Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Micah 5:1
Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
1. Transition from the prediction of Jerusalem’s extremity during the siege to the Messianic glories in prospect
1. Now gather thyself in troops ] Rather, Now thou mayest gather, &c. Assyria may marshal her hosts, may lay siege against the holy city, may violate the person of the king, but from insignificant Bethlehem a royal Deliverer shall arise.
O daughter of troops ] i.e. O invading army. ‘Daughter’ is a personifying phrase, as in ‘daughter of Jerusalem’ = population of Jerusalem. Most commentators think Jerusalem itself is referred to here, the ‘troops’ being the crowds of frightened citizens, but this is contrary to usage, ‘troop’ being constantly used in a military sense.
he hath laid siege ] An abrupt change of number, as in Isa 1:29. ‘Assyria’ is the implied subject.
smite upon the cheek ] A gross insult; comp. 1Ki 22:24, Job 16:10, Luk 22:64.
the judge of Israel ] i.e. the king (as in Amo 2:3). The phrase is chosen partly to produce a kind of paronomasia in the Hebrew with the word for ‘rod,’ and partly perhaps because Jehovah has already been called the ‘king’ of Israel (Mic 2:13). ‘Israel’ here means Judah, as in Mic 1:14 (see note).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops – The daughter of troops is still the same who was before addressed, Judah. The word is almost always . used of bands of men employed in irregular, marauding, in-roads. Judah is entitled daughter of troops, on account of her violence, the robbery and bloodshed within her (Mic 2:8; Mic 3:2; etc. Hos 5:10), as Jeremiah says, Is this house which is called by My Name become a den of robbers in your eyes? (Jer 7:11, compare Mat 21:13). She then who had spoiled Isa 33:1 should now be spoiled; she who had formed herself in bands to lay waste, shall now be gathered thick together, in small bands, unable to resist in the open field; yet in vain should she so gather herself; for the enemy was upon her, in her last retreat.
This description has obviously no fulfillment, except in the infliction by the Romans. For there was no event, before the invasion by Sennacherib and accordingly in the prophets own time, in which there is any seeming fulfillment of it. But then, the second deliverance must be that by the Maccabees; and this siege, which lies, in order of time, beyond it, must be a siege by the Romans. With this it agrees, that whereas, in the two former visitations, God promised, in the first, deliverance, in the second, victory, here the prophet dwells on the Person of the Redeemer, and foretells that the strength of the Church should not lie in any human means Mic 5:8-15. Here too Israel had no king, but a judge only. Then the gathering in robber-bands strikingly describes their internal state in the siege of Jerusalem; and although this was subsequent to and consequent upon the rejection of our Lord, yet there is no reason why the end should be separated from the beginning since the capture by Titus was but the sequel of the capture by Pompey, the result of that same temper, in which they crucified Jesus, because He would not be their earthly king. It was the close of the organic existence of the former people; after which the remnant from among them with the Gentiles, not Israel after the flesh, were the true people of God.
He hath laid siege against us – The prophet, being born of them, and for the great love he bore them, counts himself among them, as Paul mourns over his brethren after the flesh. They shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. So Paul said to him who had made himself high priest, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall; for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law Act 23:3. It is no longer the king (for they had said, We have no King but Caesar Joh 19:15) but the judge of Israel, they who against Christ and His Apostles gave wrong judgment. As they had smitten contrary to the law, so were the chief men smitten by Titus, when the city was taken. As they had done it, was done unto them. To be smitten on the thee, betokens shame; to smite with the red, betokens destruction. Now both shall meet in one; as, in the Great Day, the wicked shall awake to shame and everlasting contempt, and shall perish forever Dan 12:2.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Mic 5:1
Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops
The Church of God
I.
As militant in its character. Jerusalem is addressed as daughter of troops. As Jerusalem was a military city containing a great body of soldiers within her walls, so is the Church on earth, it is military. The life of all true men here is that of a battle; all are soldiers, bound to be valiant for the truth. They are commanded to fight the good fight, to war the good warfare. The warfare is spiritual, righteous, indispensable, personal. No one can fight the battle by proxy. Look at the Church–
II. As perilous in its position. He hath laid siege against us. The dangerous condition of Jerusalem when the Chaldean army surrounded its walls in order to force an entrance, is only a faint shadow of the perilous position of the Church of God. It is besieged by mighty hosts of errors and evil passions, and mighty lusts that war against the soul. The siege is planned with strategic skill, and with malignant determination.
III. As resulted by its enemies. They shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. Were the enemies of Christianity ever more insolent than in this age?
IV. As summoned to action. Now gather thyself in troops. The men of Jerusalem are here commanded by heaven to marshal their troops and to prepare for battle, since the enemies are outside their walls. Far more urgent is the duty of the Church to collect, arrange, and concentrate all its forces against the mighty hosts that encompass it. (Homilist.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
CHAPTER V
This chapter begins, according to the opinion of some
commentators, with a prophecy concerning the siege of
Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, and the great indignities which
Zedekiah should suffer from the Babylonians, 1.
We have next a most famous prediction concerning the birthplace
of the Messiah, “whose goings forth have been from of old, from
EVERLASTING,” 2.
See Mt 2:6.
The Jews obstinately persisting in their opposition to the
Messiah, God will therefore give them up into the hands of
their enemies till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled: and
then all the posterity of Jacob, both Israel and Judah, shall
be converted to the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, and, along
with the Gentiles, be brought into the large and peaceful
pastures of this Great Shepherd of the sheep, 3, 4.
After this illustrious prophecy, the prophet goes on to
foretell the downfall of the Assyrians, by whom are meant the
enemies of the Church in general, the type being probably put
for the antitype; the miraculous discomfiture of the great
Assyrian army in the reign of Sennacherib strongly shadowing
forth the glorious and no less miraculous triumphs of
Christianity in the latter times, 5, 6.
See Isa 11:16.
Some understand this prophecy of Antiochus and the seven famous
Maccabees, with their eight royal successors, from Aristobulus
to Antigonus; and it is not impossible that these people may
be also intended, for we have often had occasion to remark that
a prophecy of the Old Testament Scriptures has frequently more
than one aspect. The seventh verse was fulfilled by the Jews
spreading the knowledge of the true God during their captivity,
and so paving the way for the gospel; but will be more signally
fulfilled after their conversion and restoration.
See Ro 11:12-15.
The remaining verses contain a prophecy of the final overthrow
of all the enemies of pure and undefiled religion, and of the
thorough purification of the Church of God from the corruptions
of Antichrist, 9-15.
NOTES ON CHAP. V
Verse 1. O daughter of troops] The Chaldeans, whose armies were composed of troops from various nations.
He (Nebuchadnezzar) hath laid siege against us; (Jerusalem;) they shall smite the judge of Israel (Zedekiah) with a rod upon the cheek.] They shall offer him the greatest indignity. They slew his sons before his face; and then put out his eyes, loaded him with chains, and carried him captive to Babylon.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This verse is, say some, a sharp sarcasm against Israels enemies. Others will have it to be a repetition of the evils, and a description how far those evils should prevail, that were ere long to come upon Judah and Jerusalem, by either Sennacherib and his Assyrians, or by Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonians, to where Gods people seem thus to speak: We have heard what we must suffer for a time, and how we shall be delivered and triumph at last; and since that is the order, first afflictions, afterwards salvation, delay not, O thou enemy, but now gather thyself in troops; summon in thy forces, appoint thy rendezvous, bring thy spoiling, wasting troops, thy merciless and bloody troops, and form thy army, O Assyrian: of whom much like this doth Isaiah prophesy, Isa 8:6-10. And this passage of Micah may also further refer to the Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar, under the violence of both which they were to suffer, and from both which the Jews should have a glorious deliverance ere long. O daughter of troops; O Nineveh, daughter of troops: from her first founder she was a city full of troops, that spoiled, Cut off, and destroyed, and had been more than ordinarily so under Pul, Tiglath-pileser, Shalmaneser, and Sennacherib for ninety-five years together, in the successive reigns of these four monarchs. Babylon also in her time was as troublesome to Judah, and must be this daughter of troops also. He; that is, the enemy, either Assyrian, which had taken all but Jerusalem, and did invest Jerusalem too; or Babylonian, which afterward besieged and took Jerusalem, sacked the city, burnt the temple, and captivated the people.
Hath laid siege against us; hath in prophetic style, certainly will lay siege against the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the only people of God at that time; both king, judges, and citizens were all enclosed in the siege.
They, the proud, successful, and oppressive enemy,
shall smite the judge, the king, supreme judge,
of Israel; not the ten tribes, though they are usually called by this name, but the two tribes that adhered to Davids family.
With a rod upon the cheek: this is a proverbial speech, expressing a very contemptuous usage of the person spoken of, and it was fulfilled partly when Sennacheribs general Rabshakeh did so vilify good Hezekiah, and not content herewith vilified the God of, Israel also, as 2Ki 18:19, &c.; Isa 37:23. It was more fully and literally accomplished when Zedekiah, his children, his counsellors, and his officers of state, were most barbarously used by the insulting Babylonians, 2Ki 25:6,7; 2Ch 36:13,17,18, &c.; Jer 52:6, &c. Since all this must be done against us, make haste, O thou proud enemy, and do it, for it will end in our deliverance and thy ruin.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
1. gather thyself in troopsthatis, thou shalt do so, to resist the enemy. Lest the faithful shouldfall into carnal security because of the previous promises, hereminds them of the calamities which are to precede the prosperity.
daughter of troopsJerusalemis so called on account of her numerous troops.
he hath laid siegetheenemy hath.
they shall smite the judge ofIsrael with a rod upon the cheekthe greatest of insults to anOriental. Zedekiah, the judge (or king, Am2:3) of Israel, was loaded with insults by the Chaldeans; so alsothe other princes and judges (La3:30). HENGSTENBERGthinks the expression, “the judge,” marks a time when noking of the house of David reigned. The smiting on the cheek of otherjudges of Israel was a type of the same indignity offered to Him whonevertheless is the Judge, not only of Israel, but also of the world,and who is “from everlasting” (Mic 5:2;Isa 50:6; Mat 26:67;Mat 27:30).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops,…. Not Jerusalem, full of people, called to draw out their forces, and fall upon the enemy besieging them, whether Chaldeans or Romans; but rather the Babylonians, whose armies were large, and their troops numerous; who are called upon by the people of God, encouraged by the foregoing prophecies, as well as by what follows, to come forth with all their forces, and muster up all their armies, and exert all the power and strength they had, thus suiting them; being assured, by the above promises, that in the issue they should prevail over all their enemies: unless the Romans should be intended, to whom this character of “daughter of troops” well agrees, of whose legions all have heard; and since the Babylonish attempt on Jerusalem, and the carrying the Jews captive into Babylon, are before predicted, with their deliverance from it, and what they should do in the times of the Maccabees; a prophecy of the Romans, or a representation of them, a gathering their troops and legions together to besiege Jerusalem, very naturally comes in here;
he hath laid siege against us; either Nebuchadnezzar, and the Chaldean army; or Vespasian with the Romans: this, according to the prophetic style, is spoken of as if actually done, because of the certainty of it;
they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek; that is, either they, the besiegers, the king of Babylon and his army, when they shall have taken Jerusalem, besieged by them, shall use Zedekiah the king of Judah, and judge of Israel, and his princes and nobles, very ill, signified by this phrase; yea, in a very cruel and barbarous manner; first slaying his sons and his princes before his eyes, then putting his eyes out, binding him in chains, and carrying him to Babylon, and there laying him in a prison, Jer 52:10; or else they, the besieged, would use the Messiah, the King, Judge, and Ruler in Israel, in such a spiteful and scandalous manner; and so the Messiah was to be used by them, who according to prophecy gave his cheek to them that plucked off the hair, and hid not his face from shame and spitting; and so Jesus, the true Messiah, was smitten, both with rods, and with the palms of men’s hands, and buffeted and spit upon,
Isa 50:6; and this is mentioned as a reason why Jerusalem would be encompassed with the Roman armies, and besieged by their troops and legions, and become desolate, even for their rejection and ill usage of the Messiah. Aben Ezra says, it is right in my eyes that the judge of Israel is the Messiah, or Zerubbabel; not the latter, who never was so used, but the former.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(Heb. Bib. 4:14). “Now wilt thou gather in troops, thou daughter of troops; they lay siege against us; with the staff they smite the judge of Israel upon the cheek.” With attah (now) the prophet’s address turns once more to the object introduced with attah in Mic 4:9. For we may see clearly enough from the omission of the cop. Vav, which could not be left out if it were intended to link on Mic 5:1 to Mic 4:11-13, that this attah points back to Mic 4:9, and is not attached to the v e attah in Mic 4:11, for the purpose of introducing a fresh occurrence to follow the event mentioned in Mic 4:11-13. “The prophecy in Mic 4:11-13 explains the ground of that in Mic 4:9, Mic 4:10, and the one in Mic 5:1 sounds like a conclusion drawn from this explanation. The explanation in Mic 4:11-13 is enclosed on both sides by that which it explains. By returning in Mic 5:1 to the thoughts expressed in Mic 4:9, the prophet rounds off the strophe in 4:9-5:1” (Caspari). The words are addressed to the daughter Zion, who alone is addressed with every attah , and generally throughout the entire section. Bath – gegud , daughter of the troop, might mean: thou nation accustomed or trained to form troops, thou warlike Zion. But this does not apply to what follows, in which a siege alone is mentioned. This turn is given to the expression, rather “for the purpose of suggesting the thought of a crowd of people pressing anxiously together, as distinguished from g e dud , an invading troop.” The verb hithgoded does not mean here to scratch one’s self or make incisions (Deu 14:1, etc.), but, as in Jer 5:7, to press or crowd together; and the thought is this: Now crowd together with fear in a troop, for he (sc., the enemy) sets, or prepares, a siege against us. In the prophet includes himself in the nation as being a member of it. He finds himself in spirit along with the people besieged Zion. The siege leads to conquest; for it is only in consequence of this that the judge of Israel can be smitten with the rod upon the cheek, i.e., be shamefully ill treated (compare 1Ki 22:24; Psa 3:8; Job 16:10). The judge of Israel, whether the king or the Israelitish judges comprehended in one, cannot be thought of as outside the city at the time when the city is besieged. Of all the different effects of the siege of the city the prophet singles out only this one, viz., the ill-treatment of the judge, because “nothing shows more clearly how much misery and shame Israel will have to endure for its present sins” (Caspari). “The judge of Israel” is the person holding the highest office in Israel. This might be the king, as in Amo 2:3 (cf. 1Sa 8:5-6, 1Sa 8:20), since the Israelitish king was the supreme judge in Israel, or the true possessor of the judicial authority and dignity. But the expression is hardly to be restricted to the king, still less is it meant in distinction from the king, as pointing back to the time when Israel had no king, and was only governed by judges; but the judge stands for the king here, on the one hand with reference to the threat in Mic 3:1, Mic 3:9, Mic 3:11, where the heads and princes of Israel are described as unjust and ungodly judges, and on the other hand as an antithesis to moshel in Mic 5:2. As the Messiah is not called king there, but moshel , ruler, as the possessor of supreme authority; so here the possessor of judicial authority is called shophet , to indicate the reproach which would fall upon the king and the leaders of the nation on account of their unrighteousness. The threat in this verse does not refer, however, to the Roman invasion. Such an idea can only be connected with the assumption already refuted, that Mic 4:11-13 point to the times of the Maccabees, and no valid argument can be adduced to support it. In the verse before us the prophet reverts to the oppression predicted in Mic 4:9 and Mic 4:10, so that the remarks already made in Mic 4:10 apply to the fulfilment of what is predicted here. The principal fulfilment occurred in the Chaldaean period; but the fulfilment was repeated in every succeeding siege of Jerusalem until the destruction of the city by the Romans. For, according to Mic 5:3, Israel will be given up to the power of the empire of the world until the coming of the Messiah; that is to say, not merely till His birth or public appearance, but till the nation shall accept the Messiah, who has appeared as its own Redeemer.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| The Abasement and Distress of Zion; Birth of the Messiah Predicted; The Glory of Messiah. | B. C. 720. |
1 Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. 2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. 4 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. 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. 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.
Here, as before, we have,
I. The abasement and distress of Zion, v. 1. The Jewish nation, for many years before the captivity, dwindled, and fell into disgrace: Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops! It is either a summons to Zion’s enemies, that had troops at their service, to come and do their worst against her (God will suffer them to do it), or a challenge to Zion’s friends, that had troops too at command, to come and do their best for her; Let them gather in troops, yet it shall be to no purpose; for, says the prophet, in the name of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, He has laid siege against us; the king of Assyria has, the king of Babylon has, and we know not which way to defend ourselves; so that the enemies shall gain their point, and prevail so far as to smite the judge of Israel–the king, the chief justice, and the other inferior judges–with a rod upon the cheek, in contempt of them and their dignity; having made them prisoners, they shall use them as shamefully as any of the common captives. Complaint had been made of the judges of Israel (ch. iii. 11) that they were corrupt and took bribes, and this disgrace came justly upon them for abusing their power; yet it was a great calamity to Israel to have their judges treated thus ignominiously. Some make this the reason why the troops (that is, the Roman army) shall lay siege to Jerusalem, because the Jews shall smite the judge of Israel upon the cheek, because of the indignities they shall do to the Messiah, the Judge of Israel, whom they smote on the cheek, saying, Prophesy, who smote thee. But the former sense seems more probable, and that it is meant of the besieging of Jerusalem, not by the Romans, but the Chaldeans, and was fulfilled in the indignities done to king Zedekiah and the princes of the house of David.
II. The advancement of Zion’s King. Having shown how low the house of David should be brought, and how vilely the shield of that mighty family should be cast away, as though it had not been anointed with oil, to encourage the faith of God’s people, who might be tempted now to think that his covenant with David and his house was abrogated (according to the psalmist’s complaint, Psa 89:38; Psa 89:39), he adds an illustrious prediction of the Messiah and his kingdom, in whom that covenant should be established, and the honours of that house should be revived, advanced, and perpetuated. Now let us see,
1. How the Messiah is here described. It is he that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting, from the days of eternity, as the word is. Here we have, (1.) His existence from eternity, as God: his goings forth, or emanations, as the going forth of the beams from the sun, were, or have been, of old, from everlasting, which (says Dr. Pocock) is so signal a description of Christ’s eternal generation, or his going forth as the Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, that this prophecy must belong only to him, and could never be verified of any other. It certainly speaks of a going forth that was now past, when the prophet spoke, and cannot but be read, as we read it, his outgoings have been; and the putting of both these words together, which severally are used to denote eternity, plainly shows that they must here be taken in the strictest sense (the same with Ps. xc. 2, From everlasting to everlasting thou are God), and can be applied to no other than to him who was able to say, Before Abraham was, I am, John viii. 58. Dr. Pocock observes that the going forth is used (Deut. viii. 3) for a word which proceeds out of the mouth, and is therefore very fitly used to signify the eternal generation of him who is called the Word of God, that was in the beginning with God,Joh 1:1; Joh 1:2. (2.) His office as Mediator; he was to be ruler in Israel, king of his church; he was to reign over the house of Jacob for ever,Luk 1:32; Luk 1:33. The Jews object that our Lord Jesus could not be the Messiah, for he was so far from being ruler in Israel that Israel ruled over him, and put him to death, and would not have him to reign over them; but he answered that himself when he said, My kingdom is not of this world, John xviii. 36. And it is a spiritual Israel that he reigns over, the children of promise, all the followers of believing Abraham and praying Jacob. In the hearts of these he reigns by his Spirit and grace, and in the society of these by his word and ordinances. And was not he ruler in Israel whom winds and seas obeyed, to whom legions of devils were forced to submit, and who commanded away diseases from the sick and called the dead out of their graves? None but he whose goings forth were from of old, from everlasting, was fit to be ruler in Israel, to be head of the church, and head over all things to the church.
2. What is here foretold concerning him.
(1.) That Bethlehem should be the place of his nativity, v. 2. This was the scripture which the scribes went upon when with the greatest assurance they told Herod where Christ should be born (Matt. ii. 6), and hence it was universally known among the Jews that Christ should come out of the town of Bethlehem where David was, John vii. 42. Beth-lehem signifies the house of bread, the fittest place for him to be born in who is the bread of life. And, because it was the city of David, by a special providence it was ordered that he should be born there who was to be the Son of David, and his heir and successor for ever. It is called Bethlehem-Ephratah, both names of the same city, as appears Gen. xxxv. 19. It was little among the thousands of Judah, not considerable either for the number of the inhabitants or the figure they made; it had nothing in it worthy to have this honour put upon it; but God in that, as in other instances, chose to exalt those of low degree, Luke i. 52. Christ would give honour to the place of his birth, and not derive honour from it: Though thou be little, yet this shall make thee great, and, as St. Matthew reads it, Thou art not the least among the princes of Judah, but upon this account art really honourable above any of them. A relation to Christ will magnify those that are little in the world.
(2.) That in the fulness of time he should be born of a woman (v. 3): Therefore will he give them up; he will give up his people Israel to distress and trouble, and will defer their salvation, which has been so long promised and expected, until the time, the set time, that she who travails has brought forth, or (as it should be read) that she who shall bring forth shall have brought forth, that the blessed virgin, who was to be the mother of the Messiah, shall have brought him forth at Bethlehem, the place appointed. This Dr. Pocock thinks to be the most genuine sense of the words. Though the out-goings of the Messiah were from everlasting, yet the redemption in Jerusalem, the consolation of Israel, must be waited for (Luke ii. 25-38) until the time that she who should bring forth (so the virgin Mary is called, as Christ is himself called, He that shall come) shall bring forth; and in the mean time he will give them up. Divine salvations must be waited for until the time fixed for the bringing of them forth.
(3.) That the remnant of his brethren shall then return to the children of Israel. The remnant of the Jewish nation shall return to the spirit of the true genuine children of Israel, a people in covenant with God; the hearts of the children shall be turned to the fathers, Mal. iv. 6. Some understand it of all believers, Gentiles as well as Jews; they shall all be incorporated into the commonwealth of Israel; and, as they are all brethren to one another, so he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Heb. ii. 11.
(4.) That he shall be a glorious prince, and his subjects shall be happy under his government (v. 4): He shall stand and feed, that is, he shall both teach and rule, and continue to do so, as a good shepherd, with wisdom, and care, and love. So it was foretold. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, shall provide green pastures for them, and under-shepherds to lead them into these pastures. He is the good shepherd that goes before the sheep, and presides among them. He shall do this, not as an ordinary man, but in the strength of the Lord, as one clothed with a divine power to go through his work, and break through the difficulties in his way, so as not to fail, or be discouraged; he shall do it in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God, so as plainly to evidence that God’s name was in him (Exod. xxiii. 21) the majesty of his name, for he taught as one having authority and not as the scribes. The prophets prefaced their messages with, Thus saith the Lord; but Christ spoke, not as a servant, but as a Son–Verily, verily, I say unto you. This was feeding in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. All power was given him in heaven and in earth, a power over all flesh, by virtue of which he still rules in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God, a name above every name. Christ’s government shall be, [1.] Very happy for his subjects, for they shall abide; they shall be safe and easy, and continue so for ever. Because he lives, they shall live also. They shall lie down in the green pastures to which he shall lead them, shall abide in God’s tabernacle for ever, Ps. lxi. 4. His church shall abide, and he in it, and with it, always, even to the end of the world. [2.] It shall be very glorious to himself: Now shall he be great to the ends of the earth. Now that he stands and feeds his flock, now shall he be great. For Christ reckons it his greatness to do good. Now he shall be great to the ends of the earth, for the uttermost parts of the earth shall be given him for his possession, and the ends of the world shall see his salvation.
(5) That he shall secure the peace and welfare of his church and people against all the attempts of his and their enemies (Mic 5:5; Mic 5:6): This man, as king and ruler, shall be the peace when the Assyrians shall come into our land. This refers to the deliverance of Hezekiah and his kingdom from the power of Sennacherib, who invaded them, in the type; but, under the shadow of that, it is a promise of the safety of the gospel-church and of all believers from the designs and attempts of the powers of darkness, Satan and all his instruments, the dragon and his angels, that seek to devour the church of the first-born and all that belong to it. Observe, [1.] The peril and danger which Christ’s subjects are supposed to be in. The Assyrian, a potent enemy, comes into their land (Mic 5:5; Mic 5:6), treads within their borders, nay, prevails so far as to tread in their palaces; it was a time of treading down and of perplexity when Sennacherib made a descent upon Judah, took all the defenced cities, and laid siege to Jerusalem, Isa 36:1; Isa 37:3. This represented the gates of hell fighting against the kingdom of Christ, encompassing the camp of the saints and of the holy city, and threatening to bear down all before them. When the terrors of the law set themselves in array against a convinced soul, when the temptations of Satan assault the people of God, and the troubles of the world threaten to rob them of all their comforts, then the Assyrian comes into their land and treads in their palaces. Without are fightings, within are fears. [2.] The protection and defence which his subjects are then sure to be under. First, Christ will himself be their peace. When the Assyrian comes with such a force into a land, can there be any other peace than a tame submission and an unresisted desolation? Yes, even then the church’s King will be the conservator of the church’s peace, will be for a hiding-place,Isa 32:1; Isa 32:2. Christ is our peace as a priest, making atonement for sin, and reconciling us to God; and he is our peace as a king, conquering our enemies and commanding down disquieting fears and passions; he creates the fruit of the lips, peace. Even when the Assyrian comes into the land, when we are in the greatest distress and danger and have received a sentence of death within ourselves, yet this man may be the peace. In me, says Christ, you shall have peace, when in the world you have tribulation; at such a time our souls may dwell at ease in him. Secondly, He will find out proper instruments to be employed for their protection and deliverance, and the defeat of their enemies: Then shall we raise against him seven shepherds and eight principal men, that is, a competent number of persons, proper to oppose the enemy, and make head against him, and protect the church of God in peace, men that shall have the care and tenderness of shepherds and the courage and authority of principal men, or princes of men. Seven and eight are a certain number for an uncertain. Note, When God has work to do he will not want fitting instruments to do it with; and when he pleases he can do it by a few; he needs not raise thousands, but seven or eight principal men may serve the turn if God be with them. Magistrates and ministers are shepherds and principal men, raised in defence of religion’s righteous cause against the powers of sin and Satan in the world. Thirdly, The opposition given to the church shall be got over, and the opposers brought down. This is represented by the laying of Assyria and Chaldea waste, which two nations were the most formidable enemies to the Israel of God of any, and the destruction of them signified the making of Christ’s enemies his footstool: They shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof; they shall make inroads upon the land, and put to the sword all that they find in arms. Note, Those that threaten ruin to the church of God hasten ruin to themselves; and their destruction is the church’s salvation: Thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian. When Satan fell as lightning from heaven before the preaching of the gospel, and Christ’s enemies, that would not have him to reign over them, were slain before him, then this was fulfilled.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
MICAH – CHAPTER 5
Verses 1, 2:
Birth and Rejection of Zion’s King
Verse 1 describes first how Israel’s enemies have repeatedly laid siege against them, smiting their king’s cheeks, considered the most serious indignity against an oriental, Job 16:10; La 3;30; Amo 2:3. Second, there is a specific prophecy that their own leaders in Israel would smite the true king upon the cheek, at His first coming, which they did, an evidence of fulfilled prophecy, without collusion, Isa 1:6; Mat 5:39; Mat 26:67; Mat 27:30.
Verse 2 foretells the town, country, and people to whom the Redeemer and coming King should be born. It is the Bethlehem in Judah, Gen 35:14; Gen 48:7, not to be confused with the Bethlehem in Zebulon, Jos 19:10; Jos 19:15. Gen 49:10 foretold His coming from the tribe of Judah and Balaam prophesied of His coming from the nation of Israel, or out of Jacob, Num 24:17; Though little in population, unnumbered among the cities of Judah’s census, Jos 15:21; and Neh 11:25; But it became a city under Rehoboam, 2Ch 11:6. Tribes were divided with 1,000 to the clan, over which a leader presided, and commanded in times of war, Exo 18:21-25; Num 1:16; Deu 1:15. He is identified as God, existing from eternity, as certified in both Old and New Testaments, Isa 9:6-7; Psa 90:2; Pro 18:22-23; Joh 1:1; Heb 1:1; 1Ti 1:17.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
To encourage the faithful to patience, the Prophet again reminds them that hard and severe time was nigh; for it was needful to put them in mind often of the approaching calamity, lest terror should wholly discourage them. As then there was danger from despair, the Prophet often repeats what he has already said of God’s judgment, which was then suspending over the people of Israel. And this mode and order of teaching ought to be observed. When the Prophets threaten us, or denounce the punishment we have deserved, we either become torpid, or grow angry with God, and murmur: but when they set forth any thing of comfort, we then indulge ourselves and become too secure. It is therefore necessary to connect threatening with promises, so that we may be always ready to endure temporal evils, and that our minds, sustained by hope, may, at the same time, depend on the Lord, and recomb on him. It was for this reason that the Prophet again mentions what he had already several times stated, — that the Jews would be surrounded by a siege. How do these two things agree, — that the enemies, assembled together, would be like sheaves which are taken to the floor to be trodden by the feet of animals, — and that the Jews would be besieged? I answer, that these things harmonize, because the temporary punishment, which God would inflict on his Church, would not prevent him to restore it again whenever it pleased him. Lest, therefore, security should creep over the minds of the godly, the Prophet designed often to remind them of that dreadful calamity which might have entirely upset them, had no support been afforded them, that is, had not God sustained them by his word.
Now then thou shalt assemble thyself, he says, O daughter of a troop The verb התגדדי, etgaddi, and the noun גדוד, gadud, sound alike; as though he said, Thou shalt he collected, O daughter of collection. The Prophet addresses Jerusalem: but we must see why he calls her the daughter of collection. Some think that by this word is designated the splendid and wealthy state of Jerusalem; as though the Prophet said, — “This city has been hitherto populous, but now it shall be reduced to such straits that none shall dare to go forth beyond its gates, for they shall on every side be surrounded.” But the Prophet calls Jerusalem the daughter of a troop in another sense, — because they were wont to occasion great troubles: as thieves agree together, and meet in troops for the purpose of committing plunder; so also the Prophet calls Jerusalem the daughter of a troop, for its citizens were wont willfully to do great evils, and like robbers to use violence. Thou then, he says, shalt now be collected; that is, thou shalt not send forth thy troops, but enemies shall assemble thee together by a severe siege, so that thou shalt contract thyself like a bundle.
There are, then, two clauses in this verse, — that though the Lord resolved to help his Church, he would yet straiten her for a time, — and then the Prophet shows the reason, lest they complained that they were too severely treated: “You have been hitherto,” he says, “without a cause oppressive to others: the time then is come when the Lord will return to you your recompense.” As Isaiah says
‘
Woe to thee, plunderer! Shalt thou not also be exposed to plunder?’ Isa 33:1;
so also in this place, — “Ye have assembled in troops, that ye might pillage innocent men; therefore other troops shall now encircle you; nay, ye shall be beset by your own fear.” The verb is in Hithpael: he says not, “Thou daughter of a troop shalt be now encircled;” but he says “Thou shalt gather thyself.”
He then adds, A siege has he set against thee. This may refer to God; but it must be understood only of enemies: for the Prophet immediately adds, They shall strive with the rod, etc. in the pleural number, — They shall then strike with the rod the cheek of the judge of Israel. He means that the Jews would be subdued by their enemies that their judges and governors would be exposed to every kind of contumely and dishonor, for to strike on the cheek is to offer the greatest indignity; as indeed it is the greatest contempt, as Demosthenes says, and is so mentioned by the lawyers. We now then perceive, that the Prophet’s object was to show, — that the Jews in vain boasted of their kingdom and civil constitution, for the Lord would expose the governors of that kingdom to extreme contempt. The enemies then shall strike their judges even on the cheek. (141)
But there follows immediately a consolation: we hence see that the Prophet, at one time, humbles the children of God: and prepares them for enduring the cross; and then he mitigates all sorrow; yea, and makes them to rejoice in the midst of their evils. For this purpose he adds what follows —
(141) This verse has been variously interpreted. It is considered by most as connected with the last chapter. Some, as Marckius, consider it as an address to the Roman power; some, to the Babylonian; and others, to Jerusalem. The construction of it is the main point. The first verb, תתגדדי, is found in six other places, and rendered in all, except in Jer 5:7, to cut one’s self; but its other meaning, as in Jer 5:7, and evidently here is to troop or band together; and the noun גדוד, which follows, commonly means a band or a troop. The participle שם, in the next clause, can refer to nothing in the text but to “the daughter of a troop.” The obvious and natural rendering of the verse would be the following, —
Band thyself together, thou daughter of a band, Laying against us a siege: — With the rod shall they strike on the cheek The judge of Israel.
The daughter of a band or a troop means a military power, which collects bands or troops for warlike purposes. It is certainly more obvious to apply this to the Babylonian power than to Jerusalem, especially as the next line, “Laying against us a siege,” necessarily refers to the latter.
“
The judge” is, as Calvin seems to take it, a poetical singular for the plural. No particular person is meant, as Newcome and others seem to think, but judges in general. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
MICAH: THE FAITHFUL AND FAR-SEEING MINISTER OF GOD.
Mic 1:1 to Mic 7:20
THERE is every reason to believe that this Book wears its authors name. Micah was a native of Morasthi, near Gath, and probably belonged to the time of Hosea, Amos, and Isaiah. His message is all the more marvelous when one remembers that he was a villager. Born doubtless in a humble house, brought up in a despised burg, bred in no college, he would have been unequal to the modern denominational Editors demands for the ministry. But he does illustrate a Divine custom expressed in Sacred Scripture viz. that, Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
God has never seen fit to limit Himself to the great financial or intellectual minds of the world. He is dependent upon no mans money; and just as independent of conceited minds. He can take Peter, the unlettered fisherman, and by instructing him in the Scripture and sending upon him His Holy Spirit, make of him a minister in whose presence the Pope himself would seem a pigmy by comparison.
It is related that when the Emperor Domitian was persecuting believers he heard of two men reputed to be akin to Jesus, and he sent for them, intending to put them to death. But when they came, and he saw their horny hands and realized that they were evidently day-laborers, he dismissed them saying, From such slaves we have nothing to fear.
And yet, those men belonged to the very class who rocked Domitians empire to its foundation, and spread the knowledge of the Gospel to the ends of the known earth; and, their humble station notwithstanding, have had few worthy successors in the ministry of the Truth. Let us not object to Micah because he is from a village and does not carry a graduates diploma. If he is Divinely appointed, and Divinely endued, his work will be well done.
The exact date of this Book, as that of other Minor Prophets, is in dispute, and it would in no wise help you to review the opinions of Hitzig, Wellhausen, Stade, Vatke, Kuenen, Driver, Von Ryssel, and the rest.
We are more interested in his message, or messages; and to those I invite your attention.
HE UNCOVERS THE CHURCH OF HIS TIMES
When I speak of the Church of his times I do not mean to say that there was any organized body of baptized believers in Micahs day; but I do mean to say that there was an ecclesia, not in the New Testament use of the term, but in the natural interpretation of that word, namely, a called out body.
In the opening part of this prophecy he deals with that body:
Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord from His holy Temple.
For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of His place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
And the mountains shall be molten under Him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place (Mic 1:2-4).
He indicts the churchman; not the worldling.
For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the House of Israel.
It is a good place for the minister to begin. Gods people must be set right before the minister can make any headway with the world. There is many a true prophet of God who is preaching his heart out in a church where the professed followers of the Lord Jesus Christ are, by their wickedness, bringing his every word to naught. It is not an exceptional experience for preachers to be requested to resign because the church is receiving no accessions, when the very men who make the request have rendered it impossible for any kind of preaching to bring converts into the church of which they are members. Rev. E. A. Whittier, in an old issue of The Watchman once remarked When Rev. Frank Remington came to the First Baptist Church in Lawrence many years ago the spiritual tide ebbed low. For six months he preached searching sermons to Gods people. It was like the voice of one of the old Prophets. The dry bones lived again. In about six months he turned to the unsaved, and the flood gates of Heaven were opened. In about three years he baptized nearly 500 converts in Lawrence and Andover, and organized the Second Baptist Church. Remington began at the right place. And Micah was Gods faithful minister, dealing first of all with Gods professed followers. Given a clean, consecrated membership, and accessions to the church of new converts is comparatively easy.
He arraigned the prospered; not the poor. After having spoken against the graven images, the idols, and the awful social sins, he tells Judah and Jerusalem what will be the result. He turns to the leaders of the land and says,
Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.
In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields (Mic 2:1-4).
It is a fact to which the prospered of earth do not take kindly, but none the less true on that account, and Micahs arraignment of the prospered was in perfect accord with the words of His Saviour. No man can read the New Testament without noting that Jesus Christ never uttered a sentence against the poor, and never let the prospered escape His strictures. This, not because poverty is always righteous, and riches always wicked, but on the great law which He Himself laid down, To whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required. Joseph Parker says, We have nourished ourselves into the pedantry of supposing that if a man has a bad coat he has of necessity a bad character. The Bible never proceeds along these lines. * * Christ did not gather around Him the halt, the lame, the blind, the poor, the neglected, the homeless, and say, You are the curse of society; you are the criminal classes. * * But Jesus Christ never let the respectability of His age alone; He never gave it one moments rest. I often wonder if our socialists have considered this subject? I wonder if the men who walk the streets berating the rich because they have more than their share of material wealth, and demanding, if not an equal, an equitable division of all property, have forgotten that prosperity does not necessarily make for righteousness, that all men of competence are not men of prayer; that all persons of good bank account are not necessarily persons of good character? That the rich are accomplishing more evil than they ever could with their riches taken away; that they are tempted ten thousand times more often than they ever would have been had their riches never come? And that these awful sins, against which Micah here hurled his anathemas, sins of covetousness, violent appropriation and corporate oppression, can never be committed by the poor; and the penalty of them can never be escaped by the rich who practise them?
I wonder also if these same socialists have not noticed that a freighted table, broadcloth, silks, jewels, and all the rest, consume so much of thought that the soul seldom receives any attention. I have just been preaching in another Western state. I found a man there who has made a considerable fortune already, and who is still accumulating, A number of times he came to the services. On some occasions he was so deeply convicted that he shot out of the house the moment the service concluded, apparently not being able to endure the invitation. Once back at his home there was only one theme on which he would converse with youthat was the subject of the crops. The rain rejoiced his heart; it did not matter to him whether our audiences had reduced. He said, That will make great crops. Concerning the scorching heat of the day, of which others complained, he said, This will make good crops. And if the present outlook for crops realizes it means riches for this vicinity. And for sixty straight years he has been absorbed in one subject; and for sixty straight years his soul has been in neglect. The history of Dives he is writing over again. The accumulation of riches is his one concern; and while about it he is forgetting the Lazarus at his gate, and in that very act neglecting the Lord of Life. His mistake was less grievous than that of the people of whom Micah speaks, for they made their money by oppression. But they have their successors also. As a writer has said, Many men among us are able to live in fashionable streets, and keep their families comfortable only by paying their employees a wage upon which it is impossible for men to be strong or women to be virtuous. Truly, as Micah put it, such feed upon their fellows.
He reprimands alike prince, prophet and people.
Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the House of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;
Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.
Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but He will not hear them: He will even hide His face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.
Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.
Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.
Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God (Mic 3:1-7).
It is a serious thing when the princes of the land abhor judgment, and pervert equity; it is vastly more serious when the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money.
It is a question whether Micah is not needed in modern times. There are not a few preachers who charge the princes with their sins, and call the attention of the people to their iniquities. But who will uncover the prophets and expose their serving methods, and show how their concern is, to be as popular as politicians, and to make their ministry a source of much money for selfish employment. Is not the multitude of timeservers now to be found in the ministry one secret of failure in soul-winning and church building? Was not that unhappy man George Herron warranted in the words in his volume The New Redemption, when he said, The philanthropy of selfishness and covetousness is the social antichrist. The adulation which the religious press lavishes upon the benevolence of mammon, the adoration which it receives from the pulpit, converts the church into an apostle of atheism to the people. The priests who accompanied the pirate ships of the sixteenth century, to say mass and pray for the souls of the dead pirates, for a share of the spoil, were not a whit more superstitious or guilty of human blood, according to the light of their teaching, than Protestant leaders who flatter the ghastly philanthropy of men who have heaped their colossal fortunes upon the bodies of their brothers. Their fortunes are the proudest temples of the most defiant idolatry that has ever corrupted the worship of the Living God. Their philanthropy is the greatest peril that confronts and deceives and endangers the life of the Church, and thinks to bribe the judgments of God and deceive the Holy Ghost.
If there is any class of people who are in special need of the Evangel it is the prospered class. The Moody Institute did wisely when once it started two attractive young women up the North shore drive to call at palaces and remind the people of the need of repentance. If there is any profession upon whom a solemn responsibility rests more heavily than upon any other it is the profession of the prophet. It is within his power to lead the people into the paths of the just; and it is also within his power to make the people err, by seeking selfish ends, destroying the vision, bringing darkness upon himself, and deep night upon the deceived multitude. Oh, you who are accumulating fortunes; and you who are graduates of colleges, and you who have come with honors from theological seminaries, remember that to whomsoever much is givent of him shall be much required, and when the true prophet of God rises to uncover the church of his times, see to it that he uncovers not your shame.
HE DISCOVERS THE CHURCH OF OUR TIMES
It is a marvelous fact that Micah is as true as a seer as he was faithful as a preacher.
He beheld the beginning of the New Testament Church.
But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the House of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.
And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and 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 of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Mic 4:1-2).
That prophecy found the beginning of its fulfillment at Pentecost, and will find its consummation in the Kingdom. Joel had already said,
It shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions * * .
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance (Joe 2:28; Joe 2:32).
And Jesus remembering these prophecies reminds the people to whom He addresses Himself that It behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luk 24:46-47).
Six and a half centuries before Jesus uttered these words, Micah, the Seer, had a vision of their beginning fulfillment in the coming and end of the New Testament Church. The ancient people hearing them, or reading them, were stirred with the prospect of this new movement which should make for righteousness, and be the real earnest of Gods conquest in the earth.
He pictured it also when its conquest should be perfected, and the Kingdom should come.
And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it (Mic 4:3-4).
As I have read the commentaries upon this passage and listened to the attempt of George Adam Smith and other students to make this reference merely a local one, and limit it to the time in which the Prophet lived, it has seemed to me not only a vain endeavor, but a foolish one! Centuries are in the sweep of the Prophets vision. The cause of God has many conquests to its credit, but, as yet, the major portion of this prophecy remains to be fulfilled, and will be in the coming of the Lord in the end of this age!
A few years since, not having studied the Scriptures wisely, or well, I joined in the common opinion that wars were probably at an end; and, that with an ever-increasing mutual admiration, the nations of the earth would arbitrate their difficulties and dwell together as loving princes of one house! But, alas for the thought! Recent years have shown how easy it is to strike a match at the powder houses of armies and navies; how easy it is to set rulers at one anothers throats; how hard it is for even the religious people of the earth to maintain peace when the unspeakable Turk long continued his slaughters of the Christian Armenian who happened to dwell within his borders; and Russian Soviet is red-handed by the outright murder of millions of Gods own.
When the most peace-loving of earth look on these things, or, standing afar off, read the red reports of them, he is tempted to join with the famed interpreter of these prophecies in saying, We are told by those who know best, and have most responsibility in the matter, that an ancient Church and people of Christ are being left a prey to the wrath of an infidel tyrant, not because Christendom is without strength to compel him to deliver, but because to use the strength, would be to imperil the peace of Christendom. It is an ignoble peace which cannot use the forces of redemption, and with the cry of Armenia in our ears the Unity of Europe is but a mockery. That cry has been lost in the wail from Russia. And one might add, With the cry of the murdered in our ears, the relations between Russia and the great English-speaking nations of Britain and America are kept undisturbed at the cost of character, and some think war were better.
That hour then to which this text refers must still be in the future, since as you come more and more into the last days you shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, such as the world has never known since time began, and yet, Beloved, Gods Word will not fail.
As sure as Jehovah lives and sits upon the throne so surely the last sentence of it shall see fulfillment, and one day the last reverberations and the thunderings of war shall be heard in the earth, and He who shall be chief among many people, will bring in such a reign of righteousness, as shall convert swords to plowshares and spears to pruninghooks, and many shall see it. But we will treat this text in a later chapter.
The Prophet assigns such power to the rise of the proper person.
Thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou he little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Therefore will He give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth; then the remnant of His brethren shall return unto the Children of Israel.
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 (Mic 5:2-4).
George Adam Smith, says, Micah stands among the first, if he is not the very first, who thus focussed the hopes of Israel upon a great Redeemer. And beloved, more and more it is occurring to thoughtful men that power associates itself with personality. John Watson, in his Mind of the Master has called attention to this truth in his chapter entitled Devotion to a Person the Dynamic of Religion. And in that discussion he says one thing which ought never to be forgotten. Do you wish a cause to endure hardness, to rejoice in sacrifice, to accomplish mighty works, to retain forever the dew of its youth? Give it the best chance, the sanction of Love. Do not state it in books; do not defend it with argument. These are aids of the second order; if they succeed, it is a barren victorythe reason has now been exasperated. Identify your cause with a person. Even a bad cause will succeed for a space, associated with an attractive man. The later Stewards were hard kings both to England and Scotland, and yet women sent their husbands and sons to die for Bonnie Prince Charlie and the ashes of that Romantic devotion are not yet cold. When a good cause finds a befitting leader, it will be victorious before set of sun.
Ah, He is the secret of success for the New Testament Church. In spite of all its shortcomings, and, confessing as we must, all of its many and egregious failures, the destiny of that Church is gloriously determinedshe shall one day rule the world, for the solitary reason that Christ is her Head and God has already given Him the heathen for [His] inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for [His] possession. In spite of all adverse circumstances, all legions of enemies; in spite of Satan and the hosts of hell, He rises to victory. To Him The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him: all nations shall serve Him. Blessed be His glorious Name forever; and let the whole earth be filled with His glory; Amen and Amen.
But the Prophet continues:
HE DEFENDS BOTH THE DIVINE CHARACTER AND REQUIREMENTS
He rehearses the history of Gods past graces.
Hear ye now what the Lord saith * *
O My people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against Me.
For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
O My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord (Mic 6:1; Mic 6:3-5).
It is a custom of the inspired writer to refer often to Israels early history. It was out of Egypt that God redeemed them; it was through the wilderness that God led them; it was in Canaan that God gave them conquest. This concern for the nations youth can never be forgotten. The older a man grows the more he appreciates what his parents did for him between the natal day and his twenty-first anniversary. The older a Christian grows the more highly he esteems his redemption from sin and the marvelous grace of God in keeping him in the early days of his spiritual life, when temptations were most strong; when in the wilderness Satan set before him the gifts of the world and the glories of them, an offer for an act of obeisance to him, their former master.
The older the Church grows the more highly it appreciates its early history, the pastors who did pioneer work, the people who sacrificed sorely to build the sanctuary, the men and women who bore the heat and burden of the day when they were so few in numbers; when their best efforts seemed so feeble. It ought to be so. It is a great thing to be brought to birth; it is a great thing to be kept through youth, and the nation for which God has accomplished this is no more able to discharge its obligation to Him than the child is to pay back all he owes to his parents. Right well did Israel inquire, Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the High God? That is the proper position for the people whose past is replete with such exhibitions of the keeping grace of great Jehovah.
He shows also the reasonableness of the Divine requirements.
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Mic 6:8).
Even the believing world commonly discredits Gods character by their thought as to His requirements. There are not a few people who imagine that God will not be pleased with them unless they are ready to take their first-born and lay him upon the altar; part with their child, perhaps giving him to the grave for the sin of their soul, and God has never hinted that He demands any such thing. People begin at the wrong place to get right with God. He may want your child for Africa, but you could give him and still not feel approved. The Apostle Paul says, Though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. And it is true; that is the one thing that God requires, for it covers all the rest. It leads one to do justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with God. And in that walk instead of finding the path to be one in which God is constantly calling for sacrifice, it will be discovered that there God is often bestowing blessing, and guiding into privilege, and making ones whole life a delight. Henry Van Dyke says, To please God. * * Simply to live our life, whatever it may be, so that He, the good and glorious God, shall approve and bless it, and say of it, Well done, and welcome it into the sense of His own joy,that is a Divine ambition. What vaster dream could hit the mood of love on earth? It has sustained martyrs at the stake, and comforted prisoners in the dungeon, and cheered warriors in the heat of perilous conflict, and inspired laborers in every noble cause, and made thousands of obscure and nameless heroes in every hidden place of earth. It is the pillar of light which shines before the journeying host. It is the secret watchword of the army, given not to the leaders alone, but flashing like fire through all the ranks. When that thought descends upon us, it kindles our hearts and makes them live. What though we miss the applause of men; what though friends misunderstand and foes defame, and the great world pass us by? There is One that seeth in secret and followeth the soul in its toils and struggles, the great King, whose approval is honor, whose love is happiness; to please Him is success, and victory, and peace.
Finally, He rests in the surety of the Divine justice, power, and grace. In the seventh chapter he speaks of the untoward circumstances in which he is situated. But after rehearsing the whole of it, he says, I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me (Mic 7:7). And in the seventeenth verse of the same chapter, speaking of the enemies of his soul, and of his Lord, he says, They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of thee.
And in the nineteenth, and twentieth verses he says, He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which Thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
The whole of this seventh chapter is given to the personal sense of the Divine justice, Divine power, and Divine grace, and one must appreciate all of these or perish with fear. Divine justice is approved by all good men; and Divine power is conceded by those who study the universe about them, or the earth beneath them. But this all necessitates only fear, except you see also the Divine grace.
There is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. One who has felt the justice of God and power of God feels the need of the grace of God, and is only filled with delight and joy unspeakable when he can say with the Apostle, For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Fuente: The Bible of the Expositor and the Evangelist by Riley
CRITICAL NOTES. Thou] invading army (not Judah). Us] The prophet identifies himself with the nation. Smite] The greatest insult (Lam. 3:30; Mat. 5:39; Mat. 27:30). Judge] or king (Amo. 2:3).
Mic. 5:2. Beth.] The ensuing prophecy (Mic. 5:1-5) combined with what goes before and what follows, consummates the witness of the O.T. concerning Christ, and is the groundwork of his history in the New [Words.]. Eph.] To distinguish it from another Beth, in Zebulon (Jos. 19:10; Jos. 19:15). Little] So insignificant in size and population that it was not enumerated among the cities of Judah (Jos. 15:21); nor in the list (Neh. 11:25); it became a city under Rehoboam (2Ch. 11:6). Thous.] Tribes divided into thousands, over which a leader presided, and commanded them in war (Exo. 18:21; Exo. 18:25; Num. 1:16; Deu. 1:15). Family is given, Jdg. 6:15. Out] Lit. shall one come forth to me to be ruler. Out of] Beth., as his native place, antithetic to. From of old] Lit. from the days of eternity; expressing the eternity of Christs Divine nature and person [Gill]; and the displays of his power of old from everlasting, which may be referred to his covenant engagements, and to the work of creation [Boothr.].
Mic. 5:3. Therefore] On account of this fixed plan of God, his people will be given up to suffer, until she] the virgin mother of Jesus (Isa. 7:14); or the people of Judah, from whom a ruler was to come forth (Gen. 49:10). Suffering is the necessary travail-pain which precedes the joy of birth. Then] Blessings described which result from the Messiahs birth. Rem.] The remainder, not only inhabitants of Judah left from the judgment, but members of the revolted ten tribes; all Israelites dispersed in foreign lands. Only brethren, sons of Israel, his race, have the right to return.
Mic. 5:4. Feed] Lit. rule (Mat. 2:6) [margin]; (Isa. 40:11). Stand] Persevering and diligent, in the attributes and name of his God, i.e. one in relation and purpose with Jehovah (Isa. 9:5). They] Returned remnant. Abide] Dwell in perfect peace and security (cf. chap. Mic. 4:4; Isa. 14:30). Now] in the fulfilment. He] Alone (cf. Joe. 2:20-21; Luk. 1:32).
HOMILETICS
THE CHURCH MILITANTMic. 5:1
Calamities are to precede prosperity. Lest Israel should fall into carnal security, she is warned of her danger, and roused to defend herself. Zion, in her warlike attitude, is a type of the Church militant.
I. She is endangered by the foe. He hath laid siege against us. In this world the Christian Church is engaged in conflict and exposed to suffering. The powers of evil have arrayed themselves against her. Infidelity, popery, and persecution have besieged her gates. Sin threatens her character, liberty, and existence. The foes are numerous, strong, disciplined to arms, and possessing manifold advantages. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, &c.
II. She is often deprived of earthly leaders. They shall smite the judge of Israel. Hengstenberg thinks this expression indicates a time when no king of the house of David reigned. Deplorable is the city with an enemy at the walls, and without a commander within to help. In early days the Church has been without leaders to teach and guide. Apostles were imprisoned and martyrs put to death. Men were determined to destroy the very existence of Christianity. Hence the great persecutions through which it has passed. But when the godly men cease and the faithful fail, then God will help (Psa. 12:1). For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our law-giver, the Lord is out king; he will save us.
III. She is roused to action. Now gather thyself in troops.
1. Immediate action. Now. Every Christian, weak or strong, is commanded to arise and be ready. The present is the day for exertion, and those who work should do it with vigour.
2. United action. Gather thyself in troops. Dangers are great. United and personal action are required. Stragglers may be taken prisoners. Never let the enemies watchword prevailDivide and conquer. Close thy ranks, and let each soldier keep his place. Supported by the promise and presence of God we should fear no evil and shun no duty. The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
THE RULER OF ISRAEL.Mic. 5:2-3
In the greatest danger and the deepest degradation of Zion a ruler shall arise to deliver her, and raise her to be a dreaded power in the world.
I. The place from which the ruler came. Bethlehem, the most insignificant, not Jerusalem, the royal, city, gave birth to Jesus. Little, in a worldly sense, it was not the least among the cities of Judah; but eclipsed them all in spiritual dignity. God perfects strength out of seeming weakness, and immortalizes obscure places by the events of his providence. Some men derive honours from, and others confer celebrity upon, the place in which they were born. Many cities have striven for the honour of Homers birth. In Bethlehem we see the Divine purpose to choose the base things of the world, and to bring to nought things that are.
II. The method in which the ruler came.
1. He was promised. Out of thee shall he come forth. Chief priests and scribes gave the right answer to Herods questions (Mat. 2:4-6). When it was rumoured that he would come out of Galilee, his enemies could say, Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was. When we think that the promise has failed, God is arranging events, choosing agents, and fulfilling his word.
2. He was appointed. In the purpose of God he was set apart, and according to the command of God he come. He came not of himself, but the Father sent and sealed him (Joh. 6:27). Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me (Psa. 40:7-8).
3. He was born of a woman. She which travaileth hath brought forth. He was born of a woman; the virgin conceived and bore a son (Isa. 7:14). His goings forth were of old, but his birth was in time. He was real God and true man. God was manifest in the flesh; and in the coming of the Messiah we may read the truth of God, and discern the purpose and presence of God. Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which has come to pass.
III. The purpose for which the ruler came. Who shall be ruler in Israel? The circumstances of his birth and life seemed to bespeak anything rather than royal dominion. Pilate put the question, Art thou a king, then? The answer was, I am a king. But my kingdom is not of this world. He had no temporal dominions, but he governs the hearts and lives of his people. He rules the nations of the earth, and will rule to the end of time. The judge of Israel was smitten, the empire of Csar came to nought, but the reign of Christ shall endure for ever. Napoleon rose with rapidity to boundless inheritance, but finished his course in disgraceful exile; contrasted empires founded on force with that of Jesus founded upon love, and exclaimed, What an abyss between my deep misery and the eternal kingdom of Christ, which is proclaimed, loved, and adored, and is extending over the whole earth!
IV. The results which spring from the rulers coming. Then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
1. Deliverance from captivity. They shall return from bondage to Canaan and to Jehovah. The remnant shall become genuine sons of Israel, people again in covenant with God.
2. Restoration to unity. Exiled Jews, Gentiles of heathen nations, shall be united as brethren under his reign, and incorporated into a spiritual commonwealth. Then men become Israelites not in name, but in spirit and truth. Grace makes all sons of God. The promise is not only to Israel after the flesh, but to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call (Act. 2:39).
THE INCARNATION AND BIRTH OF CHRIST
I. Who it was that sent Christ forth. Out of thee shall he come forth to me. Jesus Christ did not come forth without his Fathers permission, authority, and assistance. We are too apt to forget that while there are distinctions as to the persons in the Trinity, there are no distinctions of honour; and we frequently ascribe the honour of our salvation, or at least the depths of its mercy and the extremity of its benevolence, more to Jesus Christ than we do to the Father. Contemplate that the Father sent him, and in every period of his life think that he suffered what the Father willed; that every step of his life was marked with the approval of the great I Am.
II. Where did he come to at the time of his incarnation? First, it seemed necessary that Christ should be born in Bethlehem, because of Bethlehems history. Again, there is something in the name of the place. The word Bethlehem has a double meaning. It signifies the house of bread, and the house of war. Jesus is the bread of his people on which they feed. Here the bread of life was first given to man to eat. It is also called the house of war, because Christ is to every man the house of bread or the house of war. Ephratah signifies fruitfulness or abundance. All our fruitfulness is from Christ. His incarnation fattens the soil of our hearts. Next, notice the position of Bethlehem Little among the thousands of Judah. There are many little ones, unknown and dwelling in obscurity. Christ is always born among the little ones; lieth not in great hearts, but in little ones. A broken heart and a low spirit shall have the Saviour, and none else. Another thought, how wonderfully mysterious was that providence which brought Jesus Christs mother to Bethlehem at the very time when she was to be delivered.
III. What did Jesus come for? To be ruler in Israel. He was born the King of the Jews. Men are born princes, but seldom born kings. But he is not ruler of Israel after the flesh, but after the spirit. Hast thou submitted to the sway of Christ?
IV. Did Jesus ever come before? Whose goings forth have been ever of old. First, Christ has had his goings forth in his Godhead. From everlasting. He has not been a secret and a silent person up to this moment. That new-born child is the infant of to-day, but the ancient of eternity.
1. Of old he went forth as our covenant-head in election.
2. He had goings forth for his people, as their representative before the throne, even before they were begotten in the world. Secondly, we believe that Christ has come forth of old, even to men, so that men have beheld him. He appeared to Abraham, to Jacob, to Joshua, and to the three youths in the fiery furnace. Observe that each of these four great occurrences happened to the saints, when they were engaged in very eminent duty, or when they were about to be engaged in it. When Abraham interceded for Sodom, Jacob engaged in wrestling, Joshua exercising bravery, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were in high places of persecution. Christ hath not left going forth yet. Recollect he goes to Bethlehem. Are you little? He will go forth to meet you. He will come to your poor house,wretched heart. Trust him, and he will go forth to abide with you for ever [Spurgeon].
THE SHEPHERD KING.Mic. 5:4
The government of this ruler is further described under the similitude of a shepherd feeding and defending his flock, establishing and extending his kingdom in all the earth.
I. The work of the shepherd king. He shall feeda word which indicates to feed by ruling, as in the Greek in Mat. 2:6, Out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule (feed marg.) my people Israel.
1. He will feed his flock. The soul is hungry, and men crave for food. The word of Christ can feed the soul, and satisfy the wants of humanity. Those who believe in him shall not hunger nor thirst any more.
2. He will rule his flock. He will teach and guide, rule and provide. We require control as well as nourishment. All his sheep follow him, for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
II. The qualifications of the shepherd king. Israels princes had no power, but he shall stand, clad in the strength and displaying the glory of the Lord.
1. He has Divine power. Rule in the strength of the Lord. He is invested with power to defend his flock against wolves and robbers (Joh. 10:11-12). Care would be in vain if the sheep could not be secured from danger. No man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand.
2. He has Divine tenderness. His power is not tyrannical. He loves where he feeds. His might is used to protect, not to destroy the flock. He does not flee away like an hireling, but lays down his own life for the sheep. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
3. He has Divine majesty. In the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. All power in earth and heaven is given to him. Majesty is displayed in his love and teaching, in his nature and work. He is invested with more dignity than ordinary kings. He bears the name of God (Isa. 9:5; Isa. 10:21); the spirit of might rests upon him (Isa. 11:1); and in the greatness of his majesty he overthrows every enemy (Exo. 14:7).
III. The attitude of the shepherd king. He shall stand and feed.
1. He is actively engaged. To sit is the attitude of a judge, to stand is the position of one ready to succour and defend. He defended Israel from the attack of heathen nations. He will watch and feed his Church to the end of time. He is always present and vigilant. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither sleep nor slumber.
2. He is constantly engaged. He never sits down in ease and neglect. He stands fixed in purpose, and none can hinder or remove him. He endures, surveys, and guards his flock on every side. He shall not fail nor be discouraged until he hath set judgment in the earth.
IV. The blessings which flow from the work of the shepherd king. Through the care and providence of Christ his people shall be increased, established, and acquire greatness and dominion.
1. The perpetual existence of the Church. And they shall abide. His people shall not wander to and fro, as hitherto. They shall rest and abide in permanent security and peace. None can hurt or destroy them. Because he lives they shall live. The original promise, often forfeited through disobedience, shall be fulfilled: Ye shall dwell in your land safely. And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid (Lev. 26:6; Isa. 14:30).
2. The increasing greatness of the Church. For now shall he be great. A little flock only follow him now, but this flock shall be great in numbers and influence. Its king shall become famous, precious, and attractive to others. I have made thee a great name, like the name of the great that are in the earth.
3. The universal dominion of the Church. He shall be great unto the ends of the earth. There shall be no end to the increase, no limit to the power of his empire. Souls shall be converted, nations brought under the yoke of Christ, thus the greatness of his love and grace shall be set forth to the very ends of the world. I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
HOMILETIC HINTS AND OUTLINES
Mic. 5:1.
1. Christs ordinary harbingers and forerunners, when he is to come with mercies to his Church, are afflictions to fit them for such manifestations.
2. These afflictions are often very grievous. The contempt and injury done to authority and magistrates, under whom a people may be kept from confusion and the Church protected, is a special ingredient in the affliction of the visible Church. See Hutcheson. To be smitten on the face betokens shame; to smite with a rod betokens destruction. Now both shall meet in one; as in the Great Day, the wicked shall awake to shame and everlasting contempt, and shall perish for ever [Pusey].
Mic. 5:2. Bethlehem. God orders all in the continuous course of his wisdom. All lies in perfect harmony in the Divine mind. Each event is the sequel of what went before. So here the prophet joins on, what to us stands in such contrast with that simple and. Yet he describes the two conditions as bearing one another. He had said that the judge was smitten, and that Israel had no counsellor nor king; now he speaks of the Ruler in Israel. He had said that the rule was to come to the tower of the flock; now, retaining the word, he speaks of the ruler in whom it was to be established. But he has greater things to say, so he pausesAnd thou! People have admired the brief appeal of the murdered Csar, Thou too, Brutus. The like energetic conciseness lies in the words, And thou! Bethlehem Ephratah [Pusey].
Goings forth.
1. In the purposes of eternity.
2. In the creation of the world.
3. In the manifestations of Old Testament.
4. In human birth.
5. In the events of providence.
Mic. 5:4. The shepherd character of Jesus indicates:
1. The helpless and lost condition of man.
2. The love of God in assuming the character and office of a shepherd.
3. The benevolent design in redeeming mankind.
Feed. This expression shows how Christ stands towards his own, the sheep that have been intrusted to him. He does not rule over them like a dreadful tyrant, who oppresses his subjects with fear, but he is a shepherd, and cares for his sheep with all the gentleness that can be desired. But since we are surrounded with enemies, the prophet adds: He works with power; that is, with all the power there is in God, all the protection there is in Christ, as soon as there is need to protect the Church. We should learn, therefore, to expect from Christ just as much salvation as there is power in God [Calvin]. But neither feed nor rule conveys the full idea of the original expression (Mat. 2:6). The full idea is, who shall act the part of a shepherd to my people Israel,who shall at once protect, and guide, and feed, and govern or rule them [Morrison].
As the good shepherd tends his fleecy care,
Seeks freshest pasture and the purest air,
Explores the lost, the wandering sheep directs,
By day oersees them, and by night protects;
The tender lambs he raises in his arms,
Feeds from his hand, and in his bosom warms;
Thus shall mankind his guardian care engage,
The promised Father of the future age. [Pope.]
The world hates the Church, and feasts its eyes upon its misery.
ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 5
Mic. 5:2. Bethlehem. By a remarkable interposition of providence, interwoven, however, with the course of events in the world, was it brought about that the promised King should be born in Bethlehem (as Micah the prophet had foretold), the very place where the house of David had its origin; while, at the same time, the lowly circumstances of his birth were in striking contrast with the inherent dignity and glory that were veiled in the new-born child [Neander]. Both names were derived from fruitfulness, House of Bread and fruitfulness; and despite of centuries of Mohammedan oppression, it is fertile still. It had been rich in the fruitfulness of this world; rich, thrice rich, should it be in spiritual fruitfulness [Pusey].
Mic. 5:3. Give them up.
(1) Into the hands of their enemies. Indeed the far greater part never returned from the Captivity, but remained, although willingly, in the enemys land, outwardly shut out from the land of the promise and the hope of their fathers. But
(2) all were, more than before, given up to follow their own ways. God was less visibly present among them. Prophecy ceased soon after the return from captivity, and many tokens of the nearness of God and means of his communications with them,the Ark and the Urim and Thummim,were gone. It was a time of pause and waiting, wherein the fulness of Gods gifts was withdrawn, that they might look on to Him who was to come. Until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth, i.e. until the Virgin should conceive and bear a Son [Pusey].
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
DISTRESS AND REDEMPTION . . . Mic. 4:9 to Mic. 5:1
RV . . . Now why doest thou cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee, is thy counsellor perished, that pangs have taken hold of thee as of a woman in travail? Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now shalt thou go forth out of the city; and shalt dwell in the field, and shalt come even unto Babylon: there shalt thou be rescued; there will Jehovah redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. And now many nations are assembled against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye see our desire upon Zion. But they know not the thoughts of Jehovah, neither understand they his counsel for he hath gathered them as the sheaves to the threshing-floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; for I will make thy horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass; and thou shalt beat in pieces many peoples: and I will devote their gain unto Jehovah, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth. Now shalt thou gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us; they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
LXX . . . And now, why hast thou known calamities? was there not a king to thee? or has thy counsel perished that pangs as of a woman in travail have seized upon thee? Be in pain, and strengthen thyself, and draw near, O daughter of Zion, as a woman in travail: for now thou shalt go forth out of the city, and shalt lodge in the plain, and shalt reach even to Babylon: thence shall the Lord thy God deliver thee, and thence shall he redeem thee out of the hand of thine enemies. And now have many nations gathered against thee, saying, We will rejoice, and our eyes shall look upon Zion. But they know not the thought of the Lord, and have not understood his counsel: for he has gathered them as sheaves of the floor. Arise, and thresh them, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horns iron, and I will make thine hoofs brass: and thou shalt utterly destroy many nations, and shalt consecrate their abundance to the Lord, and their strength to the Lord of all the earth. Now shall the daughter of Zion be completely hedged in: he has laid siege against us: they shall smite the tribes of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
COMMENTS
WHY DOST THOU CRY ALOUD? . . . Mic. 4:9-10
The term tower of the flock (Mic. 4:8) appears also in Gen. 35:16 -ff. There is the record of Rachel, beloved of Jacob, dying in childbirth as they journeyed from Bethel to Bethlehem.
Just as Rachel died in childbirth, so the nation of Israel would die at the hands of Titus (70 A.D.) and Hadrian (135 A.D.) in the height of her Messianic expectancy. First century Israel looked for a king, but could find none. Micahs question is pertinent, Is there no king in thee? The king would indeed be in her, but she would die in travail without seeing (recognizing) Him just as Rachel died.
The nation, even in Micahs time, in pain would go away into Babylon . . . there to be rescued. To all outward appearances the Hebrew nation was dead when they were led away into Babylon. In truth, however, it was there they were molded into a people who never again forgot God.
True, their national ambition blinded them to the Christ. He was recognized only by the remnant, not the nation. Nevertheless, there is a real sense in which Micah can truly use the plural, both the remnant and the nation (Mic. 5:7) shall be ruled over by Jehovah.
In all this, Micah is looking beyond the Assyrian Dynasty to the supremacy of Babylon, and through Babylon to the Persians, and beyond Persia to the Messianic Age.
(Mic. 5:11) It is the prophets purpose in these verses to return to the warnings of Mic. 3:12, Before there can be a national restoration and a deliverance of the remnant there must be the captivity.
Having projected hope which lay nearly two centuries in the future in its first instance i.e. the deliverance from Babylon, and some eight centuries in the future in its Messianic fulfillment, Micah returns in Mic. 5:11 to the situation immediately before him. Between the present and the blessed future was an array of enemies bent on Israels destruction.
In Micahs own time the Assyrians dominated the international scene, They would wipe out the northern kingdom and in their turn be replaced by Babylon. Babylon would enslave the southern kingdom, only to be destroyed by the Persians.
The Medo-Persians would themselves yield to Alexander and the Greeks.
Against the oppression of the Greeks would rises a blood bath known to history as The Maccabean Period, including a Jewish civil war, to be ended only by Roman occupation.
(Mic. 4:12 to Mic. 5:1 . . .) This array of foreign powers who, from the beginning of recorded history, have used the land of Israel as a military pawn and buffer state have reckoned without Gods thought and counsel. He has gathered them, i.e. the nations arrayed against Israel, as sheves to the threshing floor. Jerusalem, daughter of Zion, is called to arise and thresh. Jehovah will make her horn iron and her hoofs brass.
Thus, against the figure of oxen treading out grain, God promises power which will beat many people in pieces.
Nothing in history to date, fully accords with the prediction. The only period of history since Micah in which Israel has had any military power was the Maccabean period of victory over Antiochus Epiphanes and that victory was on nothing like the scale indicated here in the threshing of many nations.
To find the fulfillment of this prophecy, we must look to more recent history. We have previously referred to Romans 11 in reference to the first group here presented by Micah i.e., the true Israel, the covenant people called the remnant. But what of the cast off ones who are to become a strong nation to whom the former dominion shall come?
It is concerning them that Paul writes as touching the Gospel, they are enemies for your (Christians) sake, but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers sake. For the gifts and calling of God are not repented of. For as ye in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience, even so have these also now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown you they also may now obtain mercy. (Rom. 11:24 -ff) (See Don DeWelt, Romans Realized, p. 174-f)
The Jews are precious to Jehovah because of His past relations with them. There is little doubt that the Bible predicts another period of national life and prosperity. To recognize this ought, not, however, to engender in us such earthly, material and sordid hopes as proved their undoing in the rejection of Christ two thousand years ago. Whatever is in store for the Jewish nation in terms of earthly identity, it can in no way preclude the longing of God and His church to win them to Christ.
It is my opinion that in our day, which is called the latter days, the time of the Messiah (Cp. Mic. 4:1; Mic. 4:6), we are seeing the fulfillment of Mic. 4:9 to Mic. 5:1 in the present history of the Israeli nation. As we have previously indicated, no time in the interval between Micah and the present has met the fullness of this passage. From Assyria to now many nations have been assembled against the Jews (Mic. 5:11). In all this historic desire to see these people defiled, the nations have not considered Gods will nor known His counsel (Mic. 5:12). The present Arab-Russian-Chinese coalition against modern Israel certainly takes none of this into account.
Yet, in a strength unbelievable, reported by every news media of our time, this little postage stamp country has not once but four times in turn defied the strength of Britain and all the Arab world could hurl against her and has each time threshed them soundly (Mic. 5:12). In six days in June, 1967, Israel literally beat in pieces many people.
Micah promised this would come to pass during the Christian era. It ought be no great source of amazement that we are seeing it happen!
(Mic. 5:1) But before the remnant shall be gathered by Messiah, before those cast off can become a strong nation, the inevitable must happen. The kingdoms will gather their armies together and attempt in vain to hold off the armies of Assyria and of Babylon. But it will be to no avail. The price of their apostacy must be paid.
Chapter IXQuestions
Future Exaltation and Messianic Hope
1.
Demonstrate that Micahs prophecy in Micah 4-5 has to do with the day of the Messiah, our own Messianic time.
2.
What does John tell us about this end time? (1Jn. 2:18 -f)
3.
What is the meaning of the mountain of Jehovahs house?
4.
Comment on all peoples walk everyone in the name of his god, but we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God for ever and ever. (Mic. 4:5)
5.
Discuss many nations. (Mic. 4:2)
6.
Discuss . . . out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. (Mic. 4:2 cp. Luk. 24:44 -f)
7.
Men are at war with men because ________________________.
8.
God must become ruler of our ____________ as well as our church doctrine. (Mic. 4:4)
9.
In that day (Mic. 4:6-7) refers us back to ___________________.
10.
That which is lame is the image of ____________.
11.
Discuss her that halted is become a remnant. (Mic. 4:7)
12.
Distinguish between that which was lame and that which was driven away.
13.
Discuss I will make . . . that which was cast far off a strong nation in Mic. 4:7 in light of Rom. 11:1.
14.
What is meant by tower of the flock? (Mic. 4:8)
15.
Discuss Mic. 4:11 in connection with Mic. 3:12.
16.
In Micahs own time the nation of ____________ dominated the international scene.
17.
____________ would wipe out the northern kingdom.
18.
____________ would enslave the southern kingdom.
19.
____________ would conquer the Medo-Persian empire.
20.
The Maccabean revolt was against the rule of ____________.
21.
All these powers, and others since have used the land of ____________ as a political pawn and a ____________ state.
22.
Discuss Romans 11, Mic. 4:11-13 in light of current events in the Middle East.
23.
The Jews are precious to Jehovah because ____________.
24.
This does not imply ____________.
25.
What New Testament reference is made to Mic. 5:2 -ff?
26.
What is the meaning of Ephratah? (Mic. 5:2)
27.
Bethlehem nestles on the ____________ slopes of a ridge some ____________ miles ____________ of Jerusalem.
28.
Discuss, the conditions of Jesus birth in contrast to what might have been expected for the birth of a king.
29.
The sheep tended on the slopes of Bethlehem were traditionally intended for _________.
30.
Why did the Roman emperor Harian forbid Jews to live in or near Bethlehem?
31.
Perhaps no other term in the Old Testament has been more grossly misunderstood than _____________.
32.
Humanly speaking, it was the Jews ambitious vision of ____________ that was responsible for the death of Jesus.
33.
It is the failure of many to recognize the kingly office and authority of Jesus that has brought about the ____________ in the modern church.
34.
Discuss the temptation of Jesus (Luk. 4:1-12) in relation to the Jewish dream of world power in the Messianic age.
35.
The real issue in Mic. 2:6 is the assurance that ____________.
36.
Why do the Jews object that Jesus cannot be the Messiah?
37.
Discuss the pre-existence of Christ in light of Mic. 5:2.
38.
God would not, Micah promised, fully vindicate His people and exalt them until ____________,
39.
The Messiah is to be a glorious prince, but His relationship to His people is that of a ____________.
40.
What is the significance of His greatness shall be to the ends of the earth?
41.
Discuss and this man shall be our peace . . .
42.
Discuss seven shepherds . . . eight principal men. (Mic. 5:5-6)
43.
What is meant by the remnant shall be as dew in a summer morning?
44.
Messiahs people are to be as bold as _____________.
45.
Mic. 5:15 must be almost unbelievable to ____________.
46.
The prophet sees in the age of
____________ God executing vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations which hearken not
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
V.
(1) O daughter of troops.This verse coheres better with the former chapter, to which it is attached in the Hebrew Version. Micah again interpolates a prediction of trouble and dismay between the sentences describing triumph and glory. The sentence of smiting the judge has its historical fulfilment in the indignities which happened to King Zedekiah.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
THE MESSIAH AND THE MESSIANIC ERA, 1-15 (in Hebrew, Micah 4:14-5:14).
In Mic 5:1, the prophet returns once more (Mic 4:9; Mic 4:11) to the condition now present or imminent; but immediately he rises from the troublesome present to the glorious future (Mic 4:10; Mic 4:13), which he describes in Mic 5:2 ff., with a fullness and grandeur not seen anywhere else in the book. The historical background is probably the same as that presupposed in Mic 4:11-13, the invasion of Sennacherib. If so, chapter 5 presents the outlook of Micah at the time in which Isaiah uttered the remarkable Messianic prediction in Isa 11:1 ff.
The Hebrew of Mic 5:1 contains two plays upon words: the first between “gather in troops” and “daughter of troops,” the second between “judge” and “rod.”
Gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops A very peculiar expression, which has been variously interpreted. If the text is correct, which is not beyond doubt, the following seems to be the most satisfactory interpretation: Jerusalem is called “daughter of troops” because wherever the prophet looks he sees people with anxious faces crowding together in terror. The troops of warriors who were accustomed to boast in their strength have turned into troops of cowards. These cowards he exhorts ironically to keep on crowding together (Jer 5:7), and well they may, for the enemy has encircled the city; escape is impossible, they must prepare for the worst.
They shall smite If this is the proper translation the verse implies that the enemies’ efforts will be crowned with success. Then the oracle cannot be assigned to the same period as Mic 4:11-13. But the tense should probably be understood as a frequentative imperfect (G.-K., 107e or g), and should be translated “they smite” or, even better, “they have smitten,” again and again, and they are doing it now by laying siege to the holy city.
Smite with a rod upon the cheek Smiting upon the cheek is a gross insult, and the expression may be used so here in the general sense “to insult” (Job 16:10; 1Ki 22:24). The complaint of the prophet is that the enemies have been and still are insulting the representative of Jehovah ruling in Jerusalem.
Judge Equivalent to king (see Amo 2:3); “judge” is used here because of the similarity in sound of the original with the word translated “rod.” “Judge of Israel” is equivalent to “king of Judah.” 5b may contain a direct reference to the insults heaped upon Hezekiah by the representatives of Sennacherib ( Isaiah 36:37; compare Isa 10:7 ff.). The distress and suffering of the present are indeed great, but they will not continue forever; before the city can be taken deliverance will come.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
God’s Enemies Are Determined To Demonstrate Their Power And To Smite YHWH’s Anointed ( Mic 5:1 ).
The warning of the previous verse having been ignored the nations gather their forces for the attack on God’s people.
Mic 5:1
‘Now will you gather yourself in troops,
O daughter of troops.
He has laid siege against us;
They will smite the judge of Israel,
With a rod upon the cheek.
The nations are still determined to attack Judah in spite of Micah’s warning concerning the future. They gather themselves in troops, because they are ‘daughters of troops’, in other words that is the kind of people that they are. And thus their leader has laid siege against Jerusalem.
Their aim is to humiliate the one who is the judge of Israel. This may indicate Hezekiah. There was certainly nothing that Sennacherib wanted more to do than humiliate Hezekiah. He gloated over the fact that he had shut him up like a caged bird in Jerusalem. But the unusual term Judge may signify that the Judge of Israel is in mind, YHWH Himself. Either way they want to smite him with a rod on his cheek. The idea is of a symbol of authority being used to smite him across the cheek as a sign of his defeat, humiliation and submission.
As we know, because YHWH intervened in response to Hezekiah’s prayer it did not happen immediately. Indeed His enemies were then decimated by the angel of YHWH (2Ki 19:35). But it did occur in the days of Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh (compare Mic 4:10).
But whenever it happened it would not be the end, for YHWH would eventually raise up a champion Who would accomplish His purposes.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mic 5:2 “whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” – Comments – Jesus has always been in existence, even before He took upon Himself the form of a servant.
Mic 5:2 Comments – As with many Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah, Mic 5:2 makes a reference to the first and the second comings of Jesus Christ. With His first coming, the prophet says that He will be born in the city of Bethlehem. At His Second Coming He will become Ruler over the people of Israel. We know that the Jews rejected the Messiah at His first coming and did not allow Him to rule over them. However, Israel will recognize the Messiah at His second coming and will allow Him to become their Ruler for eternity. The last part of this verse refers to Jesus’ divine nature, His pre-incarnate existence, by saying, “whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Thus, within this one short verse, we have a revelation of the Messiah’s identity in eternity past, in His incarnation and in eternity future.
Mic 5:3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
Mic 5:3
Mat 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
Mar 13:10, “And the gospel must first be published among all nations.”
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
The Person and the Rule of Messiah.
v. 1. Now gather thyself in troops, v. 2. But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, v. 3. Therefore, v. 4. And He shall stand and feed, v. 5. And this Man shall be the Peace, v. 6. And they shall waste the land of Assyria, v. 7. And the remnant of Jacob, v. 8. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people, v. 9. Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, v. 10. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, v. 11. and I will cut off the cities of thy land and throw down all thy strongholds, v. 12. and I will cut off witchcrafts, v. 13. Thy graven images also will I cut off and thy standing images, v. 14. And I will pluck up thy groves, v. 15. And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
EXPOSITION
Mic 5:1-4
8. After Zion‘s degradation Messiah shall be born, and shall bring the world into subjection.
Mic 5:1
This verse is joined to the preceding chapter in the Hebrew. Jerusalem is addressed, as in Mic 4:9, Mic 4:11, not the invading army. The prophet returns to the view of the misery and humiliation expressed in that passage. Gather thyself in troops; or, thou shalt gather thyself, etc. Jerusalem must collect its armies to defend itself from the enemy. O daughter of troops. Jerusalem is thus named from the number of soldiers collected within her walls, from whence marauding expeditions were wont to set forth. Pusey considers that she is so called from the acts of violence, robbery, and bloodshed which are done within her (Mic 2:8; Mic 3:2, etc.; Jer 7:11). Keil thinks the prophet represents the people crowding together in fear. It is more natural to refer the expression to the abnormal assemblage of soldiers and fugitives within the walls of a besieged city. Septuagint, , “The daughter shall be wholly hemmed in;” Vulgate, Vastaberis, filia latronis. He hath laid siege. The enemy is spoken of by an abrupt change of person (comp. Isa 1:29). Against us. The prophet identifies himself with the besieged people. They shall smite the judge of Israel, etc. “The judge” represents the supreme authority, whether king or other governor (Amo 2:3); but he is called here “judge,” that the sacred name of king may not be spoken of as dishonoured. To smite upon the cheek is the grossest insult When Zion is thus besieged, and its rulers suffer the utmost contumely, its condition must look hopeless, Such a state of things was realized in the treatment of Zedekiah (2Ki 25:1-30.), and in many subsequent sieges of Jerusalem. But the underlying idea is that Israel shall suffer dire distress at the hands of her enemies until Messiah comes, and she herself turns to the Lord. The LXX. translates shophet, “judge,” by , “tribes,” but the other Greek translators give .
Mic 5:2
At the time of Zion’s deepest distress, and when her earthly king is suffering the grossest degradation, reduced as it were to the shepherd house at Bethlehem, a Deliverer shall arise thence who shall do wonderful things. This passage was quoted by the Sanhedrin to answer Herod’s question where the Christ was to be born (Mat 2:5, Mat 2:6; comp. Joh 7:42). But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah. Ephratah (Ephrathah, or Ephrath), “fruitfulness,” is another name for Bethlehem, “House of bread” (Gen 35:19; Gen 1:1-31 Saul Gen 17:12; Rth 1:2); from its position it is also called Bethlehem Judah (Jdg 17:7), being situated in the tribal lot of Judah, about five miles south of Jerusalem, and thus distinguished from a town of the same name in Zebulun(Jos 19:15). Septuagint, Alex.]. “And thou, Bethlehem, house of Ephrathah.” The rest of the clause is best translated, too little to be among the thousands of Judah. Each tribe was divided into “thousands,” which would be equivalent to clans, with its own head. Probably the reckoning was made of fighting men (see note on Zec 9:7; and comp. Num 1:16; Num 10:4; Jos 22:21, Jos 22:30; 1Sa 10:19). Bethlehem, called in the text Bethlehem Ephratah for solemnity’s sake, was a small place (, Joh 7:42), of such slight importance as not to be named among the possessions of Judah in Jos 15:1-63; or in the catalogue of Neh 11:25, etc. Yet out of thee shall he (one) come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel. In spite of its insignificance, this birthplace of David shall be the birthplace of Messiah. “Shall some forth” is spoken sometimes of birth and descent, as in Gen 17:6 and Gen 35:11; at other times it contains merely the notion of proceeding from, as in Jer 30:21. In the present ease both ideas are suitable. Unto me (Jehovah is speaking). To my praise and glory, to do my will. Micah by these words would recall the announcement concerning David made to Samuel, “I have provided me a king” (1Sa 16:1), and thus show the typical relation of David to the Messiah (Keil). Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. The meaning of the word rendered “goings forth” (motsaoth) is somewhat doubtful. Septuagint, : Vulgate, egressus. The Fathers see in it a declaration of the eternal generation of the Son: he who was born in time at Bethlehem hath an eternal existence. In this case the plural form of the word is a plural of majesty, or an abstract expression (comp. Psa 114:2, “dominions;” Isa 54:2. “habitations”). To Christians, who believe in the mystery of the Holy Trinity, the plural would express the continual generation or the Son from the Father from everlasting and to everlasting, never beginning and never ending; as the Council of Lateran says, “Without beginning ever and without end, the Father begetting, the Son being born (nascens), and the Holy Ghost proceeding.” Many commentators take the “goings forth” to be the ancient promises, the revelations of the Angel of the covenant to the patriarchs, the various preparations made in type and history for the appearance of the great Son of David in due time; but this is a forced interpretation of the word. Granted that Micah’s contemporaries understood the prophecy to state merely that a Saviour should arise from the lineage of David who traced his descent from hoar antiquity, and might be said to have lived in the days of old, this fact (if it be a fact) does not preclude us, with our more perfect knowledge, from seeing a deeper meaning in the inspired utterance, an adumbration of the nature of that Prince whom Isaiah calls “Everlasting” (Isa 9:6), the Word who “was in the beginning with God” (Joh 1:1, Joh 1:2). We may note certain contrasts in these two first verses. Zion, “the daughter of troops,” is contrasted with the mean and insignificant Bethlehem; yet the former shall be shamefully handled, the latter highly honoured; that one’s king shall be dethroned and disgraced, this one’s Ruler is from everlasting and to everlasting.
Mic 5:3
Therefore; i.e. because God hath designed to punish before delivering, and this deliverance is to arise from the little Bethlehem, not from Jerusalem. This presupposes that the house of David will have lost the throne and have been reduced to a low condition. Will he give them up. Jehovah will give up the people to its enemies; this is the way in which the house of David shall come to low estate. She which travaileth hath brought forth. Many commentators have taken the travailing woman to be the afflicted community of Israel, or Zion; but we may not altogether reject the old interpretation which regards this as a prophecy of the birth of Christ from the Virgin, in accordance with the received Messianic exposition of Isaiah’s great prediction, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive” (Isa 7:14). Such an announcement comes in naturally after the announcement of the Ruler coming forth from Bethlehem. Israel shall be oppressed until the time ordained when “she who is to bear” shall bring forth. Then (rather, and, i.e. until) the remnant of his brethren shall return unto (with) the children of Israel. The remnant of his brethren are the rescued of the Judaeans, who are the brethren of Messiah according to the flesh; these in a literal sense shall return from exile together with the others, and in a spiritual sense shall be converted and be joined with the true Israelites, the true seeder Abraham.
Mic 5:4
He shall stand. The Ruler, Messiah, shall stand as a good shepherd, guiding and ordering his flock, watchful and ready to aid and defend (comp. Eze 34:23; Joh 10:11). Septuagint, , “shall stand and see.” Feed; i.e. his flock. Septuagint, . In the strength of the Lord, with which he is invested and which he displays in the care of his people. In the majesty of the Name of the Lord his God. Messiah shall rule in all the power and glory with which God hath revealed himself on earth (comp. Isa 9:6; Mat 28:18; Joh 1:14). They shall abide; Septuagint, “they shall be.” The children of Israel shall sit, dwell, in rest and peace in their own land (Mic 4:4; Le 26:5, 6; Joe 3:20; Amo 9:14, Amo 9:15). The Vulgate, from a different pointing of the Hebrew, renders, convertentur. With this the Chaldee and Syriac agree. But this idea is already expressed in Mic 5:3. Now shall he be great. When the prophecy is fulfilled and Messiah is feeding his flock, his dominion shall extend unto the ends of the earth (comp, Mal 1:11, Mal 1:14; Psa 2:8; Psa 72:8; Luk 1:32).
Mic 5:5, Mic 5:6
9. Under Messiah‘s rule shall be peace. Cheyne considers these verses to have been inserted by an afterthought, either to explain the “many nations” and “many peoples” of Mic 4:11, Mic 4:13, or to rectify the omission of the period of foreign rule. This may be reasonably allowed; but it is not necessary to the explanation of the paragraph, which is merely a further description of Messiah’s kingdom.
Mic 5:5
And this Man shall be the Peace; and he shall be Peace; Vulgate, et erit iste Pax. This same Ruler will not only bring peace, and be the Author of peace, but be himself Peace; as Isaiah (Isa 9:5) calls him “Prince of Peace,” and St. Paul (Eph 2:14) “our Peace.” Peace personified (comp. Zec 9:9). It is best to put a full stop here, and remove the colon at “land” in the next clause. There may be an allusion to Solomon, the peaceful king, who erected the temple and whose reign exhibited the ideal of happy times. .Septuagint, , “and to her shall be peace.” When the Assyrian shall come. The prophet, in this and the following verses, shows what is that peace which Messiah shall bring. Asshur is named as the type of Israel’s deadliest foe, and as that which even then was threatening the kingdom: witness Sennaeherib’s invasion in Hezekiah’s time, when the angel of the Lord smote the alien army with sudden destruction (2Ki 19:1-37.). The prophecy looks forward to a far distant future, when the world power is strayed against God’s people; the details (as often in such prophecies) do not exactly suit the actual facts in contemporary history. Then shall we raise against him seven shepherds. We, the Israel of God, shall be enabled to repel the enemy. “Shepherds,” i.e. princes, and those in abundance. “Seven” is the perfect number, representing completeness and rest. And eight principal men; or, princes among men, appointed by the Ruler as his subordinates and representatives. These are said to be “eight,” to imply their great number: there should be a superabundance of able leaders. (On a similar use of numbers, see note on Amo 1:3.) The LXX. renders, , “eight attacks of men,” reading differently.
Mic 5:6
They shall waste. The word rendered “waste” (raah) is capable of two interpretations according as it is derived. It may mean “to break” or “to feed;” and in the latter sense may signify either “to eat up” or “to be shepherd over,” as the Septuagint, , The addition, with the sword, however, limits the explanation, whichever verb we refer it to. These leaders shall not only defend their own land against the enemy, but shall carry the war into the hostile territory, conquer it, and rule with rigour (for the phrase, comp. Psa 2:9; Rev 2:27; Rev 12:5). True religion has always a war to wage with error and worldliness, but shall conquer in the power of Christ. The land of Nimrod. This is taken by some commentators to mean Babylon, the other great enemy of the Church of God. But Babylon is nowhere in Scripture called “the land of Nimrod,” though Nimrod is connected with Babel in Gen 10:10; and the term is better explained here as a synonym of Assyria, used to recall the “rebel” (so Nimrod is interpreted) who founded the first empire (Gen 10:8-12), and gives the character to the kingdom of this world. In the entrances thereof; literally, in the gates thereof; i.e. in the cities and fortresses, corresponding to the “palaces” of Gen 10:5 (comp. Isa 3:26; Isa 13:2; Nah 3:13). Septuagint, , with her trench;” Vulgate, in lanceis ejus, which, if the Hebrew he taken as Jerome reads it, will he in close parallelism with the words in the preceding clause, “with the sword.” Thus (and) he shall deliver us. Israel has to undergo much tribulation and many struggles, but Messiah shall save her.
Mic 5:7-9
10. The people under Messiah‘s rule have a mission to execute; they are to be not only conquerors, but saviours also.
Mic 5:7
First, Israel in God’s hands shall be an instrument of life and health to the nations. The remnant of Jacob. The faithful, Messianic Israel, as Mic 4:7; Isa 10:21. Many people; rather; many peoples (Mic 4:11,Mic 4:13); so in Isa 10:8. The LXX. inserts , “among the nations,” as in Isa 10:8. As a dew from the Lord. Converted Israel shall act as Messiah himself in refreshing and stimulating the nations. Receiving grace from him, she shall diffuse it to others. (For the metaphor of dew thus used, comp. Deu 32:2; Hos 14:6.) It is especially appropriate in a country where from May to October the life of herbage depends chiefly on the copious dews (comp. Gen 27:28; Deu 33:13, Deu 33:28; Hag 1:10). As the showers upon the grass. The dew is called “showers” as appearing to descend in a multitude of drops. That tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. This refers to the dew, which is wholly the gift of God, and is not artificially supplied by man’s labour, as Egypt is “watered by the foot” (Deu 11:10). So grace is God’s free, unmerited gift, and will come upon the nation! in his good time and way. The LXX. has here a curious rendering, , which Jerome explains of the obdurate Gentiles who continue in unbelief, “as lambs upon the grass, that none may assemble nor withstand among the sons of men.”
Mic 5:8
Secondly, Israel shall be a terrible power among the nations, and invincible in strength. (“Nova theocratica agit suaviter et fortiter” (Knabenbauer). As a lion. The Lamb of God is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5; Num 23:24), and he “is set for the fall and rising again of many” (Luk 2:34). In his irresistible strength Israel shall overcome all enemies. So Judas Maccabaeus is compared to a lion (1Mal Mic 3:4).
Mic 5:9
The prophet’s exulting prayer for the success of his people. Thine band shall be, etc.; rather, let thine hand be lifted up; and so in the next clause, “let thine enemies be out off.” The phrase, “high be thy hand upon, or over,” recalls the expression in Exo 14:8, “The children of Israel went out with an high hand” (comp. Num 33:3; Isa 26:11; and our idiom, “to get the upper hand”). (For the promise contained in the prayer, see Isa 60:12.)
Mic 5:10-15
11. Messiah shall destroy all the instruments of war, and put down all idolatry, having taught his people to rely upon him alone.
Mic 5:10
In that day. When Messiah’s kingdom is established. Micah depicts the interior perfection of the Church, as he had before explained its relation to external nations. Horses chariots. The things most used in attack and defence, and forbidden by God as betraying distrust in his providence (comp. Deu 17:16; Isa 2:7; Zec 9:10). In the reign of the Prince of Peace all war shall cease (Isa 9:4-6).
Mic 5:11
Cities. Abodes of luxury and pride. From Messiah’s kingdom all pomp and vain glory shall be shut out. Strongholds. Such defences shall not be needed nor allowed (comp. Isa 2:15; Zec 2:4, Zec 2:5).
Mic 5:12
Witchcrafts. Magic and sorcery, which were much practised in Syria and Palestine, as in Chaldea, the literature of which country consists in great part of spells and charms. It is to the belief in the efficacy of such incantations that we owe the episode of Balak and Balaam (Numbers 22-24.), and the enactments in the Law; e.g. Deu 18:10, etc. (comp. Isa 2:6; Isa 47:12). Septuagint, , “thy poisons;” Vulgate, maleficia. Soothsayers; properly, cloud diviners, or storm makers; either persons who professed to divine by means of the shape and colour of clouds, or, as the old Scandinavian witches, charlatans who assumed the power of musing and directing storms. Cheyne compares the common name of sorcerers among savages, “rain makers.”
Mic 5:13
Graven images, of stone or metal (Le 26:1). Standing images; Septuagint, , “thy columns;” Vulgate, statuas tuas These are stone images or pillars dedicated to false gods (1Ki 14:23). A pillar to mark a place consecrated to the worship of the Lord was allowed (see Gen 28:18; Gen 31:13, Gen 31:45; Isa 19:17). It was when this custom degenerated into idolatry that it was sternly denounced (Deu 16:22; Deu 27:15, etc.).
Mic 5:14
Thy groves (Asherim); Exo 34:13; Deu 7:5, etc. Ashersh was a Canaanitish goddess, whose worship was celebrated with licentious rites. She corresponds to the Ashtoreth of the Phoenicians and Ishtar of the Assyrians, and seems to have been adored as the goddess of the productive power of nature. Her symbol was a tree or a wooden post. So (and) will I destroy thy cities; i.e. those cities which have been the centres of idolatry, or are especially connected with such worship (comp. Amo 5:5). The word rendered “cities” has by some been translated, and by others has been so altered as to be translated, “adversaries;” but there is no variety in the reading, or in the rendering of the ancient versions (except the Targum); and, explained as above, it is no mere repetition of the thought in Deu 7:11.
Mic 5:15
The time of Messiah is the era when judgment shall fall on the obdurate heathen. Such as they have not heard; rather, which have not hearkened, which are disobedient. Septuagint, “Because they hearkened not” (comp. Isa 66:15-18; Joe 3:9, etc.; Zep 3:8; Hag 2:22; 2Th 1:7-10). It is implied that some of the heathen will hearken to the revelation of Jehovah by the Messiah.
HOMILETICS
Mic 5:2
Bethlehem Ephratah.
I. THE NAME OF THE PLACE IS VERY SUGGESTIVE. Bethlehem; i.e. “House of bread.” Ephratah; i.e. “Fruitfulness.” Both thus signified plenty, abundance, fertility. They were most appropriate as designating the spot, for fertility has been and is still characteristic of that locality. “It is now a large village, beautifully situated on the brow of a high hill, which commands an extensive view of the surrounding mountainous country, and rises in parterres of vineyards, almond groves, and fig plantations, watered by gentle rivulets that murmur through the terraces; and is diversified by towers and wine presses”. The place in its rich fruitfulness was symbolical of that spiritual abundance which should be secured to the world by him who is “the Bread of life” (Joh 6:33-35), and the seed corn to fall into the ground and die, and thus to bring forth much fruit (Joh 12:24).
II. THE LOWLINESS OF THE PLACE IS ALSO SUGGESTIVE. From Num 1:5-16 and Num 10:4 we learn that each of the tribes of Israel had its thousands of fighting men, each thousand having its appointed leader; whilst from the Book of Joshua we gather that this appointment was continued after the settlement of Canaan (Jos 22:21, Jos 22:30). So insignificant, however, was Bethlehem that it could make but a small contribution towards this arrangement, and hence was “least among the thousands of Judah.” Yet upon this lowly place honour was to be conferred in the birth there of the world’s Redeemer. The small was to become great, and the mean exalted. Around its plains the glory of the Lord should shine, and the songs of angels should resound, chanting the natal song, “Glory to God in the highest,” etc. (Luk 2:14). And if a humble village through its connection with the Christ of God became thus exalted, much more surely shall human hearts and lives. Associated with him, they who, judged by the world’s standards, are accounted mean and despicable, secure to themselves present dignity and eternal honour.
III. THIS PROPHECY RESPECTING THE MESSIAH‘S LOWLY BIRTHPLACE LIVED IN THE MEMORIES AND HEARTS OF GOD‘S ANCIENT PEOPLE. Two striking confirmations of this are given in the Gospels.
1. In connection with the visit of the Magians to Jerusalem. Herod in his alarm gathered the Jewish Sanhedrin together, and imperiously demanded information from the priests and scribes as to where, in accordance with Jewish traditions, the Messiah was to be born. And their reply (Mat 2:5, Mat 2:6) indicates that they had in their memory this prophecy by Micah; whilst the readiness with which they replied to the inquiry of Herod manifests how clearly this prophecy had become impressed upon the Jewish mind.
2. In connection with Christ’s appearance in Jerusalem at “the Feast of Tabernacles.” His hearers, moved by his marvellous teaching, began to acknowledge him as the Messiah, when lo! the Pharisees cried, “Shall Christ came out of Galilea? Hath not the Scripture said that Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of Bethlehem, where David was?” (Joh 7:42). It is evident that these Pharisees knew all about this ancient prediction, and that they expected the Messiah, in accordance with it, to appear in Bethlehem. Note
IV. THE REMARKABLE FULFILMENT, IN THE ORDER OF PROVIDENCE, OF THIS NATIONAL EXPECTATION. The decree went forth from Caesar Augustus that all the Roman world should be enrolled (Luk 2:1). The emperor, in issuing the decree, thought only of his imperial authority and the glory of the empire; but God was working through all, and making the earthly kingdom to serve the heavenly, and bringing about the fulfilment of the prophecy that in Bethlehem the Christ should appear. So, earthly princes and potentates, statesmen and diplomatists, are ever at work, thinking only of the interests of their own nations; but above all is the God of nations, the supreme Ruler, sitting on the throne of his majesty in perfect repose, and overruling all to the accomplishment of his purposes of love and mercy towards the whole race (Pro 21:1; Pro 16:33).
Mic 5:2
The nature of the Messiah’s rule. That is to be Ruler in Israel.
In the first verse Micah had spoken of the failure of earthly rulers. “The judge of Israel should be smitten with a rod upon the cheek.” The rulers who had so lamentably failed in their administration should come to nought, but there should rise up in the time appointed “a King to reign in righteousness,” and who should establish a kingdom which should never be moved. Unfortunately, however, in the Jewish mind, the nature of this kingdom took a visible shape; and they anticipated that the Messiah should establish a kingdom which should be marked by regal splendour and worldly power. Hence, when he appeared, the appeal was made to him to free them from paying tribute to Caesar (Mat 22:17-22); to sit in judgment, and to settle disputes (Luk 12:13; Joh 8:2-11); and they sought to take him by force, and to compel him to set up his throne (Joh 6:15). And it is easy to understand how that, cherishing these mistaken notions, the Christ of God became an enigma to them; and that, disappointed in the course he pursued, they turned aside from him, cherished hostility towards him, and even cried, “Away with him! crucify him!” But, for all this, in the spiritual sense predicted by Micah and others, he was the true King of Israel, and his claim can be fully vindicated. He was “Ruler in Israel” in a far higher and nobler sense than David and his successors had ever been the sovereigns of the people. The functions which Jesus declined to fulfil were, after all, the lesser and inferior functions of the King of Israel. The higher functions were those which the Lord God himself had fulfilled in relation to the Jewish nation, and before that nation in the pride of its heart had demanded an earthly ruler. God had been their King. David and his successors were but Jehovah’s deputies, and were appointed by him to discharge the lesser and secondary functions; but them were higher functions, which Jehovah alone had fulfilled. It was he who by his appointment and power had separated that people from among the nations, and it was he who of his infinite wisdom framed those Divine laws by which the people thus separated were to be governed, and in obedience to which they were to find happiness and security. And Christ Jesus became in the highest sense “the Ruler in Israel,” in that he came to gather a people to his praise out of the wreck and ruin sin had wrought among the nations, and to give them that Christian law of rectitude and righteousness, of mercy and love, the embodiment and perfecting of all previous revelations, and in following which there should be experienced the truest peace and the most abiding joy. He came to set up on earth “the kingdom of heaven” and to establish amongst men a Divine and heavenly rule. His is not a kingdom of the senses, but of the spirit; it consists not in “meat and drink,” but in “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom 14:17). He is “the Ruler,” and the principles of his rule are such as, finding a lodgment in the heart and drawing the soul to him in loving loyalty and devotion, renders it true and good, holy and happy. And all that is needed in order to render the world sin has blighted bright and blessed, is that his rulership be universally acknowledged and his reign be established in every human soul.
“Hark the glad sound, the Saviour comes,
The Saviour promised long;
Let every heart prepare a throne,
And every voice a song.”
Mic 5:2 (last clause)
The eternal goings forth of the Christ of God.
“When he says his beginnings are from the beginning, from the days of antiquity, he shows his pre-existent nature, as when he says he will go forth as Ruler to feed his people Israel he shows his temporal birth” (Chrysostom) “Going forth is here opposed to going fortha going forth out of Bethlehem to a going forth from eternity; a going forth which then was still to come, to a going forth which had been long ago, from the days of eternity. The word expresses pre-existence, an eternal existence backwards as well as forwards, the incommunicable attribute of God” (Pusey, in loc.). The expression here naturally leads us to think of the words with which St. John commences his Gospel (Joh 1:1). We can offer no explanation as to how this could be. We fully acknowledge the difficulty, and which lies within the Divine nature itself. We bow before the mystery. “God is great, and we know him not.” Reason is baffled when it inquires concerning the Divine Personality; but where reason cannot penetrate, faith can reverentially and tranquilly rest. And certainly the Prophet Micah here, and the Evangelist John in the prologue to his Gospel, claimed no more for the Messiah than the Christ claimed for himself (comp. Joh 6:62; Joh 8:58; Joh 17:5, Joh 17:24; Rev 1:8). This eternal Son of God is presented to us here in his Divine manifestations; for the seer speaks of “his goings forth.“
I. TRACE THESE “GOINGS FORTH.” We may do so:
1. In creation. In view of his oneness with God, this is declared to have been his work (Joh 1:3; Col 1:16, Col 1:17).
2. In providence. In feeding the Old Testament in its allusions to the Divine care exercised over eminent saints of God, we find a Divine exalted Personage occasionally referred to as manifesting himself to suchto Abraham (Gen 18:1-33.); to Jacob (Gen 32:24, Gen 32:30) to the Israelites through Moses (Exo 23:20, Exo 23:21); to Joshua (Jos 5:13-15). There are insuperable difficulties if we simply regard these as angelic ministries expressive of the Divine care over the good as the God of providence. It would not have been said in reference to any angel, “Provoke him not, for he will not pardon your transgressions;” nor would any mere angelic intelligence have accepted the adoration of Joshua, but would have said, “See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant,” etc. (Rev 22:9). The most reasonable conclusion is that these were the “goings forth” in providence of the pre-existent Son of God.
3. In grace.
(1) In the counsels of the Godhead. Man by transgression mournfully departed from his God. He lost the Divine favour and the light of the Divine countenance. And when his condition became helpless and hopeless, lo! Divine interpositions with a view to his salvation. And it was in the depths of the compassion of the eternal Son of God that the stream of Divine mercy took its rise, and which shall flow on to bless the whole world; and from him, “the Sun of Righteousness,” has emanated the cheering ray of Hope to ruined man. Nor, in speaking thus of the love of the eternal Son, do we slight the love of the eternal Father. Observe, in this verse God, speaking of his Son, says. “He shall come forth unto me,” meaning surely that Christ, in his incarnation, with all that was thus involved of mercy and grace, would, in rescuing and restoring man, fulfil the Divine purpose and accomplish the Divine will. The Divine Father is no wrathful Being, needing to be appeased by the sacrifice of his Son. The Father “so loved the world, that he gave,“ etc. (Joh 3:16). The eternal Spirit, too, strives and pleads with men. There never has been schism in the eternal counsels. The mercy that saves us had its origin in the free and unbought love of the Godhead.
(2) In the life and work of the incarnate Christ. The life of Jesus is the most wonderful ever lived in the flesh. The lives of patriarchs, prophets, and righteous men through all ages pale in the presence of this life. “Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” “His goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting;” but none of his manifestations has ever equalled that which took place when he clothed himself in the veil of our mortal flesh, and enabled man, through his perfect character and self-sacrificing work, to behold expressed in their very midst the glory of the Lord.
II. CONNECT THESE “GOINGS FORTH” WITH WHAT WAS PREDICTED HERE RESPECTING THE ADVENT OF CHRIST. As we behold him in his eternal existence and glory, Creator of all things, the Giver of life, the Imparter of light, manifesting himself in all the departments of the Divine operation; and then think of him as condescending to the limitations and conditions of our humanity, humbling himself to “the poor manger” at Bethlehem, and “the bitter cross” at Calvary, we are filled with wonder; yet love also inflames and inspires our souls. With profoundest gratitude and holiest joy we raise our carols. As we think of him as “the Ancient of days” and also the Babe of Bethlehem, our hearts are drawn to him, and we are impelled to adopt as our own the strain of Micah’s great contemporary Isaiah, and to sing exultantly, “For unto us a Child is born,” etc. (Isa 9:6).
Mic 5:3
Success; but in God’s own time.
There is a certain degree of ambiguity about these words, yet amidst this we find certain practical teachings very clearly enunciated.
I. WE ARE REMINDED OF DELAYS IN THE DIVINE WORKING. Seven hundred years must elapse ere the predictions respecting the advent of the Redeemer should be fulfilled and “the time” come. God’s purposes in grace, as well as in nature and providence, are developed gradually. He makes demands upon human patience, bidding us wait. He often, by slow processes, brings to pass that which he has planned. “Rest in the Lord,” etc. (Psa 37:7).
II. WE ARE REMINDED OF THE WITHDRAWAL OF PRIVILEGE. “Therefore will he give them up until,” etc. The favoured people had slighted the privileges, which God had so richly bestowed upon them. He had not dealt so graciously with any other nation, but the blessings granted they had failed to improve, and hence these were now to be withdrawn. God had delivered them from their foes, but now they were to go into the land of captivity. The precious symbols of his near presence with them were no longer to be seen. The voice of prophecy, too, should soon become silent. Through sad and solemn losses they were to be led to look with ardent hope to the seining of “the Consolation of Israel.”
III. WE ARE REMINDED HERE OF ULTIMATE GLORIOUS INCREASE “Then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.” Some limit these words to the conversion of the Jews, and understand by “the children of Israel” the true spiritual Israelites like Simeon and Anna, who waited for the advent of a spiritual Redeemer, and regard the words as intimating that to these in Messianic times there should be gathered “the remnant of Christ’s brethren,” i.e. the more spiritually minded amongst his own nation who should be constrained to welcome him to their hearts, and to consecrate themselves to his service. According to this interpretation the prophecy received its partial fulfilment in the conversion of the Jews in apostolic times, and shall yet be more completely fulfilled when the Jewish nation shall be brought in, and when “all Israel shall be saved.” Others, however, give the words s yet wider meaning, and understand by “brethren” all who “hear the Word of God and keep it,” and who are obedient to the will of Christ’s Father and theirs, whether they be Jews or Gentiles; and see in these words a pre-intimation in prophetic times of the coming of that happy am when “the Ruler in Israel” shall sway his sceptre over a ransomed and redeemed world. And to that bright day of God we look on with longing hearts. Dawn upon our darkened world it surely will. God has not totally “given up” and abandoned our sin-stricken and sin-stained world. Even his withdrawals are with a view to the spiritual good of his children, and are followed, when the discipline is accomplished, by brighter and more glorious manifestations of his love and grace. “At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess him Lord.” His kingdom shall come, and his “will be done on earth, even as it is done in heaven.”
Mic 5:4
The ministering Christ.
The whole of this chapter is more or less occupied with graphic descriptions of the Christ of God drawn ages before he appeared, and setting forth his nature, his work, and his influence upon the world and the race. A little child has been called “an unsolved problem,” We dare not be so bold as to attempt to forecast the future of any child. This, however, is done here respecting the “Babe of Bethlehem.” Distinct Divine pre-intimations were given concerning the destiny of this mighty Child, and to which he has proved himself gloriously true. Here he is presented to us as the ministering Christ. We have predicted here
I. THE HOLY MINISTERING LIFE OF THE CHRIST OF GOD. “And he shall stand and feed,” etc. (Mic 5:4). It was thus declared that the very coming of Christ would be a descent with a view to helpfulness. In his advent the lofty would descend to the low, the strong to the feeble, for the express purpose of ministering unto them in order that he might lift up the fallen and restore the erring, and strengthen the weak by his own great might and love, This ministering character of the life of the Christ who was to appear was set forth by this and other Hebrew seers under the figure of a shepherd tending his flock. This was natural in view of the national history. The Jewish people gloried in David as one raised from the sheepfold to the throne, and rejoiced in him as their shepherd king. Hence with appropriateness the prophets referred to “great David’s greater Son” under this simple yet beautiful emblem. The allusions, too, were in harmony with the destined birthplace of the Messiaha locality so thoroughly pastoral in its character, and upon the plains of which district the Eastern shepherds kept constant watch. The emblem is admirably suggestive of the character and work of the Messiah, setting forth:
1. His gentleness; the weak, the tired, the tempted, the erring, being tended by him with patient love (Isa 40:11).
2. His watchfulness. “He shall stand,” etc. (Mic 5:4); the posture indicating alertness, readiness to protect and defend.
3. His succors. He should “feed’ the flock, supplying abundantly the spiritual wants of his people, and fully satisfying the longings and aspirations of their hearts. The records of the evangelists indicate how truly “ministering” in character the life of Christ was, and how that the most trusty shepherd watching over the flock committed to his charge but faintly images his wondrous care (Mat 20:28). His followers are to emulate his example, and to live ministering lives (Mat 20:26, Mat 20:27). He, as “the Man Christ Jesus,” pursued his course of holy service “in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the Name of the Lord his God.” And this Divine influence is available to all his servants.
II. THE PROSPERITY OF ALL WHO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF HIS MINISTERINGS AND WHO COMMIT THEMSELVES UNTO HIS CARE. “And they shall abide.”
1. The thought of rest is suggested. “And they shall abide;” literally, “sit.” The idea is the same as in Psa 23:2, “He maketh me to lie down,” etc. Delightful repose, rest for the weary. The pastures of sin are dry and parched, and its waters are troubled, and man seeks in vain therein freedom from unrest; but when the heart reposes in Christ, then it knows what it is to lie down on the pastures of tender grass and by the waters of quietness.
2. The thought of security is also suggested. They shall sit without fear of harm overtaking them, because he “stands,” their Guardian against all intrusion and invasion, ready as their champion to defend them from all peril, and to maintain their cause. So shall they dwell at rest and in security, and true prosperity be theirs perpetually. “And they shall abide.”
III. THE HONOUR WITH WHICH THE MINISTERING CHRIST, BY REASON OF HIS CONDESCENDING AND GRACIOUS SERVICE, SHALL BE CROWNED. “For now shall he be great unto: the ends of the earth.” “For now.” The far distant future was present to the prophet’s gaze as he uttered these words, and he referred to it as though it had already come. His faith had peered beyond the centuries intervening before the advent of the Messiah, and had rendered that event very real to him; and now he took by faith a yet wider range of vision, and locked on to the ages following the advent, and saw the ever-growing, ever-widening influence and honour the Christ should enjoy, and even beheld this as extending to earth’s remotest bounds. Long and weary ages had passed since the prophet of God uttered this prediction; and we today, in the partial fulfilment of his words, have every ground of encouragement to look on to their complete accomplishment. What name is so powerful to inspire within men the holiest emotions, and to move them to devoted consecration, as that of Jesus Christ? He is indeed “great” in the marvellous influence he exerts upon human hearts and lives; and despite all the discouragements which meet us in Christian service, we find this influence widening, and behold cheering signs of the coming of that bright day in which all the ends of the earth shall see his salvation, and the assurance of the angel Gabriel to Mary be fully realized (Luk 1:32, Luk 1:33). Let us make room for One who comes with such eager gladness to bind up the world’s wounds, and to pour into them the balm of his healing love. Let us yield to his holy and heavenly ministerings, and cast ourselves upon his loving, gentle care. True happiness and peace shall then be ours. The path of usefulness shall open out before us here, and in the day of his complete triumph we shall be sharers with him in his victory, and whoa his glory shall be revealed we also shall be glad with exceeding joy (1Pe 4:13).
Mic 5:5, Mic 5:6
The Prince of Peace.
Solomon as well as David was a type of Christ; and just as Micah, when he said (verse 4), “He shall stand and feed,” etc; probably thought of the shepherd youth, raised to the throne of Israel, as typical of Israel’s spiritual King, who would eventually appear and bring heavenly strength and succour to a needy world, so when he added respecting the Messiah, “And this Man shall be the Peace,“ he thought of the peaceful rule of Solomon, and saw in this a symbol of that spiritual tranquillity which the Christ, the greater than Solomon, should, through his appearing, bring to human hearts, and ultimately to the world at large. And the same characteristic of the Messiah was present to the mind of Isaiah, and found expression in one of the titles employed by him in that remarkable cluster of designations (see Isa 9:6), so rich in spiritual significance”The Prince of Peace.” The text applies to
I. THE DISTRACTIONS WHICH ARISE TO US IN OUR PERSONAL LIFE.
1. In our sinfulness we find peace in Christ. Sin is attended by distraction. It separates from God, the true Source of rest. It creates inward disquiet; for whilst when we do right conscience approves, “in whisper gentle and secret, like the murmur of a brook beneath the foliage,” yet when we do wrong its accusations prey upon the spirit as with a fever’s strength. And there is no deliverance from all this disquietude but in Christ (Mat 11:28; Rom 5:1).
2. In our sorrowfulness we find peace in Christ. He traverses the stormy seas of sorrow, and these adverse waves obey his voice. Amidst all the strifes and struggles of our life occasioned by our darker experiences he can give our spirits rest. Though in the world we must have tribulation, yet in him we have peace.
3. In our intellectual questionings and doubtings we find peace in Christ. The spirit of inquiry is rife in this age. Increased light is being shed upon various questions, and may necessitate the laying aside of opinions and forms of thought, long cherished. But, amidst this shaking and uprooting, the historical Christ remains, and his words, so charmingly simple and clear, so confident and reassuring, abide forever. And reposing with childlike trust in him and in his utterances, in which he has revealed to us the true way of life here, and has assured us of a blessed immortality with him hereafter, all mental unrest ceases, and our minds stayed thus shall ever be kept at perfect rest. “And this Man shall be the Peace.”
II. THE DIFFERENCES WHICH PREVAIL BETWEEN CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES.
1. From within. There will be such differences. Truth is many-sided, and our mental constitution varies. But amidst these diversities there is a centre of unityChrist himself. Sharing his spirit, and being under the inspiration of his love, men become united in heart, and, despite their differences, are mane one through the possession of a common life and love. This is the true unity, the being one in life, and therefore in spirit, aim, endeavour, and in sympathy with our Father who is in heaven, and with his Christ, who came to save his people from all selfishness and sin, and to establish a universal brotherhood amongst men. It was for this that the great Intercessor prayed in his memorable high priestly prayer (Joh 17:21).
2. From without. Verses 5 and 6 dearly refer to assaults from without. Whether we take the reference to Assyria metaphorically or literally, the allusion must be to external attacks. And God in Christ is the Refuge and Strength of his Church, and amidst these will keep her in perfect peace whilst she rests in him (Psa 46:1-11.).
III. THE CONFLICTS BETWEEN NATIONS. It is mournful to reflect upon the method adopted, even by civilized and enlightened nations, in order to settle the disputes which arise between them. The appeal is made to the arbitrament of the sword. The heart sickens at the very thought of the battlefield, with all the suffering and desolation connected with it, and yearns with ardent desire for the coming of that bright day of God in which such strife shall cease. And our assurance of its coming rests upon Christ. Peace is a distinguishing characteristic of his holy gospel, which shall at length universally be accepted (Jas 3:17; Gal 5:22), and the acceptance of which shall be followed by peoples dwelling in amity and concord (Isa 11:6-9; Mic 4:3). Christ’s disciples should be eminently distinguished by this spirit of peace. No contentious jarring spirit, out of tune, and hence marring the harmony of the concert, should be found amongst them, but all their voices should be in agreement, thus producing the sweetest music (Psa 133:1-3.).
Mic 5:7-15
The spiritual influence of good men symbolized.
By “the remnant of Jacob” is intended the good who were to be found in the land of Judah; for in the most corrupt times God has ever had a people to show forth his praise. The expression may be taken as descriptive of good, holy, spiritual men; and it is here declared that these shall exert among the nations a gracious influence. Notice
I. THE SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE OF GOOD MEN IS HERE SET FORTH BY MEANS OF SYMBOLS.
1. This is likened to the influence of the dew and the rain (Mic 5:7). The symbol is suggestive of the preservative influence of the good. We know what a wasteful, scorching drought means to the natural world. Hills and dales, fields and downs, are arrayed in robes of sorrow. Branches that were covered with leaves have become “withered sprays.” Meadows that were clothed with grass have become converted into “short, unmowed hay.” Flocks once skipping about are pining through hunger and thirst. Earth’s fruits are become “abortive,” and her clods “stark and dry.” Clouds of dust sweep over her plains, and from her banks the river seems to shrink. And thus desolate spiritually had the world been but for the influence of good men. Between the time of “the early and latter rains” vegetable life in Palestine was entirely dependent upon the dew. It was this which kept vegetation from becoming dry and withered, and preserved the land from drought and desolation. And even so the influence of good men in the world is preservative. Bad as the world is today morally and spiritually, it is not so bad as it would have been save for the influence exerted by those who are under the motive force of pure and holy principles. This preservative influence of the good is silent, quiet, noiseless in its operation. How gentle is the dew, and how copious when all is calm and tranquil! And how gently the rain falls from heaven in the refreshing shower, penetrating deeply into the thirsty land! There is quiet power, yet very effectual withal. So is it with the influence of the good. In the olden time here referred to, when princes and nobles, priests and prophets, had corrupted their way, a remnant was to be found among the people, unknown ones for the most part, but who nevertheless by their holy virtues and heavenly graces kept piety alive, and whose influence upon society was as that of the dew upon the parched, needy ground. So shall it ever be that our God shall not be left without faithful witnesses to honour and glorify his great Name.
2. The other symbol employed here is that of the lion (Mic 5:8, Mic 5:9). This suggests the thought of courage, boldness, fearlessness, together with strength and might. “The remnant of Jacob” are ever such as dare to do right, who resolutely follow their convictions, who possess a strong sense of justice and rectitude, and who act upon this at all risks and costs. They “trust in God and do the right.” They are unyielding where true principle is at stake. “The wicked fleeth,” etc. (Pro 28:1). And ultimately the victory is with such. The unprincipled shall be subdued and go down before them, as surely as sheep yield before the beasts of the forest.
II. THIS MORAL AND SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE OF GOOD MEN THUS SET FORTH IS DIVINELY DERIVED. It cometh “from the Lord” (Mic 5:7). He alone can impart to us the quiet, refreshing, reinvigorating power typified by the dew and the showers; and he alone can make us valiant in the maintenance and defence of truth and righteousness. We need hence to be found constantly looking unto him, that, divinely strengthened and sustained, it may be manifest that we belong to “the remnant” through whom it is his purpose to fertilize and bless the world.
III. IN ORDER TO THIS BENEFICENT INFLUENCE BEING EXERTED THERE MUST BE PURITY OF HEART AND SEPARATION FROM EVIL. (Mic 5:10-14.) God’s ancient people were placed in the most favourable circumstances for being the medium of good W other nations and tribes; but, forgetful of their “high calling,” they yielded to the contaminating influences of the world around, and even exceeded the heathen nations in the practice of sin, and hence their honour was laid in the dust, and they were threatened with national decay. And for the comfort of “the remnant” the assurance was given that there should be brought about the purification of the Church (Mic 5:10-14). True spiritual influence is ever the outcome of true spiritual excellence. Would we be influential for good, we must “follow after holiness.” We must be watchful over our lips that we offend not with our tongues. All self-seeking, strifes, jealousies, must be put away from us. “Let every one that nameth,” etc. (2Ti 2:19). Then “God will bless us,” and through us others (Psa 67:1-7.).
IV. THIS SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE SHALL ULTIMATELY PREVAIL. (Mic 5:15.) Whilst evil sometimes appears victorious, the cause of truth and righteousness shall finally triumph. This chapter, which begins with declaring the coming of “the Babe of Bethlehem,” ends with a solemn declaration of the final discomfiture of all who oppose the sway of this “Ruler in Israel” (Mic 5:15). Array not yourselves “against the Lord and his Anointed.” His foes shall become his footstool. “Kiss the Son” (Psa 2:12).
HOMILIES BY E.S. PROUT
Mic 5:2
A new David: the lowliness and majesty of the Messiah.
Thoughts respecting the lowliness of the Messiah cluster around the reference to his birthplace. Bethlehem was so small and unimportant that it was “little to be among the thousands of Israel.” It was like one of our hamlets, not even attaining to the dignity of a parish. From this village there went forth a youth unknown to fame, and almost unnoticed among his own kindred (1Sa 16:11; Psa 78:70, Psa 78:71). Even after the establishment of David on the throne, his birthplace was allowed to remain in its former insignificance; or, if honoured for a time, sank into obscurity again (as Micah testifies), just as the royal family of David itself sank into such a low estate that it could be compared to the stump of a tree cut down and giving little promise of a renewed vigorous vitality (Isa 11:1). This lowly condition of both the home and the house of David corresponds to the debased condition of the Jewish Church at the time of the advent. It was “despised,” “hated,” “afflicted” (Isa 55:1-13 :14, 15). In that hamlet Jesus, the Christ, was born. Now note the contrasts that have followed.
1. Bethlehem has become one of the most notable places in the worlda theme for poets, a subject for artists, a goal for pilgrims. Its names have received a new and higher significance. Bethlehem has become a “house of bread” for a dying world; Ephratah has been “fruitful” in the richest blessings for the human race.
2. The family of David is now, through Jesus Christ, the most exalted family of the earth. Contrast the Ptolemies, Caesars, and other royal names.
3. The Jewish Church sprang to a now life. It has taken a place of supreme influence among the nations, not simply through Christ himself, but through the works and writings of his apostles and evangelists. Great as these blessings are already, we shall see greater things than these. “The kingdom” shall be restored, “yea, the former dominion shall come (Mic 4:8). For ages there had been “no king” (Mic 4:9), at the best only a temporary “judge” (Mic 5:1). Israel still held as its ideal king David the great. Its ideal should be more than realized. A new David shall come forth “unto me,” and in God’s Name and strength shall rule (Mic 5:4). Victory is promised under figures suggested By existing foes (Mic 5:5-9). In those spiritual triumphs of Jesus Christ we shall see the fulfilment of the predictions of his everlasting dominion. And in these victories of grace his nation will take a share, and will be still further glorious in the eyes of God and man (Isa 55:1-13, Isa 66:1-24, etc.). The prediction of a Ruler so mighty, yet of such lowly origin, prepares for the description of a still greater glory. And the fact of the power and influence in the world of the Babe of Bethlehem prepares us to receive, nay, more, requires us to believe in, his Divine dignity. The “coming forth” from Bethlehem can only be explained by previous “goings forth.” These words declare:
(1) The preexistence of the Messiah (Joh 8:58).
(2) His previous manifestations and operationsin creation (Joh 1:3), providence (Col 1:17; Heb 1:3), and as the Divine Angel of Jehovah (Gen 18:1-33; etc.).
(3) Eternal existence. Because thou art “from everlasting,” therefore “thou art God” (Psa 90:2; Joh 1:1). Nothing but the truth of the Deity of Christ can explain the predictions of him or unlock the mysteries of his character and his life. The more lowly his origin and all the facts of his earthly life, the more inexplicable his present majesty, unless we acknowledge him as personally Divine.E.S.P.
Mic 5:7-9
The gentleness and terribleness of the people of God.
“The remnant of Jacob” is the faithful few who remain loyal to God’s truth and the duty of the day, whether in the times of Elijah (1Ki 19:18), Uzziah (Isa 1:9), or Christ (Rom 11:5). The people of God, the Church of Christ dispersed among the “peoples” of the earth, have a twofold aspectgentleness and terribleness. This twofold aspect is seen in God (Exo 34:6, Exo 34:7; Psa 18:25, Psa 18:26; Isa 8:13, Isa 8:14), in Christ (Isa 28:16; Mat 21:42-44; Luk 2:34), who is both a “Lamb” and a “Lion;” and therefore in his people who are called into fellowship with himself. They are
I. GENTLE TO BLESS. Notice the figures.
1. “A dew from the Lord.“ The dew is of heavenly origin, and comes fresh from the hand of God (Job 38:28; cf. Joh 1:13; Joh 3:3, “from above”), reflecting God’s light, transparent and glistering (of. Mat 5:16; 2Co 1:12; Php 2:15, Php 2:16), evanescent and apparently one of the frailest of nature’s forces, yet powerful to quicken and sustain life that would otherwise perish (cf. Corinthians 1:26-28; 4:15; 2Co 4:12; Jas 5:19, Jas 5:20). Such spiritual qualifications in individuals made the Church of Christ a life-giving power. Issuing from Judaea, Christ’s disciples were as dew to the parched and perishing Roman world, both by their teaching (Deu 32:2) and still more by the testimony of the wondrous beauty of their lives (Psa 133:3). Therefore they were scattered abroadJohn to Asia, Thomas to India, Paul to Rome, etc.that the life-giving dew might be conveyed to the distant “peoples” of the earth.
2. “The showers upon the grass.“ Christ “shall come down like rain,” etc. (Psa 72:6), not only by his individual blessings, but through his people. Like the rain, they “tarried not for man.” Once the vision was seen and the appeal heard before the mission was commenced (Act 16:9); yet even then, as elsewhere, the prophecy was fulfilled in the disciples as well as the Master, “I am found of them that sought me not” (Isa 65:1). Nor did they depend upon or, “wait for the sons of men” (1Co 3:5-7). By both proclaiming and living God’s Word they became identified with the promise, and sharers in the blessing of the old Messianic predictions (Gen 22:18; Isa 55:10, Isa 55:11).
II. TERRIBLE TO VANQUISH OR DESTROY. Courage and fearlessness are implied, such as were promised (Luk 21:15) and enjoyed (Act 4:13-21; Act 5:29-42, etc.). But the lion is not always on the defensive. The Church of Christ, with its new doctrines, maxims, morals, and threats of a wrath to come, was terrible to the pagan world of the first century, with its foul gods, its godless creeds, its nameless immoralities, its revolting cruelties and crimes. The contrast of the “dew” and the “lion” may be marked even in the apostles’ teaching both to heathen and to professing Christians (Act 17:24 31; Act 24:24, Act 24:25; 2Co 5:11, 2Co 5:20; 2Co 13:1-11; 2Th 1:6-10). Its one object was to vanquish souls by destroying sin and bringing them into captivity to Christ. It trod down its foes and “went forth conquering and to conquer” (cf. Act 21:20; Rom 15:19; 2Co 2:14), till, less than two hundred years later, Tertullian could speak of the Christians thus: “We are but of yesterday, and we have filled every place among youcities, islands, fortresses, towns, marketplaces, the very camp, tribes, companies, palace, senate, forum; we have left nothing. to you but the temples of your gods” (‘Apology,’ c. 38). In a similar way the Church of the Reformation was terrible to the corruptions of the papacy, which it sought to “tear in pieces” with weapons not carnal, but spiritual. And today the true Church of Christ, with its lofty standards and ideals, is hateful to the world with its maxims of expediency and fraud, its sins and shams; and to many also who would claim the sacred name of Christian. Such foes of Christ and his people must submit (Isa 60:14) or perish (Isa 60:12). The Church of God will at last be terrible in the day of the destruction of those who love darkness rather than light, and who will be driven away in their wickedness. “The saints shall judge the world” (1Co 6:3; Jud 1Co 1:14, 1Co 1:15; Rev 19:11-15); “Let thine hand be lifted up,” etc. (verse 9).E.S.P.
HOMILIES BY A. ROWLAND
Mic 5:2
The promise of Messiah.
“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” This is one of the most definite of the Messianic prophecies. In the previous verse Micah foretells a period of deep degradation. The people of God would troop together before the invader, as sheep huddle together before a snowstorm. All resistance would prove vain. The judge would be smitten on the cheek, i.e. righteous rule and self rule would perish. But when things were at their worst a new Ruler would arise. He would come, not from the city of Jerusalem, but from the village of Bethlehem, so small a place that it was never reckoned amongst “the thousands” (the chief divisions of the tribe) of Judah. Yet he who came from that obscure birthplace would be “he whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” This prophecy was universally regarded as applicable to the Messiah. It was quoted by the scribes in their reply to Herod (Mat 2:6); and at a later period, when it was popularly supposed that Jesus was of Nazareth, it was used as an argument against those who believed him to be the Christ (Joh 7:42, etc.).
I. WHENCE CAME THE PROMISED KING?
1. In his origin he is Divine. “His goings forth,” etc. The prophet and the New Testament concur in asserting the pre-existence and Divinity of our Lord. Jehovah, speaking through the prophet, says, “he shall come forth unto me.” i.e. was a son is born to his father; and the disciples heard a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son,” etc. Micah says, “His goings forth have been from of old;” and in harmony with this John declares, “In the beginning was the Word,” etc. Divinity was a necessity to the Redeemer-King. He could not save humanity if he was simply part of it. He could not suffer as the spotless Lamb of God if it was true of him as of us, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity,” etc. In order to assume a true humanity he was “born of a woman;” but the active cause of his earthly being was not in man, but in God. Hence Gabriel said, “That holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of the Highest.” “The Word was made flesh,” etc. Signs of his Divine origin may be seen in the accompaniments or his birththe angels’ song; the effect of the emperor’s edict in bringing Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem; the star seen in the east; the Scripture evidence (Mat 2:6) unwittingly adduced by the scribes; the general expectation which presaged the advent, as the fragrance of the spice islands foretells to the sailor that they are near. The Babe of Bethlehem was the Son of God.
2. In his birth he was human. In spite of its association with David and with Ruth, Bethlehem never became great. From the first God chose “things despised.” To a people like the Jews, to whom names were never without significance, these in the text would be suggestive. Bethelehem the “House of bread.” was the birthplace of him who spoke of himself as “the Bread of life” (Joh 6:1-71.). Ephratah, the old and still the poetic name of the village, signifying “the Fruit field,” was connected with him who was the seed corn of the worm’s life (Joh 12:24). Had he been born in Jerusalem, an earthly policy might have sought to use him; but being born in Bethlehem, only loyal hearts welcomed him, so that the cradle, like the cross, tested men. Further, had Jerusalem been his birthplace, it might have been considered the world centre of his kingdom, which we know is “not of this world.”
II. WHAT IS THE NATURE OF HIS RULE?
1. He reigns by lawful right. If he is “from everlasting,” we should approach him with reverence. Insistence on Christ’s humanity has been of advantage in making him less a theological abstraction, and more manifestly our Brother; but there is some danger of our forgetting his royal dignity. The familiar expressions, “dear Jesus,” “my Jesus,” etc; are too lightly used of our Lord. Nor are we justified in speaking of him as one superior to other teachers merely in his moral excellence and mental power. Ours should be the reverence of Thomas, who exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!”
2. He reigns by the power of love. Because he will only rule thus he lost, and is losing, an earthly kingdom. If he appeared in the glory of his power, defiance would break down, hesitation would cease. Yet he is satisfied that instead of this men should be stirred by an exhortation the effect of which may soon pass. Why? Because he only cares for willing service; he would not weaken moral responsibility, and would only have that sway which is deepest and widest, because truest. His is not the power of a tyrant who is repressing by force the aspirations of his people, but the influence of a father who bids his child do something which he is free to leave undone, though he is confident the child, for love’s sake, will do more than he says.
3. He reigns for the welfare of his people. Note the association of “feed” and “rule” in Scripture. David had training for the exercise of royal power, and at the same time saw a type of it, in his care for the sheep at Bethlehem. Show how Christ used the figure of the shepherd to denote his work and sacrifice. Contrast his reign and its issues with that of many an earthly monarch.
III. WHO ARE THE SUBJECTS OF HIS SWAY? Not always those whom we should expect. Not the scribes, with their knowledge and preparation and responsibility as religious leaders. Not the Jewish people, who did not find their expectations fulfilled in the Babe of Bethlehem, the Lad of Nazareth, the Prophet of Galilee. “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” Who are the “Israel” nowheirs of the promises? The men who have come from a far country like the Magians, because they seek holiness and truth; the women like Mary, whose hearts are big with hope of “sweeter manners, purer laws;” the children who pray with all their hearts, “Thy kingdom come;” the busy men like Joseph, who are struggling with temptation, and wanting help and hope outside themselves; the sinful and outcasts, who find rest at Jesus’ feet, etc. These are the heirs of Jacob, who at Bethel gained his name “Israel;” for they see in Christ the ladder that reaches heaven, though its foot rests on earth; they pledge themselves to serve him, and in agonizing prayer say, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.”
CONCLUSION. May we have given to us of God some thought which shall be to us what the star in the East was to the Wise Men, that we may say, “Where is he who is born to be King? for we have seen his star and have come to worship him”!A.R.
HOMILIES BY D. THOMAS
Mic 5:1
The Church of God.
“Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.” The prophet, as if fearful that his previous promises would be somewhat too reassuring, so that the people would lose the due impression of the perils to which they would be exposed, here reminds them of the calamities which would befall them before the promised prosperity would be realized. “O daughter of troops!” Jerusalem was so called on account of the numerous troops that it possessed. “He hath laid siege against us.” That is, the enemy haththe invading army. “He shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek” Zedekiah, the judge or king of Israel (Amo 2:3), was so insulted by the Chaldeans as if he had been smitten on the checks To smite on the cheek was esteemed by the Orientals the greatest affront. This insult, we know, was offered by the nation to him who is the “Prince of the kings of the earth.” “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheek to them that plucked out the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting” (Isa 50:6). It is perfectly legitimate to take these words as a symbolical portrait of the Church of God. Look at it
I. AS MILITANT IN ITS CHARACTER. Jerusalem is addressed as “daughter of troops.” As Jerusalem was a military city, containing a great body of soldiers within her walls, so is the Church on earth; it is military. The life of all true men here is a battle; all are soldiers, bound to be valiant for the truth. They are commanded to fight the good fight, to war the good warfare. They are to “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and spiritual wickednesses in high places.” The warfare is spiritual, righteous, indispensable, personal. No one can fight the battle by proxy.
II. AS PERILOUS IN ITS POSITION. “He hath laid siege against us.” The dangerous condition of Jerusalem, when the Chaldean army surrounded its walls in order to force an entrance, is only a faint shadow of the perilous position of the Church of God. It is besieged by mighty hosts of errors and evil passions, and mighty lusts that “war against the soul.” Hosts of enemies are encamped round every human soul. The siege is planned with strategic skill and with malignant determination. How it becomes every spirit to be on its watch tower, fully armed for the fight of defence I “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God,” etc. (Eph 6:13).
III. AS INSULTED BY ITS ENEMIES. “They shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.” Were the enemies of Christianity ever more insolent than in this age? And their insolence, we regret to state, has been encouraged by the brainless utterances and doings of religious fanatics. The argumentative opponents of conventional evangelicism seem to me mere insulting in their spirit and behaviour than ever.
IV. AS SUMMONED TO ACTION. “Now gather thyself in troops.” The men of Jerusalem are here commanded by Heaven to marshal their troops and to prepare for battle, since the enemies are outside their walls. Far more urgent is the duty of the Church to collect, arrange, and concentrate all its forces against the mighty hosts that encompass it. “Let us not sleep as do others;” “let us quit ourselves like men,” etc. “Gather thyself in troops.”
“Sounds the trumpet from afar!
Soldiers of the holy war,
Rise! for you your Captain waits;
Rise! the foe is at the gates.
“Arm! the conflict has begun;
Fight! the battle must be won;
Lift the banner to the sky,
Wave its blazing folds on high.”
D.T.
Mic 5:2
Christ.
“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” For the sake of continuity we here transfer thoughts on this passage which have appeared before. Our subject is Christ, and the text leads us to consider
I. HIS BIRTH AS THE SON OF MAN. Two remarks are suggested here.
1. He was born in obscurity. “But thou, Bethlehem,” etc. Bethlehem Ephratah, where Jacob says, “Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come into Ephrath: the same is Bethlehem” (Gen 48:7), or Bethlehem-Judah, so called to distinguish it from Bethlehem in Zebulon. It is a few miles southwest of Jerusalem Bethlehem means “the House of bread;” Ephrath means “Fruitful;” both names referring to the fertility of the region. “Though thou be little among”though thou be scarcely large enough to be reckoned among, etc. It was insignificant in size and population, so that in Jos 15:21 it is not enumerated among the cities of Judah; nor in the list in Neh 11:25. Under Rehoboam it became a city (2Ch 11:6). He built even Bethlehem. The scribes quotation of Micah, in answer to Herod’s inquiry prompted by the Wise Men of the East, who asked, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews?” (Mat 2:6), seems to contradict Micah, thou art not the least, but the contradiction is only seeming. What is meant in Matthew is that though “thou art least in worldly importance, thou art morally greatest, inasmuch as thou art the birthplace of the Messiah.” Why was this Illustrious One thus born in such obscurity? He had what no other man ever hadthe power of selecting his own parentage and birthplace. He might have been born of royalty and nursed in a palace. No doubt there was the highest reason for this. It was a protest to the ages against the popular and influential opinion that human dignity consists in birth and ancestral distinctions.
2. He was born according to Divine plan. “Out of thee shall he come forth unto me.” Unto whom? Jehovah. The fact of his birth, the scene of his birth, the object of his birth, were all according to a Divine plan. “He shall be called Great, and the Son of the Highest.” “Behold my Servant, whom I upheld, mine Elect, in whom my soul delighteth.” “He shall come forth unto me”
(1) according to my will;
(2) to do my will.
3. He was born to an empire. “To be Ruler in Israel.” He is the Prince of Peace, on whose shoulder the government is laid. He is a Ruler. Not a temporal ruler; temporal rule is but a shadow. He is to rule thought, intelligence, soul. He is the greatest king who governs mind; and no one has obtained such a government over mind as he who, eighteen centuries ago, “came forth out of Bethlehem Ephratah.” His kingdom is increasing every day. “Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty,” etc. Speed the time when the “kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ,” etc.
II. HIS HISTORY AS THE SON OF GOD. “Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting,” or, as Delitzsch says, “whose goings forth are from olden time, from the days of eternity.” Micah does not announce here the eternal generation of the Son from the Father, or of the Loges from God, the generatio Filii aeterna, as the earlier orthodox commentators suppose. Eternal generation, humanly speaking, is a theological fiction, a philosophical absurdity. He who was before all time. “I was set up from everlasting;” “In the beginning was the Word;” “He was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times;” “Glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee; Whose goings forth have been of old, from everlasting.” “Goings forth!” What for? To furnish immensity with innumerable worlds, and to people them with sentient and intelligent beings, to participate in the infinite bountihood of God. As the Son of God, he never has had a beginning and has always been active. “The Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” His activity explains the origin and phenomena of the universe. “By him were all things created.”
“Oh, who can strive
To comprehend the vast, the awful truth
Of the eternity that hath gone by,
And not recoil from the dismaying sense
Of human impotence? The life of man
Is summed in birthdays and in sepulchres;
But the eternal God hath no beginning;
He hath no end. Time had been with him
Foreverlasting, ere the Doedal world
Rose from the gulf in loveliness. Like him
It knew no source; like him ’twas uncreate.
What is it, then? The past eternity!”
D.T.
Mic 5:3, Mic 5:4
Christ as the great Shepherd of mankind.
“Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. 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.” “Therefore will he give them up, until the time when a travailing woman hath brought forth: and the remnant of his brethren will return, together with the sons of Israel. And he will stand and feed in the strength of Jehovah, in the majesty of the Name of Jehovah his God; and they will dwell: for now will he be great to the ends of the earth” (Delitzsch). The following quotation from Delitzsch on this passage we think the David, out of which it is to spring, will have lost the throne and have fallen into poverty. This could only arise from the giving up of Israel into the power of its enemies. Micah had already stated clearly enough, in what precedes, that this fate would fall upon the nation and the royal house of David, on account of its apostasy from the Lord; so that he could overlook this here, and give prominence to the other side alone, viz. to the fact that according to the counsel of God the future Deliverer and Ruler of Israel would also resemble his royal ancestor David in the fact that he was not to spring from Zion, the royal city built on high, but from the insignificant country town of Bethlehem, and that for this very reason Israel was to remain so long under the power of the nations of the world.” These words may be regarded as presenting to us Christ as the great, Shepherd of mankind; and looking at them in this light the following points come up to notice.
I. HIS INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD AS A SHEPHERD. “Therefore will he give them up [that is, leave them to suffer their calamities], until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth.” Christ came into the world through sufferings that may be fairly represented as partarient. The whole Jewish nation groaned and travailed together until he came; and although the throes of his mother are perhaps specially referred to here, the Hebrew people through all preceding times had struggled in agony in order to give birth to the Messiah. Herein is a mysterythe world’s Deliverer came into the world through suffering. And does not all the good we have come out of anguish? Every true enjoyment, like every birth, implies previous pain. “Through much tribulation” we enter into kingdoms. “Our light afflictions, which are but for a moment,” etc.
II. HIS QUALIFICATION FOR HIS WORK AS A SHEPHERD. “He shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the Name of the Lord his God.” Observe:
1. His attitude. “He shall stand.” The word “stand” here may mean one of two thingseither a commanding position, by which he can observe and direct all, or stability, indicating his endurance and unswerving perseverance. He is settled and fixed in his work as a Shepherd. Both these ideas are true. It is true that Christ, as a Shepherd, has a commanding view of all, and a controlling power over all; and it is also true that he stands immovable as a Shepherd. “He shall not fail nor be discouraged, until he hath set judgment in the earth” (Isa 42:4).
2. His Divinity. “In the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the Name of the Lord his God.” He is endowed with the strength of Omnipotence, he is invested with the majesty of God himself. He is “Almighty to save,” he is the Image of the invisible God. Here is a competent Shepherd!
III. HIS BENEFICENCE IN HIS WORK AS A SHEPHERD. He “shall feed in the strength of the Lord.” The word “feed” means both “feed” and” rule;” indeed, feed implies rule, for human souls can scarcely be nourished without a wise and merciful control. “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young” (Isa 40:11); “They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat or the sun smite them; for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them” (Isa 49:10).
IV. THE EXTENSION OF HIS FAME ON THE EARTH AS A SHEPHERD. “For now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.” His authority on the earth as a spiritual Shepherd is limited today, but is wider than it has been; and it will widen and widen until it fills the earth. His Name will one day be above every name on the earth. All other names will be esteemed as mean and contemptible unless they reflect his.
CONCLUSION. “All we like sheep have gone astray,” etc. But a Shepherd from heaven has come to seek and restore us. Would that all heard and responded to his Voice! “Come unto me, all that are weary and heavy laden.”
“Good Shepherd, hasten thou that glorious day,
When we shall all in the one fold abide with thee for aye!”
D.T.
Mic 5:5, Mic 5:6
An invasion.
“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.” “And this same shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall invade our land, and tread our palaces, we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight anointed men. And they shall afflict the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod at the entrances thereof; and there shall be deliverance from the Assyrian, when he shall invade our land, and when he shall tread our borders” (Henderson). Assyria is here made the representative of all the foes of Israel in all ages, who shall see the destruction of all its enemies at the Messiah’s appearance. “Seven shepherds and eight principal men.“ Seven expresses perfection.; seven and eight are an idiom for s full and sufficient number. “And they” (that is, these seven and eight shepherds) “shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof.” The land of Nimrod means Babylon, including Assyria, to which it extended its borders. “Thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land.” As the Assyrians invade our borders, so shall their own borders and entrances be invaded. “He.” Who? The Messiah, mentioned in the fifth verse, “This Man shall be the Peace.” We have here two things.
I. A TERRIBLE INVASION. The Assyrian, which, as we have said, may be regarded as the representative of all the enemies of Israel, enters the Holy Land, takes Jerusalem, and treads in the “palaces” of the chosen people. A faint picture is the Assyrian of the hellish invader of human souls. He breaks his way through all bulwarks, enters the sacred territory, and treads even in the palaces of the intellect and heart. Satan is a strong man armed, that enters the human soul and “keepeth his palace.” Moral invasion is the worst of all invasions.
II. A TRIUMPHANT DEFENDER. There are “seven shepherds, and eight principal men” who now hurled back the Assyrian invader, entered his own territory, and carried war into the midst. Who is the Deliverer? “This Man shall be the Peace.” The Man mentioned in the preceding verses, “whose goings forth have been of old, from everlasting.” He did it.
1. He did it successfully. “Thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian.” “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.” Christ will one day ruin this moral Assyrian; as “lightning falleth from heaven he shall fall.” He will hurl him from the habitation of men.
2. Christ, in doing this, uses human instrumentality. “Seven shepherds, and eight principal men.” Christ destroys the works of the devil by the instrumentality of men.
(1) The instrumentality that he employs may seem to us very feeble. “Seven shepherds, and eight principal men,” against unnumbered hosts of the enemies. “He chooseth the foolish things of the world to confound the wise,” etc. (1Co 1:27).
(2) Though the instrumentality may seem feeble, it was sufficient. The work was done. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord” (Zec 4:6).D.T.
Mic 5:7-9
God’s people, their tender and terrible aspect in the world.
“And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.” Two things are here predicted concerning the Jews after their restoration from Babylon. I their influence upon the nations would be as refreshing dew. “Their signal victories against such formidable armies, attracting attention to him whom they worshipped, and to whom they ascribed their success. During the existence of the new Jewish state, the members of the theocracy had much intercourse with foreigners, multitudes of whom became proselytes to the faith of Jehovah, and were thus prepared to receive the gospel when preached by the apostles” (Henderson).
2. Their power on the nations would be as terrible as the lion‘s on the herds of the flock. It will not, I think, be unfair to use the passage to illustrate the twofold aspect of the people of God in this worldthe tender and terrible, the restorative and the destructive. Like Israel of old, godly men in every age have only been a remnant, a very small minority of the generation in which they lived. It will not always be so. Speed the day when they shall become, not merely the majority, but the whole. Notice
I. THE TENDER ASPECT OF GOD‘S PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. They are spoken of here as “dew.” Silent in its fall, beautiful in its appearance, refreshing in its influence. Three things are suggested concerning this “dew.”
1. It is Divine. It is “from the Lord.” All that is quickening and refreshing in the thoughts, spirits, character of good men on this earth descends from heaven. “Every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights,” etc. (Jas 1:17).
2. It is copious. “As the showers upon the grass.” There have been seasons when those spiritual influences have descended on men with plenitude and power, such as on the Day of Pentecost. Would it were so now! The moral heavens seem, alas I closed, and only a few drops fall here and there.
3. It is undeserved of men. “That tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.” Man has something to do in bringing down those moral showers. Though he is powerless to unseal the natural clouds and bring down the rain, these moral showers do not descend altogether independent of his efforts. Good men in this world are to their generation what the gentle dew and the fertilizing shower are to the thirsty earth. Their speech distils as dew and their influence descends on the souls of men like rain upon the new-mown grass.
II. THE TERRIBLE ASPECT OF GOD‘S PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. The same men as are represented under the metaphor of dew are here spoken of as a “lion.” Bold, terrible, and destructive. Elijah was a lion in his age, so was John the Baptist, so was Luther, so was Latimer, etc. Indeed, every good man has these two aspects, the tender and the terriblegentle, sympathetic, succouring towards the weak in goodness, but strong in indignation towards wrong wherever found. Christ, the great Model, who did not “cause his voice to be heard in the street,” hurled his fulminations on the ears of hypocrites. In truth, lovewhich is the essence of all goodnessis constantly taking these two forms. The same love which whispers in the softest tones of pity, often comes out in the fiercest thunder and lightning: no wrath is so terrible as the wrath of love. Every good man is like the pillar that guided the children of Israel through the wilderness; it gleamed a guiding light to the Hebrews through the sea, but threw a shadow of confounding darkness to the Egyptians who assayed to follow.
CONCLUSION. This subject suggests:
1. A picture of the unregenerate world. There are some germs of goodness in its soil that require the fertilizing influence of Heaven to quicken and develop; and there are some things in it so pernicious and baneful that it requires all the courage, force, and passion of moral lions to destroy.
2. A picture of the completeness of moral character. A complete character is not all “dew” or all “lion,” but both combined.D.T.
Mic 5:10-15
God’s depriving dispensation towards men.
“And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots: and I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds.” “The prophet now returns to times near his own, and predicts the beneficial moral changes that were to be effected in the condition of his countrymen by the Babylonish conquest and captivity. They had, contrary to the express command of the Lord (Deu 17:16), kept up a formidable body of cavalry and war chariots, trusted in their fortified cities, encouraged sorcery, and indulged in abominable idolatry. These were all to be removed when the Jewish state was broken up; and after God had employed the heathen in punishing his apostate people, they in their turn should be punished for their obstinate adherence to idol worship, notwithstanding the testimony borne against their conduct by the Jews who lived among them.” The grand subject of these words is God‘s depriving dispensation towards men. Here the Almighty is represented as taking away from Israel many things they greatly valued”horses, chariots, cities, soothsayers, witchcrafts, graven images, groves,” etc. God’s providence deprives as well as bestows. “The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away.” He is constantly taking away from men. In relation to his depriving dispensations I offer two remarks.
I. THEY ARE VERY PAINFUL. The things here referred to were the dearest things to the hearts of Israel. They loved them, they trusted in them, and they would feel life to be perilous, if not intolerable, without them; yet they were to be taken away. The thugs he takes away are of two classes.
1. The temporally valuable. Here chariots and horses and cities are taken away. These are valuable. Whatever is dearest to the heartproperty, friends, health, fameis the most painful to lose. And is not the Almighty constantly, in his providence, taking these things from men? He takes from the rich man his property, the strong man his health, the ambitious man his power, the social man his dearest friends. And such deprivations are the constant sources of human sorrow and anguish. All temporal good must gochariots, horses, cities, etc. The other class of things he takes away are:
2. The morally vile. Here are “witchcrafts, soothsayers, graven images,” etc. Whatever man indulges in that is wrongfalse worship, all the sorceries of intellectual or physical pleasuremust go, the sooner the better. It is well when all that is morally wrong is taken from us in this world.
II. THEY ARE VERY USEFUL. It is often well to be stripped of temporary good; it is always necessary to be stripped of the morally wrong. All is done in mercy for the soul. God takes away temporal property from a man in order that he may get spiritual wealth; and often does a man’s secular fall lead to his spiritual life. He takes away physical health from a man in order that he may get spiritual; and often do the diseases of the body lead to the cure of the soul. Did we understand things thoroughly, see them as we shall when we have done with this mundane system, we should often acknowledge more mercy in God’s depriving than in his bestowing providences. Ever should we remember that the great end of all his dealings with us is our spiritual advancement in intelligence, holiness, power, and blessedness. “Lo, all these things worketh God with man, that he may bring him back from the pit in order to enlighten him with the light of the living” (Job 33:30).
CONCLUSION. Though I know not the futureand no one doesI know that severe depriving providences are ahead, but that mercy underlies the whole.
“And so beside the silent sea
I wait the muffled oar;
No harm from him can come to me
On ocean or on shore.
“I know not where his islands lift
Their fronded palms in air;
I only know I cannot drift
Beyond his love and care.
And thou, O Lord, by whom are seen
Thy creatures as they be,
Forgive me if too close I lean
My human heart on thee.”
(J.G. Whittier.)
D.T.
Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary
Mic 5:1. Now gather thyself in troops, &c. But thou shalt be made desolate, O desolating daughter: thou shalt be surrounded by a siege; because they have smitten the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. This verse should be the last of the preceding chapter, and not the first of this; for the last fate of the Jews is here terminated; who, in the re-establishment of their kingdom, having taken much spoil from the neighbouring people, shall at length perish, when they have struck Jesus Christ, the judge of Israel, on the cheek. See Houbigant.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
See Mic 4:1 ff for the passage comments with footnotes.
(cf. Mic 5:1). stands emphatically as the expression which, from the ancient promise 2Sa 7:16; 2Sa 7:26, has be come the usual one, for the unchangeable establishment of anything by Almighty God, who can build firmly even on the floods of waters (Psa 24:2; cf. Psa 93:2). Parallel to this the following member says: and it (Zion) shall be exalted above the hills (cf. Eze 17:22 f.). The ideal significance ot both sentences is proved by the parallel third member; and the peoples shall flow unto it,1 seeing it as it were from afar; not by constraint, but willingly. It lies in the universal character of the prophecy, that the word peoples here should not, as in Mic 1:2, be the tribes of Israel, but the nations of the world, and accordingly, in the second verse, immediately takes its place (cf. Isa 2:2).
Mic 5:2. And many nations shall go, like the N. T. , e. g. Mat 26:28; not in reference to those who exclude themselves, but to the great number of those who come (cf. Isa 2:2, ) A powerful movement will go through the heathen world, so that their own feeling will turn them all toward Zion (Zec 8:20. ff.), and shall say to each other Come ye! and let us go up (for a mountain is thought of) to the mountain of Jehovah, and to the house of the God of Jacob, no more to our deceitful idols from one land to the other (Deu 30:11 ff.); that he may teach us (imperf. instead of pert, conv. because the connection is final) concerning his ways, , as Isa 47:13),2that we may walk in his paths. God teaches sinners the path in which they should go, (Psa 25:8; Psa 25:12) For out of Zion shall go forth direction, and the word of Jehovah out of Jerusalem. The Thorah rests immediately on the preceding , and is, therefore, not to be understood (with Hengstenberg) as the Mosaic law strictly, but in its proper, more comprehensive sense, instruction, as also the explanatory word of Jehovah, in the parallel member, is not at all tke word already written merely, but one that is to be sounded out anew.3 Theodoret: The word of the gospel, beginning as from a fountain, runs out through the whole inhabited world Jerusalem, accordingly, is considered in that time of salvation, not as the seat of culture, but as the source of the living revelation of the Lord.
Mic 5:3. And He will judge between many peoples. War comes from the fact that men would procure justice for themselves, and so exercise violence (cf. Gen 4:23; Rom 12:19); the new kingdom, however, will be (Isa 9:11) a kingdom of peace; God will discharge the duty of a judge. Compare, concerning the spread of such intimations of a reign of peace, in the heathen world, about the time of Christ, Virgil, Ecclesiastes 4 :.; Ovid, Fast., 1:699; Martial, 14:34. And will correct mighty nations, who were hitherto for the most part inclined of their own will to grasp the sword. Hengst., cf. Isa 53:12. Far away into the remote distance: accordingly, the flowing up in Mic 5:1-2, is a spiritual movement which is compatible with their externally remaining at home. Then they will beat their swords, which were still drawn against Gods kingdom (Joel 4:10), into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks, i. e. into the implements of peace. For they will not lift up the sword nation against nation, they will not learn war any more; Jehovah teaches them, and his instruction is peace.4But they shall dwell, each one under his vine and under his fig tree,5 images of undisturbed peace in Solomons time (1Ki 5:5; Zec 3:10). Our evening meal says the missionary, R. Schulz (Leitungen des Hochsten, 5:285), we enjoyed (in Beit Jibrin not far from Akko) under a great grape-vine, whose stem was about a foot and a half in circumference, while it stretched upward to the height of thirty feet. It covered with its branches and side-canes a cottage of more than thirty feet in length and breadth. The clusters of such a vine weigh from ten to twelve pounds. They cut them off, lay them on a table, sit around and eat as much as each one desires. Fig trees of equal luxuriance were seen by the same traveller between Arimathea and Jerusalem. Without a disturber, as is promised, Lev 26:6; for the mouth of Jehovah of Sabaoth has spoken, and before Him must all the world be dumb (Hab 2:10; Zep 1:7), just because He the Lord of hosts is strong and mighty in battle (Psa 24:10; Psa 24:8).
Mic 5:5. In Him lies the guaranty for the final salvation of Israel: For all the peoples go hence each in the name of his God, but we walk in the name of Jehovah, our God, forever and ever. The name of the God of Israel is Jehovah, that is, the eternally living and forever unchangeable one; and this name describes his being (Exo 3:14). He, therefore, who walks in this name, in the power of this name, will eternally walk (Psa 53:2-5 ff.; Joh 17:21 ff.). The true sense of the first half of the verse results from the antithesis, that mere going, in contrast with going eternally, has the incidental signification of passing away (Job 19:10; Job 14:20). It is the opposition of transience to permanence, inferred from the union (solidarity) in which th.e worshipper stands with the object of his devotion : the idols are perishable, because made of perishable materials; God is eternal, and therefore, etc. Compare on the whole thought, Isa 45:16 f. Bolder yet would appear the prophetic conception if we were to refer the final words to both verbs, and thus find the promise expressed that, in the time of salvation, every people would, under the name of its God, adore the true God and walk with Him eternally. The view might be supported by Psa 97:9; Psa 97:7, where a time is promised in which the gods should bow before God, and by Psalms 82 :., where it said that the gods like men will pass away, and Jehovah will enter into their inheritance. Still the form, in which it would appear here in Micah, transcends perhaps the horizon of the O. T. [To walk in the name, etc., may probably mean to walk consistently with the character and will, etc.Tr.]
Mic 5:6. In that day, saith Jehovah, will I gather. He will gather, but not immediate!v now, as they allow themselves to be persuaded (Mic 2:12), but in the last days (Mic 5:1), and not the population of Zion as it is, but her that halteth, i. e., who has been pitifully treated, and her that is east off will I collect, and her whom I have afflicted. As such, therefore not till after many hard blows, after abuse and rejection (cf. Mic 5:10), will the Lord be gracious again to the daughter of Zion, the population of Judah. The assumption of Quistorp and Burck, that by the lame and the dispersed, the kingdom of Samaria was meant, never deserved refutation.
Mic 5:7. And will set the lame for a remnant, will regard and treat them as the remnant to whom the promise applies (cf. on Mic 2:12); and the dispersed (cf. Amo 5:27) those who have been thrust into exile, for a strong nation. And Jehovah is king in mount Zion from now on unto eternity (cf. Oba 1:21). The now is spoken of the time of the fulfillment; from that point onward at which God shall establish his universal dominion (Psalms 93 :); not as if this dominion did not exist also now, but now it is not perceived. Instead of the Messiah of David, Micah names God Himself as ruler in the kingdom of the future: Non ut excludat regnum illud Davidis (cf. Mic 5:1), sed ut ostendat Deum palam facturum se auctorem illius regni esse, immo se ipsum tenere totam poteiitiam. (Calvin.)
Mic 5:8. And thou, flock-tower of Ophel, the daughter of Zion will come to thee. Yea there is to be (zukunftig ist) the former dominion, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. Commentators connect the words of the first clause differently: thou tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to thee will arrive and come, etc. But this is condemned by the tautology, unavoidable in this view of and . Accordingly, the Masoretes also close the sentence by the Athnach under , and our construction, which is found also in the LXX., is to be thought of as the right one. As regards the sense the connection shows that there must be a reference in the tower of the flock to the royal house of David; for as Mic 5:1-7, are antithetically related to Mic 3:12, inasmuch as the destruction of the temple hill is immediately followed by the promise of the consecration of it to be the centre of Gods eternal kingdom, so our Mic 5:8 forms the text for the following symmetrical discourse Mic 5:9-15, of which the theme is the near approaching ruin of the kingdom. Now there is a tower of David mentioned in Son 4:4, which is described as a majestic structure, adorned with trophies. On the other side, Nehemiah (Neh 3:25) speaks of a tower which rose above the kings castle, and therefore must have stood on Mount Zion. Both are explained by Keil and Hengstenberg as identical each with the other, and both with the tower of the flock in our passage. But, first, it is very doubtful whether those two towers are identical. The tower of David (Son 4:4) can just as well be identical with the tower mentioned Neh 3:11, or Neh 3:28. There were many towers in Jerusalem, and any one which David had built might be called the tower of David; but again, granting that identity, the identity of the tower of David on Zion with the tower of the flock, is still more questionable, for why in that case should not this latter be called here also the tower of David. Finally, the tower is called by Micah expressly the tower of Ophel, not the tower of Zion. But Ophel is not Mount Zion, but the steep spur on the south of the temple mountain.6
To arrive at an understanding of our passage, we must turn to another of its connections. The designation tower of the flock (Migdal-edar). occurs also in Gen 35:16 ff. We there read that as Jacob went from Bethel to Bethlehem, Rachel his wife died in her confinement, and that he then pitched his tent beyond Migdal-edar. There must, accordingly, have been a tower not far from Jerusalem, in the open field, such as were common in antiquity, to afford refuge to the inhabitants of the flat country in times of hostile invasion. Cf. Faber, Archaologie, 192 ff. German antiquity also is familiar with these towers visible from afar, in the open fields; in the Alexander-legend of Parson Lamprecht, they appear under the name of Bergfrieden, with which is connected the German-French name belfroys, beffrois. And that Micah has this tower of trie flock in mind is unquestionable, for, in the first place, thus only can we explain the connection of ideas, by virtue of which (Mic 5:9 ff.) the pangs of the woman in child-birth follow in a manner parallel to the connection of the tower of the flock with the pangs of Rachel (Genesis 35 :). And secondly, the mention of the name Ephrata (Mic 5:1), in connection with Bethlehem, is a reminiscence of Gen 35:16.
If now we inquire more precisely after the position of this tower of the flock, we may infer with great probability from the two passages combined, that it lay within the limits of the subsequent city of Jerusalem. For here it is called the mount of Ophel, and Ophel lay in Jerusalem; there we read that it lay on the way from Bethel to Bethlehem, and within the inconsiderable distance which there was (, Mic 5:15) between the place where Rachel died and Bethlehem. Now Jerusalem lies on this road, twelve Roman miles from Bethel, and six Roman miles from Bethlehem. We may add, that from 1Sa 10:2, it must be inferred that Rachels grave lay still north of Jerusalem; that Jacob, therefore, after her death, on his way further to Bethlehem, must have passed the site of Jerusalem; but that Salem, the residence of Melchisedek, did not include the temple-mountain, is evident, since Abraham offered Isaac on this mountain without coming in contact with Melchisedek. On the other hand, that the temple mountain, particularly, was well suited for a fortification of the kind above described, is obvious from the fact that Hyrcanus also and Herod found it altogether convenient to be the site of a strong tower (Joseph., Ant., 18:6), and the south point, Ophel, especially, looked far out into the land, and was on three sides almost inaccessible. David may, therefore, have found this old tower on Ophel, and fortified it anew. For that he established such strong towers outside of Zion, also, is shown by the name of the tower, Neh 3:11. Further, Isa 32:14 indicates that beside the palace on Zion (Armon), there stood a stronghold, and superfluously, Neh 3:27, directly proves that Ophel was fortified, for a wall of Ophel is there spoken of.
That Micah now names this Flock-tower, in particular, as an emblem of the kingdom of David, is not because the establishment of a shepherd relation between God and his people is in question (Henestenberg); for it is here said that the dominion shall come to the Flock-tower, not to God; but it rests on historical agreements and parallels. The Flock-tower is directly a symbol of the royal house of David, as having come from the flock. Once already has Zion turned to the flock, to gain her king from thence; and so will she a second time, in the day of salvation, turn to the dominion which springs from the flock; the people turn to Jerusalem, Jerusalem to the heir of David. denotes either the place up to which one comes, or the object toward which one turns. The first signification does not suit here; and we must therefore, as in Deu 4:30; Deu 30:2; Isa 9:12, have recourse to the second.There thus lies at the bottom here, also, by implication, as in the two preceding verses, the conception of an unhappy interval, during which the kingdom of David is fallen down; and the thought is similar to that in Amo 9:11. This is expressed still more clearly by the following member : there comes the ancient dominion, the kingdom for the daughter of Jerusalem. to designate the dominion over any one, as Num 22:4.At the same time there runs parallel that other reference to Rachel, namely, that for the Jewish community this progress to salvation, to the Flock-tower, is a dangerous one: the Messiah is born amid deadly birth-pangs. With this thought, which is fully developed, Mic 5:1 ff., the following section connects itself.
Mic 5:9-14. In striking contrast to the rapturous vision of future splendor, appears the suffering which must first be endured. As in the preceding Mic 5:7 (cf. Psa 35:15; Psa 35:18), so here Mic 5:11 looks back to Psalms 35. (Mic 5:14-15). Now why dost thou cry aloud? In spirit the prophet perceives the cry which the daughter of Jerusalem must raise at the approach of the Assyrian (Isa 22:3 ff; cf. Isa 10:30). The nomen actionis stands as a strengthening object (Gesen., 138, 1, 3). Is there no king in thee? Or has thy counsellor perished, that pangs have seized thee as the travailing woman in travail? The afflictipn will consist in the fact that the kingdom goes straightway to ruin, and Zion is thereby thrown into the deepest lamentation. The loss of the king was much more painful for Israel than for any other people, because so many glorious promises were connected with the kingdom. The king was the visible representative of the divine favor, and his removal a sign of Gods wrath, and a nullification of all the blessings promised to the people in him. Keil. Counsellor is an explanatory synonym.for king (Isa 9:5). What here is directly a figure becomes, as Mic 5:2 shows, to the prophet, looking back to the pangs of Rachel, from Mic 5:10 onward, a symbolical reality. The painful struggle of the people in their forsakenness serves, as Isa 7:14, for the ground of the Messianic view that amid the writhings, from this people as mother, the Messiah should be born.
Mic 5:10. But truly that must be preceded yet by much distress. Writhe and thrust forth, namely, the fruit of the body, who may counsel thee, since thou hast no counsellor. The cognate form , stands here as Ps. 20:10 transitively instead of the intransitive ; cf. a similar irregularity in instead of (Psa 126:4, et sp.). Writhe, daughter of Zion, as the travailing woman. It is high time that the birth which brings deliverance should follow, for the deepest trouble is at hand; for now thou must go forth out of the city. To go forth, spoken of those besieged, is the same as to surrender (Isa 36:16; 2Ki 24:12). That has no article, does not make it equivalent to the Latin urbs (Caspari, Keil), for the Latin has no article, and the Latin urbs (the well-known city) would be paralleled rather by , but there lies in , as often, the negative consequence: to go out so that thou art no more a city (Isa 23:1). And must dwell in the field, while thou art carried away captive (Isa 36:17; Hos 12:10); and come unto Babylon. This sharp announcement, reaching far beyond the immediately threatening danger from Assyria, marks the summit level of Micahs threatening, the last step of the climax (Mic 1:9; Mic 2:4; Mic 3:12; Mic 4:10). It is of decisive importance also for the historical criticism of the prophets, since by it the criterion that everything must be easily understood from the present position, according to which the prophecy Isaiah 13 f., e.g., has been denied to Isaiah, falls to the ground. The prophecy is to be comprehended not by what an acute thinker might gather in a natural way concerning the immediate future, but only from an insight into the entire body of Old Testament prophecy. We can, to be sure, by that natural explanation, point to the fact that Babylon in Micahs time belonged to the Assyrian monarchy, that it with its alternative name Shinar appears also in the undisputed portions of Isaiah (Isa 11:11) as a land in hostility with Judah, into which the Assyrians used to deport their captives (2Ch 33:11); that it lay in part on this side of the Euphrates, therefore nearer to Judah than Nineveh beyond the Tigris; and finally, that it was the older (cf. Gen 10:8; Gen 10:10), and so the more celebrated capital of the Mesopotamian country.
Still, all these circumstances, while they deserve to be taken into the account, do not suffice for explaining how, just here in the decisive passage of Micah, instead of the real hostile power, Assyria, the subordinate vassal is named, and that so that the designation, although intended in a purely natural manner, could have appeared to the scornful and unbelieving men of that day (Micah 2 🙂 as nothing but a ridiculous paradox. Rather does Micah, in using this name Babylon (Babel), assume the position, resting on the Pentateuch, which regards the history of Israel as a history of the kingdom of God. This is by preference presented in the Scriptures, under the view of an antithesis between the holy city Jerusalem, on the one side (and the holy king David), and, on the other, the God-hating city Babylon, and the God-despising king Nimrod (Mic 5:5). The reason why the world in enmity against God should be represented by this particular type, which runs on through the whole Scripture (Rev 16:19; Rev 17:5; Rev 18:21), lies in the account given in Genesis 11. (cf. Gen 10:10 f.). This purports that just here mankind had the audacity to attempt the building of the tower, against the will of God, a view which is supported by a comparison of that report with Isa 13:13 ff., where the punishment threatened against Babylon is referred to that original transgression. On the other hand, the etymology of the name Nimrod also came to the support of this symbolism. N. Semitic = Heb. , derived from (as , the Existing, from ), therefore the insurgent (cf. Job 24:13). With the Assyrain terminationak: Merodach.
The threatening of our passage, accordingly, theologically considered, indicates nothing less than that Gods commonwealth, before the coming of salvation, must be given up amid fearful catastrophes to the kingdom of the world. This theological view is, in the spirit of the prophets, the only possible one. That the simply historical apprehension does not suffice, is palpable : the oppression of Sennacherib carried away no Jew to Babylon. Accordingly, the Elders in Jer 25:18 ff. in agreement with Mic 5:12 of our chapterwhere also it is said that the immediate assault of the enemy will be baffled,regard this prophecy of Micah as having been taken back.
The prophet is perfectly conscious that with this threatening he has spoken the severest word which could be uttered against the city; not merely oppression, division of lands, destruction of their nouses and sanctuaries; not merely annihilation of the kingdom and worship; not merely shameful defeat and prostration under an insolent foe; but removal from the land with which all the promises were inseparably connected (Gen 12:7; Gen 27:28); the curse in which all the curses of the law culminate. Hence he offers a word of comfort at once, before lie proceeds with his threatening: There shalt thou be delivered; there will Jehovah redeem thee, properly, buy thee back (Psa 78:54), since the delivering up of Israel is conceived of as a sale on Gods part (Psa 44:13; Isa 4:1 ff.) out of the hand of thy enemies. In the end it must yet again become light above the people of God.
Mic 5:11. The brief gleam of sunlight, however, in the distant future, is immediately overshadowed by the clouds of the nearer time : Yea, now are gathered against thee, not to hear the law (Mic 5:2), but for war as Oba 1:1many nations. The distress is naturally, in the prophets view, the same as that at which he had glanced Mic 5:9, as the parallel use of proves. The chronological interpretation of Theodoret, adopted by Calvin, Cocceius, Marck, Hengstenberg, that after the redemption from the Bahylonian captivity there will be another time of oppression, together with the discovery of the Maccabees in our passage, which it necessitates, regards Micah not as a prophet, but as a diviner. It is opposed, moreover, both by the . which never signifies deinde, and by the fact that we have here to do with the hostile invasion of nations, by which the national army of Mesopotamia may well be intended, but the mercenary collections of Antiochus cannot.7Who say : Let her be defiled by our encampment on the holy places (Oba 1:16; Psa 35:16), and let our eyes feast upon Zion.Singular of the verb with plural of the following subject, Gesenius, 147, a: with , cf. Oba 1:12.
Mic 5:12. For the present, however, God wills the affliction only, not the destruction of Zion, which is reserved for the later judgment. But they know not the thoughts of Jehovah, which are very different from mens thoughts (Isa 55:8 ff.), and understand not his counsel, to wit, that he collects them, brings them in troops before Jerusalem to assault her (Joel 4:9 ff.), not to deliver Jerusalem into their hands, but as a sheaf (sing, coll.) into the threshing floor, that he may have them together for the judgment. The shadow of Sennacherib falls across the scene.
Mic 5:13. And thus there comes, before the final deliverance, a moment of proud delight for Judah: Arise, and thresh daughter of Zion: Trample down as an ox which will tread upon the outspread grain in the straw, to stamp out the corn with the hoofs. Cf. Isa 28:28 and Cyrill. on the passage: . The comparison with the threshing cattle leads the prophet, through the association of ideas, to represent the power of the attack of the Jews upon the enemy by the familiar figure of the horns, as a symbol of strength, while yet he continues the picture of the threshing by the mention of the hoof: for thy horn will I make iron (Deu 33:17), and thy hoofs I will make brass (Job 28:2). And thou shalt beat in pieces many nations. And I will devote (cf. Lev 27:28) to Jehovah their gain (the goods they have collected by robbery, Jdg 5:19), and their treasures to the Lord of the whole earth, to Jehovah, who through the subjugation of the heathen will have shown himself such (Psa 96:9 :).
The distinction which here appears, between the revealing God speaking in the prophet, the Logos, and the God dwelling in heaven, presents itself also elsewhere in prophecy (Hos 1:2; Isa 48:16). Zachariah calls the former the angel that talked with me (Mic 1:13, et spe). He is, according to our passage, the same that also in the name of God crushes the enemies (Psa 36:5-6).
Mic 5:14 [Eng. Mic 5:1] however, puts a check upon the expectation raised high by this announcement. There will indeed a judgment follow upon the heathen before Jerusalem, and the prophecy of Isaiah (Isa 30:27 ff.) concerning the overthrow of the next approaching army of Assyria has its truth; but just as certainly has that of Micah himself also, previously given (Mic 3:12), concerning the extreme humiliation of Jerusalem.This explanation of the seeming contradiction between Mic 5:13-14 appears the most obvious. Still the other view, supported by Keil, that Mic 5:12-13, concerning the Assyrian calamity, contemplate the final catastrophe of the heathen before Jerusalem (cf. Ezck. Micah 38:), and so belong to the eschatology of Micah, cannot be absolutely rejected as untenable.Now, for this time of the judgment, which will strike thee also, gather thyself in troops (Jer 5:7) thou daughter of the troop., before , as before Zion (Mic 5:10), has the significance of a personifying address, in a relation of apposition with the following word : thou daughter of war-troops, i. e, thou people of Zion gathered in troops (1Sa 1:16), crowded together after the manner of a troop in war;8 gathered in troops, not indeed for attack merely, but from melancholy necessity; for they have set a siege against us. The prophet reckons himself with his people (cf. on Mic 1:8). Nor does the trouble stop with the siege; With a staff they smite on the cheek the judge of Israel; it leads to the extreme disgrace of Israel (cf. 2Ki 23:24; Job 16:10) in the person of their judge, i. e. of him who stands at the head of the people, and who, if probably the king is meant, as Amo 2:3, is still not called or , because this dignity, in the view of the prophets, is reserved for the Messiah (Mic 5:2), and in the afflictions preceding the Messiah properly exists not at all or only in a God-forsaken plight (Mic 5:9).
Mic 5:1-8 [Eng. Mic 5:2-9]. The description of the birth-pangs of salvation is ended, and the prophet turns, as in Mic 4:1 ff., to the prediction of that by which the salvation described shall come, namely, the person and work of the Messiah. While Jerusalem labors and has no strength to bring forth, God of his own strength sends the Messiah. With the aggravation of the threatening the promise also is enhanced.
Mic 5:1-4 a [25]. As the little Zion will become great among the mountains of the world, so anions the cities will the. little Bethlehem. The new flight of the discourse connects itself with Micah 4:14, as Mic 4:1 does with Mic 3:12, and Mic 4:9 with Mic 4:8. But thou Bethlehem-Ephratah! The addition of the ancient name from Gen 35:16 heightens the impression of solemnity, and contains an allusion also, judging from the paronomasias in chapter first. The stem Hiph. to make fruitful, recalls the name of the Messiah, Zemach, branch or shoot (Jer 23:5; Zec 3:8); as also in the name Bethlehem itself, i. e. Bread-house, an allusion may be discovered to the time of blessing in the kingdom of David, cf. the Abi-ad of Isa 9:6. The name is construed as masculine, not because the population is addressed (Keil: but then precisely the feminine would be required), but on account of the masc. contained in the name; thou Bread-house of fruit-fulness. Small art thou among the districts of Judah. Some: too small to be, but in that case must stand and not , and could hardly fail to have the article to mark the apposition. Rather is a predicate, and the infinitive with stands, as often, in place of the finite verb (Pro 19:8; Psa 118:8, cf. Mic 5:9; Isa 21:1; Ecc 2:3; 2Ch 11:12), so that the translation in Mat 2:6 is correct even to the which anticipates the sense, and that of Luther corresponds exactly to the original. The LXX. translate the twice: .9Alafim, prop. thousands, are according to Num 1:16; Num 10:4, the greater divisions into which the tribes were parted.
Bethlehem was so small that it is wanting in the catalogue of cities in the book of Joshua. The LXX. indeed have it, and this warrants the conjecture of Jerome that it originally stood in the Hebrew text and was afterward stricken out, not, certainly, stricken out, as Jerome supposes, to obscure the derivation of the Messiah from the tribe of Judah, but plainly because the Rabbinic critics, sharing the interpretation of our passage rejected above, felt obliged to correct the text of Joshua accordingly [?] In Ezr 1:2, and Neh 7:26, Bethlehem is numbered in the Hebrew also as one of the families of Judah; but it is wanting in Neh 11:25, among the cities rebuilt immediately after the exile, and in the N. T. time it is called merely a (Joh 7:42), a (Joseph., Ant., v. 2, 8).
As the Flock-tower will be again honored as the seat of the old dominion, so will Bethlehem, the home of David, as the starting-point of the new Ruler. Out of thee will go forth for me (cf. Jer 30:24) he who is to be a ruler (cf. 4:8) in Israel. without subject rests on the construction in the preceding member of the verse. The subject is left undetermined because it is immediately determined by the predicate, and, besides, the idea out of thee must first be made prominent, which would have been thrown into the background by naming the subject in the former member,And whose outgoings are from of old, from the days of ancient time. It is not a new thing which Micah prophesies; but he whose origin he announces is one with the long promised Messiah of the stock of David. That the of old means directly the ancient time of the kingdom of David, which lay for Micah already in the distance of three hundred years, appears possible to be inferred from Amo 9:11, where it is said in a quite similar connection: I will build the house of David as in the days of old (cf. sup., Mic 4:8). Still, the prophet, who everywhere speaks out of the full compass of Gods organic kingdom (cf. on Micah 4 : Mic 5:10), may have carried back his view even to the origin of the promise, even to the promise given to Eve, as the emphatic accumulation of the phrase suggest. For a period of inconceivable length the ruler goes forth, and is coming, who will finally proceed from Bethlehem. For, since he it is toward whom the history of mankind, of Israel, of the house of David, look, all the steps in the progress of these are preparations for his coming, goings-forth of the second son of Jesse. Hoffman, Schriftbeweis, Mic 2:1; Mic 2:9. Only this are we hardly allowed to say, that our passage, in the sense of the prophet, gives a strict proof of the antemundane life of the Messiah. Besides, the expression translated ancient times is too ambiguous. Matthew, if he had held that interpretation, would certainly not have left this so important proof-text untranslated. Yet history has attached to the ambiguous word of the prophet this definite sense, and that we, when we read the passage, so understand it, is natural, and only an application of the maxim, that Gods revealing deeds are explanations of his revealing words, and vice versa. And, in fact, that no other reference of our passage is historically possible, than that to the birth of Christ, is obvious. So was it understood, not merely by Mat 2:6, but also by the scribes (Mat 2:5; Joh 7:41 f.), nay, even by the emperor Hadrian, who, to kill the pseudo-Messianic disturbances at the root, caused all the Jews to be driven out of the region round about Bethlehem (Reland, J., 647; Tertullian, Cont. Jud., chap. 13), and the refutation of the strange propositions of the Jewish theology after Christ hardly required the great toil whieh Hengstenberg has expended upon them. The great freedom with which Matthew gives the citation is to be judged according to 2Co 3:6. Calvin: Semper attendant lectores, quorsum adducant evangelistce scripturce locos, ne scrupulose in singulis verbis insistant, sed contenti sint hoc uno, quod scriptura nunquam torquetur ab illis in alienum sensum. The word is chosen in reference to Hos 6:3; the employment of the plural is explained by the older interpreters (Jerome, Trem., Jun.) on the theory that Micah Bpeaks of the eternal, unceasing procession of the Son from the Father. Cocceius : Omnibus diebus swculi egreditur filius a patre et eternum est . That, however, is an importation of the previously conceived dogmatic notion, without support from the language. Hengstenbergs explanation, place of origin, is linguistically more appropriate (Num 33:2; Psa 70:1), yet apart from the true sense, for the days of eternity are not place, and the assertion that in general cannot mean the actus exeundi, is arbitrary; cf. the forms , ,, etc. The plural may most simply be regarded as the rhetorical plural especially frequent in poetical diction (Psa 114:2; Psa 49:4, and the , Pro 4:21); yet further on a deeper side-design of the prophet will appear.
Mic 5:2 [3]. But how does this gracious purpose of God agree with the heavy threatenings in chap. 4. Mic 5:14? That is explained by Mic 5:2, since it begins, paradoxically enough, with , not although, but because. Therefore, precisely because Israel is to be redeemed not bv his own power, but by the gracious gift of the Messiah, and because not out of the secure city of Zion, but out of that despised Bethlehem, this Messiah must come, will he give them up; that is, God gives Israel into the hands of the enemy, as 2Ch 30:6, until the time that she that bears has borne. Who she is that bears cannot be doubtful from Mic 4:8 ff. Then the people were compared to Rachel. Rachel must groan anew at the Tower of the flock, that the new birth might come to pass. The one in travail, accordingly, is not any individual woman, as for instance the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus (Hengstenberg), but the people of Judah, of whom it was predicted Gen 49:10, that a ruler sprung from them should never fail until Shiloh should come, which Shiloh Micah understands as a person, and in Mic 5:4 a, replaces by Shalom. In Hos 8:13, Israel has not come to the birth, but Judah is in Isa 7:14; cf. Isa 9:6, also the pregnant maiden who shall bring forth the Immanuel. In the last distress the Messiah is born, whose outgoings, therefore, are as old as the time when the first seed ofpromise went forth,as when God comforted his people with the prospect of a time when the travailing woman should bear; as old therefore as Abraham and Adam (Gen 12:3). In Micahs mind, as the connection of these two verses shows, the same conclusion is drawn as Paul plainly expresses, Gal 3:16 : not of many seeds does the promise speak, but of one: and so, all the births which have taken place since that promise, and in the line of it, are, as being only members of the genealogy leading to the Messiah, goings-forth of himself, the One. And as the people appear here as his mother, not a single family line leads to him, but all. Thus there is no incongruity in the fact that the people, after the representative capital, is called the daughter of Zion, while yet he comes from Bethlehem.
That is the fullness of the time when the gathering of the people, which for the present only false prophets can promise (Mic 2:12), will take place. The sentence with connects itself to the preceding as if after stood instead of a final temporal clause: until (she that bears shall have borne) and the residue of his brethren return (out of the captivity: Mic 4:10). Instead of the customary terminus technicus, (cf. on Mic 2:12), which returns again afterwards, we have the synonymous (as Zec 14:2), perhaps to indicate that we have to do not merely with the inhabitants of Judah left from the judgment, but with other estranged sons of Abraham, namely, with the members of the ten tribes, now long revolted from David. So the word is interpreted by Hoffman also, and Cas-pari, and Keil. That these scattered ones are his, the Messiahs brethren, is manifest from our explanation of the first half of the verse, but it is emphatically brought out: only as his brethren have they a right to return to =, Pro 26:11) the sons of Israel, his race (Isa 54:8).
Mic 5:3 [4]. For not theirs is the power, but he will stand, in the position of a governor, as a shepherd among his flock (Isa 61:5), and feed, perform Gods office (Psa 23:5 :), as the true follower of David called from the flock to the kingdom (cf. on Mic 4:8, but also Revelation 12.), in the power of Jehovah (cf. Isa 9:5; Isa 11:2), in the majesty of the name of his father, which he himself will bear (Isa 9:5; cf. Isa 10:21), and whose Gaon (majesty) has already, in ancient times, proved itself mighty over his people (Exo 15:7). And they shall abide [Kleinert: settle], dwell in peace, as is described chap. 4. Mic 5:4. And now ( spoken from the standing-point of the fulfillment, as in Mic 4:7) is He great, He alone (cf. Joe 2:21; Joe 2:20, and the citation Luk 1:32) unto the end of the earth; the kingdom has become a universal kingdom (chap. 4. Mic 5:1 ff.; Psa 72:8).
The three first words of Mic 5:4 are to be connected immediately with Mic 5:3, and to be separated from the following: And He will be peace. Thus only arises a satisfactory sense, and the beautiful structure of the third verse comes into view: (1 a) and He stands, (b) and He feeds in the power of Jehovah, (c) and in the majesty of the name of Jehovah; (2 a) and they dwell, (b) for now is He great even to the ends of the earth, (c) and He will be peace. Peace is the Messiah called, as quite similarly (Eph 2:14) , with which cf. Jdg 6:24; Isa 9:5. The reference to Gen 49:10, indicated on Mic 5:2 is manifest, as Ezekiel also offers a personal interpretation of the obscure term Shiloh (Eze 21:32). Peace is the characteristic feature in all the descriptions of the Messiahs kingdom (cf. particularly, Isa 11:9; Isa 11:6). And as David had already, in reference to the great mission, named the heir of the promise (2 Samuel 7.) Solomon, man of peace, it was doubly natural for the prophet, who had before his eyes everywhere the mutual connection of the historical relations, and who had also (chap. 4. Mic 5:4) looked back to the time of Solomon, to say: He will be the true Solomon, seeing that the first one effected not the peace, but the sundering of the kingdom (1Ki 11:31 ff).
Mic 5:4 [5], b, 5 [6]. The security and power of the new kingdom, Gods kingdom, stands in antagonism to the world-kingdom, and can attain to its restoration only by the destruction of the latter (Psa 2:9). This is represented here under the name of Assyria, also in its historical, typical signification, as a universal empire, as in Isa 27:13, while in Mic 4:10 Babylon appears in the same light. Asshur, whatever Assyria it may be (L. Bauer: another Assyria;) Castalio compares Virgils verse: Alter erit tunc Tiphys et altera quw vehat Argo delectos heroas; when he cometh into our land,the prophet speaks as a member of the people,and when he treadeth upon our palaces, then we will set up against him (, as Jdg 9:43) seven shepherds and eight princes of men. The distinctive terms, palace, seven, and eight, connect themselves with the threatening formula with which Amos (chaps, 1, Micah 2 🙂 announces the approach of the avenging catastrophe. The grace will be mightier than the sin; hence, instead of the three and four sins, which, according to Amo 2:4, make the judgment necessary, seven and eight heroes are named, who shall drive away the enemy. The seven and eight are, as we may suppose, not coordinate with the one in whose hands, according to 5 b, the main transaction rests, but subordinate to him. That the sense is only that the Messiah will afford the same protection to the people as a number of heroes (Umbreit, and still earlier Hengsten-berg), is intimated by nothing in the text. Obadiah also in a quite similar connection has the plural (Oba 1:21). They are called shepherds, since the prophet, from Mic 5:2 on, has constantly used the figure of feeding (pasturing) for dominion, to recall the pastoral origin of the dynasty of David. Whether here the function of leadership in war, or that of which John (12. f.) speaks, is most prominent in the figure, cannot be determined. Jeremiah (20.), Ezekiel (34.), and Zechariah, after the example of our prophet, and of Psalms 23 and Psalms 95., present further developments of the figure; the final amplification of it, within the limits of Scripture, is given by Jesus himself in John 10.
Nasikh is not an anointed one, but one formally installed in office, a prince (Caspari, cf. Hupfeld on Psa 2:6), and are princes among the children of men (Ewald, 287, g).
Mic 5:5 [6]. And they shall feed [down], while the protective agency for Israel is turned (cf. Psa 2:9; Rev 2:27) into a destructive one for the heathen, the land of Asshur with the swond, and the land of Nimrod with his [her] gates. Nimrod likewise is a typical designation (cf. Mic 4:10). The defeat of the enemy will drive them from the gates of Jerusalem, into which they would press, to their own gates, and crush them there (cf. Is. (Isa 28:6). So will He, the Messiah, deliver from Asshur when He cometh into our land, and when He treadeth on our borders. Climax: not at all shall the enemy reach Jerusalem, but at the very border shall they be met and thrust back.
It appears from a comparison with chap. 4. Mic 5:2, that the prophet makes a distinction among the heathen themselves between those who arc disposed to salvation and those who are hardened against it. The one class will voluntarily press towards salvation, the others, by irresistible, judicial power be brought to a recognition of Gods sovereignty (Psa 2:12). Thus also the apparent contradiction between our passage and Isa 19:23 ff. is explained. The same antithesis is carried through in what follows :
Mic 5:6-8 [79]. The people of God, in its participation in the work of the Messiah, is a beneficent dew for those who seek God, a destructive one for those who hate Him; Luk 3:34; Rom 9:33 coll. Isa 8:14; Isa 28:16. Then will the remnant of Jacob, which through the Messiah will have shared in salvation (cf. on Mic 5:2), be in the midst of the abundance of the peoples (cf. chap. 4. Mic 5:2) as dew, image of the vivifying refreshment which descends from heaven (Hos 14:6) from Jehovah, not by human caprice and calculation, and with human failures (Isa 55:10), as rain-showers on the grass. Grass without rain presents a dry and withered appearance, and with it, therefore, a God-forsaken people may well be compared (Isa 40:6), as again with a field full of dry bones (Ezekiel 37.). If elsewhere the rain coming from God is mentioned with reference to the certainty of its fertilizing effect (Isa 55:10), here it is thought of as that which tarrieth not for men, and waiteth not for the children of men, which (as is implied in the phrase from Jehovah in the first member) is not at all dependent on the doings and strivings of men, but alone on the grace of God which supplies it according to his own thoughts and his own laws (Isa 55:8). Umbreit: The Lords congregation is, in its heavenly call, in its independence of the favor of men, a dew which falls in refreshing drops on the herbage of the world; it works with as fertilizing an effect on the variously stocked field of the peoples round about.
Mic 5:7 [8]. But again will also the remnant of Jacob be among the heathen, in the midst of the abundance of the peoples as a lion unsparingly. That the figures of dew and a lion stand in contrast, is obvious; and to attempt to combine them with reference to the element common to both, suddennessIsrael will fall like dew as unexpectedly as a lion on his prey (Hitzig)empties the passage of meaning, to say nothing of the turgidity. Our verse runs parallel to Mic 5:5, as Mic 5:6 to chap. 4. Mic 5:2 ff.
Mic 5:8 [9]. With exulting shout the prophet cheers Israel on, as he marches toward the, object indicated in the preceding verse: High be thy hand (Isa 26:11) above thine oppressors,he goes forth, not in pride, but summoned by oppression, for defense,and let all thy foes be cut off. Cf. Isa 60:12.
Mic 5:9-14 [1015], The Threatening which lies in the Promise. If Israel, the kingdom of the future, is to be established, it must be pure, pure from confidence in any help beside Gods, whether human measures, force of arms, and the like, or idols. Accordingly, God must root out of Israel all abominations, before the judgment on the rebellious nations can come. Cf. 1Pe 4:17; Jer 25:29. And it will come to pass in that day, saith Jehovah, that I will destroy thy horses out of the midst of thee, and strongholds. Parallel to our prophecy, and serving as a commentary upon it, stand many passages in the prophet Isaiah. He also mentions first of all the war-chariots and cavalry which had been brought in from Egypt simultaneously with the origin of idolatry, as an abomination in the eyes of God (Isa 2:7, cf. Isa 31:1; 1Ki 10:21 f.), and declares that the fortresses must be destroyed (Isa 2:15); because all that is flesh and not spirit, and Israel shall be delivered not by man (Isa 31:8). If the kingdom of peace is to come, the putting away of the weapons of war (Mic 4:8) must begin in Israel. Prom the same point of view is the mention of cities to be regarded. Sacred history derives the first origin of cities from the first murderer; the close aggregation of men for mutual protection (Gen 4:17), that is, on account of the experience and further apprehension of murder and homicide. Compare the positive term of the prophecy, Eze 38:12; Zec 2:8 f.
Mic 5:11 [12]. As the self-help through war, so vanishes also self-deception through unprofitable and ensnaring idolatry, which, in contrast with the reverence for Jehovah expressed in prophecy and worship, is characterized by the two marks of divination and worship of idols: And I will destroy divinations out of thy hand, and thou shalt have no more soothsayers. Sign-mongering by hand (with staves, rods, drinking-cups, etc.) and observations of the sky and clouds (both can be understood from the word , from , a cloud), are used to represent all kinds of sorcery and magic.
Mic 5:12 [13]. Then will I out off thy stone images and thy molten images out of the midst of thee; and no more shalt thou worship the work of thy hands.
Mic 5:13 [14]. And I will tear down thy Asherahs, as Deu 7:5 irregularly written with i in the penult denotes, according to the derivation from , related to , the tree-trunk stuck upright in the ground to be worshipped (Deu 16:21), such as were the symbols of the nature-gods in the Canaanitish idolatryout of the midst of thee, and destroy thy cities. These are regarded here not as fortified places, but as seats of false worship, as Mic 1:5 :. cf. Isa 15:1.
Mic 5:14. Then, when thus the purification is completed within thee, I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath on the people who have not heard. This last addition establishes, through the implied consequence, that some heathen nations will hear,the distinction made on Mic 5:5.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
A light, a city on a hill, toward which the heathen streamthat is the holy congregation (Mat 5:14). In the time of salvation she is loosed, by the catastrophe spoken of in Mic 3:12, from her natural substratum, the little earthly hill of Zion, and in her spiritual significance, as no longer a mere centre of a temporal system of worship, but the source of the perfect instruction concerning God, exalted high above all that is high on the earth. As upon the figure of David the prophetic figure of the Messiah is developed, so upon the figure of Jerusalem is the prophetic figure of the holy community of the future (cf. Psalms 87.). As once from the tower of Babylon, which they had raised for themselves, sinners were scattered over the world, so God now sets up the banner around which they are to assemble. Prom men the multitude of ways, from Him the oneness of way. Prom men the centrifugal power, from Him the centripetal. Now must the deceitful voices of the gods and the oracles be dumb, to inquire of which the heathen travelled over land and sea; inquiries of the heavens also and of the abyss (Deu 30:12 ff.) must cease. The world is aroused to receive the statute and watch-word of God which goes forth from Zion. And this watchword is Peace, not the peace which the world giveth, for in the world ye shall have tribulation; but which God alone can give, wheu He becomes judge of the nations. He has become the God of the world, the calling of Israel the religion of the world. Then there is a quiet, blessed abiding; Gods congregation are the quiet in the land. With glorified lustre the times of Solomon, the Peaceful, return. And whatever of noble fame there is among men grows pale before his name, or receives new splendor through his name.
But that the light may burn clear it must first be purified from the dross. Not with the proud, who rejoice in their own light, dwells the Holy who is the only light, and a burning flame for the ungodly, but with those who are humble and of a contrite spirit (Isa 57:15). Not until he is crippled in the contest with God does Israel receive the blessing (Gen 32:25). The tower to which the congregation turn is not a regal, but a flock-tower. Prom the flock proceeds the rule, and the flock are the ruled. David was a shepherd, shepherds first heard of the Saviour, a shepherd was He himself.
But until then, until the spiritual completion of things, the way is still long. Jerusalem is still standing, and must first pass through the purifying judgments, whose end was described, Mic 3:12. Heavily struggles the congregation which is to be made perfect, under the terrors of the judgment. Out of her must the Messiah be born, from whom help cometh. But wave upon wave rushes on and dashes her that travaileth, yea, the waves will sweep her away from the shore where she thought herself concealed. Under Gods severe dealings there must first come upon Zions lips the cry: Lord, depart from me, for I am a sinner, before she can hear it said from his lips: Fear not, for from henceforth shalt thou catch men. And although she arise in might, so long as her Messiah is not born, all her labors come to nought, she labors in vain and spends her strength for nought (Isa 49:4). She must endure the worst.
Over against her stands the world-power, defiant from ancient times, and grown up together with her. And to the fullest power of manifestation must she come, yea, must accomplish the last shame of subjugation and extermination upon the inheritance of God, before she can herself be judged; for God judgeth not before the time is fulfilled (Gen 15:16). But the days of the world-power also are numbered. She is allowed by God to perform her work and she performs it; but while she gathers all her might, she gathers it still only for the destruction which God has appointed to her.
For, when the time is fulfilled, the Messiah will be born of the travailing congregation. Not indeed in the outward Zion. Over that hangs the doom of destruction. But the poor of the world hath God chosen. Out of little Bethlehem will He come toward whom all the promises have pointed from the beginning, because from the beginning He was with God, and toward his coming all history looks. Israel is abandoned, but abandoned for the glory of God, which shall be accomplished through the Messiah. When everything totters, under the divine judgments, He alone stands firm and enters on his shepherd office to fulfill the prophecy of the kingdom; through Him God becomes the world-God, and Israels religion the world-religion, and in Him is the Peace, yea, He is Himself Peace.
But the world will not have the peace. The heathen flow unto it; some of them however do not join in this movement, but would destroy the kingdom. These flow on to be judged. It is another David who acts the shepherd here. For falling and for rising again, one for life another for death, thus stands the Messiah, and with Him the congregation of God, in the midst of the nations, in the midst of history.
Those who belong to Him are a congregation of the holy, separated from all that is impure, from all in which imin trusts apart from God, which he loves and fears besides God; and therefore triumphant, because God maintains her cause.
Hengstenberg: It makes no difference as to the thing whether the nations walk with their bodily feet or with the feet of the soul, whether they move toward the proper Mount Zion, or toward the Church, which was typified by that, only that the beginning of the pilgrimage must belong to a time when symbol and thing signified were still together, the outward Zion was still the seat of the Church. Incessantly strides the divine judgment towards its final issue, irresistibly the divine grace wrests from the enemy the prey which appeared to be given up to them forever. New phases of sin introduce new phases of judgment, a new phase of worldliness a new onset of the world-power. That the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Old Testament forms a side object of the occurrences of the New Testament, that, however, this object was with none of the latter the only object, that each of them, rather, has its significance apart from prophecy, and that by this significance prophecy and history are both equally ruled, is everywhere manifest. Among the blessings which the Messiah should bring to the congregation of the righteous, is first perceived the fundamental benefit, the condition of all others, namely, the transformation which He will produce in the disposition of the covenant people. This above all things must be ehanged, if they are not still further to be given up to judgment. False Israel is the proper booty of the world.
Schmieder: The three periods of deliverance in Micah give the basis for subsequent prophecy; (1.) The redemption from Babylon is unfolded by Isaiah 40-60 :., and in such a way that this redemption becomes the typical form for the entire subsequent development of the kingdom of God. (2.) The deliverance of Jerusalem from the universal attack of the nations is represented in Ezekiel 38-39. as the last triumph of Israel. (3.) The rescue from the last calamity of all, in which the city itself is conquered, and the judge of Israel is mocked, lies at the bottom of the concluding prophecy of Zechariah.
Calwer Bible: That is a comfort to him, that Gods instruments of punishment upon Israel find also an avenger again for their tyranny, even in the people of Israel, although these must first have passed under the rod.
Schlier: Not until Zion the impure has been destroyed, can it become the seat of Gods holy dominion; Zions people must first be led far away as captives, before they become a people strong in the Lord and victorious over all peoples; Zions king must be deeply humbled before the true king of Davids lineage comes, who brings everlasting peace to his people.
Of the fulfillment. Justin Martyr (Dial. c. Tr.) : As many of us as, moved by the law and by the word coming out of Jerusalem, through the Apostles, have come to the faith, and fled for refuge to the God of Jacob and of Israel, filled until then with war and slaughter and all iniquity, we have everywhere changed the instruments of war into instruments of peace, and are building piety, righteousness, philanthrophy, faith, hope, etc.
Calvin: Although God governed the ancient people by the hand of David, Josiah, Hezekiah, yet there lay as it were a shadow between, so that God ruled in a hidden way. The prophet, accordingly, here expresses the difference between that typical outline-shadow of the kingdom and the later, new kingdom which God would reveal through the Messiah. And that is truly and definitely fulfilled in the person of Christ. For although Christ was the true seed of David, He was still at the same time Jehovah, that is, God manifest in the flesh.
Hengstenberg thinks himself obliged, following ancient examples, to interpret Mic 4:9-13 in an apocalyptic way, as a chronological series, so that in Mic 4:9-10 the Babylonian catastrophe, in Mic 4:11 the Maccabean struggles, in Micah 4:14 the oppressions of the Romans should be foretold. Compare, on the contrary, the explanation given above.
Rosenm., Casp., and Keil give an eschatological reference to these verses.
Schmieder: It is an entire mistake to interpret this great prophecy of Micah of any one historical event, as though it was completely fulfilled in that. The interpretation corresponds nowhere in its entire fullness, not even with the expressly promised deliverance from Babylon. This should not expose the prophecy to suspicion, but only warn us against the undue haste of expositors. The prophecy rests on visions which represent, not separate historical events, but which in large, figurative sketches show the course of the development of Gods kingdom. What the Holy Spirit thus speaks, that the Holy Spirit alone can interpret, not all pious curiosity of historical learning.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
On Mic 4:1-8. The kingdom of God.
1. Its central point: the glorified and exalted Zion, the source of the statutes and revelations, and through grace, the ancient, chosen seat of Gods dominion. Mic 4:1 ac, 2 g, h, 8.
2. Its citizens: those who flow toward it thirsting for righteosuness, longing for salvation.Mic 4:1 a, 2 af, 6, 7.
3. Its order: Gods law and Gods peace. Mic 4:3.
4. Its blessedness: rest, security, prosperity. Mic 4:4.
5. Its duration: eternal, like God Himself. Mic 4:5.
Mic 4:1. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory. The city on the hill shines and is not concealed; it is thy own fault if thou see not. Salvation comes of grace; but that thou mayest possess it the voice of desire must be in thy heart. He who would not suffer law and justice, and longs not therefor in humble prostration, is not ready for the Gospel either.
Mic 4:3. Gods judgments are best, and are clear enough for him who has part in the Holy Ghost. Plough and scythe cease not; sowing and reaping are still attended with toil, but what was a curse has become a blessing.
Mic 4:4. Who longs not for rest? In the kingdom of God thou hast peace. The terrors of the world are for him alone who goes with the world.
Mic 4:5. In Gods name! With that begin all thy work, then will it go on prosperously.
Mic 4:6. Even the Old Testament knows that not until after the fullness of the heathen will Israel after the flesh, humbled and contrite, enter into the kingdom. Why is his entrance delayed? Because Christians, instead of regarding Gods way, and thus living in peace, consume each other in strife and spiritual warfare, and so throw doubt over the certainty of the divine promises. Until Mic 4:3 is fulfilled (in a spiritual sense), Mic 4:6 also will not be fulfilled.
Mic 4:7-8. How will the dominion be? The question is obscure, and can be answered only from the New Testament. One thing only is surethat God will reign forever.
Hengstenberg: On Mic 4:2. The ways of the Lord are the ways in which He would have men walk,the ways of living which are well pleasing to Him. The antithesis is the walking in ones own ways (Isa 53:6), the direction of the life according to the caprice of the corrupt heart itself.
Michaelis: The Messiah will be a teacher, says Kimchi. And it is quite remarkable how the old teachers of the Jews themselves say expressly, that the Messiah will interpret the words of the law, and discover the errors of the Jews; that the doctrine which men learn before Him will not be considered in comparison with his new law.
Burck: Mic 4:3. Jehovah Himself will reign through his law and spirit. The office which ye most shamefully disregard (Mic 4:3), will be most faithfully discharged.
Michaelis: One may not object to this what Christ says (Mat 10:34 ff.), that He was not come to bring peace on the earth but a sword; for this happens per accidens through human depravity; and these disturbances Christians do not excite but suffer. The perfect fulfillment of this prophecy, moreover, is reserved for the final completion of all things.
Calwer Bible: Mic 4:4. Even under Solomons reign was it so (1Ki 4:25), as also the great crowd of men in Israel, which is promised (Mic 2:12), likewise existed in Israel, according to 1Ki 4:20, under Solomon. Solomons reign was indeed the chief type of the final reign of Messiah.
Caspari: Mic 4:5. We have to do with a promise. An admonition, or decree implying an admonition, wquld not be appropriate here among mere promises. The walking in the name of Jehovah, however, is not to be regarded as a merit deserving salvation, but as a conditioning grace which has been bestowed upon Israel.
Calvin: Mic 4:8. The prophet here establishes the souls of the pious, that they may hold out steadfast through the long delay, and not be discouraged by the present defeat so as to despair of the fulfillment of Gods promises. The dominion of the daughter of Zion is made prominent, because the king in Israel had obscured the glory of God.
Gulich: It is called the ancient kingdom, (1.) Because it is Davids kingdom in his son Christ. (2.) Because it is a kingdom proceeding from among them, not of foreign princes. (3.) Because it is the kingdom of God. (4.) Because it is the kingdom of the twelve tribes reunited as at the time of David and Solomon. (5.) Because it is the kingdom over the heathen as David and Solomon ruled over the heathen.
Luther: Mic 4:1. The kingdom of Christ, or the preaching of the Gospel, has been made so sure, and so firmly established, that it can be stifled or exterminated by no power, however great.
Mic 4:2. In particular, the prophet wished to show the difference between the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Moses and the law. Moses is a dreadful teacher; constrains and drives the people to a shadow of obedience. But the kingdom of Christ has a willing people (Psalms 110 :), who of themselves like sheep follow their shepherd. Eor to such willing obedience are they moved by the great, unspeakable benefits.
Mic 4:3. If any one is so utterly unacquainted with Holy Scripture as to interpret this text to mean that a Christian either may not bear arms, or not legitimately use them, he very unskillfully perverts the whole sense of the prophet. Eor he takes this saying concerning the spiritual kingdom of Christ and applies it to the bodily kingdom; and this he does against the plain Scripture, which enjoins on the temporal magistracy that they should protect their subjects in the enjoyment of their rights, and help maintain the general peace.
Mic 4:4. What a great difference is there between householders! Yet if they be Christians, each of them has his noble fruits, with which to help and support others.
Mic 4:6. Yet who would be so pusillanimous as not easily to allow God to take away his earthly goods, if he only has sure hope of the heavenly goods?
Starke: Mic 4:1. At the time of Christ, Mount Zion stood over all other mountains. The Church of the New Testament has a great preeminence over the Church of the Old Testament. Christ maintains and extends, even amid manifold disruption and desolation of the earthly kingdoms, his spiritual kingdomthe Christian Church on earthby his Word and Gospel,
Mic 4:2. It is not enough that each one believes for himself, one must also excite another by fraternal means unto righteousness. We must not only send others to church, but also visit it ourselves. Not all who come to the church are on that account true members of the church, but only those who come in true simplicity.
Mic 4:3. Christians should be a peaceable people and not live in bickerings, strife, and enmity. True piety is rewarded in this world, also (1Ti 4:8).
Mic 4:5. It is a devilish opinion that men may be saved in all religions. Christs kingdom is not a worldly but an eternal kingdom. A Christian must fear God not for a time only, but constantly.
Mic 4:6. Bodily plagues and all kinds of chastisements belong to the strange ways of God, by which, however, He seeks to bring the erring into the right way. The cross must give birth to the Church of Christ. Hold fast and endure.
Pfaff: Mic 4:1. The church of the New Testament rests on an immovable foundation. Even the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. All the kingdoms of the world are nothing to be considered of in comparison with the kingdom of Christ.
Mic 4:3. Because there is still everywhere war, hatred, and enmity among those who should be Christians, the Lord still judges the peoples and punishes the heathen.
Mic 4:5. No one is capable of the peace of God except him who walks in the name, and in the power, and according to the commandments of the Lord.
Quandt: Mic 4:1. As Zion, so far as it signified also Jerusalem, was the capital of Gods kingdom under the Old Testament, the language of the prophets naturally adapted itself to that, and thus the whole kingdom of God, from its Old Testament germs on toward its New Testament development, on earth and in heaven, was designated by the name of Zion, the mount of God.
Mic 4:3. The kingdom of peace is building itself up even in these periods, in so far as Christian people have already beaten many a sword into ploughshares and many a spear into pruning-hooks; this imperfect fulfillment is a pledge of the complete fulfillment.
On Mic 4:9-13. Of the straggles of Gods congregation.
They must be maintained
1. Under heavy sorrow in secure expectation of the final redemption (Mic 4:9-10).
2. Under the mighty assaults of the foe in sure confidence that the Lord sits upon the throne (Mic 4:11-12).
3. In constant self-examination. For, although the victory must certainly be given to Gods cause (Mic 4:13), nevertheless, until Christ is born in the congregation (and in each individual, Mic 4:1), the result of every contest is deserved disaster and disgrace (Micah 4:14).
Mic 4:9. Desperate complaint under the struggle and sorrow which God lays upon thee is a sign that Christ is not in thee. See to it that it becomes the right complaint and sadness; then will He, amidst the pain, be born in thee.
Mic 4:10. In his misery the prodigal son first found his way to his fathers house.
Mic 4:11. How much more earnestly must we be concerned that Gods name should be hallowed through our faith and life, since we know that to his enemies nothing is more agreeable than to see us dishallowed. While we are not unholy no one can render us so; and those who attempt it do so for their own condemnation and ruin.
Mic 4:13. In the fortunes of the congregation there is a constant ebb and flow. Let us be on our guard against pride in apparently prosperous seasons, against despondency in the drought.
Micah 4:14. It is a very wretched thing, that many Christians remember not until amid the furious assaults of the enemy that they belong together, so as to spare one another; but at other times for trifling causes refuse salvation to each other and will not dwell under one roof.
Hengstenberg: On Mic 4:9. The mingling together of judgments with promises of salvation should guard believers against vain hopes, which, if not supported by the event, change into so much the deeper despondency. It contains also an indirect solace in itself, for He who sends the prediction of what shall be, under his control must it stand, and He who sends can turn it away. The greatest reason for our faint-heartedness under the cross is the doubt whether it comes from God.
Calvin: Mic 4:10. As soon as He has strengthened the souls of believers to bear the cross, He adds the hope of salvation.
Luther: Birth-pangs indicate not a death but a twofold life, that, namely, the mother is to be delivered of her burden and the new man born.
Mic 4:11. Israel, with his claim to be alone the people of God, was a thorn in the eye of the heathen.
Starke: Mic 4:9. In great distress of heart men often either forget Gods promises, or begin in some measure to despair of their fulfillmenti
Mic 4:10. Then is the cross most lightly borne, when we consider the will of God, and yield ourselves patiently to the trouble.
Mic 4:12. The ungodly in their persecution of the saints, always have, doubtless, an evil design, but God knows how nevertheless to turn it to good.
Mic 4:13. A great army can accomplish nothing unless God gives it strength.
Micah 4:14. And all preparation for war is vain when God would punish. Those who despise Him and his Word are despised by God in return, and given over to the scorn of men.
Pfaff: Mic 4:11 ff. The enemies of Christs kingdom must not think that, because by Gods appointment they are permitted to plague the church for a time, this will pass unpunished. The iniquity will be returned upon their own heads. Against Gods judgments, when they fall, avails no military preparation, but only the preparation through repentance and prayer.
Rieger: Even in our Church, and amid the priceless liberty of conscience with which God has blessed us, his kingdom is still everywhere hampered and oppressed by the power and spirit of the world, and one cannot make the least use of discipline, still less discover traces of the kingdom of God in the secular power. But the greater the need the better can the promises come to ones help. If God should even still further and more grievously afflict, this must still be our consolation, that if He, breaks down that which He has himself built, He will use all the living stones otherwise for his own purposes. The certainty of the faith of Israel in the Old Testament, and the solidity of all Gods promises through the prophets, have served at all times as a support for the Christian faith. Where there is little or no faith in the heart, and men still esteem earthly good very highly, we often hear premature and too sensitive complaints, against which we must testify that there can and will be a still further decay of external prosperity, while yet God will not let his promise fail. Our heart is either lost in the distress and forgets the promise, or it lends an ear to the promise and then thinks there must nothing adverse intervene. It is right to keep promise and threatening both before the eyes.
On chap. 5.The Prince of Peace.
1. His is coming.
(a.) In lowly guise, 1 a; humble.
(b.) And yet to the throne, 1 b; glorious.
(c.) Because He was appointed to this from of old, 1 c; eternal.
(d.) At the appointed fullness of time, 2 a; temporal.
2. His work.
(a.) To seek and save that which was lost, 2 b.
(b.) To be a shepherd in truth, 3 a.
(c.) To prepare Gods kingdom even to the ends I of the world, 3 b.
(d.) To give peace to his followers through the protection which He will afford and the bestow-ment of power, 4.
(e.) To judge the world, 5, 14.
3. His Congregation.
(a.) A spiritual congregation. Mic 5:6.
(b.) A powerful congregation. Mic 5:7-8.
(c.) A holy congregation, which (a) trusts in God alone (Mic 5:9-10); () inquires after Gods will alone (Mic 5:11); (y) fears God alone (Mic 5:12-13).
Mic 5:1. God counts not but weighs; and the lowly and small in the eye of the world He chooses most fondly. He is a concealed God. His ways reach from the deep to the height.As David came not from Bethlehem without previous signs, so everything temporal in the kingdom of God has eternal signification.Kings should consider that they ought not to esteem most highly their arsenals, but their stores of bread, and that those exist for these.Rulers are at all times by Gods grace. Christs coming is from eternity and to eternity.It is little to believe that Christ was before the world; salvation begins not until you experience that He is born in the world.
Mic 5:2. Gods therefore is always hard to understand, especially when it goes against our flesh. Blessed he who receives it. God forsakes, but only for a certain time; have patience in the time of drought, his time is best of all. All his ways tend toward new birth; even death. He has forgotten none, and goes after all, even the lost; leaves the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and seeks the one.
Mic 5:3. Raise thy head; the Saviour stands ever, and if He veils himself, the cloud is in the dimness of thine eye; he cannot fall.Although Jesus be thy salvation, thou shouldst not in a childish way drag his nature into the dust, but cherish a holy reverence for his divine majesty. In the name of Christ call upon God; in the name of God cry to Christ; He will certainly hear thee. Wherever thou art He is not far off. Even if thou wert sitting in the abyss, his kingdom reaches thither. But consider that time on earth has an end, seeking may begin too late.
Mic 5:4. He gives Himself, therefore gives He peace. In the congregation He, the One, is invisible; his work there is carried on by many hands. A visible head to the congregation is against Scripture.
Mic 5:5. Even where He smites, it is only salvation. No Christian should rejoice in the destruction of enemies, but only be thankful for the salvation of his own soul.
Mic 5:6. Amid the world must the congregation stand. Flight from the world is contrary to the kingdom of God. Where the maintenance of the spirit and of strength fails, there exists nothing of the true Israel. Again, where grace is sought through human wisdom, and is placed in an outward mechanism of Christianity, rather than in the living, travailing power of Gods spirit, there too the true Israel is not. Times of refreshing in the Church come not according to the will and calculation of men, but according to Gods will. They cannot be made, but must be prayed for. But for death God is not to blame, but those who would not receive the dew of his Spirit, and would rather remain dry.
Mic 5:7-8. If a preacher would indeed speak the Word of the Spirit, he must know that Gods Word, which he proclaims, will triumph. He who believes not speaks as if he spoke not. How much more earnest and diligent in our office should we be, if we always thought that God does not without means carry forward the upbuilding of his kingdom, but has connected this with instruments, with the remnant of Israel, his servants.
Mic 5:9-10. The pride of learning and wisdom also is horses; the pride of self-righteousness and good works is chariots, on which the natural man rides abroad; anvl if whole communities rest in them and suppose that they are thus justified, they are cities and fortresses rejected of God.
Mic 5:11 f. Covetousness and ambition also are idols. How many men ask first these dark idols of their heart, before they inquire after Gods will, and thus lose, alas ! labor and profit; adulterating also the fountain of grace which had been opened in their hearts.
Mic 5:14. In the time of salvation, the idea of heathen will no more be conceived as national and historical, but those are heathen who hear not the voice of God, whether by birth they stand within or outside of the congregation.
Michaelis: On Mic 5:1. Days and eternity seem to be incompatible, but the Scripture speaks of divine things which it would reveal, in a human way. Hence as we conceive always of a space still beyond the uttermost world-spheres, although it does not exist, so we imagine days and seasons before the world, because we cannot do otherwise. Thus the Apostle also speaks of the days of eternity, and God is called (Dan 7:9) the Ancient of Days.
Chrysostom: When He says : His beginnings are from the beginning, from the days of antiquity, He shows his preexistent nature; but when He says: He will go forth a ruler to feed my people Israel, He shows his temporal birth.
Calvin: For me will He come forth; thus God indicates that He intends the destruction of the people only so as to restore them again after a certain time. Hence He calls back to Himself them that believe, and to his plan, as if He would say : So have I rejected you for a season, that you still lie near my heart.
Hengstenberg: God so ordered circumstances connected with the typical choice of David that his human lowliness might appear in the strongest light. It was God who raised him from a keeper of sheep to be a shepherd of the people.
Michaelis: On Mic 5:2. Therefore, because this is the plan of God, first to punish Zion for her sins and then to restore her through the Christ that comes forth out of Bethlehem.
Calvin: Mic 5:3. The expression feed shows how Christ stands toward his own, the sheep that have been intrusted to him. He does not rule over them like a dreadful tyrant, who oppresses his subjects with fear, but He is a shepherd and cares for his sheep with all the gentleness that, could be desired. But since we are surrounded with enemies, the prophet adds: He works with power, that is, with all the power there is in God, all the protection there is in Christ, as soon as there is need to protect the church. We should learn, therefore, to expect from Christ just as much salvation as there is power in God.
Schlier: Mic 5:6 ff. Christs people are a source of blessing everywhere, but where they are opposed they become a lion which none can resist; they are also a victorious people.
Schmieder: That the power of the holy people is a peaceful one, and that only the strength, not the kind of their force is compared to the force of a lion, is proved by what follows.
Michaelis: Christ is a lamb and a lion, cf. Rev 6:16.
Michaelis: Mic 5:9. So did Joshua and David, in order to break up false confidence (Jos 9:6 (f.; 2Sa 8:4).
Luther: How well has God fulfilled that already with the temporal Israel!
Starke: Mic 5:1. As believers under the Old Testament comforted themselves, amid their afflictions, with the promise of Christs coming in the flesh, so it becomes us, on whom the end of the world has come, to comfort and strengthen ourselves with the hope of Christs coming at the last judgment (1Th 4:16-18). Whatever cities worthily receive Christ, these are his Bethlehem. Although Gods throne is very high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly.
Mic 5:2. Let him that afflicts afflict, until He comes with the Gospel. Let him who loves happiness submit himself to his government in humility.
Mic 5:3. The Gospel gives nourishment to our souls, and glorifies Christ in us. Christs kingdom of power as well as of grace is and goes everywhere. The Gospel can be detained and hindered by no human power.
Mic 5:4. Christ is our peace, because through Him we have peace above us with God, within us in our conscience, around us with other men, and under us against Satan.
Mic 5:5. God can doubtless wink at the tyrants for a time; but when they have filled up the measure it will be measured to them again with the measure.
Mic 5:6. God scatters his pious ones for this reason also, that through them the seed of the Gospel may be sown also in other places. God has always a little flock left in the Church. True conversion results neither from our own nor from the powers of other men, but from God alone. The Gospel is the dew by which God refreshes the thirsty earth.
Mic 5:9-10. Many things not bad in themselves may become bad by abuse. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual and mighty before God (2Co 10:4).
Mic 5:13. Insincere worship also is a kind of idolatry.
Mic 5:14. God in kindness calls the sinner to repentance; if he obey not He chastises him in moderation; but if not even this helps, He overwhelms him utterly with his indignation.
Pfaff: Mic 5:1. Since Bethlehem, with the other cities of Judsea, has long been destroyed, the Messiah must have been born already. Jesus must reign by his Spirit in our hearts, if we would be a portion of his Israel.
Mic 5:2-3. A beautiful prophecy of the union of Jews and heathen in the New Testament; then they shall form one congregation to the worlds end.
Mic 5:6 f. Christians who walk in the power of the Saviour, are like a fruitful dew and rain, which fertilizes others also, makes them grow and bear fruit unto the Spirit; they are endowed with a spiritual strength from on high, whereby they may powerfully affect the conscience of men, and triumph gloriously over the kingdom of Satan.
Rieger: There remains much unexplained in this chapter. We may, however, in that which is clear and certain find our pasture, and have so much reverence for the more difficult parts as to believe that there lies in them also something by which already the faith of others has been strengthened, or of which others after us will have better understanding.
Mic 5:1 ff. Christ is here promised particularly as He who should be Lord over Israel, therefore in his kingdom. Where then is his high-priesthood, his redeeming work, and all the rest which is proclaimed of him in the Gospel ? All that has its fulfillment and due relations in the kingly rule. For this sets in motion his whole work of redemption with its blessed fruits, and procures its fulfillment for all the righteousness of God. It was the case with the Jews that they in an earthly sense rested on the kingdom alone, and stumbled at the rest; now, it works with many in Christendom almost precisely the other way.
Mic 5:2. It is not hard for faith to apprehend that, as Christ was once born at Bethlehem, as regards his person, so also he, in his kingdom, may once appear as the shepherd of nations, born through so many pangs and sighs of all the faithful, and may bring everything to the end proposed in the counsel of God.
Quandt: Mic 5:1. Out of the place which is too small to be an independent member, goes forth the head. Not the present Bethlehem, whose poor inhabitants support themselves by the preparation of mementoes for the pilgrims, out of the stones and shells of the Dead Sea, but a converted Christian soul is now the true birth-place of the Redeemer.
Mic 5:3. He who has the Messiah for a shepherd finds in Him both pasture and protection. With Him will the congregation dwell, not roam abroad any longer (cf. Amo 8:11).
Mic 5:6. The blessings which Christianity has brought to the world are not to be counted.
Mic 5:7. Not to the souls, but the sins of the nations will Israel be terrible; for the peace which the Messiah gives is in its nature warfare against sin.
Mic 5:10. Cities which are fortresses fall under the judgments of God, that confidence in them may fall also.
Mic 5:14. It is Gods way to do wonders with broken reeds. Not untilHe has washed Israel in the sharp lye of his judgments, and taken from him all in which he placed his vain hopes, is he a suitable instrument for God, to execute his vengeance on the nations through attestation of the word.
[Dr. Pusey: On Mic 4:1. Gods promises, goodness, truth, fail not. He withdraweth his Presence from those who receive Him not; only to give Himself to those who will receive Him. Mercy is the end and sequel of chastisement. Micah then joins on this great prophecy of future mercy to the preceding woe, as its issue in the order of Gods will.
Mic 5:2. In Micahs time not one people, scarcely some poor fragments of the Jewish people, went up to worship God at Zion, to call to remembrance his benefits, to learn of Him. Those who should thereafter worship Him, should be many nations.They came not making bargains with God (as some now would), what they should be taught, that He should reveal to them nothing transcending reason, nothing exceeding or contradicting their notions of God; they do not come with reserves, that God should not take away this or that error, or should not disclose anything of.his incomprehensiblencss. They come in holy simplicity, to learn whatever He will condescend to tell them; in holy confidence, that He, the Infallible Truth, will teach them infallibly.No one ever saw or could imagine two human beings, in whom the grace of God had unfolded itself in exactly the same way. Each saint will have his distinct beauty around the throne. But then each will have learnt of his ways, in a different proportion or degree.
Mic 5:3. The fathers had indeed a joy, which we have not, that wars were not between Christians; for although just wars are lawful, war cannot be on both sides just; very few wars have not, on both sides, what is against the spirit of the Gospel. Por, except where there is exceeding wickedness on one side, or peril of further evil, the words of our Lord would hold good, in public as well as private. I say unto you that ye resist not evil.
Mic 5:10. Gods judgments, or purifying trials, or visitation of his the saints, hold their way, until their end be reached. They who suffer cannot turn them aside; they who inflict them cannot add to them or detain them.There [in Babylon, in tumult, and din, and unrest, and the distractions of this life] shall it [the backslidden and chastened soul] be delivered, like the poor Prodigal, who came to himself in a far country, when worn out by its hard service. Even then it must not despair, but remember, with him, its Fathers house, the Heavenly Jerusalem. Its pains within or without, whereby in it is brought back, are travail pains. Though all is dark, it must not say, I have no Counsellor. For its Redeemers name is Counsellor, one Counsellor of a thousand. Thine Intercessor never dies. Out of the very depths of misery will the Divine merrcy draw thee.
Dr. Pusey: Mic 5:7 (Eng. Vers.). In the Gospel and the grace of Christ there are both, gentleness and might; softness, as of the dew, might, as of a lion. For, wisdom reacheth from one end to another mightily; and sweetly doth she order all things.10
Mic 5:11. The church shall not need the temptation of human defenses; for God shall fence her in on every side. Great cities too, as the abode of luxury, and sin, of power and pride, and, mostly, of cruelty, are chiefly denounced as the objects of Gods anger. Babylon stands as the emblem of the whole city of the world or of the devil, as opposed to God. The first city was built by Cain; Abel and the other saints had no continuing city here.
Matthew Henry: Mic 4:2. Where we come to worship God. we come to be taught of Him. Those may comfortably expect that God will teach them who are firmly rewolved by his grace to do as they are taught.
Mic 5:5. Then peace is a blessing indeed, when it strengthens our resolution to cleave to the Lord.
Mic 5:12. When men are made use of as instruments of Providence in accomplishing its purposes, it is very common for them to intend one thing, and for God to intend quite the contrary.
Mic 5:13. When God has conquering work for his people to do, He will furnish them with strength and ability for it, will make the horns iron and the hoofs brass; and when He does so, they must exert the power He gives them and execute the commission; even the daughter of Zion must arise and thresh.
Mic 5:2 (Eng. Vers). A relation to Christ will magnify those that are littli in the world.
Mic 5:5. When God has work to do He will not want fitting instruments to do it with; and when He pleases He can do it by a few; He needs not raise thousands, but seven or eight principalmen may servr the turn, if God be with them.
Footnotes:
[1][Literally, upon it, as though the stream would overflow the mountain. It is a miracle, if waters ascend from a valley and flow to a mountain. So it is a miracle that earthly nations should ascend to the church, whose doctrine and life are lofty, arduous, sublime. Lap. in Pusey in loc.Tr.]
[2][Dr. Pusey understands the partitively, and happily applies the expression to the infinite variety and degrees of understanding to which individual saints have attained, concerning God, and of experience of his grace. They do not go to God because they know Him, but that they may know Him.Tr.]
[3][He speaks of it as law simply, not the Jewish, law as such, but a rule of life from God. Mans better nature is ill at ease, being out of harmony with God. It cannot be otherwise. Having been made in His likeness, it must be distressed by its unlikeness; having been made by Him for Himself, it must be restless without Him. What they indistinctly longed for, what drew them, was the hope to be conformed by Him to Him. The sight of superhuman holiness, life, love, endurance, ever won and wins those without to the gospel or the church.Pusey.]
[4] These three verses are found again in Isa 2:2-4, almost word for word. It is disputed which of the two prophets borrowed them from the other. At first view the reference of them to our author seems to be favored by the obvious circumstance that they stand in a vital and complementary connection, are essential to the understanding of what follows, and through the antithesis to the immediately preceding context, have an appropriate and truly constructive position (cf. Mic 2:12 with Mic 3:1 and Micah 4:14 with Mic 5:1). In Isaiah, on the other hand, the three verses stand entirely apart at the head of a long discourse, whose subsequent parts are easily intelligible without them, and have only the interior connection with them that Isaiah shows: So it ought to be and might have been, but how unworthy are ye now, that such salvation should come. It is in this view evident that Isaiah in that passage quotes from some source, and granting this, it seems most obvious that he quotes from Micah. But now we learn from Jer 26:18 f. that Micah published his prophesies (cf. the Introd.) under king Hezekiah. And although one might restrict this statement to that which was immediately connected with the verse of Micah (Mic 3:12) there cited, and belonging to the same time, still, on this principle chaps, 1., 6., 2., possibly, at the most, could be assigned to an earlier date of composition, but precisely for the series of discourses, chaps, 25., would Jeremiahs statement remain decisive. But Isaiahs discourse, Micah 2., belongs not to the time of Hezekiah, but at the latest, to that of Ahaz, probably to that of Jotham, and was composed, accordingly, before Micah 2-5. Besides, the assumption (otherwise improbable) that Micah has presented us in our book with a total collection of the revelation, communicated by him at different times, does not solve the enigma. For thus the verbal identity of the citation in Isaiah, made from the oral discourse, with the written expression of Micah remains unexplained. This latter must have lain before Isaiah, on the supposition that he was the borrower from our prophet.
Thus commentators have been led to assume that both prophets made use of one and the same earlier prophet (Hitzig: Joel), whose writing has been lost. But how can this be proved, especially since it stands written expressly over those verses in Isaiah, The word of Jehovah, which appears to do away utterly with such, and with every assumption of borrowing? I can understand this caption, which, besides, would be altogether superfluous, only by regarding it as belonging to the discourse itself of Isaiah, not, therefore as a title, but as an integral beginning of the discourse itself. I should accordingly paraphrase Isa 2:1-5 in this way: Isaiah once spoke the familiar word (), etc. (Isa 2:2-4); but now (Isa 2:5) it must be spoken thus (Isa 2:5 ff., cf. Isa 16:13. ff.). Isaiah should thus before the whole discourse in Micah 2. have uttered the Mic 5:2 ff. as an independent prophecy, which he now repeats under altered circumstances to show how it is that it cannot be fulfilled. Isaiah quotes, accordingly, from himself. On the other side, however, Micah also has taken up again that old promise of his respected colleague, which might very naturally have made a strong impression among the people, in order, not antithetically but expansively to carry it forward, and to attach thereto his own new revelations. In a similar manner Jeremiah also (vid Introd. to Obad.) has reproduced and modified older predictions. [The very general view of commentators is that Isaiah (not after the reign of Jotham, Pusey) borrowed these verses from our prophet. See Dr. Puseys very strong judgment, Introd. to the Proph. Micah, p. 289 f.Tr.]
[5][Pusey finds the fulfillment of this enchanting prophecy of Peace on Earth (1) In the character of the Gospel. (2) The prophecy has been fulfilled within and without, among individuals or bodies of men, in body or mind, in temper or indeed, as far as the Gospel has prevailed. Alas! to how small an extent then, has the Gospel prevailed! True, the coming of Christ to the earth was remarkably, providentially coincident with a universal peace, the second which had been experienced throughout the Roman dominion since the reign of Numa (Livy, 1:19). Very impressive also are the testimonies of the early Christian writers to the change which the world had even then undergone, through the influence of Christianity, in respect to the frivolousness, the frequency, barbarity, rage, and destruetiveness of wars. Indeed, the expressed sentiments and the actual practice of Christians, at times, in former centuries, might well have encouraged the hope that erenow war would be remembered throughout Christendom only as the nightmare of a darkness forever past. But what is our feeling when those of us who are older retrace the bloody history of Christendom throughout our own lifetime! What, when we see the foremost nations of the world, and those most clearly enlightened by the rays of the Gospel, still most conspicuously distinguished above the heathen precisely in respect to the magnitude, the costliness, the scientific perfection, and the destructive efficiency, surpassing all ancient example, of their apparatus for mutual slaughter and devastation! It is but partial consolation to the Christian heart, that in all the wars which have stained the record of our century, one of the parties may have been in the right; because, even so, the other party, Christians also, were necessarily wrong. Still, it is true that the spirit of peace, averse from war. is the spirit of individual Christian hearts; and among the thousand I painful evils due in our time to the sectarian division, discrepancy, belligerency of Christians, without any authoritative unity of organization, or possibility of expressing freely their common thought and will, there is none more painful, humiliating, disastrous, than their incapacity to combine, and so make efficacious, their hatred of war.Tr.]
[6][On OPhel, vid. Smiths Dictionary of the Bible, S. V. and Stanleys Sinai and Palestime, p. 490.Tr.]
[7][DR. Pusey in loc. Presents strongly, and enlarges, the arguments for understanding this of the oppressions in the time of the MAccabees. Tr.]
[8][ almost always means an irregular band of plundering soldiers, on a foray or raid, and in calling Jerusakem the daughter of such a troop, the prophet seems to intimate the lawlessness, violence, and injustice of which she had been guilty, and for which she was to be repaid in kind.Tr.]
[9]Cf. Textual and Grammatical on the passage.
[10][Mic 5:4. . Dr. Kleinert renders: Is it, possibly, that I brought thee up, etc.; ist etwa, dass, u. s. w. This is spirited but savors too much, perhaps, of modern rhetoric. Tr.]
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
CONTENTS
This is a most blessed Chapter, for the precious contents of which the Church of Christ hath found occasion in all ages since possessed of it, and will find occasion to bless God the Holy Ghost for it till time shall be no more. We have in it the memorable spot predicted where Christ should be born; with assurances of his spiritual government and kingdom, and the gracious marks by which his spiritual Israel should be known!
Mic 5:1
The Chapter is introduced with an account of Zion’s troubles. She is to be brought down to great affliction. Troops of foes are to encompass her. No doubt this looked further than the captivity of the Church in Babylon, because the next verse is a comfortable promise in the midst of this trouble; and as it refers to the person, and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, I am inclined to think that the troops here spoken of mean the Roman government; under which Judea was a province in the moment of the birth of Christ. See, Reader! how when troubles abound, consolations abound!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
The Glory of the Church
Mic 4
We cut up our time into days and years, little spaces and periods, and we magnify them exceedingly by the trifling incidents which occur within them; but to the prophetic gaze the whole question of time was divided into two the first days, and the last days; the days before Christ, and the days after Christ. As to all that went between, it was matter of detail and necessary progress, and sequential development. How much we lose by frittering away our time by a frivolous division into parts, and minor parts, and major parts! Thus we are vexed by detail, exceedingly tormented, and our minds are clouded, and the horizon is shut out, and we are the victims of little views and small conceptions and narrow prejudices. Why do we live in the valley when we might live on the hilltop? The higher we ascend the more distant is the view. There is poetry in distance, there is music in the horizon; but who can find anything in smoke and cloud and fog but depression and fear, and loss of those higher enthusiasms that ought to rule our life. Arise, awake! Climb any hill that you can get your feet upon; it is good to be much in the upper air. Politically and socially, we are always beginning and ending; we are in a circle of elections and depositions and reconstructions, but in the spirit of our Lord we are seated with himself upon the circle of eternity, and oh, how small everything appears far away yonder! Yet what trouble the inhabitants are in! how they are voting and canvassing and knocking at each other’s doors, and exciting one another in momentary fury about nothing! Yet if all this inferior and temporary business must be done it can be best done in the spirit of eternity. It is when we have been most in heaven that we can most effectually and successfully handle the affairs of time. All depends upon the point of approach: if we approach the work from below it will be all uphill toil; if we descend upon it from communion with God we shall bring the whole stress of our strength to bear upon it, and a touch will have in it the force of a battering-ram. Why all this toiling, and upheaving, and struggling, and strenuous endeavour, when life might be made a joy; when life might be made to grow the flower of peace and the fruit of plenty, and the whole action might be a movement of triumph? Men will not be right until they are geometrically right; they must have the right point of origin; they must put themselves into proper figure; they must accept something that was in the universe before they came consciously into it; they must receive, and adore, and obey the will of God. The prophets looked forward to Christ, and we do just the same. We talk about ancient prophets there is nothing in the world but prophecy. Yet we have in our transient wisdom classified men into major prophets and minor prophets, and we go to the Old Testament for prophets of all sorts and qualities, forgetting that Jesus Christ is the greatest Prophet of all, and that Christians are still in the region of prophecy, and that if we could get out of the region of prophecy, we should soon get into the region of monotony, and the region of monotony lies close to the region of despair. It is hope that saves us; it is prophecy that gives us all our music and higher cheer and nobler enthusiasm; it is the beyond that holds our home, and it will be the beyond eternities hence. To see the invisible is to live; to lay hold of the eternal is to be safe for evermore.
“But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established” ( Mic 4:1 ).
There is a word wanting there; at least, the word is wanting in the English. The word was in the language of the prophet and in the tone of the prophet. The word “established” may be accepted as conveying a sense of only temporary security. We speak of our establishments, we speak of an established institution; but in so using the term we are aware that the establishment is regulated by certain unwritten and necessary laws, which govern the rise, the flourishing, and the decay of empire and institution. Micah used a word which means abidingly established, for ever firm, eternally secure. Not established even as a mountain is established, for mountains were planted that they might be torn up. Below the mountain there is a fire mightier than they, and that gleesome, grim, playful fire makes toys of the mountains, shapes them and reshapes them, lifts them up and tears them down; and yet we speak of the everlasting hills. Micah is now speaking of an eternal settlement, a position that never can be disturbed, part and parcel of the duration, because part and parcel of the quality of God. Where shall the mountain of the Lord’s house be established? on “the top of the mountains.” Whatever is on the top of the mountain is higher than the mountain. A child standing on the Andes, or Teneriffe, or Himalayan glories, is higher than they all. The little child looks down upon the mountain it stands upon; the mountain was never so high as that child is. Here is the mountain of the house of the Lord; it is a mountain upon a mountain. The house of the Lord itself is spoken of under the figure of a mountain, and the mountains of the earth have to carry the mountain of God. They are all his; he made the staircase as well as the temple; he made the vestibule as well as the palace; he made the earth first, and then he built upon it; he made the mountain first, and then he set his Church on the top of it. The meaning is, that the Church is to be the uppermost institution, the sanctuary of God is to be at the top of things, and out of it is to come law; out of it also is to come the spirit of righteousness, and out of it, day by day, is to come the spirit of peace, the spirit of benediction. We must be right at the top, or we never can be right otherwhere. Given a proper sovereignty, a rule of righteousness, truth, beauty, love, music, honour, and we shall have a world at peace. Who is on the throne? is the uppermost question. Who reigns? What governs? for the “what” in that case is larger than the “who.” Say righteousness is on the throne, and the earth may be at peace; say the highest interests of humanity as a whole are represented by the throne, and no misfortune can befall that symbol of majesty. Every Church that is selfish must be torn down; nay, may we change the phrase, and say, Why tear it down? Time is against it; the ages coming and going are against it; the spirit of liberty is against it; Providence is against it. Distress not thyself, therefore, with any tearing down violence, for all bad institutions, political, ecclesiastical, theological, social, will fall, and no man shall care to look into their dishonoured graves.
What a wonderful forecast was this on the part of the villager Micah! The prophecies of these men seem to my own mind not only to suggest, but to confirm their inspiration. This is not only talk. Here are men that shoot out above us all, miles and miles beyond. They are in the heavens, whilst we are on the earth. Yet they were unlearned men they were rustics, they were villagers; they laid down their credentials, and in those credentials there is nothing of so-called ancestral and hereditary glory. But how they lived! They sat down as guests at the banqueting-table of the ages. Micah, the villager, comes and sits down at the latter-day feast; he is a guest of the Lord, and takes part in the song of festival. We might have more joys if we understood that all things are ours. All time belongs to the children of light. We are not bounded by the little grey dewy morning of the present; we have all the mornings that ever grew in the garden of the horizon. We are only poor because we are faithless. If we had faith we should have all time, all strength, all confidence, and all peace. Lord, increase our faith.
What does Micah see? Whole nations coming to the Lord, and saying to one another,
“Come, and 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 of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” ( Mic 4:2 ).
Here is a popular sentiment; here is, indeed, a universal sentiment. At present our ideal Christian life is represented by a one-man ministry. If you close your eyes, and look upon the ideal Church of to-day, it is that there shall be a congregation, and one man shall be addressing it; and that one man shall sustain the position of exhorter, and in high, poignant, hortatory tones he shall call men, and warn men, and bless men. Micah saw a much larger ministry; he said, The time will come when the people will exhort one another; when all the congregations shall mutually excite one another to higher enthusiasm and nobler endeavour. Wherever you meet a man he will say, Come to the mountain of the house of the Lord; wherever you see an assembly of men they shall, with one concurrent and dominating voice, say, Come! and their call will be to festival, to banqueting, to the holy rite of harmonious joy in the living Saviour. What wonder that Micah was rich and strong, and full of peace and gladness! The image is one of an inspiring kind.
What shall happen when this mountain of the house of the Lord is exalted on the top of the mountains? This shall come to pass,
“And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” ( Mic 4:3 ).
How is that result brought about? Not by argument, not by voting, not by overwhelming majorities; it is brought about as a detail it is part of something else, it is the issue of a certain all-inclusive process. The third verse is in the second verse: let the mountain of the house of the Lord be in its right place, and all other things shall adjust themselves to the genius that presides and governs. We have been working at the wrong end too much; we have been trying to do things in parts that were never meant to be done, except as in relation to sublimer movements. Let the temple of the Lord be in the right place; let it be rightly defined as the sanctuary of righteousness and judgment, the abode of law and the home of pureness and peace, and then all other things will fall into harmonic and helpful relation. We cannot carry on our poor shoulders the universe; it is impossible for us to hasten millenniums to any appreciable extent. We lose ourselves so much in false enthusiasm. The thing to be remembered is this, that you never can have peace until you have righteousness; you cannot have a happy earth until that earth is governed by eternal and indestructible principles: if you think you can, then you will have reformations, and insignia, and paraphernalia, and clubs, and arrangements of divers social kinds, all of which may be momentarily pleasant. They will never bring in the millennium. Only one thing can carry the earth, and that is gravitation. Gravitation will pick it up, but your hands cannot, your institutions cannot, your politics cannot; only one thing keeps the universe right, and sends it whirling through its musical revolutions, and that is gravitation. Gravitation can pick up a thousand universes, and hold them all in fact, it can make them hold one another; but we, with our poor shoulders, yea, with both of them, cannot carry the tiniest planet. Better come to an understanding about this whole business of reformation, elevation, education, and progress. Nothing is right until it is religiously right. By religiously right do not understand any mean, detestable, and utterly unworthy sectarian interpretation of the term. Dismiss all meddlers, welcome all helpers; but know that nothing is right until it is right in its soul. All compromises, adjustments, and temporary relationships are but for a moment. That is right which is religiously true; that is right which God pronounces very good.
What comes after peace? Security:
“But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid” ( Mic 4:4 ).
The vine and the fig tree were children of Palestine, they were the typical plants of the country; and every man shall have his own vine growing by his own door, and putting out its leafage so plentifully that it can curl itself around the trellis-work of the portico, and the old grey-haired sire shall sit and think over the past, and forecast the future, and meditate in the law of the Lord, the very air itself being a speechless benediction. There shall be personal security, there shall be a sense of nearness to God; but all coming out of the proper establishment of the house of the Lord. If that house had not been on the top of the mountains you could not have had the vine and fig tree; or if you had the vine and fig tree they would have been no security. If you had no sun you could have no violet. Is that little blue-eyed thing born in the sun? Yes. If you had no solar system you could have no daisies in the meadow, no redbreasts, no larks, no songs in the air. Do not look at the violet and say, “Bless thee, sweet little blue-eyed stranger, we are glad to see thee,” and think that it is not part of the solar system: it eats at the table of the angels, it is a guest in the household of the Father; it is a snip of the sun, one infinitesimal glint of his infinite light. So you could not have your vine and fig tree if you had not the mountain of the house of the Lord established on the top of the mountains. Religion carries everything with it. It is a true religious settlement that gives you your home, your cottage, your palace; it is the spirit of righteousness that hangs your walls with pictures; it is the spirit of goodness that makes it possible for the poorest man to have one poor little pot of flowers on his sloping window-sill. Look at things in their right relations. Seize the bigness and unity of all things. Otherwise, what shall happen to you? You will be the victims of detail and accident and incident and hap, and you will say, Chance thus, and thus it fell out. Nothing of the kind. Why do you not live in the sanctuary? Why do you not find your habitation in eternity?
“For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever” ( Mic 4:5 ).
Why not? Do not worldly men excel us in this matter of brute courage? It is difficult for the worldly man to keep down his vulgarity. He will chaffer about the market-place before he leaves the church; he will say his creed. The worldly man is not afraid to speak about his markets, and his bargains, and his chances, his profits and his successes; is the Christian to be a dumb soul that has nothing to say about the living Lord? The worldly man will talk about his unclean little deities, his chance and his fortune, his opportunities and his investments, and his progress and his sagacity, and he will revel in the detestable pantheon of his own imagination and idolatry; and shall Christian men have nothing to say about righteousness and truth, the all-grouping and all-controlling Cross? If dumbness were piety, Christianity may be said to have won the day.
Now comes the great evangelical prophecy. Hear it, and remember who spake it:
“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” ( Mic 5:2 ).
If we were not familiar with these words they would be amongst the grandest utterances of the ages; we know them so well that we miss their meaning. We are too frivolous. We have seen the sun so often that we now never look at him; we have been so many mornings in the world, that morning comes to us with no song, no poetry, no new testament just written with the blood of the heart of God. “But” should be “And.” Nor is the word “and” a simple conjunctive in grammar; it is a conjunctive in history, in genius, in spiritual intent, “And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah.” Thus the events are run into one another. We slip up history by our disjunctives. “But” we assign as dividing a sentence; Micah says “and.” Many a chapter begins with “and.” The little pedantic grammarian says “and” ought not to begin a sentence; but the great grammarians, the spiritual interpreters of ages and eternities, make all grammar bend itself to their uses. Chapter iii. begins “And.” Thus we get the unity of history, the solidarity of events. One thing belongs to another: Bethlehem, thou art very little, but out of thee shall come the greatest Man that ever lived; Bethlehem, thou art not worthy to be counted among the Gileads of Judah, but out of thy little thousand there shall stand a man who shall rule all men. There is a wonderful spirit of compensation in providence. God is saying to each of us, Though thou art poor, thou mayest be wise; though thou art slow, thou mayest be painstaking and persevering; thou art though misunderstood by men thou art fully comprehended by thy Father. Look for the “though” in every history; look for the compensation in every life. “… From of old, from everlasting” here is pre-existence; the whole mystery of the Gospel is here; for here we have eternity, personality, a historical point; we have the divine before the human. In the Old Testament language God is called by a very simple term the God of Before. You cannot amend that phrase; do not paint that lily, bring no tinsel to that gold. If we cannot understand the term “Eternity” because of its vastness and its sublimity, we have some inkling of the meaning of the word “before.” Of the Saviour, the Nazarene, the Man of Sorrows, of him who was acquainted with grief, whose face was marred more than any man’s, it is said he was “before all things.” Here is the altar at which we worship, nor are we ashamed to render homage here.
Prayer
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? This that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? He is mighty to save; he is the Son of man, who came not into the world to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. He is the good Shepherd; he giveth his life for the sheep. We do not know the meaning of all his words, but we feel them as we feel the power of love; we know them without knowing them; they are answered by our hearts: we feel that we need all his speech, all his life, all the miracle of his priesthood. We have done the things we ought not to have done; he alone is the Daysman between the offending soul and the offended law. We have heard of him with the hearing of the ear, and when we have seen him with the eyes of our heart we have fallen down before him as men abase themselves before a great glory. He is the Son of God; he is called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. We love his name; with tears and heart-brokenness we bow down before his Cross; it is the image of law, the image of love, the sign of righteousness, the token of mercy. This is love, this is the condescension of God. We look unto Christ, and are lightened; we bring our sins to him, and never take them away again; he is the Saviour of the world; he puts his arms round about the race he redeemed, and none can pluck a soul from his keeping. We are safe in the arms of Jesus; locked in his hand, we are safe eternally. In such thoughts would we find light, consolation, peace, encouragement; we would not receive them as topics of contemplation, but as stimulants to action, calls to service, challenges to sacrifice. Thus would we have the gospel of Christ in our hearts, a call to labour, to suffering, to heroism, and to all the joy that comes of agony for others. The Word of the Lord is a living Word; the tumults of the ages cannot disturb it; its pulse throbs amid the activities of the generations, and is not to be stilled, for it is the eternal life. May we hear the gospel, now and again a great call, a tender voice, a loving whisper, a martial blast, the very wonder of the glory of God. May thy Word comfort human hearts and direct human steps, and bring all the uproar and shapelessness of life into form and beauty and living colour, so that we may see God in all things, and hear his voice in the storm. Grant consolation unto thy servants according to their daily need; make the home a church; make the market-place a sanctuary; make the chamber of affliction the very nearest chamber in the house towards heaven. May sorrow bring messages which prosperity could never deliver. May all the way of life show itself to have been first trodden by the feet of the Son of God. He is our glory, our redemption, our propitiation; he is the door, the bread of life, the truth, the way to the upper places, the shepherd of the sheep, the vine whose blood is for our hearts’ cheering. Help us to know the Saviour more and more, to live more nearly as he lived, to represent him in temper, spirit, purpose, action, in all the course of changeful time. These prayers we pray, where prayers become their own answers, at the Cross of Christ, at the gate of heaven. Amen.
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
XXIX
THE BOOK OF MICAH PART 2
Micah 3-7
The title of this section (Micah 3-5) in the analysis is “A Gross Sin, a Great Salvation (Restoration), and a Glorious Saviour.”
The prophet characterizes their sin in Mic 3:1-4 . In Mic 2 we have a painful picture of their sins but in this paragraph we have a more detailed account of their sins and the punishment. He again addresses the heads of Jacob and the rulers of the house of Israel, and asks them the question, “Is it not for you to know justice?” You are the men that should do right: you are the men appointed to bring justice to the people, but what are you like? “You hate the good, and love the evil.” And then he gives another and more terrible description of their oppression and the way they have treated the poor, “who pluck off their skin from off them and their flesh from off their bones; and flay their skin from off them, and break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron,” which of course) is an extremely strong way of putting it. Before the French Revolution it was much the same. A peasant said, “They crop us as a sheep would crop the grass,” and another peasant made the remark, “They treat us as if we were but food.” This condition existed many times previous to the time of Micah, and many times since. The result will be destruction: “Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them; he will even hide his face from them at that time.”
Micah attacks the false prophets in these words: “Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people to err; that bite with their teeth.” Most people thus bite, but these prophets had a peculiar purpose in biting with their teeth; they did all their prophesying that they might have something to bite. “They bite and cry, Peace; and whoso putteth not into their mouths they even prepare war against him.” Just as in Jeremiah’s day so they did in Micah’s day; both prophets had to contend with the false prophets. “And whoso putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him,” that is, if a person did not feed them or give them something they proclaimed a war against him in the name of God. Because of this, the result would be darkness, mental, moral, and spiritual as well as political: “It shall be night unto you that ye shall have no vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day shall be black over them.”
The seers, the soothsayers, the diviners, the visionaries, the fortunetellers, and the class that live by preying upon the people, shall be ashamed and confounded; “Yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.”
Now, the contrast between those false prophets and Micah, the true prophet of God, follows: “But as for me, I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.” The difference is an ethical and a spiritual one. One is indwelt and filled with the power of the Spirit, the other is indwelt and filled with the power of his own selfish ambition and desires. The difference is fundamentally one of character. In Mic 3:9-12 we hear Micah, again addressing the heads of Jacob, accusing them of abhorring justice and perverting equity. He says, “They build up Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us: No evil can come upon us.”
They felt this way when Jeremiah prophesied their downfall; they said, “The Temple ! The Temple! The Temple! It is impossible! This city, this temple, this people of Jehovah: God will protect us.” And in reply to this plea of false safety Micah says, “Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.” This, the princes in Jeremiah’s time said, produced in Hezekiah a deep repentance, and was largely influential in producing the reformation under that excellent king.
Micah’s vision of the mountain of the Lord’s house is found in Mic 4:1-5 . This magnificent passage is to be found almost word for word in Isaiah. Micah says,
In the latter days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow unto it. And many nations shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, 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 out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. Mic 4:1-4
If we compare that with Isa 2:1-4 we see the verbal likeness between the two.
And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall go and say. Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. Isa 2:2 ff.
As we stated before these two prophets were contemporaries. Now the question arises, Which of these two copied from the other, which borrowed the other’s thought and the other’s phraseology, or are they both original, or did both Isaiah and Micah borrow from another prophet? It is the idea of a great many of the critics that both borrowed from another prophet, an earlier one, but it is not necessary to infer that Isaiah was the kind of man who needed to borrow from any other prophet. He himself was one of the most sublime poetic geniuses the world had ever seen; he possessed an imperial imagination, and he never needed to borrow or plagiarize. It seems more probable that Micah borrowed from Isaiah, if any borrowing was done. They lived in the same age, they prophesied at the same time and in the same city, and no doubt were acquainted with each other. They moved in a similar circle of ideas, and it is possible that a similar idea would come to both at the same time; that the Spirit of God would present a vision to each mind very much the same. That is possible, but the most reasonable explanation is that this is Isaiah’s vision, his phraseology, his picture. It is Isaiah’s imagination and Isaiah’s literary genius that is behind this, and Micah being familiar with the thought incorporated it into his prophecy and adds Mic 4:4-5 which we do not find in Isaiah, thus:
But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. For all peoples walk every one in the name of his god; and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.
For the interpretation and fulfilment of this great prophecy see, Interpretation on Isa 2:1-4 , pp. 115-117.
The thought is carried forward in Mic 4:6-8 . This is the promise of the restoration. Here he takes up the same thought from a little different standpoint. He comes now to the details and peculiarities of the age and deals with the conditions of those people to whom he is speaking, thus: “In that day, saith Jehovah, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted.” This refers to the exiles. “And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off, a strong nation; and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.” This agrees with Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah. This is a picture of the restoration, while the other was a picture of the restored kingdom. This picture of the former power and dominion is expressed thus: “Thou, O tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, yea, the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.”
A period of anguish must precede this restoration. This is indicated by Micah’s questions, thus: “Now why dost thou cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee?” There didn’t seem to be when we remember the king was such a weakling. “Is thy counselor perished, that pangs have taken hold of thee as of a woman in travail?” All good counsellors had perished. He goes on: “Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now shall thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt come even to Babylon: there shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord will redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.” This statement, that they should go into Babylon troubles the critical school. They say that Babylon was not in the ascendancy in the time of Micah. Assyria was the nation that loomed upon the horizon as the power that would destroy, therefore they reason that Micah could not have conceived of Babylon being the place of exile because Babylon was not the leading nation. Of course, according to their theory Micah could not see into the future one hundred years.
They also say that this is an interpolation, in fact many of them say that Micah did not prophesy this at all, but it was spoken during the exile or after by some anonymous writer. But in Mic 4:11 he pictures the attitude of the other nations toward Judah and Jerusalem, thus: “Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye see our desire upon Zion.” Isn’t that exactly why Ezekiel prophesied against all these nations and buried his threats of denunciation against them? Now Micah gives the reason why they act thus: “They know not the thoughts of Jehovah, neither understand they his counsel; for he hath gathered them as the sheaves into the threshing-floor.” Because of his attitude toward Judah they will be gathered as sheaves on the floor to be threshed.
The call of Mic 4:13-5:1 is a call to liberty and dominion. The prophet is now speaking of triumphant Israel whose time of deliverance is at hand, and through whom the nations are to be beaten and threshed in punishment. He says to the people of Israel, “Arise, and thresh, O daughter of Zion; for I will make thy horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass; and thou shalt beat in pieces many peoples: and I will consecrate their gain unto Jehovah, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.” The figure is that of a great threshing floor upon which the sheaves lay, and the threshing instruments are driven over them, Israel is to be as a threshing instrument of iron which shall be driven over the other nations, and shall break in pieces many people, and their wealth shall be taken by Israel and devoted to the worship of Jehovah. That corresponds with Isa 60 one of the finest passages in Isaiah’s writings.
It also resembles his prediction of Tyre, which shall be destroyed and her whole wealth devoted to the worship of Jehovah. In Mic 5 he again summons Israel to activity: “Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us; they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.” A strange expression, “they shall smite.” In spite of the fact that “thou hast been smitten, arise, smite back and conquer; your time has come, your dominion ye shall receive again.”
Mic 5 is devoted to the glorious Saviour and consequent deliverance, or the messianic King and the Blessedness of Israel. This is another view of the same glorious age of the restoration, a different vision, a different point of view, but essentially the same.
The king of this blessed age arises from among the poor (Mic 5:2-4 ). We saw in the last chapter that Micah was the prophet of the poor, that his sympathies went out for them in particular and now when he pictures this glorious age, and its king as rising, he represents him as rising from the poor class: “But thou Bethlehem, Ephrathah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Bethlehem, the home of David, the village where the shepherd boy, who afterward became the shepherd king, lived, the place dear to the heart of every Israelite; this is to be the place whence the king shall come. It is one of the smallest places, the most insignificant and most obscure little villages.
It was no accident that the Saviour of the world rose from among the poor, the working class. Is it not the most fitting thing that could possibly have happened that a king of the world should rise from among the poor? Whether it be wise or not in our estimation it certainly was in God’s estimation, and a little thought along that line will convince us that God could not have done a wiser thing than to have Christ rise from among the poor people. “Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting,” that is, there have been prophecies of him that had been looking forward, expecting him, and he had been manifesting himself in various ways from the beginning, and had been set forth in types and shadows as the one who should come and appear in his glory. Then he goes on with his picture: “Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.” And then this king, this shepherd-king, this descendant of David, as it says in Mic 5:4 , shall stand and shall feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. This is the picture of the Shepherd so common in Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Amos, Hosea, and again in that immortal parable of the shepherd as found in Joh 10:1 . “And they shall abide, for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.”
Micah’s vision of him as a deliverer is found in Mic 5:5-6 He is here presented as the one who shall deliver them from the Assyrian. He uses the Assyrian here because the Assyrian was the great barbaric power that was rising up on the horizon of the world at that time and extending her power over every nation. The very name itself sent terror to the people of that time. “And this man shall be our 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.” These officials will surround him as his cabinet, to stand by, to support, to give aid, and he will be amply and ably supported on his throne. “And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof.” On time’s horizon the end seems close with Micah. Twenty-six hundred years or more have passed by since, and time’s horizon is yet enlarging. The Assyrians have been extinct since a hundred years after Micah’s time. So the Assyrian here is used to represent the enemies of the Messiah’s kingdom and thus includes all the nations that know not God.
The relation of Israel to her friends and to her foes is stated in Mic 5:7-9 . To her friends the remnant of Jacob shall be as dew from Jehovah, as showers upon the grass that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.” That is true yet regarding the remnant of Israel. But for their enemies, “the remnant of Jacob shall be among all the nations in the midst of many people, as a lion among the beasts of the forests and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he go through both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.” This is not to be taken literally. There is a sense in which God’s people go forth like a lion, conquering, but the Messiah’s kingdom is spiritual.
Israel’s relation to idolatry in this new condition is set forth in Mic 5:10-15 . All idolatrous connection shall be rooted out: “I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots: and I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strongholds. And I will cut off witchcraft out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers: thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.” Israel shall be cleansed of her idolatry.
The title of Micah 6-7 in the analysis is “Jehovah’s Controversy with His People.” This is a different section of the book of Micah, different problems arise here, different modes of expression. A great many of the critics maintain that this was written during the reign of Manasseh when idolatry was revived, and heathen sacrifices were carried on. It would fit in with the reign of Ahaz, however, and Micah prophesied during the reign of Ahaz, Jotham, and Hezekiah. The conditions found here existed during that time.
The case of the controversy of Jehovah with his people is stated in Mic 6:1-9 . Here Jerusalem is called upon, thus: “Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. Hear ye, the Lord’s controversy and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.” All nature is called upon to hear. This is not mere poetry: there is eternal truth underlying it. “The Lord hath a controversy with his people and he will contend with Israel.” He goes on to describe the controversy. What is it about? Not about sin. Jeremiah calls the people to a great controversy regarding their sin; Micah does not. It is how they shall serve Jehovah, how they shall worship him.
Jehovah speaks: “O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.” A marvelous statement, Jehovah asking his people to testify against him, if they have anything to testify. What condescension! Just like Isaiah I “Come now and let us reason together.” Then he goes on, “For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.” “Remember what happened between Shittim and Gilgal,” that plain bordering on the Jordan in Moab, and Gilgal across the Jordan. What happened between these two places? “Ye know the great miracle I performed, the stopping of the waters, and the multitude crossing over on dry ground; remember that ye may know the righteous acts of Jehovah.” Mic 6:6 gives a little glimpse into the religious condition of the people, “Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?” They had been doing that in abundance. “Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? and shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” The numbers used are an exaggeration of course, for purposes of rhetoric and making it effective “with ten thousands of rivers of oil.” Oil was a part of the sacrifice and worship. “Shall I give my firstborn for my transgressions, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” This gives us an idea of what the people were doing, and how they were worshiping. They were sacrificing the first-born, and seemed to seriously believe that Jehovah required them to do so.
Mic 6:8 is one of the greatest passages in the Old Testament. Micah sums up the whole of religion in one little verse; he gives one final answer to all such questions as to how we should serve and worship God, thus: “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” No prophet or writer ever summed up the whole duty of religion better than Micah does here to do justly, righteously in all conduct, i.e., kings, rulers, business magnates, commercial princes, millionaires, land owners, workmen. That is the first thing. And more than that, “love mercy,” go beyond strict justice; go farther than that, delight in tenderness, show mercy. That goes as far as Christianity almost. And then finally, “humble thyself to walk with thy God,” or “walk humbly with thy God”; the better translation, perhaps is, “Humble thyself to walk with God.” This is the finest expression that has ever been used to describe the service of true religion: “Do justly,” there is our relationship in all civil life. “Love mercy,” there is, our relationship in all home life, family life, all social life; there is the tender side of human life. “Walk humbly with God”; there is the divine side. There is just one passage that equals this, says Dr. George Adam Smith, and that is where Jesus says, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest” (Mat 11:28-29 ).
The charges here against the city (Mic 6:9-16 ) are their various sins which are the reasons for Jehovah’s visitation. Here we have the city’s life pictured in a vivid and lurid way. Mic 6:9 , “The Lord’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.” Mic 6:10 , “Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?” Mic 6:11 , “Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? For the rich men thereof are full of violence and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.” And because of this he utters his threat of destruction and predicts the utter desolation of the country and the people. In Mic 6:16 he charges them with following the example of Omri: “For the statutes of Omri are kept and all the works of the house of Ahab.” Ahab seized Naboth’s vineyard and they followed his example, “and ye walk in their counsels: that I may make thee a desolation and the inhabitants thereof an hissing; therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.”
The prophet’s part in the case is found in Mic 7:1-6 . He appears as the prosecuting attorney here in this passage and bewails the utter corruption of society: “Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits as the grape gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat; my soul desireth the first ripe fig. The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.” It does not necessarily mean literal blood, but when one takes away a man’s means of support, his wages, his necessities of life, he takes away his life because he will have less of the necessities of life. The oppression of the poor is simply the taking of the blood of the people. “They hunt every man his brother with a net,” and how many businessmen there are in this age that do love to get the net around another man! “That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge is ready for a reward; and the great man, uttereth his mischievous desire; thus they weave it together.” There is a lot of sharp dealing among them, a hard people to deal with; “The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge. Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.” No one can be trusted. When a man dare not confide in his own wife, it is about as bad as it can be. “For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.” How desperate the entire life of the nation must have been with every form of deceit practiced. Jesus Christ used this very expression to tell how his gospel was going to cause division and enmity.
The righteous remnant takes part in the case (Mic 7:7-13 ). They plead guilty and hope for mercy and pardon. It is the voice of the prophet and in the prophet the voice of the righteous kernel the true Israel that speaks here, not the voice of the people nor the rulers, but the righteous kernel, the true Israel, the mother of sorrow. Notice what she says in resignation: “As for me, I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” That is a fine text, and the next one is even better: “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.” To translate it literally: “I have fallen, I will arise.” Faith seldom, if ever, in dark moments, uttered a more hopeful, a more blessed sentiment than that. In Bunyan’s immortal allegory, where he describes Christian in the Valley of Humiliation and fighting with Apollyon, and Apollyon throws him to the ground, Christian thrusts him with his sword, quoting these words, “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise.” In Mic 7:9 we have a note of resignation that is beautiful: “I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause and execute judgment for me; he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.” How hopeful and trustful that is!
Now the effect upon his enemies: “Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.” He gives another glimpse of the future: “In that day thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed.” That reminds us of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the walls. Micah says the time will come when the walls will be rebuilt. “The decree”; we do not know just what is meant here, perhaps the marginal reading, “boundary,” is correct. Then he goes on to picture in glowing language the return of the people from all nations whither they have been scattered: “They shall come unto thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress, even to the River, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain,” but that is to be after the desolation takes place, for in Mic 7:13 , it says, “Notwithstanding, the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.”
The prophet’s final plea for and hope held out to Israel is as follows: “Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.” This seems to imply that Northern Israel had not been depopulated in Micah’s time, for just before this Tiglathpileser had deported all Palestine beyond the Jordan; that seems to have taken place and Micah pictures the return here as the people coming to feed in Bashan in the land from which they had been taken.
The hope here is that the nations, when they see this, shall come in dread and dismay, Mic 7:17 . “The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth; their ears shall be deaf. They shall lick the dust like the serpent,” referring to the account in Gen 3 regarding the serpent, saying that dust should be his meat, and that he should move along close to the earth and should lick up the dust. “They shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of thee.” A picture of the terror of the nations after the Restoration. Ezekiel pictures them as being utterly subdued, so does Jeremiah to some extent, but Micah pictures them as being in abject submission and terror, crawling like servile beasts in fear before the presence of Israel.
Now come the beauties of the doxology (Mic 7:18 ): “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” Isn’t that a beautiful picture of God? There are several texts there. “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us: he will subdue our iniquities: and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” How deep is the sea? In some places it is five miles deep. If their sins are cast down to the bottom of the sea they are gone forever. And he closes this beautiful statement thus: “Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to ABRAHAM, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.” He goes back to Abraham, God’s promise to him: “All nations shall be blessed in thee,” and that promise must be fulfilled.
QUESTIONS
1. What is the title of this section (Micah 3-5) in the analysis?
2. How does the prophet characterize their sins in Mic 3:1-4 , what instances in modern history, and what is the result of the sin of Jacob?
3. Describe Micah’s attack on the false prophets and his contrast between himself and them.
4. What charge does Micah bring against the heads, the priests & the prophets, respectively, what their reply and what the consequent result?
5. What is Micah’s vision of the mountain of the Lord’s house (Mic 4:1-5 ), how does it compare with Isa 2:1-4 . Who borrowed in this case?
6. How is the thought carried forward in Mic 4:6-8 ?
7. Describe the period of anguish that must precede this restoration, the radical critics’ position on this passage, and the attitude of the other nations toward Judah and Jerusalem.
8. What is the call of Mic 4:13-5:1 ?
9. To what is Mic 5 devoted?
10. What Micah’s vision of this king as to his origin and place of birth?
11. What Micah’s vision of him as a deliverer and why the mention of the Assyrian in this connection (Mic 5:5-6 ) ?
12. What the relation of Israel to her friends and to her foes (Mic 5:7-9 )?
13. What shall be Israel’s relation to idolatry in this new condition (Mic 5:10-15 )?
14. What the title of Micah 6-7 in the analysis and what can you say in general of this section?
15. State the case of the controversy of Jehovah with his people (Mic 6:1-8 ).
16. What can you say of the beauty and meaning of Mic 6:8 and what the application of its several points?
17. What are the charges here against the city (Mic 6:9-16 )?
18. What is the prophet’s part in the case (Mic 7:1-6 )?
19. What part does the righteous remnant take in the case (Mic 7:7-13 ), and what hope do they see?
20. What is the prophet’s final plea for and hope held out to Israel?
21. What are the beauties of the doxology (Mic 7:18 )?
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
Mic 5:1 Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
Ver. 1. Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops ] Here the virgin, the daughter of Zion, despiseth her adversaries of Assyria and Babylon, and laughs them to scorn; “the daughter of Jerusalem shaketh her head at them,” Isa 37:22 ; and bearing herself bold upon the foregoing promise, Mic 4:13 , that she should beat in pieces many people, she taketh liberty to taunt the Assyrian monarch with all his troops beleaguering her, and basely abusing her judges, telling him, that the babe of Bethlehem would shortly take an order with him. And although she were but a virgin, yet, having such a champion as Christ, who is in love with her, that will take her part and fight her quarrel, she doubteth not to say, “Now gather thyself in troops,” &c. Nunc turmatim coito, o turmaria, Increase thine army and come forth. “Gather yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us,” Isa 8:9-10 ; Jehovah is our judge, Jehovah is our champion, Jehovah is our king; he will save us, Isa 33:22 . Lo, this is the Church’s confident boasting in Christ, this is the triumph of her trust in him. The thought of his birth swalloweth up all her fears and discontents; and compasseth her about with songs of deliverance, Psa 32:7 .
He hath laid siege against us
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mic 5:1-5 a
1Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops;
They have laid siege against us;
With a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek.
2But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity.
3Therefore He will give them up until the time
When she who is in labor has borne a child.
Then the remainder of His brethren
Will return to the sons of Israel.
4And He will arise and shepherd His flock
In the strength of the LORD,
In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God.
And they will remain,
Because at that time He will be great
To the ends of the earth.
5And this One will be our peace.
Mic 5:1
NASBNow muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops
NKJVnow gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops
NRSVnow you are walled around with a wall
TEVPeople of Jerusalem, gather your forces
NJBnow look to your fortifications, fortress (Mic. 4:14)
This verse is Mic. 4:14 in the Hebrew text. There are several translation options:
1. The NASB, NKJV, and TEV follow the MT (BDB 151 I, cf. Jer 5:7; and translate the VERB the same way).
2. The Septuagint has now you are walled about with a wall (i.e., siege, cf. NRSV, REB). It changes the Hebrew VERB gather (BDB 151, KB 177, Hithpoel IMPERFECT) to a similar Hebrew word meaning to build a wall (BDB 154, i.e., strengthen against a siege, cf. Eze 13:5, NJB).
3. Another possible translation is you are slashing yourself, daughter of slashes (BDB 151, but it would require a revocalization, cf. JPSOA, Moffatt translation, NET). This last possibility could be accurate because of the connection between slashing oneself and
a. idolatry (cf. Lev 19:28; Lev 21:5; Deu 14:1; 1Ki 18:28; Jer 47:5; Hos 7:14) or
b. grief (cf. Deu 14:1; Jer 16:6; Jer 41:5; Jer 47:5; Jer 48:37)
Mic 5:1 describes the situation as it was (Jerusalem about to be sieged), where Mic 5:2-5 describe the situation that will be in the end time (Jerusalem home of the great King). This same temporal transition can be seen in Mic 5:5-9 in contrast with Mic 5:10-14.
Chapter 4, Mic 5:9-13, deals with Jerusalem. It is possible that Mic 5:1 (Mat 4:14) is one paragraph relating to a besieged capital (Jerusalem).
If Mic 5:1 goes with Mic 5:2-5 a, then there is a contrast between weak, helpless Jerusalem and God’s new leader from Bethlehem (David’s hometown). The Judean monarchy is hopelessly lost in sin and faithlessness (except for a few godly kings, e.g., Hezekiah, Josiah). God will raise up another faithful king of David’s line, who will fully follow YHWH (cf. Gen 49:9-10; 2 Samuel 7)!
They have laid siege against us The VERB (BDB 962, KB 1321) is a Qal PERFECT. Remember the time setting is not in the VERB, but in the context. This obviously refers to a siege, but which one? There are several theories.
1. The historical setting may be Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah and his unsuccessful siege of Jerusalem in 701 B.C. ( cf. 2Ki 19:35-36).
2. Nebechadnezzar II also invaded and besieged Jerusalem in 586 B.C. (cf. 2 Kings 24-25).
3. Many scholars believe this may also reflect the future invasion of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple by Titus in A.D. 70 (cf. Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21)
Number 1 fits the author’s time best, while #3 fits the Messiah’s time best.
With a rod The term rod (BDB 986) meant a stripped tree branch (shorter than a staff) used as a means of discipline
1. for children, Pro 10:13; Pro 13:24; Pro 22:8; Pro 22:15; Pro 23:13-14; Pro 26:3; Pro 29:15
2. for God’s judgment on the nations, Psa 2:9 (cf. Psa 110:5-6); Isa 9:4; Rev 2:27; Rev 19:15
3. for judgment on His own people, Isa 10:5; Isa 10:24; Isa 14:29
Assyria was called the rod of God’s anger in Isa 10:5; Isa 10:24. However, God will also strike Assyria because of her sins (cf. Isa 30:31). Rod is a Hebrew idiom for a king ruling (BDB 986, cf. Mic 7:14; Rev 2:27; Rev 12:5; Rev 19:15).
they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek The judge is a title for the King of Israel. To smite one on the cheek was a sign of great insult (cf. 1Ki 22:24; Job 16:10; Lam 3:30; Act 23:2), which shows Assyria’s contempt and Israel’s weakness. What YHWH had done to His covenant people’s enemies (cf. Psa 3:7), He now allows to happen to them!
Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible asserts that this judge is the Messiah (p. 887).
Mic 5:2-5 a This whole paragraph marks a radical transition from God’s judgment (siege, exile) on Jerusalem and Judah to God’s marvelous restoration (cf. Mic 4:6-8; Mic 4:12-13). This vacillation is common in prophetic literature and perhaps is (1) the work of later editors or (2) the mind set (antithetical parallelism) of the Hebrew prophets.
Mic 5:2 Bethlehem Ephrathah Ephrathah (i.e., a clan of the tribe of Judah, cf 1Sa 17:12; Rth 1:2; Rth 4:11; note 1Ch 2:19; 1Ch 2:24; 1Ch 2:50) is added because there was another house of bread (Beth-lehem) in the northern tribal allocation of Zebulun (cf. Jos 19:15). Bethlehem was known as Ephrath (cf. Gen 38:19; Gen 48:7). It was a very small village, only noted because it was the birthplace of King David (cf. 1Sa 16:1, and thereby, a way to refer to a future Davidic Messianic King, cf. 2 Samuel 7; Psalms 89). This verse is quoted in Mat 2:6 and alluded to in Luk 2:4 and Joh 7:42.
little This term (BDB 859 I) is often used in a pejorative sense of least.
1. clans, 1Sa 9:21
2. tribes, Psa 68:27
3. horns, Dan 8:9
4. towns, Mic 5:2
(list from NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 830)
clans The term clans is the Hebrew term thousands (BDB 48 II). The Hebrew term for thousand, eleph, can be used as:
1. a family or clan unit, Num 10:4; Jos 22:14; Jdg 6:15; 1Sa 10:19; 1Sa 23:23; Mic 5:2; Zec 9:7
2. a military unit, Exo 18:21; Exo 18:25; Deu 1:15
3. a literal thousand, Gen 20:16; Exo 32:28
4. a symbol, Gen 24:60; Exo 20:6 (Deu 7:9); Exo 34:7; Jer 32:18
Bethlehem was so small that she is not even mentioned in Joshua 15 as supplying troops for the Judean army, or in Nehemiah as supplying workers for rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls.
of Judah Because of Moses’ prediction about the descendants of Jacob’s son, Judah (BDB 397) in Gen 49:8-12, esp. Mic 5:10, it became the accepted prophecy that the Messiah would be of Judah’s line, family of Jesse (cf. 2 Samuel 7).
for Me This phrase is emphasized in the MT. The Messiah comes at YHWH’s bidding. He is YHWH’s full and perfect, human, righteous leader, One who accurately and completely reflects the God of Israel. The students of the OT (the rabbis) were not expecting an incarnation (i.e., God becoming a man), but an empowerment (i.e., like the Judges). God Himself was the true king (cf. 1Sa 8:7).
NASBHis goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity
NKJVWhose goings forth have been from of old,
From everlasting
NRSVWhose origin is from of old,
From ancient days
TEVWhose family line goes back to ancient time
NJBWhose origins go back to the distant past,
To the days of old
These two lines are parallel. The VERB, going forth (BDB 422, KB 425, Qal IMPERATIVE) is a very common VERB. It was used in Micah eight times (e.g., [1] of the Lord coming in Mic 1:3; [2] of God’s law going forth in Mic 4:2; and [3] of repentant Israel being restored in Mic 7:9 [a new exodus, Mic 7:15]). It can refer to the Messiah’s origin (NRSV, NJB) or actions (cf. Mic 5:4-5 a).
These two lines could refer to (1) the pre-existence of the Messiah (cf. Pro 8:22-31; Joh 1:1; Joh 1:14-15; Joh 8:56-59; Joh 16:28; Joh 17:5; 1Co 8:9; Php 2:6-7; Col 1:17; Heb 1:3; Heb 10:5-8) or (2) a way of referring to famous descendants of the past (i.e., Abraham, Noah, or more probably, David). This whole verse alludes to a Davidic king, of David’s line, from David’s hometown. David was viewed as the ideal king.
The term eternity (BDB 761) is ‘olam. See Special Topic: Forever (‘olam) .
The NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 347, which discusses ‘olam, makes this comment,
While it is tempting to see here a reference to the eternal preexistence of the Messiah, no such an idea is found in biblical or postbiblical Jewish literature before the Similitudes of Enoch’ (first century B.C. – first century A.D.; see I Enoch 48:2-6.
I think, although there are hints in the OT of an incarnation, the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day were surprised at His claims of equality with God (e.g., Mar 2:5-7; Joh 1:1-14; Joh 8:58 and Paul, 2Co 4:4; Col 1:15; Php 2:6; Tit 2:13). A partial list of OT texts that have been used to assert the full deity of Jesus follows:
1. Psa 2:7, quoted in Heb 1:5 (see esp. Mic 1:2-3)
2. Psa 45:6-7 quoted in Heb 1:8-9
3. Psa 110:1 quoted in Heb 1:13
4. Isa 9:6; Jer 23:5-6; Mic 5:2 alluded to in Luk 1:32
5. Dan 7:13 quoted in Mat 26:64; Mar 14:62
6. Zec 13:7 quoted in Mat 26:31; Mar 14:27
7. Mal 3:1 quoted in Mar 1:1-3; Luk 2:26-27
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY
Mic 5:3 He will give them up until the time In context the PRONOUN can refer to (1) YHWH or (2) His Messiah. It think it refers to YHWH in Mic 5:3, line 1, but to the Messiah in Mic 5:3, line 3 and is purposeful ambiguity!
The VERB (BDB 678, KB 733, Qal IMPERFECT) is another very common VERB, which can mean give, put, or set. Here it connotes deliver up, usually in a judgment context (cf. Num 21:3; Jdg 20:13; 1Sa 11:12; 2Sa 14:7; 2Sa 20:21; 1Ki 14:16; Hos 11:8).
she who is in labor has borne a child There are several possible biblical antecedents:
1. It goes back to YHWH’s first promise of redemption by a male deliverer through a woman in Gen 3:15.
2. It relates to Micah’s contemporary, Isaiah, who several years earlier mentioned a special birth (cf. Isa 7:14; Isa 9:6; Isa 11:1-16).
3. It goes back to Mic 4:9-10, which uses the same metaphor for Jerusalem.
4. It relates to the Messianic community (i.e., the faithful remnant), as in Revelation 12, bringing forth the Messiah.
The whole point of Mic 5:3 is that God has allowed a limited judgment to overwhelm His faithless covenant people in order to gloriously restore them!
Then the remainder of His brethren
Will return to the sons of Israel This may refer to one or two groups: (1) the remnant and (2) the sons of Israel (cf. Isa 10:20-27). Historically this would refer to the Jews taken into exile reuniting with those Jews who remained in the Promised Land, but eschatologically it refers to all Israel (cf. Romans 9-11, esp. Rom 9:6; Joh 10:16). The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 428, says it refers to brothers of the coming ruler (cf. Mic 5:2). As always, poetic prophecy is brief, ambiguous, and difficult to interpret. It is almost impossible to interpret without (1) a specific historical setting; (2) a literary context; and (3) OT or NT parallel passages.
See D. Brent Sandy, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy and Apocalyptic (this has been a very helpful book for me in interpreting prophecy).
return There is a play on the word shub (BDB 996, KB 1427, Qal IMPERFECT), which denotes
1. a literal physical returning (from exile)
2. a spiritual repentance (from idolatry and rebellion)
This alludes to Mic 2:12-13; Mic 4:6-8.
Mic 5:4 This is a description of the characteristics of the Messianic reign (cf. Isa 9:6-7; Isa 11:1-9; Isa 11:11-16):
1. He will stand (i.e., endure or remain, e.g., Psa 102:26; Psa 111:3; Psa 111:10; Psa 112:3; Psa 112:9; Ecc 1:4; Isa 14:26; Isa 66:22; Hag 2:5)
2. He will shepherd His people (David was a shepherd, YHWH is described by him in these terms in Psalms 23)
3. He will come in the strength of the Lord
4. He will come in the majesty of the name of the Lord, his God
5. He will be great
6. He will reign to the ends of the earth (BDB 75 e.g., Psa 2:8; Psa 22:27-28; Psa 59:13; Psa 72:8)
7. In Mic 5:5, line 1 (which should go with Mic 5:4) He will reign in peace (cf. Mic 5:4, line 4)
Notice how Mic 5:4 describes the same time period as Mic 4:1-4.
Mic 5:5 a And this One will be our peace Peace is the Hebrew word shalom (BDB 1022). It speaks of wholeness. The Jews use it for a greeting and a farewell. Its eschatological use here is possibly a contrast to the contemporary false prophets’ message of peace (cf. Mic 3:5; Mic 5:5, line 2, Mic 5:6).
This verse is speaking of a ruler who will bring peace (cf. Mic 5:4) and will himself be called peace (cf. Isa 9:6; Eph 2:14). See Special Topic: Peace (shalom) .
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Now = Meanwhile; as in Mic 4:10, Mic 4:11. Showing that Mic 5:1 relates to the interval between the then present time and “that day” of Mic 4:1, Mic 4:6.
gather thyself, &c.: or, thou shalt have sore tribulation [for thy sins], thou daughter of affliction.
he: i.e. the enemy. The Assyrian.
us. The prophet includes himself.
the judge. Or, the then ruler (compare 1Ki 22:24. Lam 3:30; Lam 4:20; Lam 5:8, Lam 5:12), who would thus be the type of the Messiah (Mat 27:30).
rod = sceptre. Hebrew shebet = the club (of defence), as in Mic 7:14; hence, of office; not matteh, the rod or staff (of support), as in Mic 6:9. See note on Psa 23:4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Chapter 5
Now in chapter 5 Micah leaves that scene of the future and he comes back to an intermediate scene.
Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: and they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek ( Mic 5:1 ).
That, of course, is a prophecy relating to Jesus Christ and was fulfilled in Matthew ( Mat 26:67 ). He was smitten with a rod that it might be fulfilled as the prophet declares, and this is the prophecy here in Micah. Going on to prophesy concerning the Messiah:
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall come forth unto me he that is to be the ruler in Israel; whose going forth has been from old, from everlasting ( Mic 5:2 ).
So the prophecy that Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the Messiah.
Now, the Jews believed this for years. In fact, when the wise men came to Herod and inquired concerning the birth of the King, “Where is He to be born who is to be the King of the Jews?” Herod inquired of the scribes there in Jerusalem and they answered him, “In Bethlehem,” because the prophet said, “And thou Bethlehem, I’ll be little among the thousands in Judah, yet out of thee.” So they believed in that day that Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the Messiah. Now, of course, since Christ was born there, it would be impossible for that prophecy to be fulfilled again, because there is no one from the house of David left in Bethlehem. Bethlehem is now an Arab city. No one from the house of David left in Bethlehem. So the rabbis today have made up some other kind of an interpretation of this prophecy in Micah. And they say, “No, it doesn’t refer to the Messiah at all.” But yet, in the time of Herod the scribes and all definitely believed it and were looking for Bethlehem to be the birthplace of the Messiah.
So I go along with the scribes and all at the time of Herod. They were closer to the truth, and surely Bethlehem became the birthplace of Christ. And since the dispersion after Titus in 70 A.D., Bethlehem has not been a Jewish city and is not to the present day. So it would be impossible now, because no one could really prove his genealogy to David anymore. So Bethlehem was to be the place from which the ruler of Israel would come, the King. “Whose goings forth have been from old.”
Now here is the prophecy that Christ has always existed, from everlasting; that could only be said of God. The word everlasting in the Hebrew is a very interesting word. There are two words in the Hebrew that are sort of translated everlasting. The one means the vanishing point, literally. So if you let your mind go back as far as you can. They say the universe is ten billion years old. Can you let your mind go back ten billion years? Can you conceive of ten billion years? I doubt it, but at least we can accept it as a figure. But what was before the universe came into existence? How far back can your mind take you? Our minds being finite can go back, but the further we go back the narrower the lines get, until you get to a vanishing point and I just can’t think beyond that. The vanishing point, that’s one of the Hebrew words for everlasting. It’s to the vanishing point, where you just can’t conceive of anything further back. This particular Hebrew word means beyond the vanishing point. In other words, your mind goes back to the vanishing point and then beyond that. Whose goings forth has been from everlasting; from beyond the vanishing point He has existed.
We read in Joh 1:1 ,”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. And all things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made” ( Joh 1:1-3 ). “In the beginning,” when was that? I don’t know-beyond the vanishing point. “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God,” and then John tells us, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” ( Joh 1:14 ). And the Word became flesh in Bethlehem that the prophecy might be fulfilled. “And thou Bethlehem, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall come He who is to be the ruler in Israel, whose going forth have been [He has always existed] from old, even from the vanishing point and beyond.”
Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return to the children of Israel ( Mic 5:3 ).
So the Messiah was cut off, therefore He will just give them up. Israel was given up in a sense by God. And now we are living in an age in which God is dealing among the Gentiles, drawing out a body of Christ. And such will be the case until Israel again begins to travail, seeking their Messiah. “Until she which travails has brought forth, then God’s grace and glory will return unto the children of Israel.”
And he shall stand ( Mic 5:4 )
And this is a prophecy concerning Christ and His relationship to Israel in the Kingdom Age.
And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, and in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and he shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the eaRuth ( Mic 5:4 ).
Remember when Gabriel was talking to Mary concerning the child that was to be born, he said, “And He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David” ( Luk 1:32 ). So all of this word of Gabriel to Mary tied together the prophecies of the Old Testament.
And this man shall be the peace ( Mic 5:5 ),
He is the peace. In Isaiah he prophesied, “For unto to us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulders: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace” ( Isa 9:6 ). Now the prophet Micah says, “For He is our peace.” And Paul tells us that in Ephesians. For He is our peace, who has broken down the barriers that used to exist between man, and He has made us all one together in Him. There is no real peace until the walls of separation are broken down between men. He is our peace, who has broken down these walls. So the beautiful prophecies concerning Christ.
now when the Assyrians shall come into our land ( Mic 5:5 ):
And this, of course, is a prophecy of the last day invasion by Russia.
and when they shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men ( Mic 5:5 ).
You say, “Who are they?” I don’t know. We’ll find out when it happens.
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 comes into our land, and when he treads within our borders ( Mic 5:6 ).
The king of the north in those last days; not only Russia, but probably also the reference to Armageddon.
And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people ( Mic 5:7 )
And this is probably the ministry of the 144,000 during the Great Tribulation period.
And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as the dew from the LORD [freshness and refreshing], as showers upon the grass, that tarry not for man, nor wait for the sons of men. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, he both treads down, and tears in pieces, and none can deliver. For thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all of thine enemies shall be cut off. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots: and I will cut off the cities of the land, and throw down all thy strongholds: And I will cut off the witchcraft out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more the soothsayers: Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands. And I will pluck up your groves [that is your places of worship of the false gods] out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities. And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard ( Mic 5:7-15 ).
This will be the Great Tribulation period that we read about in Daniel and from Jesus and from the revelation of John–the period of Great Tribulation. But I want you to notice something about this Great Tribulation. God is declaring that in the Great Tribulation I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon who? The heathen. That should comfort you to know that God has not appointed us unto wrath. The execution of God’s judgment, anger and all is coming upon the heathen, such as they have never experienced or dreamed. Daniel said, “And there shall be a time of great trouble such as never existed from the beginning.” Jesus said, “And there shall be a time of trouble such as has never been before or will ever be again,” as they refer to this Great Tribulation period.
Now notice that during this time the instruments that God is using are the Jews, not the church. His faithful remnant among the Jews will be God’s instruments of witness upon the earth during the Great Tribulation. The church will have been translated and will be with Lord in glory enjoying the marriage supper of the Lamb. “Blessed is he who is called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Jesus said, “Pray ye always that you will escape the things that are going to come pass upon the earth and that you will be standing before the Son of man.”
And we read in Revelation, chapter 5, as there is this scroll in heaven, the title deed to the earth in the right hand of the Father as He sits upon the throne and the angel proclaims with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to take this scroll and break the seals?” And John begins to sob because no one is found worthy in heaven and earth or even under the sea to take the scrolls and loose the seals. But the elder said, “Don’t weep, John. Behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed to take the scroll and loose the seals.” And John said, “I turned and I saw Him as a lamb that had been slaughtered. And He came and He took the scroll out of the right hand of Him that sits upon the throne. And when He did, the twenty-four elders came forth with little golden vials that were full of odors, which were the prayers of the saints. And they offered them up before the Lord and they sang a new song saying, ‘Worthy is the Lamb to take the scroll and loose the seals, for He was slain and He has redeemed us by His blood out of all nations and tongues and tribes and people. And He hath made us unto our God kings and priests and we will reign with Him upon the earth.'”
Standing before the Son of God, that is where I want to be, not down here as God is pouring out His anger and vengeance upon the heathen, but standing with the children of God there before the throne. “
Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary
Mic 5:1-6
(Mic 5:1) But before the remnant shall be gathered by Messiah, before those cast off can become a strong nation, the inevitable must happen. The kingdoms will gather their armies together and attempt in vain to hold off the armies of Assyria and of Babylon. But it will be to no avail. The price of their apostacy must be paid.
Zerr: Mic 5:1. This verse is a continuation of the thought started in Mic 4:13, namely, the triumph of Israel over all her misfortunes. Troops literally means soldiers and indicates military conflicts, but it is used figuratively only, for Israel did not have to fight for the release from captivity. The pronouns should be carefully distinguished in order to avoid confusion. Thyself and us means Israel, while he and they are the enemies of Gads people. Laid siege and smite refer to the siege and capture of the nation of Israel, which was to be reversed when the “return was accomplished by the Lords decree.
FOCUS ON THE MESSIAH (Mic 5:2-6)
(Mic 5:2) In the Hebrew text this verse is the first verse in chapter five. In the Septuagint it appears, as in all subsequent texts as verse two of this chapter. Actually, Mic 5:1 belongs with the last paragraph, beginning with verse nine, of chapter four. When the bloodied-handed Herod sent to the rabbis to ask the place of Messiahs birth, he was pointed to Bethlehem. (Mat 2:4-6) It was on the strength of this passage (Mic 5:2 -ff) of Micahs prophecy. No prophecy concerning His coming is more clear. No predictive Scripture is more universally agreed upon as to its meaning.
Zerr: Mic 5:2. This verse is another of the numerous instances of the passing from some favorable event for ancient Israel to one of spiritual Israel. It is understandable why the inspired prophets would do so: while the spiritual advantages pertaining to the New Testament times are for both Jews and Gentiles, yet the system was given to the world through the Jews (Rom 3:2). We know this verse is a prediction of the times of Christ, for the New Testament makes such an application of it (Mat 2:8). Whose going forth . . . from everlasting. Jesuis was not personally connected with the affairs of the Old Testament, but He was recognized by his Father throughout all of the dealings intended for the benefit of mankind (Mat 25:34).
Having described the nature of the Messianic age (Mic 4:1-13) and having inserted a reminder of the punishment which must come first (Mic 5:1), Micah now focuses our attention on the birth and work of the Messiah Himself.
Bethlehem! Birthplace of David. Ancient Ephratah of the Gentiles. (Gen 35:16) The entire race of men have an acute interest in what will happen there. To the Jew first but also to the Greek, there will be born in the city of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord. As villages go, Bethlehem is no more nor less than average. Nestling on the eastern slopes of a ridge some five miles southwest of Jerusalem, this was, among other things, the traditional home of many whose trade was carpentry. Compared to many districts in Judea, the prophet calls Bethlehem little. We might have expected the Son of God to be born in Jerusalem, or the King of Kings to be born in Rome, or some other center of power and influence. Instead, He came to a peaceful little Judean town, so insignificant in worldly eyes that Josephus doesnt bother to mention it. Nor for that matter, is it included in the catalogue of Joshua in late Hebrew manuscripts.
Jerome suggested Bethlehem was stricken from the later Hebrew texts to obscure the evidence of Jesus Messiahship. In light of the fact that the Septuagint does include Bethlehem in the text of Joshua, Jerome may have been right. In any event, the selection of this humble village of shepherds and carpenters as the birthplace of Gods Messiah speaks volumes concerning the value of human status symbols and pride of ancestry. (Luk 1:52) It is also not without significance that the sheep tended on the slopes of Bethlehems hills were traditionally those intended for temple sacrifice. He who was born there was the lamb of God! The shadow of a cross fell across the manger bed. So firmly fixed was Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah in the minds of the Jews that Hadrian would allow none of them to live in or near the town.
ONE . . . THAT IS TO BE RULER IN ISRAEL . . .
Perhaps no other single term in the Old Testament has been more grossly misunderstood or the subject of more theological controversy. To the post-exilic Jewish mind it conjured up dreams of one who would establish the Jewish nation as the final world power. Upon this dream was based most of the nationalistic pride, the religious narrowness and the racial bigotry which marked the Jewish contemporaries of Jesus.
It was this ambitious vision of world conquest and Gentile enslavement that brought about the death of Jesus (humanly speaking) for He would have no part of such an earthly kingdom. It was this same racio-nationalistic ambition that brought about the death of the first Christian martyr, and which hounded Paul across three continents.
It is this same materialistic concept of Messiahs kingdom which today preoccupies many Christians with eschatological charts and prooftexts whose time might more profitably be spent preaching the Gospel.
On the other hand, it is the failure of many to recognize the kingly office and authority of Jesus that has brought about the spiritual uncertainty of the modern church. It was a king who, was to be born in Bethlehem, not merely a Galilean carpenter or a pale religious philosopher.
So aware was Jesus of His royal office that even He was tempted by Satan to fulfill the Jewish dream of power by setting up a worldly kingdom. This is the meaning of Jesus temptations at the opening of His public ministry (Luk 4:1-12), His awareness of His kingship was so intense that His preaching is termed the gospel of the kind-dom. (Mar 1:14-15) (cp. Luk 4:43) It requires more than a little carnal imagination to force Jesus Gospel of the kingdom into the rabbinical doctrine of an earthly kingdom. Regrettably, since the advent of the Plymouth Brethren (1830), the teaching of John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) and the publication of the Scofield Reference Bible, many preachers (particularly of the faith only persuasion) have spent a great deal of time and energy doing just that.
The real issue here is the assurance that, just as the return of the remnant will insure the fulfillment of Gods promise to Abraham to bless all the nations of the earth, so the one who shall rise out of Bethlehem shall assure the fulfillment of His promise to David. (Cf. 2Sa 7:16) Peter saw the fulfillment of this promise in the resurrection of Jesus. (Act 2:30-31; Act 2:34-36)
He was to be ruler in Israel. He was to rule over the house of Jacob forever. (Luk 1:1-2)
The Jews object that Jesus could not be Messiah because He was so far from being ruler in Israel that Israel ruled over Him . . . put Him to death. But He Himself answered this objection, and in doing so put the lie to all who would claim for Him a materialistic kingdom. He said, My kingdom is not of this world. (Joh 18:36)
It is a spiritual Israel He reigns over, the children of the promise . . . all the followers of believing Abraham. (Gal 3:7)
Concerning the One to be born in Bethlehem, Micah says His goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. Literally the term means from the days of ages.
There could scarcely be a more forceful statement of the pre-existence of Christ. It denotes His existence in the form of God. (Cp. Php 2:5 -ff) It is fitting such a term should be used in connection with a prediction of His birth. We will see the same words in Hab 1:12.
Jesus laid claim to the truth of this designation when He claimed to have been before Abraham (Joh 8:58).
THEREFORE WILL HE GIVE THEM UP UNTIL THE TIME
THAT SHE WHO TRAVAILETH HATH BROUGHT FORTH
(Mic 5:3)
God will not fully vindicate His people and exalt them until, through suffering, Israel brings forth His Son. Then the remnant (residue) shall return unto the children of Israel. The covenant people, within the race and nation and without . . . the genuine children of Israel in covenant with God . . . all believers shall all be incorporated into the Israel over which Messiah shall rule. And He shall not be ashamed to call them brethren. (Cp. Heb 2:11)
Zerr: Mic 5:3. After a brief interruption to make a prediction concerning Christ, the prophet returns to the original subject of ancient Israel, Give them up means that God would suffer the foreign nation to have possession of His people. Until . . . travaileth . . . brought forth means when the captivity and its ravages will be ended and the nation of Israel will be given a “new birth of freedom in its own native land. Remnant shall return refers to the surviving number stated in Ezr 2:64.
AND HE SHALL STAND AND SHALL FEED (Mic 5:4)
He shall be a glorious prince, but His relationship to His people is that of shepherd. (Cp. Joh 10:11 -ff) It is no coincidence that the Twenty-third Psalm is the most dearly beloved Old Testament passage among Christians.
He shall do this, not as other men, but in the strength and majesty of Jehovah. It would be said concerning Him that He taught as one having authority, and not as the scribes. The prophets prefaced their message with thus saith the Lord, Messiah would say, verily, verily I say unto you!
And they shall abide . . . (Mic 5:4) The nation of Israel was perishing. Soon the northern tribes would be disbursed so completely as to make them, in subsequent history, unidentifiable. The southern kingdom would endure longer . . . even be in a measure re-established following the captivity, but any hope of national honor related to Gods covenant promise had gone up with the smoke of their sacrifices to Baal. But Messiahs flock would abide.
Zerr: Mic 5:4. The antecedent of he is the remnant of the preceding verse, meaning the part of Israel that was to survive the captivity. One meaning of the original for feed is to rule.” which the remnant of Israel was to do after returning from the captivity. In the strength of the Lord denotes that the leaders in Israel were to rule the flock tinder and with the help of the Lord. They were to do this in the name of the Lord and because of the majesty Of the God of Israel. And they shall abide. The Jewish nation was never again to be removed bodily from its home land as it had been in the captivity.
Jesus own words re-affirm this, and this is the will of Him that sent me, that of all that which He hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
It is most regrettable that those who teach the Calvinistic nonsense of eternal security should be allowed to so pervert this doctrine of assurance as to deprive Gods people of its blessing.
. . . He shall be great unto the ends of the earth . . . He alone is great. (Cp. Joe 2:21 – and Luk 1:32) And His greatness shall be to the ends of the earth. Here is another of the myriad evidences in the Old Testament of Gods universal concern for all men. The Messianic intent of God has ever been that all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.
AND THIS MAN SHALL BE OUR PEACE (Mic 5:5-6)
In the original here there is no word for man. It is simply and emphatically this one . . . He alone . . . who is our peace. The words our peace are reminiscent of Eph 2:14, It is only the Messiah who can bring peace . . . who can bring an end to the warfare between Gods people and those who, before He came were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (Cf. Eph 2:11-15)
Assyria, being Israels most powerful enemy at the time of Micahs ministry is made here to represent all the enemies of Gods people. When Messiah appears, He will destroy them. (Cf. Ezekiel, chapter 38)
Seven shepherds . . . eight principal men. (Mic 5:5) A strange array, it would seem, to send against the Assyrians. Micah is obviously using well understood figures to convey the truth of Messiahs conquest over the enemies of Gods people. Seven expresses perfection. We shall raise against (or depend upon) the Messiah . . . the perfect shepherd. Eight is seven plus one. The Messiah plus those principal men or anointed men, such as the twelve, (Cp. Isa 32:1) shall lay waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrance thereof . . . The Lords strength is more than enough.
Zerr: Mic 5:5, The specific exile generally meant in this book is that of the 10- tribe kingdom under the Assyrian Empire recorded in 2 Kings 17. Of course when the final “return” was accomplished (Ezra and Nehemiah). that included the 10 tribes also since the territory formerly controlled by the Assyrians was later taken over by the Babylonians. This verse is a figurative prediction that Israel would not be retained in exile by the Assyrians. Seven shepherds means that complete triumph would be enjoyed by Israel over all foes.
Lange points out that the terms palace, seven, and eight connect themselves with the threatening formula employed by Amos (Amos, chapters 1-2) to announce the approach of the destruction which was about to break. Gods grace will be greater than the sin; hence, instead of three and four sins which make the judgement necessary (Amo 2:4) seven and eight heroes are named who shall drive away the enemies when Messiah has come.
Just as the Roman empire, during Pax Romana, in which period Jesus was born, enforced peace with the Roman sword, so Messiah and those who stand with Him will enforce His peace by subduing His enemies with the sward of the Spirit. (Cp. Heb 4:12, Eph 6:17) Those who stand against the Gospel of Christ, and continue in league with idolatries and witchcrafts, as did Assyria and Babylon of old, shall be consumed by it. In our day, when tolerance of any and all false teaching has become a sacred cow and when unbelief is regarded as a normal reaction to God, it is difficult to think in these terms. There is, however, a hard side to the Gospel. The sword has a cutting edge. There is destruction for those who resist it. (Cp. 1Pe 2:8)
Zerr: Mic 5:6. The predictions of this verse are virtually the same as those in Mic 5:5. Nimrod is mentioned in connection with Assyria because the founder of the Assyrian Empire went forth out of the land under the domain of Nimrod (Gen 10:9-11), and the two names are frequently linked together in prophecy and history.
Questions
Future Exaltation and Messianic Hope
1. Demonstrate that Micahs prophecy in Micah 4-5 has to do with the day of the Messiah, our own Messianic time.
2. What does John tell us about this end time? (1Jn 2:18 -f)
3. What is the meaning of the mountain of Jehovahs house?
4. Comment on all peoples walk everyone in the name of his god, but we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God for ever and ever. (Mic 4:5)
5. Discuss many nations. (Mic 4:2)
6. Discuss . . . out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. (Mic 4:2 cp. Luk 24:44 -f)
7. Men are at war with men because ________________________.
8. God must become ruler of our ____________ as well as our church doctrine. (Mic 4:4)
9. In that day (Mic 4:6-7) refers us back to ___________________.
10. That which is lame is the image of ____________.
11. Discuss her that halted is become a remnant. (Mic 4:7)
12. Distinguish between that which was lame and that which was driven away.
13. Discuss I will make . . . that which was cast far off a strong nation in Mic 4:7 in light of Rom 11:1.
14. What is meant by tower of the flock? (Mic 4:8)
15. Discuss Mic 4:11 in connection with Mic 3:12.
16. In Micahs own time the nation of ____________ dominated the international scene.
17. ____________ would wipe out the northern kingdom.
18. ____________ would enslave the southern kingdom.
19. ____________ would conquer the Medo-Persian empire.
20. The Maccabean revolt was against the rule of ____________.
21. All these powers, and others since have used the land of ____________ as a political pawn and a ____________ state.
22. Discuss Romans 11, Mic 4:11-13 in light of current events in the Middle East.
23. The Jews are precious to Jehovah because ____________.
24. This does not imply ____________.
25. What New Testament reference is made to Mic 5:2 -ff?
26. What is the meaning of Ephratah? (Mic 5:2)
27. Bethlehem nestles on the ____________ slopes of a ridge some ____________ miles ____________ of Jerusalem.
28. Discuss, the conditions of Jesus birth in contrast to what might have been expected for the birth of a king.
29. The sheep tended on the slopes of Bethlehem were traditionally intended for _________.
30. Why did the Roman emperor Harian forbid Jews to live in or near Bethlehem?
31. Perhaps no other term in the Old Testament has been more grossly misunderstood than _____________.
32. Humanly speaking, it was the Jews ambitious vision of ____________ that was responsible for the death of Jesus.
33. It is the failure of many to recognize the kingly office and authority of Jesus that has brought about the ____________ in the modern church.
34. Discuss the temptation of Jesus (Luk 4:1-12) in relation to the Jewish dream of world power in the Messianic age.
35. The real issue in Mic 2:6 is the assurance that ____________.
36. Why do the Jews object that Jesus cannot be the Messiah?
37. Discuss the pre-existence of Christ in light of Mic 5:2.
38. God would not, Micah promised, fully vindicate His people and exalt them until ____________,
39. The Messiah is to be a glorious prince, but His relationship to His people is that of a ____________.
40. What is the significance of His greatness shall be to the ends of the earth?
41. Discuss and this man shall be our peace . . .
42. Discuss seven shepherds . . . eight principal men. (Mic 5:5-6)
43. What is meant by the remnant shall be as dew in a summer morning?
44. Messiahs people are to be as bold as _____________.
45. Mic 5:15 must be almost unbelievable to ____________.
46. The prophet sees in the age of ____________ God executing vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations which hearken not
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
the Deliverer from Bethlehem
Mic 5:1-15
This name for Bethlehem recalls Gen 48:7. Though insignificant in size she would outshine her compeers, because of Messiahs birth, Mat 2:6. As man, our Lord comes from Davids city; but as Son of God, His goings forth are from eternity. Though the Jewish flock rejected Him, He is the Shepherd of men. He is great to the ends of the earth, and has made peace by the blood of His Cross. What though the Assyrian, whether ancient or modern, threaten us, shepherds and princes shall be raised up as delivers, Mic 5:5. The ranks of the democracy hold within themselves unbounded stores of leadership. Gods people refresh the world like dew, and are lionlike in strength and courage, Mic 5:8. Horses, chariots, and walled cities, are classed with witchcrafts, etc., because they weaned away the trust of Gods people. Thou shalt no more worship the work of thy hands.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Chapter 5
The Smitten Judge
The promises we have been considering are all to be made good by Messiah, of whose rejection at His first coming we are now to read. In the Hebrew arrangement of the text, at the present, the first verse is taken from chap. 5, and made ver. 14 of chap. 4-thus divorcing the testimony as to the smitten Judge of Israel from the One born in Bethlehem, whose goings forth have been from the ages of eternity. It is easy to detect rabbinical opposition to the New Testament narratives in this, slight as the difference might seem to the careless reader.
Accepting the Hebrew arrangement, it would seem as though the Judge in question was simply one of the many rulers of Israel who would be treated shamefully by the northern foe. But the light of the New Testament makes it plain that the smitten One is none other than He who could say, I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting (Isa 50:6). He it was who came to His own, but His own people received Him not. In the high priests house did they spit in His face, and buffeted Him; and others smote Him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, Thou Christ, Who is he that smote Thee? In the Roman pretorium likewise the rough soldiers spit upon Him, and took the reed, and smote Him on the head (Mat 26:67, 68, and 27:30).
But of Him it had been declared by the prophet, Thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting [or, the days of eternity] (ver. 2). Thus, in plain language, seven centuries before God incarnate appeared on earth, the place of His birth was distinctly indicated. To Davids city should this honor be given. This, as is well known, is the passage to which the scribes turned when they explained to Herod where Christ was to be born. They held prophetic truth, and searched the Scriptures: but the truth held not them, nor did they permit the Scriptures to search them.
The lesson is important for us all. Mere familiarity with the written Word of God will only make us the guiltier if it be not that which controls all our ways. To read the Book; to study its various lines of truth; to be able to speak intelligently of the great doctrinal principles of Scripture-and yet not to have received that Word in an honest heart, to be controlled and guided by it, is dreadful indeed!
One has said, referring to the not uncommon, nor unhelpful, practice of Bible-marking, It is a small thing how you mark your Bible, but it is of all importance that it mark you.
To Bethlehem, then, came the Eternal One, God manifest in flesh. Over His manger-bed angels hung, adoring their God and ours. A few shepherds and, later, some wise men from distant lands, came to worship likewise; but, for the rest, Israel and the nations around went on in their indifferent, careless way. God the Son had become the Son of Man; but man, in the main, was unconcerned. He was despised and rejected of men, and the Judge of Israel was smitten on the cheek! Thus was Messiah cut off, and He had nothing. For this, judgment fell on the city that wickedly judged Him, and Jerusalem has for centuries been trodden down of the Gentiles, and shall be, until the times of the nations are completed-until the time that she which travail-eth hath brought forth: then the remnant of His brethren shall return unto the children of Israel (ver. 3). Dispersed among all peoples, scattered into every country, suffering under every sky, Israel endures the awful curse invoked by her own elders, His blood be upon us and our children.
Unto her a Son was born and a Child given ere she travailed for His birth. But her pains are yet to come. In the great tribulation, under the personal Antichrist, she shall be in anguish to be delivered. Then shall she truly bring forth, apprehending in the Crucified her own Son and her Saviour! Compare Rev 12:1-5 and Isa 66:7-9, Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Therefore her pains are yet future, and she shall be in sore travail ere she recognizes and owns her Messiah.
Then a multitude of sons shall also be hers when the remnant of His brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. The residue, called His brethren here, He owns Himself as My brethren in Mat 25:40. Thus shall be fulfilled the word of the elder prophet, As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children (Isa 66:8). He will be revealed as the long-waited-for Shepherd of Israel, who shall stand and feed [or, shepherd] in the strength of the Lord, and who shall give abiding rest to His regathered flock. His majesty and glory shall be made known throughout the habitable world, for now shall He be great unto the ends of the earth (ver. 4). It is a connected prophecy of the rejection of Christ when He came in lowly grace, to be succeeded by His acceptance and world-wide acknowledgment when He comes the second time, in power and dignity becoming His exalted Person.
But the hour of His appearance will be the hour of Israels deepest sorrow. Jerusalem shall be compassed with armies. The Antichrist will be reigning, with blasphemous pretensions, in the city. The legions of the revived Roman empire will have entered into a league with him both offensive and defensive. From the south a fierce horde will be pouring into the land. From the north the dreaded power denominated the Assyrian, of whom Sennacherib was but as a type, will be marching down in exultant triumph, spreading desolation on every hand. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle (Zec 14:3), and this [Man] shall be the peace. He who has now made peace with God for guilty men by the blood of His cross; He who, seated as Man on Jehovahs throne, is our peace; He shall be the Peace in that day; and in Him weary, distracted Israel shall find their rest.
The haughty Assyrian will be overthrown, and Gods chosen people delivered from his cruel power (vers. 5 and 6). Then, freed from all their enemies, the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, bringing refreshment and blessing to all nations at the Lords bidding, and tarrying for none (ver. 7).
The lion of Judahs tribe shall arise in His might, subjecting all enemies to His sway. Thus shall Israel have become the head, and nevermore be the tail (vers. 8, 9). Everything that has exalted itself against the Lord shall be put down. Evil of every kind shall be rooted out of the scene, and righteousness will be triumphant to the ends of the earth (vers. 10-15). It is the end to which all the prophets looked forward; so it becomes a fitting end to the second section of our book.
Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets
CHAPTER 5
1. The siege and the smitten judge (Mic 5:1)
2. The smitten judge: Who he is (Mic 5:2)
3. The events of the future: (Mic 5:3)
4. The Rejected One, the Shepherd of Israel (Mic 5:4-6)
5. The remnant of Jacob and the kingdom (Mic 5:7-15)
Mic 5:1. This interesting chapter presents difficulties, but they all vanish if we view all in the light of the future as revealed in the prophetic Word. Here it is necessary to divide the Word of Truth rightly, or we shall never find our way through this great Messianic chapter. The daughter of troops gathers herself in troops to besiege Jerusalem. It is the Assyrian army gathering before the city. But it is not the Assyrian of the past, whose invasion both Isaiah and Micah describe prophetically, but it is the Assyrian of the future, the great troubler which invades the land of Israel at the end-time, the time of Jacobs trouble, the great time of travail and final deliverance. This last invader, the king of the north (see Joe 2:1-32), besieges Jerusalem. And the reason of it all, their long history of trouble, culminating in the great tribulation, is the rejection of the judge of Israel. It is the Messiah, our Lord. They despised Him, insulted Him, smote Him with a rod upon the cheek. He is called the judge of Israel, because the judge held the highest official position in Israel; the king of Israel held this office. The smiting upon the cheek was considered the greatest disgrace; thus Zedekiah smote the prophet Micaiah upon the cheek and asked him, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak to thee? (See 1Ki 22:24 and Mat 26:67-68). In Job 16:10 we read Jobs complaint, They have gaped upon me with their mouth, they have smitten me reproachfully upon the cheek; they have gathered themselves together against me.
Mic 5:2. This great verse is a parenthetical statement, giving a description of the judge of Israel. It shows forth Him who is to be the Ruler and the Judge, the Redeemer and the King. It is the passage which the chief priests and the scribes quoted to wicked Herod, when he demanded to know where Christ should be born Mat 2:4-23. This great prophecy was therefore known when our Lord was born to predict the birth of the Messiah, in fact, the Jews always believed this. But after He was born and lived among them and was rejected by them they attempted deliberately to explain it away, and invented fables to accomplish this. It was Tertullian, and other prominent teachers of the early Church, who argued with the Jews, that if Jesus was not the promised Messiah, the prophecy given by Micah could never be fulfilled, for none of Davids descendants was left in Bethlehem.
But here is more than an announcement of the birthplace of Christ. We have a wonderful description of His Person. He is to be the Son of David, coming out of Davids city, destined to be the Ruler in Israel. But He is more than a descendant of David, His goings forth have been of old, from everlasting. Even this plain announcement has not been left unattacked by the infidel critics. Dr. R.F. Horton in his comment on this passage says the following: We are not called on to explain away this wonderful and solemn forecast, especially when we have seen it in the Babe of Bethlehem, who came into the world out of the bosom of the Father. Micah could not understand his own deep saying; but how foolish of us to discredit it when history has made its meaning plain.
Here we have His deity fully revealed as well as His humanity; He is the God-Man. In this passage Micahs testimony harmonizes with Isaiahs in Isa 9:6-7.
Mic 5:3. The meaning of this verse becomes plain if we connect it with the first verse and treat the second verse as a parenthesis. They smote the judge of Israel upon the cheek, they rejected the Lord of Glory, and as a result God gave them up. Therefore will He give them up, until the time when she that travaileth hath brought forth; then the remnant of His brethren shall return to the children of Israel. It is often applied to the birth of Christ and connected with Rev 12:1-17, the birth of the manchild. There can be no question that the manchild in the chapter of Revelation is Christ, and the woman described is Israel; but its exegetical meaning is in connection with the last days, when Israel will be in travail pains to give birth to the remnant, so prominently mentioned in prophecy. Since the nation rejected the Messiah they have had nothing but suffering, but the great travail pains come in the future. For thus saith the LORD: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it, it is even the time of Jacobs trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. Jer 30:5-24). That godly remnant turning then to the Lord, born in that future travail, are called here His brethren. They are the same of which our Lord spoke in the description of the judgment of nations, which He executes when sitting upon the throne of His glory. (See Mat 25:31.) That remnant will resume their place as and with Israel, not becoming a part of the true Church, which is then no longer upon the earth, but having all the earthly Jewish hopes realized in the kingdom, of which they are the nucleus.
Mic 5:4-6. This refers to His second coming. He will stand and feed in the strength of Jehovah, for He is the LORD; and they (saved Israel) shall abide. Yea, more than that, He shall be great unto the ends of the earth.
How beautiful is the opening sentence of the fifth verse! This Man shall be peace (or our peace) . Of Him Isaiah spoke, too, as the Prince of Peace, and that of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end. David in his great prophetic psalm (Psa 72:7) concerning these coming days speaks of abundance of peace. Zechariah likewise in predicting the future says, He shall speak peace to the nations Zec 9:10. He made peace in the blood of His cross and for all who trust in Him He is peace, for He is our Peace.
Here it concerns the peace He has and gives to His restored people Israel. He will be the peace for them, when the Assyrian, the king of the north, enters their land, and by His power will strike down the invader. Who are the seven shepherds and the eight principal men? They will be those who will be used in that day to stem back the invading hosts. Who they are is unknown, but it will be known at the time of fulfillment. Then Assyria, the land of Nimrod, as well as all opposing world powers will be completely ended.
Mic 5:7-15. The restored and blessed remnant of Jacob will possess a double character. They will be used in blessing and refreshing among the nations, as dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass. On the other hand, they will be in the midst of many people as a lion and as a young lion, to avenge unrighteousness and opposition. All the adversaries and enemies of Israel will be cut down and cut off Num 24:9; see exposition of Balaams parables at the close of annotations on Numbers). All the instruments of war will be done away with, as well as witchcrafts and the soothsayers. Spiritism, Christian Science, theosophy and all the other demon cults flourishing now, and still more before He comes, will find their ignominious end. Idolatry, the graven images, and the standing images will be abolished. Before the Lord comes the evil spirit of idolatry will once more seize hold on Israel, that is, among the apostates. (See annotations on Mat 12:43-45.) While all this refers to Israel it also includes the rest of the world. All offences will be gathered out of His kingdom. The better rendering of Mic 5:15 is, And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the nations which hearkened not. That is, during the end of the age God sent forth a testimony to the nations and those who hearkened not will fall under the wrath of the lion of the tribe of Judah.
Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)
Now
The “word of the Lord that came to Micah” Mic 4:1 having described the future kingdom Mic 4:1-8 and glanced at the Babylonian captivities Mic 4:9-10 goes forward into the last days to refer to the great battle (see “Armageddon,”) Rev 16:14, (See Scofield “Rev 19:17”) which immediately precedes the setting up of the Messianic kingdom (see “Kingdom (O.T.),” Gen 1:26 See Scofield “Zec 12:8” also, “Kingdom (N.T.),; Luk 1:31-33; 1Co 15:28.
Mic 5:1; Mic 5:2 forms a parenthesis in which the “word of the Lord” goes back from the time of the great battle (yet future) to the birth and rejection of the King, Messiah-Christ Mat 27:24; Mat 27:25; Mat 27:37. This is followed by the statement that He will “give them up until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth” (Mic 5:3). There is a twofold “travail” of Israel:
(1) that which brings forth the “man child” (Christ) Rev 12:1; Rev 12:2 and
(2) that which, in the last days, brings forth a believing “remnant” out of the still dispersed and unbelieving nation Mic 5:3; Jer 30:6-14; Mic 4:10. Both aspects are combined in Isaiah 66. In Mic 5:7 we have the “man-child” (Christ) of Rev 12:1; Rev 12:2 in Mic 5:8-15 the remnant, established in kingdom blessing. The meaning of Mic 5:3 is that, from the rejection of Christ at His first coming Jehovah will give Israel up till the believing remnant appears; then He stands and feeds in His proper strength as Jehovah (Mic 5:4); He is the defence of His people as in Mic 4:3; Mic 4:11-13 and afterward the remnant go as missionaries to Israel and to all the world.; Mic 5:7; Mic 5:8; Zec 8:23.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
gather: Deu 28:49, 2Ki 24:2, Isa 8:9, Isa 10:6, Jer 4:7, Jer 25:9, Joe 3:9, Hab 1:6, Hab 3:16
he hath: Deu 28:51-57, 2Ki 25:1-3, Eze 21:21, Eze 21:22, Eze 24:2, Luk 19:43, Luk 19:44
they: Job 16:10, Lam 3:30, Mat 5:39, Mat 26:67, Mat 27:30, Joh 18:22, Joh 19:3, Act 23:2, 2Co 11:20
judge: 1Sa 8:5, 1Sa 8:6, Isa 33:22, Amo 2:3
Reciprocal: 1Ki 22:24 – smote Micaiah 2Ch 18:23 – Zedekiah Pro 17:26 – to strike Isa 50:6 – gave Isa 53:3 – despised Mar 14:65 – General Mar 15:19 – they smote Luk 6:29 – smiteth Luk 18:32 – mocked Luk 22:63 – mocked Luk 24:44 – in the prophets
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Mic 5:1. This verse is a continuation of the thought started in the last verse of the preceding chapter, namely, the triumph of Israel over all her misfortunes. Troops literally means soldiers and indicates military conflicts, but it is used figuratively only, for Israel did not have to fight for the release from captivity. The pronouns should be carefully distinguished in order to avoid confusion. Thyself and us means Israel, while he and they are the enemies of Gads people. Laid siege and smite refer to the siege and capture of the nation of Israel, which was to be reversed when the “return was accomplished by the Lords decree.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mic 5:1. Now gather thyself, &c. It seems this verse ought to be joined to the foregoing chapter, as it evidently belongs to it, and not to this, which is upon a quite different subject. Thus considered, after the promises given of a restoration from the captivity into which they should be carried, and of victory over their surrounding enemies, the prophecy concludes with bidding them first expect an enemy to come against them, who should lay siege to their chief city, and carry their insolence so far as to treat the judge of Israel in the most indignant and despiteful manner, such as striking him on the cheek, or face, with a rod, or stick. This, it is likely, was fulfilled on Zedekiah, who was treated in a contumelious manner by the Chaldeans, as if he had been a common captive, 2Ki 25:6-7. And as the singular number is often used for the plural, by the judge of Israel may be meant the judges of Israel, including their principal men, as well as the king, for they doubtless were treated no better than he was; nay, probably, still more indignantly.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Mic 5:1. Oh daughter of troops. Of thieves, that is, the Chaldeans, who having robbed all the nations of Asia, came to Jerusalem, and robbed the whole land, smote Zedekiah with the severe rod of correction, and put out his eyes. The hope of the church then lay in the healer, as in the next verse. Under these, the severest strokes of trouble, the prophet drives the flock into the fold of Christ.
They shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek. Hoshea, on the taking of Samaria, was probably insulted somewhat as Zedekiah was on the taking of Jerusalem. 2Ki 17:6; 2Ki 25:7. Julius Csar used to say to his soldiers, aim at their faces, lads. Such are the horrors of war.
Mic 5:2. Thou Bethlehem Ephratah, the old name of that city. Out of thee shall come forth to me him that shall be Ruler in Israel. Born indeed of Mary in Bethlehem, but in divine geniture, his goings forth were of old from everlasting. The Hebrew word llam, is the same here as in the ninetieth Psalm: from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. The Father possessed him in his bosom before his works of old. Pro 8:22. And in Psalms 110. the Chaldaic paraphrase calls Christ the Eternal Word, as in Joh 1:1; and adds, from the womb of the morning, thou hast the dew of thy youth, which is the idiom of the Hebrews to designate eternity.
I have now before me the version of archbishop Newcome, 4to. 1788, and 8vo. 1809. He reads, Art thou too little among the leaders of Judah? Out of thee shall come forth unto me one who is to be a ruler in Israel. And his goings forth have been from of old, from the days of hidden ages.
What is the primates note? His goings forth, his appearance, his displays of power: yatza,used for a people coming originally from such a place, Deu 2:23; for a persons setting out from such a place to found an empire. Gen 10:11.May it not then signify the persons original descent from Bethlehem, being ancient; that is, from Davids time? What a turnand what a question!
The exceptions we take to this reading, and to the note, are many.
1. A ruler.This reading approximates to the unitarian version of the new testament, where the phrase, a god, is of frequent occurrence.His Grace here is cautious enough to avoid asserting that Christ did not exist before his birth in Bethlehem. Samuel Clarke escaped, and saved himself from the loss of his rectory of St. Jamess, London, when before the convocation, by the assertion, that he had nowhere called Christ a creature! How those hypocrites will get off when before the great white throne, is a subject of future enquiry. If sincere in their socinian dogmas, why not be sincere, like Mr. Lindsey, in renouncing their splendid preferments?
2. The comparison between the going forth of the Son of God, to that of the going forth of Assur to build Nineveh, Gen 10:11, is equally derogatory of his glory. The enquirer after truth will find himself in the safest hands by a collation of one text with many others, where the word occurs. Yatza is used by Moses, in Deu 8:3. By every word that proceedeth [goeth forth] out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. Wisdom shall praise herselfI came out of the mouth of the Most High. Sir 24:1-4. It occurs likewise in Hos 6:3; a passage which the holy fathers and doctors with one consent apply to Christ. His going forth is prepared as the morning, and he shall come to us as the rain. That morning designates his eternity, or prexistence, declared by his going forth in the creation, as stated in Psa 110:3. Pro 8:22; Pro 8:30.
3. Exception is taken to the reading,hidden ages, as vague, obscure, and irrelevant; and it is more obscure by being mixed up in the notes with the word kedem, formerly, anciently, everlasting, which indeed, like llam, when applied to God, denotes eternity of existence. Thus in Hab 1:12, Art thou not (mi-kedem) from everlasting, oh Lord my God, my Holy One? Ollam also, whenever applied to the Deity, or his perfections, unequivocally expresses an existence uncreated, and ever- subsisting. Ex. From everlasting to everlasting thou art God. Psa 90:2. In forty other places the same word is repeated: for his mercy endureth for everhis truth endureth for ever.
4. The primates version and notes are so cold and philosophical, that they bring no more joy to the suffering church when Samaria was burned, than that of the birth of any other son of obscure and hidden origin. The promise of this Son to fallen Adam, was life from the dead; to Abraham, it was the hope of his pilgrimage; to king Ahaz, the promise of the virgins Son was a pledge of salvation; to Zerubbabel, the Desire of all nations was a double promise, of long life to finish his work, and that his rising temple should eclipse the glory of Solomons. But here, alas, while we are struggling against the blasphemy of atheism, unitarianism has no consolation for us but the darkness of hidden ages. Nay, worse and worse, a student can scarcely buy a book of science, or travel; or a Calmet, to understand the scriptures, but all is belarded with sweet suet, that unsuspecting youths may have their minds empoisoned, as the vermin that eat the bane.Why did the Newcomes, the Blaneys, the Heys, the Mts, and a hundred more, subscribe to the thirty nine articles?Dean Kippling honestly tells us, that he and others, for peace sake, have subscribed to the articles in their newly-acquired sense!!See his Essay, the church of England not Calvinistic.
Mic 5:5. And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrians shall come. Why do the enemies of Christ raise difficulties here, because the word man is not in the text? The emphatic pronouns, this, iste, zeh, have the same force. They have no other antecedent but the Ruler, or the Shepherd of Israel, who feeds his flock in the strength of Jehovah, in the magnitude, or , the glory of the name of the Lord.
Mic 5:6. They shall waste the land of Assyria, by the fall of Babylon, and the conquest of their empire.
Mic 5:7. The remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord. Rain designates knowledge and grace. My speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass. Deu 32:2. Psa 72:6. The jews, after the captivity, disseminated the knowledge and worship of the true God among the nations where they travelled. And as they now wander on the face of the whole earth, and speak all languages, perhaps the providence of God reserves them in his treasuries as a world of missionaries, when their conversion shall be as life from the dead.
Mic 5:8. The remnant of Jacob shall beas a lion. When the wicked Haman sought to slay all the jews, they fought for their lives, and slew Haman on the gallows, and his ten sons, and seventy five thousand of the men who sought their lives. Esther 9.
Mic 5:12. I will cut off witchcrafts out of thy hand. Idols and witches are scarcely named after the jews returned from Babylon. Yet witchcraft existed in St. Pauls time among the gentiles. Gal 5:20. See on Exo 22:18.
REFLECTIONS.
Let Samaria perish, let her venal judges be smitten with a rod, let the fire of her altars be extinguished, let her Zamzummim and all her false prophets be clothed with shame. Let Jerusalem, that took no warning by her fall, drink of the same cup. All the longsuffering and benignity of heaven have failed. All the paternal strokes of drought, of locust, of pestilence, and fire from heaven, have never produced more than a transient devotion, which like the morning cloud deceives the husbandman of rain. They have killed the prophets. Let the rod, the last resource, strike the judge on the cheek-bone.
When the Lord pulls down, he also builds up. The Messiah shall stand with his crosier, and feed his flock like a shepherd; yea, as the good shepherd, the owner of the sheep. Isa 40:11. Eze 34:23-24. His pastures are wide as the world, and his flocks spread to the ends of the earth. They shall feed in safety, and repose in green pastures; for the wolf shall lie down with the lamb.
Yea, the earth shall help the woman. Rev 12:16. I will raise up Cyrus. He is my shepherd. Isa 44:28. He shall let the captives go, he shall rebuild the waste places, and heal the wounds of Zion. My cares, my first cares shall be over my church and people through all succeeding ages. After Cyrus, seven Persian shepherds shall rise, as kings of Syria, who shall solicit the aid and goodwill of my people. And if they in anywise afflict them, they shall be as lions for self-defence.
But how shall we cease to speak of the hidden treasures of righteousness. Those blessings shall be mere showers, in comparison of what I will do for my people in the latter day. I will cut off the horses and the chariots of war. I will silence the oracles and the sorceries, and destroy the idols of the gentiles, and eradicate all their groves. The people from the ends of the earth shall look to me, in all the grandeur of my kingdom, for salvation and strength. The Gog and Magog, the infidel and rebellious gentiles of every land, who despise my longsuffering, shall perish under the storms of my anger, and the fury of my high displeasure. Rejoice, rejoice greatly, oh Zion; thy King rides on prosperously, from conquering to conquer.
Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Mic 4:6 to Mic 5:1. Exile and Restoration: Israels Victory over the Nations.The reference to the Babylonian exile (Mic 4:10) shows that the passage is not earlier than the sixth century, Micah himself being concerned with Assyria, not Babylon. The sequence of thought is not clear, and it has been suggested that Mic 4:9 f. should precede Mic 4:6-8; Mic 4:11 ff. is apparently a distinct prophecy, describing a siege of Jerusalem which is eschatological rather than historic (cf. Eze 38:1.). The paragraph opens with a prophecy of the restoration of the Messianic remnant (analogous to Mic 2:12 f.), the people being pictured as a lame, outcast, and suffering flock (cf. Zep 3:19). Jerusalem, restored to her ancient sovereignty, is the tower of the flock (cf. 2Ch 26:10), i.e. the watch-tower of Yahweh, its shepherd. In Mic 4:9 f. the daughter of Zion is described as going forth from her leaderless city into homeless exile (the absence of a human rather than of the Divine king-counsellor seems intended, though cf. Jer 8:19). Her sorrows are compared, as often (cf. Jer 4:31) with those of a travailing woman; yet Yahweh shall rescue her from her captivity. In Mic 4:11 ff. there is an apocalyptic vision of the final gathering of heathen forces against Jerusalem, eagerly seeking to desecrate her (by forcing their way in); but, in reality, Yahweh has gathered them for Zion to destroy them utterly, goring them with her horns (Deu 33:17), threshing them with her hoofs (Deu 25:4), and devoting their possessions to Yahweh (cf. 1Sa 15:3 mg.). For the figure of the threshing-floor, here employed, see Thomson, The Land and the Book, pp. 538ff. The closing verse of the paragraph (Mic 5:1) is obscure; as it stands, Zion is the daughter of troops, and is bidden to oppose the besiegers, who have insulted Israels king, here called judge, as in Amo 2:3 (for smite . . . upon the cheek, see 1Ki 22:24, Job 16:10). Marti and others follow Wellhausens easy emendation of the first clause, viz. Now cut thyself grievously (i.e. in sign of mourning; cf. Deu 14:1, p. 110), and regard the verse as a gloss on Mic 4:10.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
5:1 Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter {a} of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
(a) He forewarns them of the dangers that will come before they enjoy these comforts, showing that inasmuch as Jerusalem was accustomed with her garrisons to trouble others, the Lord would now cause other garrisons to vex her, and that her rulers would be hit on the face most contemptuously.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
This verse is the last one in chapter 4 in the Hebrew Bible. It continues the theme of Zion’s might.
Micah called the Israelites to prepare for war and reminded them that they had often engaged in war by referring to them as a "daughter of troops." This expression means that Jerusalem was a city marked by warfare. Jerusalem’s rich had been at war with the poor (Mic 2:8; Mic 3:2-3; Mic 3:9-10; Mic 7:2-6), but now their external enemies would wage war against them. These enemies had laid siege against them (2Ki 24:10; 2Ki 25:1-2; Jer 52:5; Eze 4:3; Eze 4:7; Eze 5:2) and would even smite Israel’s judge on the cheek (Mic 4:2-3), a figure for humiliating him (cf. 1Ki 22:24; Job 16:10; Lam 3:30).
The judge in view appears to be King Zedekiah for the following reasons (cf. 2Ki 25:1-7). First, according to this verse the time of this smiting is when Israel was under siege. Second, Mic 5:2-6 jump to a time in the distant future whereas Mic 5:1 describes a time in the near future (cf. "But," Mic 5:2). Third, "judge" (Heb. shopet) is different from "ruler" (Heb. moshel) in Mic 5:2 and probably describes a different individual. Micah may have chosen shopet because of its similarity to shebet, "rod." As noted earlier, Micah is famous for his wordplays. Waltke, however, believed the judge to be Messiah. [Note: Ibid., p. 181.]
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
THE KING TO COME
Mic 4:8 – Mic 5:1-15
WHEN a people has to be purged of long injustice, when some high aim of liberty or of order has to be won, it is remarkable how often the drama of revolution passes through three acts. There is first the period of criticism and of vision, in which men feel discontent, dream of new things, and put their hopes into systems: it seems then as if-the future were to come of itself. But often a catastrophe, relevant or irrelevant, ensues: the visions pale before a vast conflagration, and poet, philosopher, and prophet disappear under the feet of a mad mob of wreckers. Yet this is often the greatest period of all, for somewhere in the midst of it a strong character is forming, and men, by the very anarchy, are being taught, in preparation for him, the indispensableness of obedience and loyalty. With their chastened minds he achieves the third act, and fulfills all of the early vision that Gods ordeal by fire has proved worthy to survive. Thus history, when distraught, rallies again upon the Man.
To this law the prophets of Israel only gradually gave expression. We find no trace of it among the earliest of them; and in the essential faith of all there was much which predisposed them against the conviction of its necessity. For, on the one hand, the seers were so filled with the inherent truth and inevitableness of their visions, that they described these as if already realised; there was no room for a great figure to rise before the future, for with a rush the future was upon them. On the other hand, it was ever a principle of prophecy that God is able to dispense with human aid. “In presence of the Divine omnipotence all secondary causes, all interposition on the part of the creature, fall away.” The more striking is it that before long the prophets should have begun, not only to look for a Man, but to paint him as the central figure of their hopes. In Hosea, who has no such promise, we already see the instinct at work. The age of revolution which he describes is cursed by its want of men: there is no great leader of the people sent from God; those who come to the front are the creatures of faction and party; there is no king from God. How different it had been in the great days of old, when God had ever worked for Israel through some man-a Moses, a Gideon, a Samuel, but especially a David. Thus memory, equally with the present dearth of personalities, prompted to a great desire, and with passion Israel waited for a Man. The hope of the mother for her firstborn, the pride of the father in his son, the eagerness of the woman for her lover, the devotion of the slave to his liberator, the enthusiasm of soldiers for their captain-unite these noblest affections of the human heart, and you shall yet fail to reach the passion and the glory with which prophecy looked for the King to Come. Each age, of course, expected him in the qualities of power and character needed for its own troubles, and the ideal changed from glory unto glory. From valor and victory in war, it became peace and good government, care for the poor and the oppressed, sympathy with the sufferings of the whole people, but especially of the righteous among them, with fidelity to the truth delivered unto the fathers, and, finally, a conscience for the peoples sin, a bearing of their punishment and a travail, for their spiritual redemption. But all these qualities and functions were gathered upon an individual-a Victor, a King, a Prophet, a Martyr, a Servant of the Lord.
Micah stands among the first, if he is not the very first, who thus focused the hopes of Israel upon a great Redeemer; and his promise of Him shares all the characteristics just described. In his book it lies next a number of brief oracles with which we are unable to trace its immediate connection. They differ from it in style and rhythm: they are in verse, while it seems to be in prose. They do not appear to have been uttered along with it. But they reflect the troubles out of which the Hero is expected to emerge, and the deliverance which He shall accomplish, though at first they picture the latter without any hint of Himself. They apparently describe an invasion which is actually in course, rather than one which is near and inevitable; and if so they can only date from Sennacheribs campaign against Judah in 701 B.C. Jerusalem is in siege, standing alone in the land, like one of those solitary towers with folds round them which were built here and there upon the border pastures of Israel for defense of the flock against the raiders of the desert. The prophet sees the possibility of Zions capitulation, but the people shall leave her only for their deliverance elsewhere. Many are gathered against her, but he sees them as sheaves upon the floor for Zion to thresh. This oracle (Mic 4:11-13) cannot, of course, have been uttered at the same time as the previous one, but there is no reason why the same prophet should not have uttered both at different periods. Isaiah had prospects of the fate of Jerusalem which differ quite as much. Once more (Mic 5:1) the blockade is established. Israels ruler is helpless, “smitten on the cheek by the foe.” It is to this last picture that the promise of the Deliverer is attached.
The prophet speaks:-
“But thou, O Tower of the Flock, Hill of the daughter of Zion, To thee shall arrive the former rule, And the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Zion. Now wherefore criest thou so loud? Is there no king in thee, or is thy counselor perished, That throes have seized thee like a woman in childbirth? Quiver and writhe, daughter of Zion, like one in childbirth: For now must thou forth from the city, And encamp on the field (and come unto Babel); There shalt thou be rescued, There shall Jehovah redeem thee from the hand of thy foes”!
“And now gather against thee many nations, that say, Let her be violate, that our eyes may fasten on Zion! But they know not the plans of Jehovah, Nor understand they His counsel, For He hath gathered them in like sheaves to the floor. Up and thresh, O daughter of Zion For thy horns will I turn into iron, And thy hoofs will I turn into brass; And thou will beat down many nations, And devote to Jehovah their spoil, And their wealth to the Lord of all earth”.
“Now press thyself together, thou daughter of pressure: The foe hath set a wall around us, With a rod they smite on the cheek Israels regent! But thou, Beth-Ephrath, smallest among the thousands of Judah, From thee unto Me shall come forth the Ruler to be in Israel! Yea, of old are His goings forth, from the days of long ago! Therefore shall He suffer them till the time that one bearing shall have born. (Then the rest of His brethren shall return with the children of Israel.) And He shall stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of Jehovah, In the pride of the name of His God. And they shall abide! For now is He great to the ends of the earth. And Such a One shall be our Peace.”
Bethlehem was the birthplace of David, but when Micah says that the Deliverer shall emerge from her he does not only mean what Isaiah affirms by his promise of a rod from the stock of Jesse, that the King to Come shall spring from the one great dynasty in Judah. Micah means rather to emphasize the rustic and popular origin of the Messiah, “too small to be among the thousands of Judah.” David, the son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, was a dearer figure than Solomon son of David the King. He impressed the peoples imagination, because he had sprung from themselves, and in his lifetime had been the popular rival of an unlovable despot. Micah himself was the prophet of the country as distinct from the capital, of the peasants as against the rich who oppressed them. When, therefore, he fixed upon Bethlehem as the Messiahs birthplace, he doubtless desired, without departing from the orthodox hope in the Davidic dynasty, to throw round its new representative those associations which had so endeared to the people their father-monarch. The shepherds of Judah, that strong source of undefiled life from which the fortunes of the state and prophecy itself had ever been recuperated, should again send forth salvation. Had not Micah already declared that, after the overthrow of the capital and the rulers, the glory of Israel should come to Adullam, where of old David had gathered its soiled and scattered fragments?
We may conceive how such a promise would affect the crushed peasants for whom Micah wrote. A Savior, who was one of themselves, not born up there in the capital, foster-brother of the very nobles who oppressed them, but born among the people, sharer of their toils and of their wrongs!-it would bring hope to every broken heart among the disinherited poor of Israel. Yet meantime, be it observed, this was a promise, not for the peasants only, but for the whole people. In the present danger of the nation the class disputes are forgotten, and the hopes of Israel gather upon their Hero for a common deliverance from the foreign foe. “Such a One shall be our peace.” But in the peace He is “to stand and shepherd His flock,” conspicuous and watchful. The country folk knew what such a figure meant to themselves for security and weal on the land of their fathers. Heretofore their rulers had not been shepherds, but thieves and robbers.
We can imagine the contrast which such a vision must have offered to the fancies of the false prophets. What were they beside this? Deity descending in fire and thunder, with all the other features of the ancient Theophanies that had now become much cant in the mouths of mercenary traditionalists. Besides those, how sane was this how footed upon the earth, how practical, how popular in the best sense!
We see, then, the value of Micahs prophecy for his own day. Has it also any value for ours-especially in that aspect of it which must have appealed to the hearts of those for whom chiefly Micah arose? Is it wise to paint the Messiah, to paint Christ, so much a workingman? Is it not much more to our purpose to remember the general fact of His humanity, by which He is able to be Priest and Brother to all classes, high and low, rich and poor, the noble and the peasant alike? Is not the Man of Sorrows a much wider name than the Man of Labor? Let us answer these questions.
The value of such a prophecy of Christ lies in the correctives which it supplies to the Christian apocalypse and theology. Both of these have raised Christ to a throne too far above the actual circumstance of His earthly ministry and the theatre of His eternal sympathies. Whether enthroned in the praises of Heaven, or by scholasticism relegated to an ideal and abstract humanity, Christ is lifted away from touch with the common people. But His lowly origin was a fact. He sprang from the most democratic of peoples. His ancestor was a shepherd, and His mother a peasant girl. He Himself was a carpenter: at home, as His parables show, in the fields and the folds and the barns of His country; with the servants of the great houses, with the unemployed in the market; with the woman in the hovel seeking one piece of silver, with the shepherd on the moors seeking the lost sheep. “The poor had the gospel preached to them; and the common people heard Him gladly.” As the peasants of Judea must have listened to Micahs promise of His origin among themselves with new hope and patience, so in the Roman empire the religion of Jesus Christ was welcomed chiefly, as the Apostles and the Fathers bear witness, by the lowly and the laboring of every nation. In the great persecution which bears His name, the Emperor Domitian heard that there were two relatives alive of this Jesus whom so many acknowledged as their King, and he sent for them that he might put them to death. But when they came, he asked them to hold up their hands, and seeing these brown and chapped with toil, he dismissed the men, saying, “From such slaves we have nothing to fear.” Ah but, Emperor! it is just the horny hands of this religion that thou and thy gods have to fear! Any cynic or satirist of thy literature, from Celsus onwards, could have told thee that it was by men who worked with their hands for their daily bread, by domestics, artisans, and all manner of slaves, that the power of this King should spread, which meant destruction to [flee and thine empire] “From little Bethlehem came forth the Ruler,” and “now He is great to the ends of the earth.”
There follows upon this prophecy of the Shepherd a curious fragment which divides His office among a number of His order, though the grammar returns towards the end to One. The mention of Assyria stamps this oracle also as of the eighth century. Mark the refrain which opens and closes it.
“When Asshur cometh into our land, And when he marcheth on our borders, Then shall we raise against him seven shepherds And eight princes of men. And they shall shepherd Asshur with a sword, And Nimrods land with her own bare blades. And He shall deliver from Asshur, When he cometh into our land, And marcheth upon our borders.”
There follows an oracle in which there is no evidence of Micahs hand or of his times; but if it carries any proof of a date, it seems a late one.
“And the remnant of Jacob shall be among many peoples Like the dew from Jehovah, Like showers upon grass, Which wait not for a man. Nor tarry for the children of men. And the remnant of Jacob (among nations,) among many peoples, Shall be like the lion among the beasts of the jungle, Like a young lion among the sheepfolds, Who, when he cometh by, treadeth and teareth, And none may deliver. Let thine hand be high on thine adversaries, And all thine enemies be cut off!”
Finally in this section we have an oracle full of the notes we had from Micah in The first two chapters. It explains itself. Compare Mic 2:1-13 and Isa 2:1-22.
“And it shall be in that day-tis the oracle of Jehovah-That I will cut off thy horses from the midst of thee, And I will destroy thy chariots; That I will cut off the cities of thy land, And tear down all thy fortresses, And I will cut off thine enchantments from thy hand, And thou shalt have no more soothsayers; And I will cut off thine images and thy pillars from the midst of thee, And thou shalt not bow down any more to the work of thy hands; And I will uproot thine Asheras from the midst of thee, And will destroy thine idols. So shall I do, in My wrath and Mine anger, Vengeance to the nations, who have not known Me.”