ROD OF GOD COMES TO BEING PEACE – Part 2
Rejected Son Returns as Judgment Rod to Bring Peace to Us!
“And the Lord shall be king over all the earth” – Zechariah 14:9a
“And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord” – Micah 5:4a+5a
“And THIS man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land”
February 1, 2009
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
Psalm 2:7-9 – I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. [8] Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
[9] Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
ISAIAH 11:1 – And there shall come forth a ROD out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
Revelation 12:5 – And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with A ROD of iron: and her child was caught up unto God,
and to his throne.
Because they rejected him, SMITING him with a ROD upon the cheek, the ROD out of Jesse will soon come to SMITE all unbelievers who still reject him. Micah writes of THE ROD’S birth, rejection, and Second Advent.
Micah 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.
“NOW GATHER THYSELF IN TROOPS, O DAUGHTER OF TROOPS:”
There are few cities on this planet that can compare with Israel on the number of times she has been conquered over and over again in history, many
times being retaken by those troops once driven out. Truly, Jerusalem has earned the title of “Daughter of troops.” This Scripture speaks of a particular time in her long history, a day during the Feast of Passover, a day when three sets of troops were in the city. The Roman Governor, who ruled from Caesarea (Pontius Pilate) had, in order to put down any rebellion that might arise at this feast, brought his Roman troops to Jerusalem, and quartered them in the Fortress Antonia, which was attached to the northwestern corner of the Temple Mount, and from which troops could overlook all the Temple courtyards from its highest level. The King of Israel, Herod, had brought his troops with him for Passover, and they were quartered in Herod’s Fortress Palace on the western side of Jerusalem, where some of its base may be seen today. The High Priest was also allowed to maintain a small contingency of Jewish troops to protect him from harm, and they could be sent to arrest religious offenders.
They were found around him at public assemblies.
“THEY SHALL SMITE THE JUDGE OF ISRAEL WITH A ROD UPON THE CHEEK.”
This prophecy of Micah was fulfilled during the last Passover Jesus attended. It was fulfilled from the time the first troops arrested him to take him to the High Priest until he was placed on the cross. During this time Jesus was exchanged back and forth between the High Priest, Herod, and Pontius Pilate. On these occasions he was beaten on the head above his neck many times with rods (reeds), and struck over and over again by the hands of the troops. You will find all this recorded in the latter chapters of the four Gospels. Jesus was sent by His Father to be the judge of Israel, but they rejected him as their judge, and judged him instead, finding him guilty of the false charge of blasphemy again God. The middle portion of this verse gives God the Father’s reaction to their rejection of His only begotten Son.
“HE HATH LAID SIEGE AGAINST US:”
Micah was an Israelite. So the “us” refers primarily to Israel. God has laid “siege” (judgment) against Israel for almost 2000 years because they rejected the one He sent to judge them. There has never been a race descended from one man (Jacob) that has ever passed through such persecution, unbelievable horror, and terrifying torture, as has been experienced by the nation of Israel, the most horrifying of all being experienced at the hands of the Nazi SS during WW2. The current siege is the constant threat of terrorism by Hizbollah, the Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and Fatah splinter groups.
Micah 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.
This is one of the most beloved verses in Scripture concerning the birth of Israel’s Messiah, Jesus Christ. It has been put on display Christmas after Christmas, and preached vividly during that season from millions of pulpits. By the time it was fulfilled by Christ’s birth in Bethlehem, traditional teachings concerning the Messiah’s birth had replaced God’s account, and it is truly sad that Herod had to ask where he would be born, and perhaps even sadder that the scribes had to look it up.
Some traditional teachings, by the time that Christ arrived, taught that Messiah the Prince would be born of royalty, or perhaps by the wife of the High Priest, or at least of wealthy parents who had great influence. Traditional teachings had completely departed from those verses found in the 53rd Chapter of Isaiah. He was not expected to be a suffering servant, but rather a great conqueror that would fight and destroy Israel’s enemies in battle after battle until Israel reigned supreme. Some traditional teaching suggested he might be born in the great city of Jerusalem.
But when he came only a handful knew who he was, a man child whose Father was God, born of a virgin from the dirty little town of Nazareth, laying in a manger outside the inn in a cave in the small city of Bethlehem. Many “traditional” teachings of today will also cause most of the world to receive the man of sin, the antichrist, as the true Christ.
He was sent by His Father “to be ruler in Israel,” but Israel rejected him as both judge (Micah 5:1) and ruler, and they were without excuse, for all the prophets from Moses to Malachi had foretold of His “goings forth,” which had been from of old, from everlasting. His characteristics, His goings forth, His life, His purpose, and His death had been clearly revealed by God’s word before His Living Word arrived in sinless flesh. The following Scriptures reveal this truth. Had they studied His word and believed it they could have recognized Him.
Deuteronomy 18:18,19 – I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
[19] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
Isaiah 53:6 – [6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Malachi 3:1 – Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
John the Baptist was the messenger God sent before Christ the Messiah, and Jesus
was the messenger of the covenant made to the seed of Abraham and David. He came quickly to the temple after His temptation in the wilderness to cleanse it to be a house of prayer, not a den of thieves.
And, at the final Passover, when He came again to cleanse it, He found the same den of spiritual and physical thieves saturating it with ungodliness. That is why He cried from the Mount of Olives before His arrest: [37] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! [38] Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
[39] For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. (Matthew 23:37,38)
Judging from the rapid fulfillment of prophecy in Israel at the present time, I am convinced that Israel will finally be calling Him blessed in the near future.
Micah 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.
“Therefore” is a conclusion to Micah 5:1,2 that explains why the Messiah of Israel gave “them up.” Because they beat him and rejected him as their judge, they came under judgment because they would not let him judge them. God’s judgment has been on them for some two thousand years. Without their God to deliver them, they have become the most persecuted, prosecuted, and rejected people on this earth. The Nazi burning, torturing, and butchering of some six million Jews was beyond belief. And yet I love them tenaciously. Why? Because their Messiah, who forgave them on the cross, is alive in me, and in the near future he will return to be their Messiah, their God with them. The word “until,” in the second phrase of this verse, makes the point that he has not forsaken them forever, but only “until” they have passed through the final judgment for having judged him, which consists of the of the last 1260 days of travail in the tribulation period. Christ will come forth at his Second Advent as the Lion of Judah to rule over the remnant of Israel that survives the tribulation period, and will bring a remnant of his brethren with him. In verse three he rejected them with “therefore,” then told them they would suffer travail “until” he came back to the earth and “then,” that is, at his Second Advent, all of the remnant of his “brethren” would return to live on the same planet with him.
Matthew 23:38,39 – Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. [39] For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Revelation 1:7 – Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth sh
all wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Zechariah 13:8,9 – And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. [9] And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.
Zechariah 14:5 – And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
Hebrews 2:11 – For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Romans 11:5 – Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Romans 2:29 – But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Israel still has a final siege of terror to endure for rejecting her judge. After experiencing what appears to be an end of her suffering when what seems to be peace comes to her land, she will suddenly be viciously attacked from the north in a lightning Jihad involving 10 Arab nations. This will be her final travail before her Messiah, Jesus Christ returns to reign over her.
I Thessalonians 5:3,4 – For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
[4] But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
Zechariah 12:2 – Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
But after Israel’s final travail, this will be the fate of those who laid siege against her. This is a part of the smiting
of the rod.
Zechariah 14:12 – And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
Because they did receive him as the Messianic Rod of Jesse’s son David, he gave them up, but he will return with, and to, those who believe in him. He will return after the travail of Israel during the tribulation period.
Micah 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.
He will feed his flock in God’s majesty. They will abide on the earth a thousand years, and Christ will be great to the ends of the earth. He will bring “the Peace” when he comes as Isaiah’s rod of Jesse and defeats the coming Assyrian antichrist.
This will fulfill Micah 5:4 as well as ISAIAH 11:1,4,6.
Micah 5:4,5 – 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. [5] And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
ISAIAH 11:1,4,6 – And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: [4] But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. [6] The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.