Why you should become a Bible-believing anarchist
who also believes the universe was created around 4004 B.C.
This website is sponsored by a non-profit educational organization called "Vine & Fig Tree." The goal of this organization is to accelerate the fulfillment of this prophecy:
Micah 4:1-71 But it shall come to pass, |
Let me summarize this passage.
Micah says
| 1 it shall come to pass, |
Q.: How does Micah know what will come to pass?
A.: God told him. This is seen in verse 4:
| 4 for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. |
Q.: How does God know what will come to pass?
A.: God is in control.
Next, Micah says,
| the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established |
Q.: When will this come to pass?
A.:
| in the last days |
What is meant by the phrase "the last days?" Turn on the TV and the prophecy preachers will tell you we are now living in "the last days." They mean the last days before the Second Coming of Christ. Or the last days of planet earth.
They are mistaken. The have been mistaken for 2,000 years.
Perhaps Micah meant "in the distant future." The writers of the New Testament consistently affirmed that they were living in "the last days," and the best interpretation of this phrase is that they were living in the last days of the Old Covenant. Either way ("last days of the Old Covenant," or "distant future") the New Testament writers said they were living in "the last days." They were also living in the first days of the New Covenant. We are not living in the last days of the Old Covenant. We are not living in the last days of planet earth.
Some writers say we're living in a period called "the last days," and it represents the entire time between Christ's first coming and His second coming. "The Last Days" could be thousands or millions of years. But these scholars do not believe Christians have a moral obligation to beat "swords into plowshares."
Let's look at three components of that phrase:
| the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established |
First,
| that the mountain |
The original "mountain" was the Garden of Eden, from which flowed four rivers (downhill). The temple on Mt. Zion was a model of the Garden.
| the house of the LORD |
The "house" of the LORD is the temple. The temple of the LORD: Where is it today? It was destroyed in A.D. 70 by the Romans. This definitively ended the Old Covenant. The New Testament writers say that the new temple is made up of God's People.
| shall be established |
This "establishment" has already happened. The new temple (God's People) was being built even before the old temple had been destroyed. The virgin-born Jesus of Nazareth was seated in His new temple as the Messiah of Israel (Acts 2:36). Messiah = King. This Kingdom was established in past, not waiting for a second coming of the King in our future.
| in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; |
The nations around Israel built their own "high places" in an attempt to imitate God's Mountain-Garden. The neo-conservative woke regime in Washington D.C., as well as the UK, UN, EU, NWO, WEF, the "former" USSR, etc. are all rival "mountains." Christ has a superior jurisdiction over them all.
| and people shall flow unto it. 2 And many nations shall come, and say, |
This began happening in Acts 2, and has continued since, with ups and downs through history.
| Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the Law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem. |
Notice the words of exhortation and education. That's our job.
Too many Christians today think there is a conflict between "Law" and "Gospel." Micah didn't think so.
| 3 And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; |
| and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. |
Peace is a major theme in the Bible. Yes, there are many historical accounts of wars in the Bible, but what is the point of this history? What are we to learn from ancient Israel's wars and idolatry?
Jesus is "The Prince of Peace." Many (if not most) Christians today claim that wars must increase until the "Second Coming" of Christ, sometime in our future. This is based on an erroneous interpretation of Matthew 24:6. There are fewer wars today than there were in Micah's day. Christians have enough financial and electoral power to end all the wars currently taking place in the world today.
Q.: What would happen if Christians never voted for any politician who promised "Peace through Strength," that is, "peace" through killing millions of innocent people?
Q.: What would happen if Christians never voted for any politician who promised to use the power of the sword (the State) to engage in extortion ("taxation") to fund mass murder by the military?
Q.: What would happen if "the Law shall go forth" out of the New Temple of God's People, and they never voted for any politician who promised to violate the commands against murder and theft?
A.: All of today's politicians would have to resign from "the public sector" and get jobs in "the private sector."
The "Public Sector" ("the sword") would be abolished.
"Public Schools" exist to brainwash you into believing that beating swords into plowshares would be a terrible thing.
| 4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: |
This was the most popular Bible verse in America 300 years ago. This was the original "American Dream."
| 2 for the Law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 5 Although all people will walk |
There is a contrast between the people of "Jerusalem" and those outside. The early church father Tertullian (c. 155 AD – c. 220 AD) spoke of the outsiders as "Athens."
|
What indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem? What concord is there between the Academy and the Church?... Our instructions come from “the porch of Solomon”.... Away with all attempts to produce a mottled Christianity of Stoic, Platonic, and dialectic composition! We want no curious disputation after possessing Christ Jesus...! |
Perhaps in his day Christians were being told to "Listen to the Academy!" just as Christians in our day are told "Listen to the Science!" But Micah says the temple of the living God will not be corrupted by the temple of man the would-be god.
Augustine wrote about the conflict between "The City of God" and the city of man. Where is your "citizenship?"
Next, Micah says,
| 6 In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; 7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: |
God rebukes unbelieving nations, but then restores them and gives them faithful obedience.
God's People are part of that process, by extending mercy to those God has rebuked (Matthew 25:31-46).
| and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. |
The Kingdom that Christ inaugurated in "the last days" of the Old Covenant lasts forever.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end
Isaiah 9:6-7
Micah (Summary) |
Controversies |
||
Micah says
Q.: How does Micah know what will come to pass? A.: God told him. Q.: How does God know what will come to pass? A.: God is in control. |
Calvinism/Predestination | ||
Micah "inscripturated" (wrote) What God told him. |
Bibliolatry: The Bible is the Word of God | ||
Q.: When will this come to pass? A.:
What is meant by the phrase "the last days?" Turn on the TV and the prophecy preachers will tell you we are now living in "the last days." They mean the last days before the Second Coming of Christ. Or the last days of planet earth. They are mistaken. The have been mistaken for 2,000 years. Perhaps Micah meant "in the distant future." The writers of the New Testament consistently affirmed that they were living in "the last days," and the best interpretation of this phrase is that they were living in the last days of the Old Covenant. Either way ("last days of the Old Covenant," or "distant future") the New Testament writers said they were living in "the last days." They were also living in the first days of the New Covenant. We are not living in the last days of the Old Covenant. We are not living in the last days of planet earth. Some writers say we're living in a period called "the last days," and it represents the entire time between Christ's first coming and His second coming. "The Last Days" could be thousands or millions of years. But these scholars do not believe Christians have a moral obligation to beat "swords into plowshares." |
Established in the past: "Preterism" | ||
|
|||
First,
The original "mountain" was the Garden of Eden, from which flowed four rivers (downhill). The temple on Mt. Zion was a model of the Garden. |
Creationism | ||
The "house" of the LORD is the temple. The temple of the LORD: Where is it today? It was destroyed in A.D. 70 by the Romans. This definitively ended the Old Covenant. The New Testament writers say that the new temple is made up of God's People. |
Temple and "Church" | ||
This "establishment" has already happened. The new temple (God's People) was being built even before the old temple had been destroyed. The virgin-born Jesus of Nazareth was seated in His new temple as the Messiah of Israel (Acts 2:36). Messiah = King. This Kingdom was established in the past, not waiting for a second coming of the King in our future. |
Established in the past: "Preterism" | ||
The nations around Israel built their own "high places" in an attempt to imitate God's Mountain-Garden. The neo-conservative woke regime in Washington D.C., as well as the UK, UN, EU, NWO, WEF, the "former" USSR, etc. are all rival "mountains." Christ has a superior jurisdiction over them all. |
Global Theocracy | ||
This began happening in Acts 2, and has continued since, with ups and downs through history. |
"Post-millennialism" -- "Optimillennialism" | ||
Notice the words of exhortation and education. That's our job. Too many Christians today think there is a conflict between "Law" and "Gospel." Micah didn't think so. |
Theonomy: God's Law | ||
Who is "He?" It is clearly Jesus the Messiah. The first nation He judged/rebuked was the nation of Israel, who murdered their King. This took place in "the last days" of the Old Covenant. Perhaps Jesus is about to judge the U.S.A., a once-Christian nation. |
Christocracy: Jesus King in a Global Theocracy | ||
Peace is a major theme in the Bible. Yes, there are many historical accounts of wars in the Bible, but what is the point of this history? What are we to learn from ancient Israel's faithless wars and gross idolatry? Jesus is "The Prince of Peace." Many (if not most) Christians today claim that wars must increase until the "Second Coming" of Christ, sometime in our future. This is based on an erroneous interpretation of Matthew 24:6. There are fewer wars today than there were in Micah's day. Christians have enough financial and electoral power to end all the wars currently taking place in the world today. |
Pacifism | ||
| Q.: What would happen if Christians never voted for any politician who promised "Peace through Strength," that is, "peace" through killing millions of innocent people? Q.: What would happen if Christians never voted for any politician who promised to use the power of the sword (the State) to engage in extortion ("taxation") to fund mass murder by the military? Q.: What would happen if "the Law shall go forth" out of the New Temple of God's People, and they never voted for any politician who promised to violate the commands against murder and theft? A.: All of today's politicians would have to resign from "the public sector" and get jobs in "the private sector." |
Anarchism | ||
This was the most popular Bible verse in America 300 years ago. This was the original "American Dream." |
Patriarchy: Family vs. Princes and Priests | ||
There is a contrast between the people of "Jerusalem" and those outside. The early church father Tertullian (c. 155 AD – c. 220 AD) spoke of the outsiders as "Athens." |
|
What indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem? What concord is there between the Academy and the Church?... Our instructions come from “the porch of Solomon”.... Away with all attempts to produce a mottled Christianity of Stoic, Platonic, and dialectic composition! We want no curious disputation after possessing Christ Jesus...! |
| Perhaps in his day Christians were being told to "Listen to the Academy!" just as Christians in our day are told "Listen to the Science!" But Micah says the temple of the living God will not be corrupted by the temple of man the would-be god.
Augustine wrote about the conflict between "The City of God" and the city of man. Where is your "citizenship?" |
Jerusalem vs. Athens | |
God rebukes unbelieving nations, but then restores them and gives them faithful obedience. God's People are part of that process, by extending mercy to those God has rebuked (Matthew 25:31-46). |
"Socialism" -- helping the weak and afflicted | |
The Kingdom that Christ inaugurated in "the last days" of the Old Covenant lasts forever.
|
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That's the 30,000-foot view. Here are the individual parts. Each part is a separate website.
Exposition and Elaboration of Micah's TextVerse 1:
Verse 2:
Verse 3:
Verse 4:
Verse 5:
Verse 6:
Verse 7: That's 23 books, some written before I was born, a couple not yet written. |
The centenary of the Scopes Trial is just an excuse to look at two of those 23 "Vine & Fig Tree" Themes:
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