The Mountain of the LORD
In the last days
the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established
as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills,
and peoples will stream to it.
Many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He will judge between many peoples
and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Every man will sit under his own vine
and under his own fig tree,
and no one will make them afraid,
for the LORD Almighty has spoken.
All the nations may walk
in the name of their gods;
we will walk in the name of the LORD
our God for ever and ever… continued at
My Understanding: “In the last days…” commonly refers to the time of Jesus Christ’s earthly life and ministry until the time when he returns for his bride, to judge the earth and its inhabitants, and to set up his earthly kingdom reign, at which time his saints will reign and rule with him for a period of a thousand years (don’t know if this is a literal 1,000). This prophecy in Micah 4 is concerning this period of time from Jesus’ first coming to, and to include his millennial reign on the earth.
Although this was written during the times of the Old Testament and of the Old Covenant of God with his people, the Jews and the nation of physical Israel, it must be understood in light of Jesus Christ’s life and ministry, and of the life and future of the church, i.e. the true saints of God, i.e. a spiritual entity, not a physical one we often call “church.” Micah was writing about the future of the people of God, who are now the saints of God through faith in Jesus Christ. The “mountain of the Lord’s temple” is Zion, and Zion is the kingdom of God, the church, the body of Christ, spiritual Israel (true Israel), the heavenly Jerusalem.
The Mountain of the Lord
The temple of God in the last days is in the hearts of true followers of Jesus Christ, who collectively comprise the church, the body of Christ, which is a spiritual entity. So, the people of the world will stream, not to physical Israel and to physical Jerusalem, but they will stream to Jesus Christ, to his gospel, to salvation, and to entry into his eternal kingdom (Zion, the mountain of the Lord’s house, his church). This is not talking about people streaming to incorporations and businesses of men under the control of the federal government, but is speaking about them streaming to the house of God, i.e. the true church of Jesus Christ, his people, his kingdom, and to salvation and eternal life with God in glory.
So, when the people say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob,” this is speaking of people entering into relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, our Rock of eternal salvation. God no longer dwells in buildings built by human hands. A “church” building is no more sacred than my home, my car, the shopping mall, etc. The “sanctuary” in a physical building called a “church” is not the sanctuary of God. We do not enter into the presence of God or into his house when we enter a physical building. Scripture is real clear on this subject. God is not going to make his temple a physical building once again, so even if the Jews rebuild the temple, it will not be the temple of God, because God now dwells in our hearts. Our hearts are his sanctuary, and the Holy of Holies dwells there and makes his home there. The only rebuilding of the temple God is concerned about is the spiritual revival of his church, the body of Christ.
Galatians 4 makes this subject of the temple, Jerusalem and Israel clear when it tells us that Hagar represents those who are still in slavery (to sin), whereas Sarah represents those who are free in Christ Jesus. Hagar represents physical Jerusalem, whereas Sarah represents the heavenly Jerusalem, which is free (from bondage to sin). Those in Christ Jesus are the children of promise, whereas those outside of Christ are children of the slave woman. This is saying that even Jews, who have not put their faith and hope in Jesus Christ, are no different from anyone else who has not believed in Jesus. They are all children of the slave woman (Hagar), whereas those who have believed in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are children of the free woman (Sarah), and are children of the promise. The physical city of Jerusalem and the physical temple have been replaced with the heavenly Jerusalem and the temple of the Holy Spirit, the body of Christ, Jesus Christ.
He Will Teach Us
When the people say, “He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths,” when in reference to the mountain of the Lord and the house of the God of Jacob, this is speaking of Jesus Christ who is our Rock, our fortress, our deliverer, and our source of eternal salvation. He is the embodiment of God’s eternal kingdom. We, as the church, are the body of Christ, so the body of Christ is the temple of God, so Jesus Christ is the mountain of the Lord’s temple that will be established in the last days as chief among the mountains, and people will stream to Jesus Christ in the last days. We enter into the true church, God’s holy temple, through faith in Jesus Christ, and that is the only “church membership” that God requires of his people. As well, when God makes everything new, and there is a new heaven and a new earth (see Rev. 21), the temple of God will be the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb, Jesus Christ, who was slain for the sins of the world.
So, people from many nations will stream to Jesus Christ in the last days. There will be many who will enter into faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior. They will come to him and will ask him to teach them his ways, so they may walk in his paths. This is what it means to come to faith in Jesus Christ. It means we turn from our old lives of sin and our old ways of living for self, and we now desire to hear from the Lord Jesus, and to walk in his ways in humble obedience. It means to die to our old lives, and to live new lives in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit of God within us. It means that we repent of sin; that we love Jesus/God; and we demonstrate our love for him through obedience to his commands. We rely upon him, his strength, and his Holy Spirit power for all things, instead of trusting in man or in our own resources. And, we do this moment-by-moment.
The Law
The “law” that will go out from Zion (the body of Christ) is Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of the law, and it is the law of love – love God with your whole heart, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. If we truly God, we will obey him and we will do what is right. If we truly love our fellow man, we will not commit adultery, murder, steal, lie, cheat, gossip, slander, hate, and/or take advantage of others in any way, shape or form. The law is also God’s words to us found in the Bible, as applied in the context of our new covenant relationship with God, which comprises the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes upon us we will be his witnesses in all the earth. He told his disciples that they were to go and to make disciples (of Christ) of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey everything Christ has commanded us. This is the way in which the “law” will go out from Zion (the church). We are to be lights for the gospel of Jesus Christ in this world in telling others about Christ, and in living out the Christian life in all holiness, as examples of what it means to be in Christ. None of us are perfect, and we won’t reach perfection until we get to heaven, but we should never use this as an excuse to continue in willful sin and rebellion once we have come to faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord. We should always make it our goal, and we should strive, in the power and strength of the working of the Holy Spirit of God within us, to walk in faithful obedience to Jesus Christ.
Tribulation and Restoration
One day, Jesus is going to come back to earth for his bride. He will judge the nations, and he will set up his millennial kingdom reign on the earth. This will be a time of peace. True peace can only be found in Jesus Christ. Those followers of Christ that the Lord allowed to go through this time of tribulation on the earth, as is prophesied concerning in scripture, particularly in the book of Revelation, will be gathered together with Christ as their shepherd. And, he will restore them physically, and they will reign and rule with him.
Yet, prior to his return will be a time of great tribulation on the earth (see Revelation, particularly chapter 13). At this time, nations will lose their national sovereignty to “the beast” and to the “false prophet.” They will lose physical property and human rights. “Babylon,” perhaps representing world powers, will exercise much authority over the earth and its inhabitants, including over the people of God. Many will be persecuted for their faith in Christ, many imprisoned, and still many will be killed for their testimony for Jesus Christ. Many nations (New World Order/Global Kingdom) will be gathered against the saints of God. The many nations will think they are the ones ultimately in power, because they do not know the thoughts and the plans of God. He will merely use them as his instruments of divine judgment, but when he is finished with them, he will come in judgment against them, as well. Yet, the Lord, in his coming, will redeem his people out of the hands of these many nations. So, there is hope for our future, even if things look bleak in this present time.
The Lord has been showing me much about the fulfillment of prophecy of scripture with regard to these last days in our present time. I don’t know the timing of the tribulation or of the millennial kingdom, in all reality, but what I do know is that what is prophesied about in scripture will come true, and is coming true in our day and time. The “beast” is forming, and the government of the USA and its allies (many nations) are part of this global kingdom that is coming against and will continue to come against the people of the world and against God’s saints. Many changes are going on within our own government right now that have the effect of what this passage in Micah predicted would happen in the future. I don’t have the time or the space right now to go into massive detail, only to say we need to have our eyes, minds and hearts open to what the Spirit of God wants to reveal to us concerning the truth of what is happening in our world, our nation and in his church today, especially as it relates to the fulfillment of scripture.
May we give our all to Christ, this mountain of the Lord, today, and may we hear his voice speaking to us, “Come out from her, my people, so that you do not share in her many sins.” May we know and follow him wherever he leads us, and trust in him fully to accomplish all his plans and purposes for our lives.
Praise the “I AM!” / An Original Work / February 24, 2012
Jesus, my Savior, full of compassion,
Glorious in power, mighty in strength;
Gracious Redeemer, mighty deliv’rer,
My heart adores Him. Praise to His name!
Perfect salvation my Lord provided
When He died for my sins on a tree;
Crucified my sins; conquered in vict’ry,
When He arose, so I could be free!
I am so thankful for His forgiveness;
Grateful that He chose to pardon me,
Giving me new life full in His Spirit,
So I can serve Him; His servant be!
Walking in daily fellowship with Him,
Obeying Him whate’er He commands;
Forsaking my sins, living in freedom,
I will endure with Him to the end!
He gives me peace and calm reassurance
In times of sorrow, or in distress.
His grace is sure, and oh, how sufficient
To meet me in my need for sweet rest.
Oh, how I love You, Jesus, my Savior.
My heart longs for You where’er I am.
Your word is precious; speaks to my spirit;
Brings comfort, healing. Praise the “I AM!”
Song on video
Please check out his blog, because this blogger has a handle on much of what is going on with reference to fulfillment of scripture in our day and time. I don’t agree with everything he says and I don’t necessarily agree with him completely theologically, yet I do believe much of what he says is truth and that we need to be aware of these things so that we are awakened to the fulfillment of prophecy of scripture in our day, so that we are prepared for what is coming, and we are not taken by surprise, and thus question God’s promises.
Agenda 21
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