Micah 4:1,2. When a church stops honoring what is good and what is true it comes to an end, and the Jehovah sets up a new church. ¹ The prophesy of Micah, like many of the other prophecies in the Bible, tells about such a happening: the end of the Israelitish church, and the start of Christianity. ² The older words are used because they still mean the same spiritual idea. Jehovah was Jacob's God,, just as He is our God today. Zion and Jerusalem still correspond to the good and truth of the Lord’s church. ³

Micah 4:3,4. In that new church - that "house of God" - everyone will have spiritual truth written on the heart. Changing weapons into farming tools, and not going to war anymore, means that people will agree about the Lord’s truth without any dispute, and - because there are no evils in that house - they will be safe and without fear.

Micah 4:5. The Word uses many names for God, and any name is okay when it means the one creator, savior and redeemer. ⁴

Micah 4:6. Of those who "go up", all who need help will be given what they need.

Micah 4:7. Jehovah shall reign over all who are walking in his ways. ⁵ Those who are outcasts mean those who can’t see where to walk. Those that are lame can’t walk. The outcasts will have their eyes opened, and the lame will have their legs healed.

Micah 4:8-10. The "daughter of Zion" ⁶ means the affection of truths and goods with those of the church. The bringing forth means the multiplication of goods and truths because of the affection for them. Inhabiting the field means that the church will learn truths of many kinds and may even understand what Babylon has spoiled. But there will be no harm there, since the Lord protects.

Micah 4:11, 12. Falsities want to infest those who belong to the Lord, but He protects them. People who hold those falsities will be “threshed”, or judged.

Micah 4:13. The goods and truths that the Lord provides are as “iron” or “bronze”. ⁷ The falsities that are to be “threshed” aren't as strong, and can’t withstand them.

There are a lot of truths here for us, and there are appealing images. If we "go up" -- try to learn the true ideas in Christianity, and to walk in the Lord's ways, there will be healing, and affection, and understanding, and multiplying good, and protection.

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298. In the spiritual sense the name of God means the whole of the church's teaching taken from the Word, and through which the Lord is invoked and worshipped. All of this is summed up in the name of God. Therefore taking the name of God in vain means using anything from this source in idle talk, false statements, lies, curses, witchcraft and spells; for this too is slandering and blaspheming God, and so His name. The following passages will show that the Word and all the church takes from it, and so all worship, is the name of God.

From the rising of the sun men shall call upon my name, Isaiah 41:25 ¹ .

From the rising of the sun to its setting, great is my name among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name. You profane my name, when you say, The table of Jehovah is defiled. And you sniff at my name, when you bring as an offering what is mauled, lame and sick, Malachi 1:11-13.

All peoples walk in the name of their God, and we shall walk in the name of Jehovah our God, Micah 4:5.

They shall worship Jehovah in one place, where He will set His name, Deuteronomy 12:5, 11, 13-14, 18; 16:2, 6, 11, 15-16.

His name means His worship.

Jesus said, Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in their midst, Matthew 18:20.

As many as received Him, to them He gave the ability to be sons of God, if they believed in His name, John 1:12.

He who does not believe is already judged, since he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God, John 3:18.

Those who believe will have life in His name, John 20:31.

Jesus said, I showed forth your name to men, and I made known to them your name, John 17[6,]26.

"The Lord said, You have a few names in Sardis," Revelation 3:4.

There are many other passages in which, as in these, the name of God means the Divine which goes forth from God, and through which He is worshipped. The name of Jesus Christ, however, means the whole of redemption, and the whole of His teaching, and so the whole of salvation. Jesus means the whole of salvation by means of redemption; Christ the whole of salvation by means of His teaching.

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