An audio lesson by Neal Fain.
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Common Traps and Pitfalls in Bible Interpretation, 1 of 5
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Prophecy Practice: Micah and the Christ, Part 3 of 12
But to get to Mic 5:2, and to see how we should have understood from that the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, first we need to get our bearings in the book of Micah the prophet. First of course would be to see what the prophet says of himself.
“The word of Yahweh that came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.”
Mic 1:1
So here we see the grand subject matter of the prophet. Jothham’s reign started around 750 BC and Hezekiah’s reign ended around 686 BC, so we can see the range of years in which included Micah prophesying. You can read of those kings in the books of Kings and Chronicles, and so get some historical background on conditions in those days. This would make Micah and Isaiah contemporaries of each other, and some of the verses in Isaiah chapter two and Micah four overlap each other, but we do not know how this happened.
These were turbulent times in Israel and Judah.
Crime and idolatry and unfaithfulness to the Lord were rampant in those days, and neither most of the rulers or the people were close to really repenting.
The first three chapters of Micah prophesy the destruction of both the Northern kingdom of Israel and the Southern kingdom of Judah, because of their bloodshed and idolatry and other sins.
In Mich 1:2-4 talks about the coming day of the Lord, when Yahweh will come out of His place and bring an end to this world. Some brush this aside as poetry which is irrelevant to us, but they SHOULD NOT! Almost always, the immediate things of history are related to the ultimate end of all things. Mic says that this things will happen because of their sins, Mic 1:5; and talks as if these things are pertinent to them, and to us. Indeed they are, for “they” and “we” will all be there on that final day when
“28 … for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his voice, 29 and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.”
Jn 5:28-29
These are common patterns in prophecy we should recognize: the present things are related to the coming ultimate things. Sometimes the present things seem very distant from the future things, so such things mystify some, but they shouldn’t
So Micah says Samaria, the capital of Israel will be (future) made a ruin, Mich 1:6-8. That happened during Micah’s day in 722 BC with the Assyrian conquest. Then he says that the same will happen to Judah, Mic 1:9. That didn’t happen until 586 BC, another 136 years later, well after Micah’s time. That was not nearby in human terms, but very close by in historical terms, and almost nothing in the grand time scale of Scripture.
Indeed, all of their things and our things are related to that final end which is coming.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Prophecy Practice: Micah and the Christ, Part 2 of 12
We saw in the last post that the chief priests and scribes accurately knew where the Christ was to be born. Also we know from Matthew chapter one that the Christ, had just been born there! The rest of the story told here is a standard piece of Herod’s paranoia and duplicity
“Then Herod secretly called the wise men,
“and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.””
Matt. 2:7-8
The “wise men” are treated as just that. Wise gentiles who are able to seek and know as any Jew can. There are others in Scripture, including Job and Melchizedek, and even Balaam before he turned bad for money. Also the magos are treated as worthy to be warned about what was about to happen.
“Being warned in a dream that they shouldn’t return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.”
Mtt 2:12
Also Joseph and Mary were warned.
“13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.””
Mtt 2:13
When Herod realized he had been tricked, was in a rage, and his solution was to simply kill all of the male babies in and around Bethlehem, Mtt 2:14-17. All of that was of course completely in character with evil man Herod had become.
And others also knew about Bethlehem
It was discussed in one of the posts on “Common traps and pitfalls in interpretation,” that most thought Jesus was “from” Nazareth. But they thought the Christ was to be from Bethlehem!
“41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “What, does the Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Christ comes of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?””
Jn 7:41-42
This makes our investigation even more interesting, for many understood that the Christ would be born in a specific place: Bethlehem. But that means we must be aware of another central idea in the interpretation of prophecy:
We need to be aware of recurring themes
and ideas in Scripture.
There are many of them. Among them are the idea of the Christ coming from a special seed, and the “day of the Lord,” and a special uproar or tumult of the nations, and the “root of David,” the binding power of sin, and a day when all will be released from their sins, and so on and so on.
One of these ideas is about a special ruler of the Jews who will come and deliver them from all of their troubles. It is assumed that you the reader are familiar with this recurring theme in prophecy.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Prophecy Practice: Micah and the Christ, Part 1 of 12
This is practice in reading and understanding prophecy, starting with fulfilled prophecy, and trying to see what we can see from there. In this case we are starting with Matthew chapter two.
An able and handsome young prince
turns sour.
You’ve heard the stories of a handsome prince charming of this or that times. One whom all sought the favor off, both men and women, and who was capable and brave and mighty in combat. In many respects that describes the subject of this post. We know him as Herod the Great. He was of Idumaean descent, an Edomite, a descendant of Esau. His father was ruler under the Romans, and he made Herod military prefect for Galilee. Herod proved himself time after time as an aggressive, resourceful, and victorious military commander. The Caesars trusted him to look after their interest. He was crafty, unscrupulous, and able in politics also, and so at the young age of 33 the Roman Senate made him King of Judea. It would seem he had everything going for him, but also in the wild political scene of those times, he also had many enemies. Then parts of his own family started plotting against each other and, yes, even against Herod. Herod started viciously putting down any plots against himself. He put out spies all over. On rumor he would put plotters to death, and even put to death three of his own sons. For those executions he need the permission of Caesar. The Greek speaking Caesar of the Roman Empire gave him permission, but commented he would rather be Herod’s hus (his hog) than his huios (his son). The last of these episodes was just before Herod’s horrible death from cancer on April 1, 4 BC.
The continual plots in the end almost made Heron insane with suspicion.
Then some religious wise men came to Jerusalem
They are called magos, which could indicate an astrologer or an occult magician (compare Elymas in Acts 13:8). Clearly they they had been studying the stars, and evidently they did know from the stars that the king of the Jews had been born, and that He was God! So they appeared at Herod’s court, saying,
“Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”
Mtt 2:2
Uh Oh! Many must have thought, including Herod. Someone must have a child they want to put up as the Christ and the rightful king of the Jews, and this is the beginning of their plot.
“When Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”
Mtt 2:3
They gathered together all of the experts on Scripture to see what it said about where the Christ would be born, and they quoted to Herod from the Prophet Micah (Mic 5:2).
“”You Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Are in no way least among the princes of Judah:
For out of you shall come forth a governor,
Who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’”
Mtt 2:6
How did they know that. Should we have spotted that also?
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Prophecy Practice: David, Jesus and the Righteous in Psalm 69, Part 9 of 9
Psalm 69 is explicit about those who reject the Messiah of the Jews.
“27 Charge them with crime upon crime.
Don’t let them come into your righteousness.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of life,
And not be written with the righteous.”
Psa 69:27-28
That means eternal death of course, if you are not in the Lamb’s book of life. That is of course is echoed in Scripture after Scripture, of both the Old and the New Testaments. Of the Christ it says,
“Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
For his wrath will soon be kindled.
Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.”
Psa 2:12
And we also, Christians, are counted as sheep for the slaughter,
Rom 8:36
Jesus promises us,
“… If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.”
Jn 15:2-
So this psalm is very relevant to the Christian and his struggles, Christian Age long!
Though in pain, the psalmist praises God, Psa 69:29-30.
The humble will see this and be glad!
This sacrifice He makes will be exceedingly pleasing to the Lord. It does indicate that God will in the end save Him from all of this unfaithfulness and treachery.
“31 It will please Yahweh better than an ox,
Or a bull that has horns and hoofs.
32 The humble have seen it, and are glad.
You who seek after God, let your heart live.
33 For Yahweh hears the needy,
And doesn’t despise his captive people.”
Psa 69:31-33
Ah! At last it specifically make an application that is wider than David and Jesus. “His captive people.” Are you among the humble who hear?
Lastly this psalm indicates that even the Jews
will finally recover from this rejection
“For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah.
They shall settle there, and own it. “
Psa 69:35
One could argue that “Zion” applies to Zion above in Psa 48:2, and Gal 4:24-26, and Heb 12:22. But God building “the cities of Judah,” seems clearly to speak of Judah of this earth! Likewise Zechariah, after the first return from captivity pictures says,
“… “‘Jerusalem will be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of men and cattle in it.”
Zech 2:4
But that has never happened … YET! And that is NOT Jerusalem above, because it has walls, Rev 21:1-2, 12-15. And Jesus says not one jot or a tittle of prophecy will fail until ALL of it has been fulfilled, Mt 5:18. So there remains a rebuilding by God of Jerusalem in Judah.
And who among the Jews will share this blessing?
“The children also of his servants shall inherit it.
Those who love his name shall dwell therein.” Psa 69:36
Of course these last verses are yet to happen. It is not that Jesus will at last relent and have a worldly kingdom. Rather that in a later time of distress, the Jews will repent, and will become a strong Chistian nation, Deut 4:30, Deut 30:6, Rom 11:11-12.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Prophecy Practice: David, Jesus and the Righteous in Psalm 69, Part 8
Jesus says that sometimes people close THEIR OWN minds and hearts, so that they won’t understand, and He indicates that sometimes God helps them close their minds.
“13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand. 14 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says,
‘By hearing you will hear,
And will in no way understand;
Seeing you will see,
And will in no way perceive:
15 For this people’s heart has grown callous,
Their ears are dull of hearing,
They have closed their eyes;”Mtt 13:13-15c
Why did “they” close “their eyes”?
“Or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their heart,
And should turn again;
And I would heal them.’”
Matt. 13:15d-16
The Jews, not all of them, but as a group, did not want this salvation that Jesus offered, in a new heavens and a new earth. They wanted a salvation of this present earth … a worldly savior in a worldly earth. They wanted a worldly kingdom, which Jesus never offered, for Jesus said, “my kingdom is not from here.” Jn 18:36.
The next part applies especially to Judas Iscariot,
“24 Pour out your indignation on them.
Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.
25 Let their habitation be desolate.
Let no one dwell in their tents.”
Psa 69:24-25.
But it is a plural subject: “them,” “their.” The application goes past Judas, but Peter speaks of these things in Acts one as especially applying to Judas.. He stood up among the disciples, and said,
“Brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus”
Acts 1:16.
Peter is referring specifically to Psalm 69.
“For it is written in the book of Psalms,
‘Let his habitation be made desolate,
Let no one dwell therein,’ and,
‘Let another take his office.’”
Act 1:15-20
And why is all of this?
They persecuted the very Savior of Israel. The One God hit, the God smote, and God did smite Him,
“4 Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.”
Isa 53:4-5.
God punished Jesus for their sins, that they might be free, yet they persecuted Him.
“For they persecute him whom you have wounded.
They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt.”
Psa 69:26.
So only a curse awaits them. Paul comments on the opposition of the Jews to Christianity.
“Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:”
1Thes 2:15 KJV
Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Prophecy Practice: David, Jesus and the Righteous in Psalm 69, Part 7
Psalm 69 goes right on talking about Jesus toward the end of the pslam, although we saw early that this psalm is also about David.
So what was the Christ to drink?
When the death sentence had been given, all the soldiers had gathered around Him. They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and crowned Him with a crown of thorns, and mocked the King of Heaven and Earth, and spit on him, an beat Him about the head. Then they took Him to the place of execution. Psalm 69 says,
“They also gave me gall for my food.
In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.”
Psa 69:21.
And that is how it happened. Matthew says,
“They gave him sour wine to drink mixed with gall. When he had tasted it, he would not drink.”
Mtt 27:34.
Mark says they tried to give him wine mixed with myrrh, Mk 15:23. Evidently these concoctions were intended to dull the pain. John records that a jar of vinegar/sour wine was standing there, and when He said He was thirsty, He was offered some on a sponge.
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished.” He bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.”
Jn 19:30
We can see that this also fit Him. And what then of those who plotted His death? The death of the “one and only son” of God, Jn 3:16?
May their food even be a snare a to them.
It is obvious that bad things can become a snare and a trap for us. Less obvious is it that sometimes even good things can be a snare to us. Such men deserve deserve the very worst, so it says
“Let their table before them become a snare.
May it become a retribution and a trap.” Psa 69:22.
Then it says,
“Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see.
Let their backs be continually bent.” Psa 69:23
Paul quotes these verses of the Jews under a curse
for rejecting their own Messiah, Rom 11:9
This is speaking of Jews who rejected the “one and only Son” of God, for,
“11 He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him. 12 But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name:”
Jn 1:11-12
And here again, Paul like the author of Hebrews quotes this psalm as being of David, Rom 11:9.
God sometimes pours a spirit of sleep over people,
Sometimes they don’t deserve to know what will deliver them. Isaiah says that of the Jews.
“For Yahweh has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, the prophets; and your heads, the seers, has he covered.”
Isa 29:10
Paul also quotes this of the Jews in the context of rejecting their own Christ, Rom 11:8.
Is this failure of the Jews permanent?
Paul says no, in Rom 11:11-12, and that is a grand subject, but not until later in Psalm 69.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Prophecy Practice: David, Jesus and the Righteous in Psalm 69, Part 6
You know my reproach the psalmist says
Plainly Jesus was the one who was especially reproached. He was, you remember, really God in the flesh.
“18 Draw near to my soul, and redeem it.
Ransom me because of my enemies.
19 You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor.
My adversaries are all before you.”
Psa 69:18-19
Jesus was, we need to remember, really God
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Jn 1:1
What then was Jesus really like?
“6 who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.”
Phil 2:6-8
What was His treatment really like?
“28 They stripped him, and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 When they had mocked him, they took the robe off of him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.”
Mtt 27:28-31
This is treatment of God in the flesh!
“39 Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, 40 and saying, “You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” 41 Likewise the chief priests also mocking, with the scribes, the Pharisees,a and the elders, said, 42 “He saved others, but he can’t save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same reproach.”
Mtt 27:39-44
Who did they really have heartburn with? It was with God. I just needed a little help, He says,
“Reproach has broken my heart,
“and I am full of heaviness.
I looked for some to take pity, but there was none;
For comforters, but I found none.”
Psa 69:20
Broken hearted, that was Jesus approaching hard hearted Jerusalem, Lk 19:41-42.
Also it can be argued that it was a broken heart
that killed Jesus
An aneurysm. A ruptured artery to His heart. Then He bled to death internally, His body cavity filling with His blood, and being dead long enough, the blood and fluids were separating.
“However one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.”
Jn 19:34
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Prophecy Practice: David, Jesus and the Righteous in Psalm 69, Part 5
Those in trouble in Psalm 69 are evidently near death, and are earnestly pleading for the Lord to deliver them from trouble. It seems as if they feel like they are not being heard
And they call on the Lord’s lovingkindness,
“Answer me, Yahweh, for your loving kindness is good.
According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.”
Psa 69:16.
The Lord does have great lovingkindness,
““Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth, 7 keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.””
Ex 34:6-8.
Ah! that is clearly so. Even so they plead for him to not hide His face from them.
“Don’t hide your face from your servant,
For I am in distress.
Answer me speedily!”
Psa 69:17.
Does God ever hide his face from His servants? Yes in fact, sometimes He does. So it says in Proverbs,
“Yahweh is far from the wicked,
But he hears the prayer of the righteous.”
Prov 15:29
God says of physical Israel of the Old Testament,
“He said, I will hide my face from them,
I will see what their end shall be:
For they are a very perverse generation,
Children in whom is no faithfulness.”
Deut 32:20
In Isaiah chapter 1 it one gives specific reason.
“When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you;
Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear.
Your hands are full of blood.”
Isa 1:15
So the men in Psalm 69 realize that God may hide His face from us. Look carefully! If you play games with God, He may hide from you when you need Him!! They plead with God,
“Draw near to my soul, and redeem it.
Ransom me because of my enemies.”
Psa 69:18
No doubt David at times felt abandoned
by God at times
He knew the reason when his first child by Bathsheba was dying, and his prayers went unanswered in 2Samuel 12. Likewise in Absalom’s revolt. Still, excepting some of David’s psalms about the Christ, his heart was over all very trustful in the Lord despite horrendous setbacks in 1Samueal. Perhaps this fits Jesus better. The psalmist goes on to say,
“Don’t hide your face from your servant,
For I am in distress.
Answer me speedily!”
Psa 69:17
So it does seem to say he feels like God is hiding His face from him.
Jesus felt that God had hidden His face from Him,
“About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, limaa sabachthani?” That is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”” Mtt 27:46.
Now you may argue that it only felt that way, but maybe He did for a while, so that Jesus could bear the penalty for our sins.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Practice in Prophecy: David, Jesus and the Righteous in Psalm 69, Part 4
We have seen in Psalm 69 that it is psalm about both David and Jesus, and that there is both a symbol / type (David), and a fulfillment (Jesus), and the subjects are intertwined. It says of both that the prayer to the Lord by them was at an acceptable time. Have you done that? Have you sought the Lord at an acceptable time? Both men had to wait a while before receiving the kingdom, and we can see there is merit to waiting.
Don’t let me be overwhelmed, they say,
“14 Deliver me out of the mire, and don’t let me sink.
Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters.
15 Don’t let the flood waters overwhelm me,
Neither let the deep swallow me up.
Don’t let the pit shut its mouth on me. Psa 69:14-15.
And “the pit,” what is that talking about?
The “pit” or something that you sink into and it swallows you, is a subject of many Scriptures.
“He keeps back his soul from the pit,
And his life from perishing by the sword.”
Job 33:18
It is clearly talking about death here. Again,
“Yes, his soul draws near to the pit,
And his life to the destroyers.”
Job 33:22
The same word above translated as a “pit” is in the WEB translated as “corruption,” in Job 17
“If I have said to corruption, ‘You are my father;’
To the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘my sister;’”
Job 17:14
Clearly it is talking about the death of our earthly body and its decay. Then there are passages which clearly associate “the pit”with Sheol (Hebrew) / Hades (Greek), that is to say the place of the dead. For instance in Psalm 30.
“Yahweh, you have brought up my soul from Sheol.
You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.”
Psa 30:3
Psalm 30 is also a psalm of David and what is asked for in Psa 69:15 is viewed as accomplished here in Psa 30:3. Also here a more regular word for a pit is used, bor meaning a pit, or a cistern for collecting water. But wait! If Psalm 30 is about David then it says David did NOT go down to the pit!
But Peter says David did die!
“Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.”
Acts 2:29
Of course also the Old Testament records David’s death. So what is going on? Ah! Perhaps another Psalm in which David speaks in the first person of the Christ. In English we talk about “the pit of hell,” and there are some associations there.
“The wicked shall be turned back to Sheol,
Even all the nations that forget God.”
Psa 9:17
Clearly in Psalm 69 David and the Christ and the
righteous are in danger of death and the pit.
They are earnestly pleading for deliverance, even though Psalm 30 clearly says the Christ (!!??) is saved from death!
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901