The Underdog Wins

But now many nations

    are gathered against you.

They say, “Let her be defiled,

    let our eyes gloat over Zion!”

But they do not know

    the thoughts of the Lord;

they do not understand his plan,

    that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.

“Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion,

    for I will give you horns of iron;

I will give you hooves of bronze,

    and you will break to pieces many nations.”

You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord,

    their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

Micah 4:11–13 

We all love an underdog story! The movie about the football team that has players half the size of the star team that ends up making the championship. The story about the racehorse that’s smaller than the rest who ends up winning the Triple Crown. The book about the nerdy kid who ends up becoming the hero of the school.

In these three verses, we read about another underdog. Zion.

Jerusalem in Scripture is also known as the City of Zion, and is referred to with female pronouns. In verse 11, we see that many nations are gathered against her, willing her destruction. Jerusalem is one small city compared to the multiple nations. She is no match for them. They want to see her downfall with their eyes.

But Micah encourages the listener with this. “They do not know the thoughts of the Lord; they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.” This analogy of sheaves on a threshing floor is unfamiliar to us, but would have been understandable to Micah’s audience.

A threshing floor was used by farmers to separate out the grain from the stalk of wheat. The sheaves would be spread out on the floor, and an animal would walk on - literally trample - the sheaves to break them into pieces. Then the farmer would use a giant fork to throw it all up in the air, and the wind would blow away what’s called the “chaff”, the light, broken pieces of the wheat. The heavy pieces of grain would fall back to the threshing floor and be gathered for food. This is the process of threshing.

Micah explains that the Lord has gathered Zion’s enemies, and they will be laid out like the sheaves of grain, setting them up to be trampled on. The Lord invites Zion to thresh her enemies, encouraging her because He will give her strength to break the many nations into pieces. Iron and bronze are symbols of strength. Horns and hooves were found on the strong animals that did the threshing. 

It’s a beautiful story of the underdog winning!

What I want to point out is that the Lord initiates and does it all! He’s gathered the nations. He gives Zion strength. This is the Gospel. Jesus did it all for us!

The Lord calls Jerusalem, “Daughter Zion.” It’s a term of endearment. His people are the ones he loves, and like a good Father, He’ll do anything to protect and defend them. In response, Zion’s part is obedience to “rise up and thresh” and to devote her victory to the Lord as an act of worship!

PAUSE: If your life was made into a book or movie, would you be the underdog? If so, how have you seen God set you up for victory?

PRACTICE: How can you be obedient to our Heavenly Father in any action He’s calling you to do? How can you worship Him for what He has done and will do? 

PRAY: Father God, thank You for Your plans and Your thoughts towards me. I know that as Your son or daughter, I am fully loved and protected. Thank You for sending Your Son to win the ultimate victory on the cross. Thank You for giving me the strength to endure. Give me the confidence to obey You and trust Your Sovereignty, and I will praise You in advance for all that You will do! In Jesus’ name, Amen