You will show faithfulness to JacobThis phrase highlights God's unwavering commitment to His covenant with Jacob, also known as Israel. The faithfulness mentioned here refers to God's steadfastness in fulfilling His promises despite Israel's repeated failures. This is a recurring theme throughout the Old Testament, where God remains true to His word, as seen in
Genesis 28:13-15, where God promises Jacob land, descendants, and blessings. The faithfulness to Jacob is a reminder of God's enduring loyalty to His chosen people, which is echoed in the New Testament in passages like
Romans 11:29, emphasizing that God's gifts and calling are irrevocable.
and loving devotion to Abraham
The mention of Abraham underscores the covenantal relationship initiated by God with the patriarchs. God's loving devotion, or "chesed" in Hebrew, implies a deep, loyal love that goes beyond mere obligation. This covenant with Abraham, found inGenesis 12:1-3, includes promises of land, descendants, and blessings to all nations through him. This devotion is a precursor to the New Covenant through Jesus Christ, who is a descendant of Abraham and fulfills the promise of blessing to all nations (Galatians 3:16).
as You swore to our fathers
This phrase refers to the solemn oaths God made to the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These oaths are foundational to Israel's identity and hope, as seen in passages likeGenesis 22:16-18 andGenesis 26:3-5. The swearing of oaths by God is significant because it underscores the certainty and seriousness of His promises. InHebrews 6:13-18, God's oath to Abraham is highlighted as an assurance of His unchangeable purpose.
from the days of old
This phrase points to the ancient origins of God's promises, emphasizing their longstanding nature and reliability. The "days of old" hark back to the early chapters of Genesis, where God's interactions with the patriarchs set the stage for His redemptive plan. This historical context reassures the faithful that God's promises are not new or fleeting but have been part of His divine plan from the beginning. This continuity is seen in the New Testament, where Jesus Christ is portrayed as the fulfillment of these ancient promises (Luke 1:54-55).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
MicahA prophet in the 8th century BC, Micah delivered messages of judgment and hope to the people of Judah and Israel. His prophecies often focused on social justice and the coming Messiah.
2.
JacobThe grandson of Abraham, Jacob was later named Israel. He is a patriarch of the Israelites, and God's faithfulness to him is a recurring theme in the Bible.
3.
AbrahamThe father of the Israelite nation, Abraham is a central figure in the Bible. God's covenant with him included promises of land, descendants, and blessings.
4.
The CovenantThe promises made by God to the patriarchs, including the assurance of His faithfulness and loving devotion, which are central to the identity and hope of Israel.
5.
The IsraelitesThe descendants of Jacob, who were the recipients of God's promises and the audience of Micah's prophecies.
Teaching Points
God's FaithfulnessGod's faithfulness to Jacob and Abraham is a testament to His unchanging nature. Believers can trust in God's promises, knowing He is consistent and true to His word.
Covenant RelationshipThe covenant with Abraham and Jacob is a reminder of the special relationship God has with His people. Christians are invited into this covenant through faith in Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of God's promises.
Historical ContinuityUnderstanding the historical context of God's promises helps believers appreciate the continuity of God's plan from the Old Testament to the New Testament.
Hope in God's PromisesJust as God was faithful to the patriarchs, He remains faithful to us today. This assurance provides hope and encouragement in times of uncertainty.
Living in Response to God's FaithfulnessBelievers are called to live lives that reflect God's faithfulness and loving devotion, demonstrating these attributes in their relationships and communities.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Micah 7:20?
2.How does Micah 7:20 demonstrate God's faithfulness to Abraham's descendants?
3.What does "truth to Jacob" reveal about God's character and promises?
4.How can we apply God's "steadfast love" in our daily relationships?
5.Connect Micah 7:20 to New Testament teachings on God's faithfulness.
6.How does God's promise in Micah 7:20 encourage us in challenging times?
7.How does Micah 7:20 affirm God's faithfulness to His promises?
8.What historical context surrounds the promises in Micah 7:20?
9.How does Micah 7:20 relate to the covenant with Abraham?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Micah 7?
11.What does the Bible say about monogamy?
12.What are Messianic prophecies?
13.Micah 7:20 reaffirms the covenant with the patriarchs--where is the clear historical or external documentation of this unbroken promise?
14.What are God's promises in the Bible?What Does Micah 7:20 Mean
You will show faithfulness to Jacob- The verse opens with a confident declaration of what God will do, not merely what He might do. Because Scripture is literally true, we can read “You will show faithfulness” as a guarantee rather than a wish.
- “Jacob” stands for the entire nation of Israel—the descendants of the man whose name was changed to Israel (Genesis 32:28).
- God’s track record of faithfulness to Jacob is evident:
•Genesis 28:15: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.”
•Psalm 105:8–10 reminds us that He “remembers His covenant forever… to Israel as an everlasting covenant.”
•Romans 11:29 affirms that “God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable,” underscoring that He has not abandoned His ancient people.
- For believers today, this line assures us that the same unchanging God keeps every promise to His covenant people and therefore to us who have been grafted in (Romans 11:17).
and loving devotion to Abraham- While “faithfulness” highlights God’s reliability, “loving devotion” highlights His warm, committed affection.
- Abraham received God’s personal pledge inGenesis 12:2–3: “I will make you into a great nation… and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
-Luke 1:72–73 shows this pledge still celebrated centuries later: “to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath He swore to our father Abraham.”
-Galatians 3:8 links that Abrahamic promise directly to the gospel: “All the nations will be blessed through you.” This love was ultimately displayed when Christ came from Abraham’s line to bless the world (Matthew 1:1).
- The pairing of “faithfulness” (to Jacob) and “loving devotion” (to Abraham) reassures us that God is both utterly dependable and deeply affectionate—attributes that never conflict in Him.
as You swore to our fathers- Micah roots Israel’s future hope in God’s past oath, reminding the people that their confidence rests on His sworn word.
-Genesis 22:16–17 records God swearing “by Myself” to multiply Abraham’s offspring.Hebrews 6:13 underscores that because God “could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself.”
-Deuteronomy 7:8 tells Israel why God brought them out of Egypt: “because He loved you and kept the oath He swore to your fathers.”
- God’s oaths are immutable; they cannot be broken without God ceasing to be God—an impossibility (Titus 1:2).
- For us, every New Testament promise—eternal life, forgiveness, the Spirit—carries the same oath-backed certainty.
from the days of old- This phrase stretches the timeline backward as far as the promise itself, reminding readers that God’s plan predates their current distress.
- Micah has already pointed to ancient origins inMicah 5:2, where the Messiah is described as One “whose origins are from the days of eternity.”
-Malachi 3:6 anchors hope in God’s unchangeableness: “For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.”
-Ephesians 1:4 reveals that believers were “chosen in Him before the foundation of the world,” showing a continuity between God’s ancient purposes and His present work.
- Knowing the promise is “from the days of old” means it will still stand tomorrow, no matter how unstable today feels.
summaryMicah 7:20 caps the prophet’s book with a reminder that God’s relationship with His people rests on an unbreakable covenant. God’s unerring faithfulness to Jacob, His warm-hearted devotion to Abraham, His solemn oath to the fathers, and His ancient, unchanging plan converge to guarantee Israel’s future and, through Christ, our own. The verse calls us to rest securely in a God whose promises are as old as His eternal nature and as certain as His own character.
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Thou wilt perform.--The closing words in the prophecy of Micah are gloriously taken up some centuries later by Zechariah: "As He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He sware to our father Abraham, that He would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life" (
Luke 1:54-55).
Verse 20. -
Thou wilt perform (literally,
give)
the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham. Jacob and Abraham are mentioned as the chiefs and representatives of the chosen family; and "the truth" (
i.e. God's faithfulness to his promises) and "mercy" are equally given to both, separately assigned only for the sake of the parallelism. Knabenbaner compares such passages as
Psalm 114:1, "When Israel went forth out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language" (Psalm or. 6;
Isaiah 41:8;
Isaiah 63:16, etc.). The general meaning, therefore, is that God will perform the promises made to the forefathers, as
Luke 1:72, etc.
Hast sworn, as in
Genesis 22:16. etc.; Genesis 28:13, etc.;
Deuteronomy 7:12. With the close of the ode Hengstenberg compares
Romans 11:33-36. Thus the checkered prophecy ends with the glow of faith and happy hope.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
You will showתִּתֵּ֤ן(tit·tên)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5414:To give, put, setloyaltyאֱמֶת֙(’ĕ·meṯ)Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 571:Stability, certainty, truth, trustworthinessto Jacobלְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב(lə·ya·‘ă·qōḇ)Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3290:Jacob -- a son of Isaac, also his descand loving devotionחֶ֖סֶד(ḥe·seḏ)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2617:Kindness, piety, reproof, beautyto Abraham,לְאַבְרָהָ֑ם(lə·’aḇ·rā·hām)Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 85:Abraham -- 'exalted father', the father of the Jewish nationasאֲשֶׁר־(’ă·šer-)Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834:Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order thatYou sworeנִשְׁבַּ֥עְתָּ(niš·ba‘·tā)Verb - Nifal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7650:To seven oneself, swearto our fathersלַאֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּ(la·’ă·ḇō·ṯê·nū)Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 1:Fatherfrom daysמִ֥ימֵי(mî·mê)Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3117:A dayof old.קֶֽדֶם׃(qe·ḏem)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6924:The front, of place, time
Links
Micah 7:20 NIVMicah 7:20 NLTMicah 7:20 ESVMicah 7:20 NASBMicah 7:20 KJV
Micah 7:20 BibleApps.comMicah 7:20 Biblia ParalelaMicah 7:20 Chinese BibleMicah 7:20 French BibleMicah 7:20 Catholic Bible
OT Prophets: Micah 7:20 You will give truth to Jacob (Mc Mic. Mi)