4:6 In "that day"the Lord also promised to assemble His people whom He had allowed the nations to abuse. This will occur when He turns the tide for Israel and begins to bless her, namely, at the beginning of the Millennium.
The post-exilic books of the Old Testament (Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) show that the tide did not really turn for Israel at the end of the Babylonian captivity. The Jews continued to suffer under "the times of the Gentiles"(Luke 21:24) and will do so until Messiah returns to the earth (cf. Matt. 24:31).31This includes suffering in the Tribulation to come (Dan. 7:25; Zech. 14:5). The Jews of Micah's day were weak morally and spiritually and were about to go into captivity.
4:7 The Lord promised to make these lame outcasts of the earth, the Jews, a surviving, strong nation and to reign over them personally from Mt. Zion forever (cf. Ps. 146:10; Zeph. 3:19; Luke 1:33; Rev. 11:15). He will do this through the Messiah, Jesus Christ. His millennial reign will continue until the destruction of the present heavens and earth. Then it will continue on a new earth throughout eternity (2 Pet. 3:10-13).
4:8 Micah returned to contemplate again Mt. Zion in the future (cf. v. 1). It would become like a watchtower to the flock of God's people Israel and a stronghold to her descendants then. Israel's former dominion over her world under David and Solomon would return then, even the kingdom of the descendants of Jerusalem.
Only if we spiritualize the meaning of "the daughter of Jerusalem"to mean the church can we get away from the clear promise of Israel's restoration here (cf. Rom. 11). Reference to restoration of the glory of the former Davidic kingdom strongly suggests the revival of the Davidic kingdom (cf. Isa. 9:17; Hos. 3:5; Amos 9:11).
One writer saw 11 characteristics of the future messianic kingdom in verses 1-8. These are the global prominence of the temple (v. 1a) and its attraction of people worldwide (1b). Jerusalem will function as teacher of the world (2a) and as the disseminator of revelation (2b). The Lord will judge the world from Jerusalem (3a), and peace will be universal (3b). Israel will experience peace and security (4), spiritual sensitivity (5), regathering to the land (6), strength (7), and dominion (8).32
