In, But Not Of

When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men; they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod at its entrances; and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian when he comes into our land and treads within our border. Then the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which delay not for a man nor wait for the children of man. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, which, when it goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is none to deliver. Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off. And in that day, declares the LORD, I will cut off your horses from among you and will destroy your chariots; and I will cut off the cities of your land and throw down all your strongholds; and I will cut off sorceries from your hand, and you shall have no more tellers of fortunes; and I will cut off your carved images and your pillars from among you, and you shall bow down no more to the work of your hands; and I will root out your Asherah images from among you and destroy your cities. And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance on the nations that did not obey.
Micah 5:5–15
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In, But Not Of
We live in the world, but we are not of it. The Lord promises that we will live amid many peoples, in the thick darkness and sin of the jungle that is the world. It used to be that we were the weak and the preyed upon. The eyes of our enemies gazed upon us ready to strike. We were attacked on every hand, and we ran from our enemies. Micah reminds us that Christ has made us the remnant of Jacob—the holy people of God. We are now like the lion among the beasts of the forest. We are the young lion in the midst of a flock of sheep. God has exalted us by cleansing us from our sin, tearing down our false altars, cutting off our carved images. Jesus has cleansed us by the preaching of his Law and has restored us to life by the preaching of his Gospel. We have been made his own by the Waters of Baptism. We have been set apart as a holy people of God by his shed blood on the cross. He rose again from the grave to triumph even over death. Death was a ready enemy. No one could escape it until Jesus triumphed over it. Now it is rest and sleep instead of destruction and condemnation. Have no fear, all your enemies have been cut off.