I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men. The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them. (Micah 2:12-13 KJV)
The righteous souls of Jacob and Israel in the Book of Micah are representative of all God’s people from the Northern and Southern Kingdoms who were to make up the remnant. The Remnant composed so great a portion of thought among the prophets that Isaiah named his son Shear-jashub, “the salvation of the remnant” (Isaiah 2:21; 6:9-13; 7:3; 8:2, 18; 9:12). His name served as a reminder to those of the Captivity that there would be a return.
The Remnant here in Micah is described as “large,” but it is still much smaller than the previous population of the two kingdoms. This gathering of the remnant is God’s work through the Shepherd Messiah. “The assembling of the remnant began with the work of Zerubbabel (Ezra 1-2) and Ezra (Ezra 7). These gatherings were but types of the Gospel gathering which is still going on today. While the focus here is primarily on Jewish ‘sheep,’ Jesus emphasized that he had ‘other sheep which were not of this fold’” (Smith 327). Micah said the gathering would be like a great herd of sheep and noisy as a great multitude.
The prophet then spoke of the Leader of the remnant. “The breaker is gone up before them… the King goes before them… Jehovah at their head.” This is an obscure prophecy of Jesus the Messiah as discerned from the context.
“Their king, the Messiah… the Liberator, one who breaks through the gates of their bondage” (Hailey). Respected commentator C.F. Keil said of this passage, “Breaker” is “the counterpart of Moses, viz. Zerubbabel, and in the highest sense Christ.”
The lead ram was the ram who went before the flock to butt or break down any and all barriers, rubbish, brush and undergrowth, making a way for the sheep who follow him. Just so, the Messiah Lord, Leader of the remnant flock, will break through all barriers to the ultimate accomplishment of God’s purpose, i.e., the gathering of God’s people into one body, the church. From this passage, the “Breaker-through” was one of the titles of the Christ known to the Jews (Pusey). Notice in this one verse there are three references to the same person: He is the Breaker, the King and Jehovah. This can only refer to Deity, Jesus the Messiah.
Let us now consider how Jesus through His work in the New Testament is identified with the Breaker of Micah’s prophecy. When one sees the redemptive work of Christ in the New Testament, it is easy to see that He is the “lead ram.” Jesus is not only the Good Shepherd and the Door to the sheepfold, He is as well their King who passes before them and the Lord Jehovah at the head of them.
- He has broken the shackles of sin by His death on the cross (Isaiah 61:1-4; Luke 4:18-19).
- He has broken the bonds of death by His resurrection (Romans 1:4).
- He has broken down the wall of partition that divided Jew from Gentile, making both one (Ephesians 2:14).
- He breaks the hardness of man’s heart by His love, mercy and grace (Romans 2:4).
- He has broken through sin and made the way plain (Isaiah 35:8).
- Jesus breaks though sin and confusion, and He has made the way plain (Isaiah 35:8; John 14:6-7).
- Jesus has broken the shackles of sin, giving men freedom by His death on the cross (Isaiah 61:1-4).
- Jesus breaks down the hardness of men’s hearts by His love, mercy and grace (Romans 2:4).
- Jesus the Breaker leads the way to salvation, abundant living and to Heaven itself (John 10:10; 14:1-3).
- Jesus the Breaker is our King Eternal, leading, guiding, instructing, encouraging and going before to prepare the way to Life Eternal (John 5:28-29).
Has He broken through to your heart? Are you letting Him lead your life?
Works Cited
Hailey, Homer. A Commentary on the Minor Prophets. Reno: Nevada P., 2009.
Keil, C.F. and F. Delitzsch. Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition. Electronic Database. Peabody: Hendrickson P., 1996.
Pusey, E.B. The Minor Prophets. Volume 2. Eugene: Wipf & Stock P., 2005.
Smith, James E. What the Bible Teaches about the Promised Messiah. Nashville: Nelson, 1993.
