Bildad would rather analyze and sit in judgement than comfort Job. His conclusion is that Job's plight is punishment for sin (vs.4,5). He intimates that Job has somehow forgotten his God (vs.11-13). He justifies his examination by claiming to understand the mind of the LORD (v.20). Let us not be guilty of Bildad's presumption when dealing with our brothers and sisters (Rom 12:8; 1Cor 2:16).

8:4  The comment ‘if thy children …’ seems to play on Job’s concern which is outlined in Job 1:5

8:6  In saying ‘if thou wert … upright’ Bildad is disputing God’s own assessment of Job seen in Job 2:3

8:2      Bildad is saying that all he is hearing from Job is, as we would put it, ‘a lot of hot air’. Not a very helpful response.!

8:1 Bildad was a Shuhite.  This meant that he was a descendent of Shuah, one of the son's of Abraham by Keturah.  Abraham sent the sons of his concubines away to live in the desert (Gen 25:1,2,6). 

8:6 Bildad makes the common mistake of equating material wealth with blessing from God. Such thinking is clearly wrong but many of us hold this view even if we deny it simply by the way we view those with money.

Bildad says in v4 that God slew Job's children because of their transgression. In v3 he says God is just to have done so. Could this be right? Surprisingly enough, Job seemed to think so because his reply is: "Truly I know it is so" (9v2). Practically the only introductory detail we have of Job's life in Job 1 is that he attempted to cover over his children's sins with sacrifices (1v5). This is not God's way, who desires repentance and obedience from the individual, not blanket forgiveness through sacrifice (Heb 10:4-6). Can you think of any other examples in scripture where God removes the children of a Godly man because of their own sin?

8:3 Doth God pervert judgement is Bildad’s way of accusing Job of misrepresenting God’s actions.

3:1 'And I said' shows that Micah is writing down his words some time after he spoke them.

3:2 The attitude show here is warned against in Amos, a contemporary prophet. Amos 5:15

4:1 The assurance the 'mountain of the Lord of hosts' will be exalted above the hills draws on the fact that the mount Zion on which Jerusalem is situated is lower than, and surrounded by, mountains, hence the Psalmist could say Psalm 125:2

3:12 We know that these words were spoken to Hezekiah (Jeremiah 23:18) So here we have an example of a very specific prophecy which was not fulfilled when the prophet gave the warning, even though it was going to be fulfilled at that time. The delay was brought about by the repentance of the king. In this respect it is similar to the way that God worked through Jonah.

The chapter division between Chapter 3 and 4 is arbitrary and breaks the flow of the prophet's message. God is saying that despite the fact that Jerusalem was going to be destroyed - which is was finally in AD 135 - there will be a time of great glory for Israel. Clearly this will be at the time of the kingdom when Christ returns.

3:5 In saying that 'they make my people err' Micah is echoing the ideas of two contemporary prophets (Isaiah 24:2 Hosea 4:9)

4:4 'Every man under his vine and fig tree' contrasts and acts as a challenge to the Assyrian king (2 Kings 18:31) who sought to turn the people away from Hezekiah.

3:5Continuing last year's comment. Whilst Isaiah and Hosea involve the priests in the corruption Micah specifically says it was the 'prophets'. So we see that all classes of teachers were corrupt. This must have made life very difficult for the faithful prophets at this time.

4:10 Continuing what we saw about Babylon in Chapter 2 we now have a specific threat of captivity in Babylon - and all this is before the Assyrians had been destroyed on the mountains of Israel in the days of Hezekiah.

4:1-8 give a beautiful picture of the Kingdom age when the remnant of Israel will be favored. Then 4:9-13 plunge back into the reality of Israel's coming (post Micah) disaster. Notice in 4:1 the physical change that will occur in Jerusalem at Christ's return. The earthquake at that time will lift Zion to an elevated plateau where Ezekiel's temple will be placed (see Zech 14:4,10).

a) Mic 3:1-4,8-12 is directed to the leaders who should have known better than lead the people astray, and Mic 3:5-7 is spoken against the false prophets who have spoken lies to God’s own land.
b) There is a change of tone and of message in chapter 4. Although there are still parts of the chapter which prophecy evil and punishments, (Mic 4:9,10); there are glorious verses which speak of peace and of the Kingdom. Mic 4:1-5 are very similar to Isa 2:1-5, and then Mic 4:11-13 again speaks of God’s deliverance.

3:6 The prophecy given by Micah that the people would not have a vision was fulfilled at the time of the Babylonian invasion – Eze 12:22

4:2 The nations eagerness to go and learn of God is rather like what happened in the days of Solomon when the queen of Sheba came to see Solomon and hard his wisdom – 2Chron 9:1-5

4:10 Micah warns abut the Babylonian captivity at the same time as the King Hezekiah is entertaining the ambassadors from Babylon. Isa 39:1-2

4:5     The comment that Israel will walk in the name of the Lord echoes the words of the contemporary prophet – Isa 2:5

4:1-3 Compare these verses with a parallel account in Isa 2:2-4. 

The nations of the world will surrender to the Lord Jesus and peace will ensue.  This is after the nations will have tried to militarily defeat Jesus.  Compare the language of Joel 3:10, as the nations prepare for war, with 4:3 when the nations sue for peace.

3:4 In crying unto God and yet not being heard the prophet is using similar language to that which the contemporary prophet has said – Hos 5:6

v 7,8 First Principles>Kingdom of God>Restored Israel to be God's Kingdom
When Israel is restored, it will be God's Kingdom Acts 1:3-6, Mic 4:7,8
First Principles>Kingdom of God
For more about the Kingdom of God, go to Gen 12:1

Mic 4:1-8;Isa 2:1-4;Luke 1:32-33 - The future millenial kingdom age when called out Jews and Gentiles are blessed, and Christ reigns on earth from David's throne in Jerusalem.

4:2 - The law will go out from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Jer 3:17;Isa 62:1-4,6-7 - in Isa.62:4 the new name for Zion will be "Hephzibah" which means "my delight is in her" and the land will be "Beulah" which means "married" (to Christ the bridegroom). 4:4 - This verse combines Lev 26:4-5;1Kin 4:25 and refers to a return to the Davidic kingdom and an even greater prosperity than that under Solomon. 4:5 - This would appear to be a regression to either Micah's day or some time prior to Christ's rule when many don't follow the true God. 4:6 - "In that day...I will gather the lame..." ("lame" could mean afflicted, injured, etc. i.e. Israel suffering before glory). 4:7 - Mount Zion was a hill just outside the walls of Old Jerusalem, the temple mount, the city of David. Christ will rule on the throne of David.  4:8 - "tower of the flock" is probably Jerusalem while "the flock" is probably Israel. "strong hold"  is probably "Ophal" a hill in the South of Jerusalem while the "daughter of Zion" is probably the called ones who worship the true God (Isa 62:11-12 - faithful Jews past and present and faithful Gentiles/spiritual Jews who are brides to the bridegroom Christ. Those in Jerusalem will get a king. Christ will be the son of David who inherits David's throne (2Sam 7:10-16). Faithful Gentiles are like grafted in spiritual Jews (Gal 3:6-9,26-29). 4:9 - This verse is prophecy but prior to the kingdom age as soon Judah would lament due to exile and have no king or counselor (Isa 9:6). The people suffering like a woman in labor (Hos 13:12-13). 4:10 - "You will go to Babylon" (the people of Judah would abandon the city, camp in the open field, and even go to Babylon - this prophecy goes beyond the 10 tribes being taken by Assyria in 722 BC to 586 BC when Judah was taken by Babylon). "There the Lord will redeem you out of the hands of your enemies" (redemption after 70 years and an ultimate redemption when Christ returns to make his people truly free - from sin and death).  4:11 - "now many nations are gathered against you" (this refers to the Armageddon of the last days Rev 16:16;Joel 3:1-2). 4:12 - The many nations will be like sheaves for threshing. 4:12 - "horns of iron" (horn is a symbol of power and iron is strong) given to the Daughter of Zion (probably the faithful believers both Jew and Gentile).

3:1-3 - A denunciation of the leaders, princes, priests and prophets of Israel and Judah. Instead of being shepherds to the flock they had become butchers feeding on the flock. Perhaps an echo of 70 AD also when some literally ate their own children.  3:4 - In their day of judgment they will cry out to the Lord but He will turn His face from them. 3:5-7 - The condemnation of false prophets (Matt 7:15) who proclaim good news when they are fed and bad news when they aren't. These false prophets would have no new "revelations" during captivity as their sufferings reduced them to silence; also, there were no true prophets from Malachi (circa 397 BC) to the days of Christ. 3:8 - Micah, a true prophet sent to Judah and Israel, points out their sinful ways and contrasts himself with the false prophets.  3:9 - Back to condemnation of the rulers who distorted all that is right and despised God's judgment. 3:10 - Rulers who build Zion (initially a mount in Jerusalem, then including Jerusalem and to later include Israel) with bloodshed and Jerusalem with wickedness. 3:11 - Leaders, priests and false prophets were all corrupted with payoffs but had blind arrogance in thinking their worship was acceptable (Titus 1:16;Luke 18:9-14) and that the Lord was pleased and would bring no disaster on them. They had a false sense of security. 3:12 - Impending judgment of Zion being plowed like a field and Jerusalem a heap of rubble, etc.  Hezekiah responded to Micah not Isaiah (2Kin 20:16-19). Judgment happened about 150 years later in the reign of Zedekiah despite a later warning to Judah (Jer 7:1-15). Some tried to persuade Jehoiakim to put Jeremiah to death but elders siting Micah's prophecy and Hezekiah's example saved his life (Jer 26:19-25). Nebuchadnezzar partly fulfilled God's judgments in 621 BC and 586 BC when Jerusalem was destroyed, then by Antiochus in the second century BC and finally with the Romans in 70 AD. The actual plowing of Zion is thought to have taken place under Emperor Hadrian in 135 AD. The inferred lesson for us is how acceptable is our worship? Are we at risk for deluding ourselves?

EVERLASTING GOD

We don't have to be like everyone else. They might worship their movie stars, sports heros and singers, fast cars, fashion and finances, but we will worship the LORD our God. It was Micah who said a statement just like this. He said, "All the nations may walk in the name of their gods; we will walk in the name of our God for ever and ever." (Mic 4:5)

The big difference between the gods people worship and the LORD is that other gods have no future. If they are people, they will be dead in a few short years. If they are possessions, they can be reduced or gone before we know it. Added to how temporary everything is, is the fact that no other gods can do anything for us. They cannot save.

The LORD, on the other hand will work powerfully in our lives if we let him. He loves us personally and has promised us an eternity with him. Why be like everyone else with no future?

"We will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever." Notice how Micah makes us focus on eternity by saying "for ever and ever," and that his statement comes directly after a prophecy that takes Israel into a very bright and eternal future. Like Micah, let's take time to focus on eternity and then dedicate our whole selves to the LORD, the only true, living and eternal God.

Mic 4:1-4 First Principles>Sure Mercies of David>Government
Jesus will govern God's Kingdom on earth.
For more information about the government of God's Kingdom, go to Matt 19:28

v2,7,8 First Principles>Sure Mercies of David>Capital City>Jerusalem 
The Capital City is to be Jerusalem. Jer 3:17, Isa 24:23, Mic 4:2,7,8
First Principles>Sure Mercies of David> For more details go to Isa 55:1-3

4:10 Micah is more specific than Isaiah in his judgements upon Babylon – Isa 14:15– however they both make the same point which causes one to wonder why Hezekiah was so quick to show the ambassadors from Babylon his wealth.

13:23 In saying that Timothy ‘is set at liberty’ we learn that Timothy had spent some time in prison – the language matches that of Paul’s own comment abut himself Acts 26:32 . This detail is not recorded in any of the historical data un the New Testament about Timothy.

13:10   The fellowship of the first century brethren was exclusive – that is it they had to decide whether their confidence was in the law of Moses or in the sacrifice of Jesus. If they trusted in the law of Moses then the sacrifice of Christ was of no value to them.

V.23 There is no record of Timothy's being in prison.  And so, the term set at liberty (KJV) means sent away. This is probably referring to Paul's sending Timothy to Macedonia.

There are a multitude of references in this chapter to Lot in the Old Testament.

13:17 Those ‘who have the rule over you’ must be the elders in the church at Jerusalem. It cannot be the Jewish authorities – they would have the brethren turn away from Christ and back to the Law of Moses.