The prophet Micah employed the symbol of a high mountain to speak of the gathering of the nations in Christ. He has this to say: And it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the top of the mountains and high above the hills; and people shall flow to it. And many nations shall come in haste, and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for the law shall go forth out of Zion, and the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people and rebuke strong nations afar off.’

Further, the same prophet foretold even the place in which Christ was to be born: But you, O Bethlehem Eph’rathah, who are little among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from old, from ancient days.^{[1] [2]}

For Micah announced that the new law would be given in this way: The law shall go forth out of Zion, and the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and he shall vanquish and rebuke nations. For that prior law that was given through Moses was given not on Mount Zion but on Mount Horeb. And the Sibyl showed that this would be destroyed by the Son of God. But when all these things have been fulfilled which he spoke, at that time then the whole law is destroyed.^{[1] [2]}

When the prophetic Spirit speaks as prophesying things to come, he says, For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem, and he shall judge in the midst of the nations and rebuke many people. And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, and nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn to war anymore. We can show you that this has really happened. For a band of twelve men went forth from Jerusalem, and they were common men, not trained in speaking. But by the power of God they testified to every race of humankind that they were sent by Christ to teach to all the Word of God. And now we who once killed each other not only do not make war on each other, but in order not to lie or deceive our inquisitors we gladly die for the confession of Christ. For it would be possible for us to follow the saying, The tongue has sworn, the mind remains unsworn.^[1] But it would be ridiculous if the soldiers whom you^[2] have recruited and enrolled remain loyal to you instead of to their own life, parents, native land and all their families. For you have nothing incorruptible to offer those who desire incorruption. Rather, endure all things in order to receive what we long for from him who is able to give it. ^[3]

After the experience of the troubles in which they would find themselves, made captive first by the Assyrians and later by the Babylonians, such a great transformation would occur regarding this place that the mountain on which God was reputed to dwell would become famous and would be shown to be superior to all the mountains and far surpass all mountains and all hills on account of the glory enveloping it as a result of the divine compassion. Large numbers from all quarters, even from foreign peoples, would hasten to assemble to reach this mountain of God, on which God is believed to dwell, and learn how they should regulate their lives and live as they ought. ^[1]

The evangelical and divine preaching coursed to the ends of the earth, according to the Lord’s prophecy contained in the sacred Gospels: This good news will be preached to all the nations in witness to them. And he urged the holy apostles in the words, Go, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I commanded you.^[1] This evangelical law and apostolic preaching began with Jerusalem as with a fountain and traveled across the whole world, offering irrigation to those who made their approach with faith. It is also possible to see the divine houses situated in the middle of cities, villages, fields and remote areas, conspicuous for their size and beauty, so that they are illustrious and famous even on the highest mountains. ^[2]

The Song of Songs alludes to [the vine and fig of the field] in this way: I have adjured you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and by the virtues of the field, that you do not rouse or wake my love until he please.^[1] This is the same peaceful field [of righteousness] of which the Lord also says in the psalm, All that moves in the field is mine.^[2] In this field the grape is found that was pressed and poured out blood and washed the world clean.^[3] In this field is the tree, and beneath it the saints will find rest and be renewed by a good and spiritual grace. In this field is the olive tree fruitful in the overwhelming ointment of the peace of the Lord. In this field flourish the pomegranate trees^[4] that shelter many fruits with the one bulwark of faith and nurture them with the warm embrace of love, so to speak. ^[5]

The vine, and that not in a few places, refers to the Lord himself,^[1] and the fig tree to the Holy Spirit, as the Lord makes glad the hearts of men,^[2] and the Spirit heals them. Hezekiah is commanded^[3] to make plaster with a lump of figs — that is, the fruit of the Spirit — that he may be healed. According to the apostle this healing begins with love. For he says, The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.^[4] On account of their great pleasantness, the prophet calls these spiritual fruits figs. Of them Micah also says, They shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid. Now it is certain that those who have taken refuge and rested under the Spirit and under the shadow of the Word shall not be alarmed or frightened by the one who troubles the hearts of humankind. ^[5]

We read in Genesis that God planted a garden to the east and put there the man he had formed.^[1] Who had the power to create paradise, if not almighty God, who spoke and all was made^[2] and who was never in need of that which he wished to bring into being? He planted, therefore, that paradise of which he says is his wisdom: Every plant which my Father has not planted will be rooted up.^[3] This is a goodly plantation, for angels and saints are said to lie beneath the fig tree and the vine. In this respect they are the type of the angels in that time of peace^[4] which is to come. ^[5]

They who are eager to go up into the mountain of the Lord and wish to learn thoroughly his ways promise a ready obedience, and they receive in themselves the glories of the life in Christ and undertake with their whole strength to be earnest in all holiness. For let everyone, he says, in every country and city go the way he chooses and pass his life as seems good to him, but our care is Christ, and his laws we will make our straight path; we will walk along with him; and that not for this life only, present or past, but yet more for what is beyond. It is a faithful saying. For they who now suffer with him shall walk with him forever, and with him be glorified, and with him reign.^[1] But they make Christ their care who prefer nothing to his love, who cease from the vain distractions of the world and seek rather righteousness and what is pleasing to him, and to excel in virtue. Such a one was the divine Paul, for he writes, I am crucified with Christ; and now no longer I live, but Christ lives in me.^[2] And again: I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.^{[3] [4]}

Now it is obvious that no one can frighten or subdue us who believe in Jesus throughout the whole world. Although we are beheaded and crucified, and exposed to wild beasts and chains and flames, and every other means of torture, it is evident that we will not retract our profession of faith. The more we are persecuted, the more do others in ever-increasing numbers embrace the faith and become worshipers of God through the name of Jesus. Just as when one cuts off the fruit-bearing branches of the vine, it grows again and other blossoming and fruitful branches spring forth, so it is with us Christians. For the vine planted by God and Christ the Redeemer is his people. But the rest of the prophecy will be fulfilled at his second coming. The prophet Micah says, In that day, says the Lord, I will gather her that is bruised, and will receive her that is cast out, and those whom I rejected. This indicates that you do not have the last word then when you and all other people, having the power, cast out every Christian not only from his own property but even from the whole world, for you allow no Christian to live. ^[1]

And you, O tower, O cloudy shepherd of the daughter of Zion, your time shall come. These words refer to the impious king Zedekiah, whom the prophet calls tower because the people of Judea stayed under his shadow, and shepherd because of his administration of the kingdom, and cloudy because of the error of idolatry to which he adhered. Again, in the symbolic meaning of his words he calls the devil a cloudy shepherd, because in an allegorical sense he always attacks the daughter of Zion under a cloudy sky. And, after catching her, he drags her away from the light — indeed the one who acts maliciously hates the light. But later, the supreme and legitimate prince of the mystical Jerusalem destroyed this tyranny with his advent and drove the obscure shepherd away. ^[1]

Writhe and groan, O daughter Zion, like a woman in labor, for now you shall go forth from the city and camp in the open country; you shall go to Babylon, and there you shall be rescued. The meaning is that you will go into captivity, people of Zion, to be deported to Babylon, but after years you will come back from there, not with the soldier hastening after you, but with that leader who by ascending into heaven made captivity his own prisoner. You will follow him together with Paul’s brothers-in-arms and the princes of our army, who captivate all minds to the respect of Christ. ^[1]

Now many nations are assembled against you. That is, in the meantime a mix of many different nations invades you under the command of Gog. Again there shall be profanation in Zion, and the eye shall gaze upon it, which means the holy places of Zion will be violated and greatly despised by those who did not know that they would have been thrashed by the revenging justice of God like sheaves gathered on the threshing floor. ^[1]

For I will make your horns, which the Babylonians broke, iron. You shall beat in pieces many people, and shall devote their grain to the Lord. This will happen when, after taking possession of their land and wealth, you pay the tithe to the Lord of the entire earth. As I have said, God showed a sign of such great prosperity to the Jews who would be coming back from captivity. He also reserved the same thing for his church. ^[1]