‹ Back

Micah 5:15 "And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance upon the nations that did not obey."

 

This fifth chapter of Micah tells of the coming of the Messiah - "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days." (Micah 5:2). It foretells how the Messiah will cleanse and save Israel. In this last verse, though, God turns his attention to the other nations of the world, and says, "in that day" (Micah 5:10), those who did not obey will feel His vengeance. 

 

Unlike Micah and the people of his time, we have the benefit of knowing the Messiah. We know His law of love is what will conquer the world. We know that God is giving the world time to be conquered. But there will come a day when that time comes to an end. "In that day", as the Lord says, those who did not accept His Son and follow Him in obedience and love to the Father, will be cut off. There is no salvation except through the Messiah.

 

While God is describing Himself as feeling anger and wrath, and meting out vengeance, it is because that is what it will feel like to those who reject His Son. God loves even those who reject Him, He has written His law into their hearts, has sent His Son for them, and His Son has died for them. If, in the day that is the (or their) last day, they still refuse to accept Him, then they will experience what feels like wrath and anger for all eternity. They will have turned away from God, from the source of everything good, so that is all that will be left for them.