THE BREAKER

‘An oasis of hope in a desert of doom’ is how one commentator described Micah chapter 2 verses 12-13. Up to this point in his prophecy Micah has been the bearer of heavy tidings. He has delivered a message of censure, condemnation and captivity. A disobedient people must pay the price of their sins. Rebellion will bring them into ruin. Disobedience will lead to desolation. The breaking of God’s law will bring bondage. But is there any hope? Now the tone of his message changes. Not all is lost. A ‘remnant of Israel’ will be delivered, 2. 12. The lost sheep will be re-assembled as a flock. But who can break their bondage and bring them back to the land? The answer comes in verse 13.

Here we have three titles of their Deliverer. Firstly, He is the Liberator. Then, He is the Leader, when as ‘king’ He passes before them. Finally, He is clearly identified as ‘the Lord’. In Him they will find every need met. He will not only bring them out from their captivity, He will guide them back to the land and the enjoyment of their inheritance.

‘Breaker’ is the term that is employed to describe the Lord’s activity on their behalf. This may be a continuation of the shepherd imagery of the previous verse where the remnant was seen as a flock of sheep penned up and noisily awaiting someone who would open the gate and grant them release. More likely it is a military metaphor describing a conqueror who breaks down every barrier which impedes the release of His people. No gates of iron or bars of brass can withstand His mighty power. Every opposing force must yield.

Israel has suffered at the hands of many captors and suffered many captivities. Here is a conqueror, a champion and a captain who will let His people out and lead them on to millennial glory. He has already broken the bonds of sin for us and emancipated every believer from the bondage of Satan. Through death He has annulled ‘him that had the power of death, that is, the devil’ and delivered ‘them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage’, Heb. 2. 14-15. Soon, even the graves will yield to His commanding shout and He will be the ‘breaker’ of the power of death for all His saints.