In the book of Micah, chapter 4:3–7, the prophet Micah offers hope for Israel and the world. Micah wrote, “And He will judge between many peoples and render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war” (Mic 4:3). As the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Messiah will serve as the world’s judge, deciding disputes between many mighty nations, even those located far from Israel. What a contrast to the Israelites of Micah’s day, who did not want anyone telling them what to do and whose judges perverted justice based on the size of the bribe they received.

In the future millennial kingdom, when Messiah reigns on earth, the nations will transform their weapons of warfare into agricultural tools to promote life, peace, and harmony. They will never again engage in combat or train for battle against other nations. This verse appears on a wall across the street from the United Nations building in New York City and is identified as being written by Isaiah, not Micah. It certainly does not apply to our time, but it is the ideal for the world! Unfortunately, this verse in Micah (and Isaiah) will only be fulfilled once Jesus returns to earth.

Micah continued in 4:4, “Each of them will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.” The picture here is of Israel being safe and secure, which in Micah’s day came with a price. Israel’s leaders expected compensation for providing security, yet only the Lord of Hosts could provide it; all He expects is submission to His rule. Contrasting the unbelieving nations with believing Israel in the future millennium, Micah wrote, “Though all the peoples walk each in the name of his god, as for us, we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever” (Mic 4:5). In the future kingdom, even though pagan nations continue to worship idols, Israel will follow and obey the Lord’s standards. This obedience, again, is a significant difference from Micah’s time.

Micah began the next verse with the phrase “In that day.” Keeping consistent with the previous statements, he emphasized this would be at the time of Messiah’s earthly reign, a reference to the millennial kingdom. Then, there will be a great regathering of the people: “‘In that day,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will assemble the lame and gather the outcasts, even those whom I have afflicted’” (Mic 4:6). Micah certainly was not sure when this regathering would occur. He might even have hoped the kingdom would begin at the end of the Babylonian captivity. Micah’s hope for the kingdom in his time was not to be. He was sure, however, “in that day,” the day of Messiah’s kingdom, those who had been afflicted and those who had experienced the grief of captivity would be restored. Those afflictions will likely occur during the Great Tribulation, when there will be persecution and scattering of the Jewish nation at the hand of the Antichrist. But when Jesus returns and establishes His kingdom, they will be regathered.

Once again, Micah described a contrast between the weak Israel of his day, who were spiritually lame and forced into exile, and the Israel of God’s future earthly reign. Micah declared, “I will make the lame a remnant and the outcasts a strong nation” (Mic 4:7). The returning Jewish remnant will be a strong nation under Messiah’s rule. Micah concluded with the statement, “And the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on and forever” (Mic 4:7). That rule would begin with Jesus’ reigning from the throne of David in Jerusalem for a thousand years and continue into eternity.