Today’s Reading

Micah 4-5; Revelation 11

Selected Verses

And many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.” Micah 4:2

The nations raged, but your wrath came,
and the time for the dead to be judged,
and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,
and those who fear your name, both small and great,
and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” Revelation 11:18

Reflections

The term “nation” in English shows up in both of the passages selected above, but they refer to quite different responses to God’s revelation of Himself and His commands upon mankind.

Micah speaks of a day when the mountain of the Lord and God’s house will be an attraction to all the nations of the world. People will stream there seeking to know God’s ways so as to walk in His paths. If the “latter days” occur between the first and second advents of Jesus Christ (which I believe), then this is being fulfilled even today as the nations turn to Christ in faith. If we take the Church of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham to bless all the families of the earth in him (Genesis 12:3), it is easy to see how these promises in Micah are already being kept. There is a great host of people in every nation of the world.  They trust in Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world and Lord of lords.

John heard the twenty four elders worshiping and saying that the time had come for God’s wrath in response to the raging of the nations. While Micah is talking about people from every nation coming to faith, the elders are speaking of the nations, perhaps on an official level, as they have rebelled against the Lord (Psalm 2). Even so, the elders have not forgotten that God’s servants and those who fear His name have a sure reward. The judgment is a time in which God will winnow out the wheat from the chaff and apply rewards and punishment as required.

Think about it

What will God look for on that day? He will look for those who have walked in His ways, served Him, and feared His name. This is the way of life of the believer in Jesus Christ. Be faithful and be sure that those verbs describe you.

© 2017 John A Carroll  Used by permission