Our scripture reading for today, to which I invite you to turn with me at this time, is found once again in the Old Testament prophecy of Micah, this time the second chapter, Micah, chapter 2, near the end of the Old Testament, one of the so-called minor prophets, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, chapter 2. If you have been with us thus far in our study of the prophecy of Micah, we had an introductory message concerning the man, his ministry, and his message. Last Lord's Day, we considered Micah in the way in which he presented himself as the penitent prophet, ministering primarily to the southern kingdom of Judah, just prior to the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC. Today we read the second chapter of Micah. We will read to the end of the chapter, but I draw your special attention, brothers and sisters, to verses 12 and 13, verses 12 and 13. And part of the reason why we'll be focusing in on the last two verses of that chapter is because as we read the first 11 verses or so, Micah continues his prophetic ministry denouncing the sins of God's people. And having done that also in chapter 1, as a hearer of the Word of God, both in Micah's day and in our day, it gets to the point where you almost can't stand to hear any more of the woes and the denunciations of the very just judgment of God. And you find in your spirit that you are crying out to God for mercy. And no doubt that is why, at that particular point in his prophecy, Micah does proclaim words of grace and mercy to God's people. In fact, the change in tone is so sudden that some commentators believe, well, these words could not have been prophesied by Micah. It sort of breaks the flow of the denunciations of God's judgment. And yet I believe that that's the point. God is a God of justice, but he is also a God of mercy and it's almost as if he knows how much his people can bear and and we see this this this light of Deliverance what I'm calling today a promise that a remnant will return Though God will bring judgment upon his rebellious people and so we begin reading in Micah chapter 2 verse 1 and we read to the end of the chapter focusing in again, especially on verses 12 and 13 here then the word of the Lord Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds. At morning's light, they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellow man of his inheritance. Therefore the Lord says I am planning disaster against this people from which you cannot save yourselves You will no longer walk proudly for it will be a time of calamity In that day men will ridicule you they will taunt you with this mournful song We are utterly ruined. My people's possession is divided up. He takes it from me He assigns our fields to traitors. I Therefore, you will have no one in the assembly of the Lord to divide the land by lot. Do not prophesy, their prophets say. Do not prophesy about these things. Disgrace will not overtake us. Should it be said, O house of Jacob, is the spirit of the Lord angry? Does he do such things? Do not my words do good to him whose ways are upright? Lately, my people have risen up like an enemy. You strip off the rich robe from those who pass by without a care, like men returning from battle. You drive the women of my people from their pleasant homes. You take away my blessing from their children forever. Get up, go away, for this is not your resting place. Because it is defiled, it is ruined beyond all remedy. If a liar and deceiver comes and says, I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer, it would be just a profit for this people. I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob. I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture. The place will throng with people. One who breaks open the way will go up before them. They will break through the gate and go out. Their king will pass through before them the Lord at their head. Thus far, the reading of God's holy word, and there's always brothers and sisters, I ask and urge you to keep your Bibles open and handy as we look to God's word together on this Lord's day. Dear congregation of Jesus Christ, we don't see it today as frequently as we once did. But historically, many people had the custom of closing various pieces of correspondence by using the letters D.V., short for the Latin expression Deo Valente, or the Lord willing. And the reason, you see, was because of various passages of Scripture. For example, if you would care to turn with me, let's go to the book of James for just a moment, near the end of the Bible, right after the book of Hebrews, the book of James, the fourth chapter. In James chapter 4, verses 13 through 15, James, the leader of the church in Jerusalem, the brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, declares, James 4, 13 through 15, Now listen, you who say, today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money, while you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, if it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that. Similarly, in the book of Proverbs, the 19th chapter, and you can either just listen or again follow along with me if you would care to do. In Proverbs chapter 19, verse 21, King Solomon declares, many are the plans in a man's heart. But it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. Think about that. Proverbs 19.21. Many are the plans in a man's heart. But it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. Now friends, the reason I share these particular passages of Scripture with you is because they so accurately characterize or convey the spirit or the sense or the sentiment or the context of our text in Micah 2 today. For example, look with me, if you would please, at the first few verses of Micah 2, where the prophet declares, Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds. At morning's light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellow man of his inheritance. Therefore, the Lord says, I am planning disaster against this people from which you cannot save yourselves. Now friends, if you've got your own Bibles, underscore a particular phrase in verse 1 and in verse 3. In verse 1 it says, Woe to those who Plan iniquity and in the Hebrew. It's not quite as clear in the English Those exact same words are mentioned in verse 3 were where the Lord says I am planning disaster Against this people planning iniquity planning disaster exactly the same words in the original language I am planning disaster against this people from which you cannot save yourselves Now think about that First of all, we have the people of Israel, the Bible says, planning iniquity. Now in chapter 1, you may recall, we discovered that they were planning iniquity against the Lord by means of, for example, gross idolatry, spiritual immorality, spiritual harlotry. But in chapter 2 we learn that that is not only so. But now we find that the people of Israel are also planning or plotting iniquity against their neighbors. If you will, they are not only violating the first table of God's law concerning their relationship with God, they are also violating the second table of God's law concerning their relationship with their fellow man. In fact, if you'll look and skim over again those first few verses, it says, at morning's light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it, having already plotted evil on their beds. Well, they should have been sleeping during the watches of the night. Well, they should have been resting and refreshing themselves. They were literally plotting evil. And when morning came, when the sun came up, they didn't even wait until the day wore on. It says right in the morning they were already eager to carry out the plans that they had devised against their fellow Israelites, against their fellow man. And as you can see, brothers and sisters, some of those evil plans concern the defrauding of the poor and the powerless, taking advantage of them, taking their property from them. We find also in verses 6 and following that they were asking the true prophets of the Lord not to prophesy, do not bring us the word of the Lord, do not say to us, thus saith the Lord. If you'll skim down to verses 7 and 8, they were literally robbing each other as if they were engaged in battle. They were literally stripping the clothes off of each other and taking what was not rightfully theirs because, back in verse 2, they were coveting. They were violating the tenth commandment of God's law. They wanted that which did not belong to them. And then in verse 9 it says they had stooped so low that they were even driving the women of God's people from their homes. They were even taking away the blessing of the children forever. They were depriving even women and children of the basic necessities of life. They were taking away the land which belonged to them as part of God's covenant community. And we could spend all kinds of time on this, but the land was not simply a material possession, a physical product. The land literally represented their life with God, the promises that God had made to them as His covenant people. I think we begin to get the idea. I think we begin to get the idea. Friends, have you ever heard the expression, let the punishment fit the crime? You ever hear that expression before? Let the punishment fit the crime. Are you familiar with the term poetic justice, poetic justice? Well, considering these sins of his people, God is about to give them a punishment that fits the crime. He's about to give them what we term poetic justice. For example, if you look again at verse 3, when God says, I am planning disaster against this people from which you cannot save yourselves, He is referencing the coming of the mighty Assyrian army, which would take them away into captivity, the ten northern tribes of Israel. And that punishment was going to be played out, just skim over the next several verses with me again, by taking those who were proud, sinfully proud, and humbling them. The punishment would consist of taking those who are literally taunting others, the poor and the powerless of whom they were taking advantage. And making others taunt them. He says, you, you who are are robbing one another. I'm going to rob you. And you who are taking others out of their homes physically, literally, I'm going to take you away into bondage. And you who would not listen to the true word of my prophet, the Lord says in verse 11, I declare that if a liar and deceiver comes and says, I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer, he would be just a prophet for this people. Friends, it's almost as if God was saying, let the punishment fit the crime. It's almost as if God is saying, I will give you poetic justice. It's almost as if God would say, you may propose, I will dispose. You may plan iniquity, but I am the one that will carry it out. You may devise, but it is my purposes which shall prevail. You see, that's the word of the Lord to this people in that day. And all my dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, is this not also the word of the Lord to his people today? to America today, to the nations of the world today? Because is it not true that you and I and the people of this country, the people of the nations of the world, are as guilty as these sins as were the Israelites of old? Isn't that true? If I consider just this sin of covetousness, this violation of the Tenth Commandment, in the words of the late Dr. James Montgomery Boyce, and I quote, We are a generation of people never at peace with what we have, always seeking more. We are as guilty of covening our neighbor's fields or house or inheritance as we're the citizens of Jerusalem." End of quote. And again, in the words of the Apostle Paul as recorded for us in 2 Timothy 4 verse 3, many people also today are gathering around themselves a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. Have you noticed that? Have you noticed that? They don't want to hear the word of the Lord. They want to hear what their itching ears want to hear. For example, have you been following the chicken filet controversy this week? I was not aware of this. My wife shared this article with me. I had not heard of this. This article that was in the Herald News just a couple of days ago is entitled casualties in a Christian food fight and Just reading part of this article to you. So you get the idea if you are not familiar with this this news item It says and I'm quoting now the trouble began last week when the biblical recorder published an interview with Chick-fil-a's president Dan Cathy and Kathy defended his closed on Sunday policy and his contributions through a foundation to conservative causes. Kathy, though attesting that his wasn't a Christian business, said he was, quote, guilty as charged when asked about opposition to gay marriage. And again, I'm quoting. Kathy said, we are very much supportive of the family, the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business. And we are married to our first wives. And the article goes on by saying the reaction was furious. Boston's mayor said he would block the company from the city. And the Jim Henson company stopped developing children's meals for the restaurant. Then it goes on to say that former Arkansas governor and TV host Mike Huckabee called on the country and Christians to defend Chick-fil-A against what he called, and again, I'm quoting, vicious hate speech and intolerant bigotry from the left. He protested, if Christians affirm traditional values, we're considered homophobic, fundamentalists, hate mockers, and intolerant. And then the article goes on to say that Chick-fil-A is destined to climb to the top of the left's boycott list, end of quote. Now, friends, we could debate all sorts of various aspects of this entire incident and could have some very interesting discussions about it. But the point I'm simply making is that when you have a here's a Christian businessman who simply stands up and says, this is what I believe. This is why my business is closed on Sunday. This is why I support the causes that I do. Half of the country rises up in revolt. Why? Because they don't want to hear the word of the Lord, they don't want to hear the word of the Lord, you see. I was reading a book recently in which the author writes that America has developed what he calls, and I'm quoting now, a strangely intolerant tolerance. Think about that. Our country has developed here, it says, a strangely intolerant tolerance, meaning that increasingly our society is becoming tolerant of anyone and anything except that which is in accord with the word and the will of God. You see, a strangely intolerant tolerance. And friends, I fear that that is indeed the case in America today. And I also fear that just as was true in Micah's day, whether it's our nation or any nation that remains unrepentant and unbelieving concerning these sins, we have no reason whatsoever to expect anything different from the hand of the Lord. We have no reason whatsoever to expect that He will not also give to us a punishment that fits the crime or poetic justice, you see. Ah, but notice, just as is so often true with the Old Testament prophets, right in the midst of all of the pronouncements of woe and of doom and gloom and the promise of coming devastating destruction, All of a sudden, there's a glimmer of hope. And the light and the good news and the glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ shines through. And praise be to God that that is precisely what we find in the words of our text in Micah 2, verses 12 and 13. For friends, you'll see here, even though the Lord promised through His prophet that both the kingdoms of Judah and Israel would experience the punishment of the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities, And even though God promises that He will in fact punish unrepentant, unconfessed, unbelieving sin in this life and in the life to come. Just as he granted to Israel in Micah's day, God also proclaims to the nations of the world today that no matter where he may have to send us, as it were, in a just and righteous punishment for our sin, still in all by the grace and mercy of God, by his electing love through faith in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, listen, a remnant will return. A remnant will return. A remnant will return. will return." Now what does that mean? And how is that so? Well, as we work our way through the words of our text, brothers and sisters, in verses 12 and 13, please note that Micah here speaks first of all of the promise that a remnant will return. He speaks first of all of the promise that a remnant will return. Look at verse 12 of Micah 2 with me if you would. Here we read, I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob. I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel." Now, notice a couple of points here. First of all, notice the repetition of the first person personal pronoun. God says, I will. He says, I will. And again, in the second part of the verse, He also says, I will. This is all a gracious work of our gracious God. Secondly, brothers and sisters, note the all-inclusive nature of that which the prophet Micah is declaring. God says through him, I will surely gather all of you, not some of you, I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob, I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. Meaning that according to God's providence, His sovereign grace and His electing love, when all is said and done, after the punishment has been rendered, There's not a single one of God's people who will not be preserved. There's not a single one of God's people who will not be saved. And all my dear friends in the Lord, in the midst of a corrupt and decaying generation, in the midst of increasingly heinous sin throughout our society, even as you and I look at the ongoing struggle against that old sinful self, a spiritual warfare in which each and every one of us is engaged, not to mention the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil, Isn't it comforting to know that if we are in Christ, if by God's grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone, we are in him. Think of this. No matter what may befall us of good or ill throughout the completion of our days, if we are truly saved today, we will be surely saved for all eternity. Think of it. This is that blessed and comforting doctrine which the Reformers refer to as the perseverance or the preservation of the saints. It is taught literally throughout the Scriptures. For example, if your Bibles are open, turn with me, if you would please, to the Gospel according to John, the 10th chapter. John chapter 10. And drop all the way down with me to verses 27 through 29. John chapter 10, verses 27 through 29. Our Lord Jesus is speaking. And He says, "...My sheep listen to My voice. I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father's hand." Turn over to the book of Romans, the 8th chapter with me, please. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, chapter 8, verses 28 through 30. Here we read, And we know, we may not always feel, but we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called. And those He called, He also justified. Those He justified, He also glorified. He, He, He, He, you see, has done it. He has done it all. Turn over to the book of Philippians, if you're still working your way through the Scriptures with me. Philippians 1, verses 3 through 6. Here the apostle Paul declares, Philippians 1 verse 3, I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I will always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Paul wrote that, brothers and sisters, while he was in prison, while he was in chains for the cause of Christ. And yet he said, I know that I am going to be with Christ. For to me to live is Christ, to die is gain, he goes on to say in that epistle. Then we get to the book of Timothy. Turn with me, if you would, please, to 2 Timothy 1. Now Paul is again in prison, and this is the last epistle he pens before he is martyred by the Roman Emperor Nero for the cause of Christ. He doesn't again know for sure if he's going to live or die, although he says toward the end of this epistle in 2 Timothy that he believes his time has come and he's about to be poured out as a drink offering. That's the circumstance of his life. But here in 2 Timothy 1, verse 12, The Apostle Paul says, that is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed because I know whom I have believed and I'm convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. You see, all glory be to God. You know, boys and girls, the story is told that there were two young girls speaking together one day. And the one girl says to her friend, do you think that you're saved? Do you think that you're saved? And her friend smiled and said, oh yes, I know that I'm saved, you see, I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. I feel as if I'm going through life simply holding onto his hand. And to this her friend replied, well, what if Satan comes along and pries your hand loose? And the little girl looked startled for just a moment. Then all of a sudden her face brightened and then she said, no, no, I would still be saved because you see, I'm not only holding on to Jesus hand, he's also holding on to mine. And Satan could never pry his hand loose. You see. The perseverance. the preservation of the saints. And brothers and sisters, that is why the sacred songwriter has said, and that is why we love to sing, safe in the arms of sovereign love we ever shall remain. Nor shall the rage of earth or hell make thy sure counsel vain. Not one of all the chosen race but shall to heaven attain. Here they will share abounding grace and there with Jesus reign. And that's why in the words of our text, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the prophet Micah declared, I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob. I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. The promise that a remnant will return. Ah, but notice. Secondly, let us consider the pasture of the remnant that will return. The pasture of the remnant that will return. Look at verse 12 once again. I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob. I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen." Some of your translations may say like the sheep of Basra. The Hebrew word is Basra. In fact, in this entire chapter, the Hebrew is very difficult and some of the translations have different wording and different interpretations. But Basra was the name of a major Edomite city. It was known for its large flocks. But the name Basra means pen or fold. And so the NIV translators, correctly so also, translated to read, I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture. The place will throng with people. Friends, just meditate on the language of that second part of verse 12 just for a moment. You know, as I was prayerfully pondering that particular portion of the text, I don't know about you, but I had all kinds of passages of Scripture flow into my heart and into my mind as I was considering the fact that God says, I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture. The place will throng with people. First, that thing that came to mind was Psalm 23, first few verses. The Lord is my shepherd, said David. I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his namesake. Isaiah 40, a contemporary of Micah. In Isaiah 40, verse 11 says this concerning our sovereign God. He tends His flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads those that have young. Then my heart and mind went to John chapter 10 where Jesus presents Himself as the good shepherd of the sheep. In John 10, 14 through 16, Jesus says, I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me. Just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd. And then finally, I tracked down some verses in Revelation that had also come to my heart and to my mind. They were found in Revelation 7, verses 13 through 17, where we read in God's Word, Then one of the elders asked me, These in white robes, who are they, and where did they come from? I answered, Sir, you know. And he said, These are they who have come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple. And he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger. Never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them nor any scorching heat. For the lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd. He will lead them to springs of living water and God will wipe every tear. from their eyes. Think of it. Think of these promises of God to His people. Friends, have you been following the headlines also of these past several days concerning the drought that is ravaging so many regions of our country? I came across a couple of articles. In fact, there were headlines just this past Thursday in the USA Today. There was a huge headline entitled, 2012 drought could cost $12 billion. The enormous drought scorching the central USA will almost certainly cost at least $12 billion, making it the costliest since 1988, experts said Wednesday. Then on Friday, another headline in the USA Today, how horrid is July heat? Record setting. Month is on pace to be the hottest ever recorded in the United States. And then I get an email from our sister congregation in Visalia, California, the consistory of the Trinity United Reformed Church. I'm just going to read a portion of this letter to you. It's dated July 25 of 2012. Dear brothers in Christ, we are writing to you on a matter of urgent concern that affects us all. Much of the United States and parts of central and eastern Canada are in the grip of what we are told is the worst drought in more than 50 years. More than 80% of the U.S. is abnormally dry, and 55% is suffering moderate to severe drought. More than 1,000 counties in 26 states have already been declared disaster areas. Nor is the impact limited to farmers and those in the agricultural industry. The price of corn, of which the U.S. is the world's leading exporter, has been rising quickly. Without rain, much of that crop will be lost, leading to shortages as well as increases in the cost of food here at home and around the world. We are asking you and your congregation to pray for rain." And then they list several specific items of prayer in that regard. And then a couple of final comments I select out for you. They write, times like these remind us that we are completely dependent on God. Please join with us this Sunday and every Sunday until the drought is abated in fervent prayer that God will send rain. The Consistory of the Trinity, URC, Visalia, California. Think about that. Now, brothers and sisters, it is certainly true that we need to pray fervently for rain. And yet the leaders and the laity of this country and every country need to understand That a withholding of the reign of heaven, the Bible says. Is one of the very specific and one of the most severe judgments. Of Almighty God, if I turn to Deuteronomy chapter 28 with me, if you would, for a moment, there's this powerful passage of scripture where God lays out his word in the sense that if you obey me, here are the blessings that will befall you. If you disobey me, here are the curses which will surely come upon you. And in Deuteronomy chapter 28, verse 24, we read, If you disobey me, the Lord says, the Lord will turn the rain of your country into dust and powder. It will come down from the skies until you are destroyed. And then over in 1 Kings chapter 8, verses 35 and 36, 1 Kings 8, 35 and 36, Solomon is praying at the dedication of the temple. And in 1 Kings 8, 35 and 36, Solomon prays saying, When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live and send rain on the land and give your people that you gave your people for an inheritance, you see. And so, friends, yes, we need to pray for rain. And as the letter from our brothers in Visalia, California, tell us, when God brings His hand of judgment against a land, yes, very frequently the righteous suffer with the wicked. The righteous suffer with the wicked. But, oh, my dear brothers and sisters, consider once again the providential care in the midst of it all, which the Lord ultimately promises to give to His people in this life. and in the life to come. Micah 2, verse 12, once again, I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture. The place will throng with people, the pasture of the remnant that will return. Well, thirdly and finally, our text speaks of the person who will accomplish the return of the remnant, the person who will accomplish the return of the remnant. Look at verse 13 of Micah 2 with me, please. Here we read, one who breaks open the way, all of that is one word in the Hebrew text. One who breaks open the way will go up before them. They will break through the gate, that is the gate of their captivity. They will break through the gate and go out. Their king will pass through before them, the Lord at their head. Now friends, notice something very interesting here. In verse 12, we read three times God saying, I will, I will, I will. He says it three times. And then in kind of parallel fashion, in verse 13, that One who is doing this gracious and great work is identified by three different names. He is first of all called the One who breaks open the way. Secondly, He is called their King. And thirdly, He is referred to as the Lord. Notice all the capitals. That's Yahweh in the Hebrew, the covenant-making, covenant-keeping God of Israel. He's going to break open the gate. He's going to break open the gate. Now, as I was considering this, I was reflecting on an Old Testament typology or prefiguring of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and my mind went back to the book of Judges, if you would care to turn with me, to Judges 16 concerning the judge Samson. And in Judges 16, verses 2 and 3, now think about this breaking out and then carrying the gate and all that stuff. In Judges 16, verses 2 through 3, we read, the people of Gaza were told, Samson is here. So they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They made no move during the night, saying, A dawn will kill him. Samson lay there only until the middle of the night. Then he got up and took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts, and tore them loose, bars and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron." That is a type or prefiguring of our Lord Jesus Christ. Samson carried away the gate. Now when we go back to Micah 2, verse 13, That was that was fulfilled historically when the Assyrians had taken Israel captive, the Babylonians had had taken Judah captive. And yet, by God's sovereign grace and electing love, as as Ezra and Nehemiah tell us, a remnant was, in fact, able to return to the promised land. The captives had broken through the gate and they had returned historically fulfilled. But not ultimately so, not ultimately so. Brothers and sisters, please, prayerfully ponder verse 13, again, of Micah 2, just for a moment. And what comes to your heart, what comes to your mind when we read of one who breaks open the way, the king passes through before his people, the Lord is at their head, and the captives are set free? What comes to your heart and mind? I'll tell you what floods my heart and mind. It reminds me that this was not simply fulfilled in the 5th century B.C. with the return of the Jews to Jerusalem. This was fulfilled two thousand years ago through the atoning death on Calvary's cross of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and by his glorious and victorious resurrection from the dead, because it was by his resurrection from the dead that Jesus Christ conquered sin and he conquered hell and he conquered death and he conquered Satan. And he set the captives free, the spiritual captives free who were tyrannized by Satan and enslaved to sin. He set us free. You see, he set us free. And this prophecy will be consummated at his second coming when our Lord returns in time to bring us all to himself, all of his people to himself for all eternity, for all eternity. Think about it. In fact, have you noticed over the past several days, A number of the local Christian radio stations have been playing Christmas music. Did anybody notice that? Thank you for acknowledging that you're listening. One day I was listening to the radio, and I said, this is Christmas music. I said, what's going on? So I said to Margaret, they're playing Christmas music. And she said, yeah, a few of the local stations are. And she said, I heard one of the guys on the radio say that they're celebrating Christmas in July. Christmas in July. OK. I have a song that fits our text that is not celebrating Christmas, but is celebrating Easter in July. And the boys and girls know it well. Listen to the words. Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior. Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord. Vainly they watch His bed, Jesus my Savior. Vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord. Death cannot keep His prey, Jesus my Savior. He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord. Up from the grave He arose with a mighty triumph o'er His foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain and He lives forever with His saints to reign. He arose. He arose. Hallelujah! Christ arose. In the words of one commentator, and I quote, The remnant, according to Micah, will receive its final glory and vindication only through the Messiah. He will arise from His people and lead them into the security of God's kingdom. End of quote. And that is true. It is gloriously true. And so in the words of our text, we read, one who breaks open the way will go up before them. They will break through the gate and go out. Their king will pass through before them. The Lord at their head, the Lord at their head, the person who will accomplish the return of the remnant, the person who will accomplish the return of the remnant. You know, dear friends, as we close, I'd invite you to turn with me to Matthew chapter 25. Matthew chapter 25. Here we are given a glimpse of literally the last day of earthly time. It's Judgment Day. And in Matthew 25 verses 31 and following, Matthew 25, 31 and following, Jesus is speaking. And here in Matthew 25, 31 and following, Jesus says this, When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. Verse 41. Then he will say to those on his left, depart from me, you who are cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Verse 46. Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. Question. On this great and awesome day, When the nations of the world and every man, woman and child who ever lived are literally gathered before the judgment seat of Christ. And a great selection. A great separation. A an eternal sentencing takes place. Will you. Will I be numbered among the sheep? Or the goats? most important question you will ever be asked and ever have to answer in the entire course of your lifetime. Will you be numbered among the sheep or the goats? My friend, if you do not know the answer to that question, my friend, if you are not sure as to your own personal answer to that question, please realize that you can know and you can be sure according to the promises of God's word. In John 3, verse 36, John the Baptist unequivocally declares, whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. But whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him. And so, my friend, if you have never before done so, I ask you, I urge you, I plead with you even in this hour to repent of your sins and profess faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior. Because, you see, then on that great and awesome day, along with all of the other members of the family of God near and far, you too can be assured of the fact that you will be numbered among the remnant that will return. Amen. Let's bow our heads and our hearts together in prayer. I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob, I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture. The place will throng with people. One who breaks open the way will go up before them. They will break through the gate and go out. Their king will pass through before them, the Lord at their head. O Lord our God, We thank and praise you for the amazing grace which you have so mercifully shown to your wicked and rebellious people in Micah's day. And also in our day. Grant Heavenly Father such saving faith to the hearts and minds of your chosen ones, that we will be comforted in knowing that in time and for all eternity, we too are numbered among the remnant that will return. Hear us, Lord, we pray, in Jesus' name, Amen.