co 15:28).
Micah 5:1, 2 forms a parenthesis in which the "word of the Lord" goes back from the time of the great battle (yet future) to the birth and rejection of the King, Messiah-Christ (Mat 27:24, 25, 37). This is followed by the statement that He will "give them up until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth" (Mic 5:3). There is a twofold "travail" of Israel:

1. that which brings forth the "man child" (Christ) (Rev 12:1, 2); and
2. that which, in the last days, brings forth a believing "remnant" out of the still dispersed and unbelieving nation (Mic 5:3; Jer 30:6-14; Mic 4:10).

Both aspects are combined in Isa 66. In Mic 5:7 we have the "man child" (Christ) of Rev 12:1, 2; in Mic 5:8-24 the remnant, established in kingdom blessing. The meaning of Micah 5:3 is that, from the rejection of Christ at His first coming Jehovah will give Israel up till the believing remnant appears; then He stands and feeds in His proper strength as Jehovah (Mic 5:4); He is the defence of His people as in Mic 4:3, 11-13, and afterward the remnant go as missionaries to Israel and to all the world (Mic 5:7, 8; Zec 8:23).

they shall smite the judge of Israel

Cf. Mat 26:67; 27:30.

Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Bethlehem

Mat 2:5-12; Luk 2:4, 11; Jhn 7:42.

shall he come forth

Christ (First Advent). Hag 2:7. (Gen 3:15; Acts 1:9.)

ruler in Israel

Kingdom (O.T.). Zep 3:13-20. (Gen 1:26; Zec 12:8).

from everlasting

Cf. Isaiah 7:13, 14; 9:6, 7. The "child" was born in Bethlehem, but the "Son" was "from everlasting."

Mic 5:3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.

remnant

Remnant. Mic 5:3-9; Mic 7:18. (Isa 1:9; Rom 11:5).

Mic 5:4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

shall he be great unto the ends of the earth

Psa 72:8; Isa 52:13; Zec 9:10; Luk 1:32.

Mic 5:6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.

land of Nimrod

Gen 10:8, 10, 11.

Mic 5:7 And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.

the remnant of Jacob

The ministry of the Jewish remnant (Isa 1:9 Scofield Romans 11:5, note) has a twofold aspect, "a dew from the Lord"; "a lion among the beasts." Turning to the Lord in the great tribulation (Psa 2:5; Scofield Rev 7:14, note), the remnant takes up the beautiful gospel of the kingdom (Scofield Rev 14:6, note) and proclaims it under awful persecution "unto all nations, for a witness" (Mat 24:14). The result is seen in Rev 7:4-14. This is the "dew" aspect, and is followed by the "day of the Lord" (Isa 2:10-22; Rev 19:11-21), in the morning of which the kingdom is set up in power. Again there is a world-wide preaching to Jew and Gentile, but now it is the word that the King is on His holy hill of Zion (Psa 2), and the unrepentant will be broken with His rod of iron (Psa 2:6-9). The preaching is given in Psalms 2:10-12. This is the "lion" aspect of the remnant's testimony (Rev 2:26-28). The full kingdom-age of blessing follows the "rod of iron" aspect.

as a dew from the LORD

Deu 32:2; Psa 72:6; 110:3.

Mic 5:10 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:

I will cut off thy horses

Zec 9:10.

Mic 5:14 And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.

I will pluck up thy groves

Deu 16:21.

Mic 5:15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.

heathen

i.e. nations.