Seven shepherds and Eight principal men

Micah 5:4-6 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.

Who are the seven shepherds, and eight principal men that stand with Christ in the last days when the anti-christ invaeds Israel. It seems to point that they will lay waste the land of Assyria, and the land of Nimrod.

Thoughts?????

Like you, and many others, I have no idea.

However, upon reading the scripture you gave, the scripture in Revelation 1:20, speaks of the seven angels and the seven churches.

But I don't think its that.

As for the eight principal men, who knows.

Yes, I know, I'm no help. But maybe someone else might see this and have more information. Or look it up in a good commmentary to help with answers.

Hope you get some answers, because it is quite interesting.

God bless.

Who are the seven shepherds, and eight principal men that stand with Christ in the last days when the anti-christ invaeds Israel. It seems to point that they will lay waste the land of Assyria, and the land of Nimrod.

The context of this section appears to be the beginning of the Milenium, and Christ is reigning on the earth.

"the time when she which travaileth shall have brought forth" v.3

and
"the residue of his brethren shall (have) return(ed) unto the children of Israel." v.3

and Christ is feeding His flock, and is our Peace, ie. as the fulfilment of Solomon's kingdom.

The seven shepherds and eight principal men ( princes ie. anointed ones) are the remnant of Jacob vs.7 & 8, who are like the dew on the grass, but also like a young lion.

The antichrist, at this time will already have been cast into the lake of fire (Rev 19 v 20).

David

DavidC thanks for your response.

Micah 5:5 And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

This part of scripture I believe should be with prophecy above "And this man shall be the peace"

The remaining part reads:

When the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

So the timing of this raising up of these men against the AntiChrist is when he come into there land. There mission is seen in verse 6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.

These Shepherds lay waste to the land of the Assyrian and land of Nimrod by the sword.

If we take a look at Jer 50:9 9 For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.

Another verse in Jer 50:41-42 Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shew mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.

Quote: The antichrist, at this time will already have been cast into the lake of fire.

I think that there will be some nations that will stand against the antichrist and his alliance.

Dear brother

Thanks for your reply. Due to my duties, I can only write once a day in the evening. But it does give me time to consider what you write.

"So the timing of this raising up of these men against the AntiChrist is when he come into there land. There mission is seen in verse 6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, "

I would be interested to know how you equate "the Assyrian" with "the Antichrist". To me, they are not the same, and belong to different parts of God's purposes. But I may be wrong.

You write from Jeremiah 50 of the great nation and peoples that come against Babylon from the North, and say from this that "there will be some nations that will stand against the antichrist and his alliance. Again, I do not believe that scripture shows that Babylon and the Antichrist are the same. Jeremiah 50 & 51 are prophesies about the overthrow of Babylon by the Medes and their allied nations some years after the prophesy was given. It has been fulfilled and Babylon as a city has never been built again since.

I do understand that some of the phrases of the of the chapters are similar to those concerning Babylon in the book of Revelation, and even more so in Isaiah, and there is clearly a time to come when Babylon will be rebuilt, as will the temple in Jerusalem, but I do not think that this is what Jeremiah is speaking of in these two chapters.

Perhaps you would say how you equate these characters from scripture.

David

Quote: I would be interested to know how you equate "the Assyrian" with "the Antichrist".

Micah 5:5-6 calls him "the Assyrian", and of him it is said, when he "shall come into our land, and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men...thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian"

Quote: Jeremiah 50 & 51 are prophesies about the overthrow of Babylon by the Medes and their allied nations some years after the prophesy was given. It has been fulfilled and Babylon as a city has never been built again since.

Jer 50:40 As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the Lord; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.

Not everything mentioned about Babylon in Jeremiah 50-51 has yet been fulfilled, Jer 50:40 is an example.

Jeremiah 50-51 seem to indicate that the method of destruction by fire will be similar as well. It is this picture of Sodom and Gomorrah with "fire on the cities, obliterating them and all the valley around”

Isa. 14:9 the prophet mentions Babylon's last king. Verses 9 to 20 contain a striking portrait of the lofty arrogance and fearful doom of the Man of Sin. Then, in verse 21, the "burden returns again to the subjects of the Antichrist: "Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities. For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the Lord. I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of hosts" 21-23.

Finally, the prophet concludes with a parting word concerning the Antichrist: "The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them,and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

I hope I captured everything

Colin

What you write conczening the last king of Babylon in Isaiah 14 is true. It does speak of the last days, when God"s judgement will come on this king. He sums up and fills up the iniquity and corruption of all the gentile kings before him. He is seen in Rev 13 as the first beast. He enforces idolatry, rebellion and blasphemy against God, and like Nebuchadnezzar, has an idol built that all should worship him. He is the fourth beast of Daniel 7. But he shall be brought down to Sheol.

The Antichrist or man of sin however is more the second beast of Rev 13. He enforces the rule of the first beast. He, as the last false prophet, performs signs and miracles to deceive. As a man, he deals with men to receive the mark of the beast. AS the man of sin, he will place the abomination in the temple of God. He is the little horn of Daniel. But he shall be brought down to Sheol.

As for the Assyrian in the lat days, Revelation does not speak of him, and I do not know myself; but I doubt that he is the antichrist. Come Lord Jesus and take your kingdom.

David

I made a few inquiries regarding this good and interesting question. I pretty much think it is dealing with the time also and is preceded by the very important verses Micah 5:1-3. Anyway, for what it's worth a person I respect in regards to scripture had the follwing thoughts. I don't sense he's trying to be overly dogmatic.

(BEGIN)
I have always taken the Shepherds to be spiritual in nature and possibly connected to the Temple? And the Eight principal men to be ruling governmental leaders of one sort or another. I see the setting as being the time of the end, i.e., the final 31/2 years. The Assyrian I believe to be the AC and his final kingdom. The newly rebuilt Temple will bring with it a ruling body of some sort and could even possibly produce the Two Witness', though I'm not dogmatic about them being Jewish, but I think it likely... They are those who will stand as the firewall against the storm of the AC rage against the Jews hiding in the "Goshen" of sorts spoken of in Dan. 11:41. I think these seven Shepherds could be somehow related with spiritual ruling of the fleeing Jews of that time. They will most certainly be those raised up for such a task and thus empowered to lead in such days of uncertainty. The spiritual over-site required in that day will require the Spirits empowerment and thus they will be the "anointed" of the Lord in that day for that task.

Opposite of that would be the secular rulers of this crucial period, the eight principal men. They are said to "...waste with the sword the land of Assyria, And the land of Nimrod at its entrances; Thus He shall deliver us from the Assyrian, When he comes into our land And when he treads within our borders." Its seems that the deliverance is said to be the work of man done in the providence of God. They act in the power of His action. The specific mention of the "...land of Assyria, and the land of Nimrod at its entrances;" is a defined land and a set way of travel back and forth, i.e., "entrances". The secular leaders of the day stand in the strength of the Lord in the final day. Perhaps these men are what is left of the ruling body of the Knesset after the sacking of Jerusalem following the days of the invasion of the AC and the taking of the Temple and the Abomination of Desolation? Christ at His return will certainly use the "Brightness of His coming and the Sword of His mouth" to destroy the AC forces that usurp these lands...
Hope that helps.

7 - Then the remnant of Jacob Shall be in the midst of many peoples,
Like dew from the Lord,
Like showers on the grass,
That tarry for no man
Nor wait for the sons of men.

8 - And the remnant of Jacob
Shall be among the Gentiles,
In the midst of many peoples,
Like a lion among the beasts of the forest,
Like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
Who, if he passes through,
Both treads down and tears in pieces,
And none can deliver

9 - Your hand shall be lifted against your adversaries,
And all your enemies shall be cut off.

The timing of the Micah verses regarding the seven shepherds and the eight princes can be clearly seen by verse 3

"Mic 5:3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time when she which travaileth shall have brought forth: and the residue of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel."

Because of their smiting of our Lord, Israel has been and is even now "given up", but only until the new thing which God in His grace and power will do on the earth: a nation shall be born in one day; she shall be "brought forth" at the coming of Christ, not during the tribulation.

Only then, Christ will stand and feed His flock, and He will be their peace.

The next verses shows that at this time, the beginning of Christ's reign on the earth, the Assyrian will come into the land, and the remnant of Jacob, THEY will waste the land of Asshur and Nimrod, and HE (Christ) shall deliver us from the Assyrian v6.

Nowhere does the scripture show that the antichrist will be defeated by Israel during the tribulation. Rather he will persecute the woman as a flood and put them to death. The Antichrist will be defeated by the coming of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Himself, and will be cast into the lake of fire. Rev 19

David