Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Micah 6:2
Hear ye, O mountains, 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.
2. ye strong foundations ] ‘Strong’ should rather be enduring. The hills have outlived generation after generation of rebellious Israelites.
with his people ] The phrase is very significant in this connexion; if anything could awaken Israel’s conscience, it would be the thought of the special mercies of which he had been the recipient.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Hear, ye strong (or, it may be, ye enduring,) foundations of the earth – Mountains and rocks carry the soul to times far away, before and after. They change net, like the habitable, cultivated, surface of the earth. There they were, before the existence of our short-lived generations; there they will be, until time shall cease to be. They have witnessed so many vicissitudes of human things, themselves unchanging. The prophet is directed to seize this feeling of simple nature. They have seen so much before me, Yes! then they have seen all which befell my forefathers; all Gods benefits, all along, to them and to us, all their and our unthankfulness.
He will plead with Israel – God hath a strict severe judgment with His people, and yet vouchsafes to clear Himself before His creatures, to come down from His throne of glory and place Himself on equal terms with them. He does not plead only, but mutually (such is the force of the word) impleads with His people, hears if they would say aught against Himself, and then gives His own judgment . But this willingness to hear, only makes us condemn ourselves, so that we should be without excuse before Him. We do owe ourselves wholly to Him who made us and hath given us all things richly to enjoy.
If we have withdrawn ourselves from His Service, unless He dealt hardly with us, we dealt rebelliously and ungratefully with Him. God brings all pleas into a narrow space. The fault is with Him or with us. He offers to clear Himself. He sets before us His good deeds, His Loving kindness, Providence, Grace, Long-suffering, Bounty, Truth, and contrasts with them our evil deeds, our unthankfulness, despitefulness, our breach of His laws, and disorderings of His creation. And then, in the face of His Goodness, He asks, What evil have I done, what good have I left undone? so that our evil and negligences should be but a requital of His. For if it is evil to return evil for evil, or not to return good for good, what evil is it to return evil for His exceeding good! As He says by Isaiah, What could have been done more to My vineyard and I have not done in it. Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? Isa 5:4.
And our Blessed Lord asks; Many good works have I shewed you from My Father. For which of those works do ye stone Me? Joh 10:32. Which of you convinceth Me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe Me? Joh 8:46. Away from the light of God, we may plead excuses, and cast the blame of our sins upon our temptations, or passions, or nature, that is, on Almighty God Himself, who made us. When His light streams in upon our conscience, we are silent. Blessed if we be silenced and confess to Him then, that we be not first silenced in the Day of Judgment Job 1:8; Job 2:3; Eze 14:20. Righteous Job said, I desire to reason with God Job 13:3; but when his eye saw Him, he said, wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes Job 42:5-6.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. Hear ye, O mountains] Micah, as God’s advocate, summons this people into judgment, and makes an appeal to inanimate creation against them. He had spoken to the priests, to the princes, to the people. He had done every thing that was necessary to make them wise, and holy, and happy; they had uniformly disobeyed, and were ever ungrateful. It was not consistent with either the justice or mercy of God to permit them to go on without reprehension and punishment. He now calls them into judgment; and such was the nature of their crimes that, to heighten the effect, and show what reason he had to punish such a people, he appeals to inanimate creation. Their ingratitude and rebellion are sufficient to make the mountains, the hills, and the strong foundations of the earth to hear, tremble, and give judgment against them. This, then, is the Lord’s controversy with his people, and thus he will plead with Israel.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Hear ye, O mountains: in the first verse God directs Micah to take the mountains and hills for witnesses; now in this verse he doth call upon those mountains to hear: it is a prosopoeia, an elegant personating of hearers and witnesses, as Deu 32:1; Isa 1:2; 2:2. Some by
mountains understand princes and nobles, and by
strong foundations of the earth inferior magistrates, as Psa 75:3; but it may as well, or better, be an appeal to these creatures in so just a cause for their Creator.
The Lords controversy, whose sovereign Majesty may well command what he pleaseth, and expect to be obeyed, and whose unparalleled goodness to Israel ought to have been uncontroverted motives to obey him in all things; yet the sovereign goodness is slighted and disobeyed; on which he now impleads his people, brings his action against them.
Ye strong foundations of the earth; called before hills: it is an explanation of the former, mountains; or it may be an appeal to those deep foundations which are hid from any eye, and which seem most remote from what is done on earth; but the ill carriage, the disobedience, and sin of Israel is so notorious, that the whole creation may be subpoenaed witnesses against them.
The Lord hath a controversy with his people; covenant, redeemed, and only people, as Amo 3:2.
He will plead with Israel; no longer put off the cause, nor forbear to punish them and right himself, he will bring the cause to hearing judgment, and execution too.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. Lord’s controversyHowgreat is Jehovah’s condescension, who, though the supreme Lord ofall, yet wishes to prove to worms of the earth the equity of Hisdealings (Isa 5:3; Isa 43:26).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth,…. These are the words of the prophet, obeying the divine command, calling upon the mountains, which are the strong parts of the earth, and the bottoms of them the foundations of it, to hear the Lord’s controversy with his people, and judge between them; or, as some think, these are the persons with whom, and against whom, the controversy was; the chief and principal men of the land, who were as pillars to the common people to support and uphold them:
for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel; his people Israel, who were so by choice, by covenant, by their own avouchment and profession: they had been guilty of many sins and transgressions against both tables of the law; and now the Lord had a controversy with them for them, and was determined to enter into judgment, and litigate the point with them; and dreadful it is when God brings in a charge, and pleads his own cause with sinful men; they are not able to contend with him, nor answer him for one of a thousand faults committed against him; see Ho 4:1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Hear, ye mountains, the controversy of Jehovah, (161) how? and ye strong foundations of the earth, he says. He speaks here no more of hills, but summons the whole world; as though he said, “There is not one of the elements which is not to bear witness respecting the obstinacy of this people; for the voice of God will penetrate to the farthest roots of the earth, it will reach the lowest depths: these men will at the same time continue deaf.” And he says not, the Lord threatens you, or denounces judgment on you; but Jehovah has a contention with his people. We now then see that there is no metaphor in these words; but that the Prophet merely shows how monstrous was the stupor of the people, who profited nothing by the celestial doctrine delivered to them, so that the very mountains and the whole machinery of earth and heaven, though destitute of reason, had more understanding than these men. And it is not unusual with the Prophets, we know, to turn their discourse to mute elements, when there remains no hope of success from men. But our Prophet does not abruptly address mountains and hills as Isaiah does, (Isa 1:2,) and as also Moses had done,
‘
Hear, ye heavens, what I shall say, let the earth hear the words of my mouth,’ (Deu 32:1,)
but he prefaces his discourse by saying, that it had been specially commanded to him to summon the mountains and hills to God’s judgment. By saying then, “Hear ye what Jehovah saith,” he prepares as I have said, the Jews to hear, that they might know that something uncommon and altogether unusual was to be announced, — that the Lord, in order more fully to convict them of extreme impiety, intended to plead his cause before the mountains.
Arise, then, and plead before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. What sort of voice was this? They who think that the judges are here figuratively pointed out may be easily refuted; for Micah in the next verse mentions the substance of this pleading, namely that the Lord expostulated with his people. We hence see that God had no contention with the mountains, but that, on the contrary, the mountains were summoned, that they might understand God’s pleading, not against them, but against the people. Hear then, ye mountains, Jehovah’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth, that is, the very rocks. There is nothing so hard in the world, he says, that shall not be inane to hear; for this pleading shall reach the lowest depths. Jehovah then has a controversy with his people, and he will plead, or contend, with Israel It follows —
(161) Henry says, “Sin begets a controversy between God and man. The righteous God has an action against every sinner, an action of debt, an action of trespass, an action of slander.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
2. Hear ye, O mountains In Mic 6:2 the prophet turns to the mountains to tell them what is coming, in order that they may know what is expected of them.
Strong [“enduring”] foundations of the earth Identical in meaning with “mountains” (compare Jon 2:6). They have endured for ages, and they have seen the manifestations of the divine mercy and of the people’s ingratitude; therefore they may be summoned as competent witnesses. Because the Hebrew construction is peculiar and the word translated “strong” is used elsewhere only of perennial streams, some scholars suspect a corruption of the text. A very simple change would give the verb form “give ear,” which would be a suitable parallel to “hear.” In favor of the emendation is the fact that the two verbs are found together very frequently. If the change is made the appeal reads, “Hear, O ye mountains give ear, ye foundations of the earth” (compare Isa 1:2; Deu 32:1).
His people The pronoun is significant in this connection, suggesting, on the one hand, the right of Jehovah to call to account (compare Isa 3:13-15); on the other, the special privileges enjoyed by Israel (Amo 3:12).
In Mic 6:3-5 Jehovah presents the indictment. Israel has proved ungrateful, though one look into the past should have been sufficient to awaken an appreciative response to the divine mercy. The fact of ingratitude is not definitely stated, but is clearly implied in the complaint of Jehovah. His plea is truly pathetic, “full of holy earnestness and of heart-touching tenderness.”
My people In spite of their ingratitude he recognizes them as his own.
What have I done wearied Could they point to anything which God had done or left undone that could excuse their attitude toward him? He might have made them weary of serving him either by making excessive demands upon them (compare Mic 6:6-8; Isa 43:23) or by failing to keep the promises made to them (compare Jer 2:29). Jehovah knew that no fault could be found with him; for, far from making excessive demands, he had showered upon them blessings without number. Of these, Mic 6:4-5 enumerate three: the deliverance from Egypt, the guidance through the desert, the crossing of the Jordan in safety.
House of servants R.V., “of bondage,” an expression frequently applied to Egypt (Exo 13:3; Exo 13:14; Deu 5:6; Jer 34:13).
I sent before thee To be thy leaders (Psa 77:20).
Moses The prophet with whom Jehovah spake face to face (Num 12:8).
Aaron The spokesman of Moses, and thus also a mediator between Jehovah and the people (Exo 4:16).
Miriam The sister of the two, and the leader of the triumphal dance after the crossing of the Red Sea (Exo 15:20). The mere mention of the names, undoubtedly familiar to all, would awaken memories of wonderful manifestations of Jehovah on behalf of his people (compare also Amo 2:9 ff.). The second illustration is the frustration of Balak’s plan to cut off Israel, which is recorded in Numbers 22-24; Jehovah turned curses into blessings.
From Shittim unto Gilgal The grammatical connection of these words is somewhat obscure. However, R.V. is probably correct in rendering “remember from Shittim to Gilgal,” and the thought is, “remember everything that happened from the time you left Shittim, the last station of the Israelites east of the Jordan, until you reached Gilgal, the first stopping place in Canaan.” During this period the most important event was the crossing of the Jordan, which is probably in the mind of the prophet. There seems to be insufficient reason for rejecting the words as a later gloss, or for supposing that some words have dropped out.
That ye may know the righteousness [“righteous acts”] of Jehovah They are to remember the events in their early history, for from them they may see that Jehovah has not been unfair but righteous, and that there is no cause for complaint; and this recognition should produce a grateful appreciation.
In Mic 6:6-7 the people are the speakers. They do not deny the truth of the accusation implied in Mic 6:3-5; apparently they are ready to admit their shortcomings, but in self-defense they plead ignorance of the real requirements of Jehovah. If they only knew, they would be willing to take upon themselves the severest tasks, in order to atone for their guilt and to appease the divine wrath.
Wherewith shall I come bow myself After listening to the severe arraignment they feel the need of prostrating themselves humbly before Jehovah, and of taking some steps to regain the divine favor. At a time when sacrifices played such an important part in the religious thinking of the people, it is only natural that they should think of these as the proper means by which to propitiate the offended deity.
Burnt offerings, calves of a year old The two expressions belong closely together, burnt offerings consisting of calves a year old. On burnt offerings see comments on Hos 6:6. Calves a year old were commonly used for sacrificial purposes (Lev 9:3), though younger calves might be used.
If the ordinary offerings are not sufficient they are ready to present extraordinary gifts.
Thousands of rams, ten thousands of rivers of oil The numbers are not to be understood literally; they signify great, unlimited numbers. “As sin assumes a thousand forms, far exceeding the limit of expiation by legal methods, the question arises, whether Jehovah’s favor can be gained by greatly multiplied sacrifices, by thousands of rams or myriads of streams of oil.” The ram was a common sacrificial animal. Oil, so far as we can learn from the description of the ritual in the Old Testament was not offered independently; but in connection with other offerings large quantities must have been consumed. It is possible that at an earlier period the use of oil played a more important part in the religious cult.
If this is insufficient they are ready to sacrifice their most precious possessions, even their own children.
Firstborn fruit of my body Human sacrifice was practiced among Israel’s neighbors (2Ki 3:27); the sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22) and that of Jephthah’s daughter (Jdg 11:34 ff.) may indicate that in the earliest times it was practiced even among the Hebrews without serious scruples, but at a later time the custom received the severest condemnation (2Ki 16:3; 2Ki 21:6; Jer 7:31; Eze 20:26). Human sacrifice was offered only as a last resort, when everything else seemed to fail; and this is the thought here: if everything else fails they are willing to offer their own children; surely, such sacrifice should move Jehovah to compassion.
Transgression, sin The two words, which are synonyms here, are used in the sense of “expiation of transgression, of sin”; and the two questions which are identical in meaning, might be rendered, “Shall I give my firstborn as an expiation of my transgression, the fruit of my body as an expiation of the sin of my soul?”
Mic 6:8 has been called “the greatest verse in the Old Testament.” The questions in Mic 6:6-7 make it clear that the people did not understand the true character and requirements of Jehovah. They thought that the painstaking observance of the ceremonial and the perfunctory bringing of sacrifices constituted true religion. Their ignorance was, indeed, great, but it was inexcusable, for Jehovah had made known again and again what was acceptable in his sight (Amo 5:21 ff.; Isa 1:11-17; Hos 6:6).
He hath showed thee Through Moses, the prophets, the Nazirites, and other teachers (Amo 2:11).
What is good A holy and righteous God can take pleasure only in that which is good, and this he requires of them. The essential elements of goodness are pointed out in a few words.
Do justly Live according to the principles of righteousness and equity (see on Amo 5:7). Love mercy [“kindness”] Practice diligently the principles of kindness and brotherliness (see on Hos 2:19). This is a distinct advance over the preceding. Obedience to these two exhortations implies the keeping of the commandments in the second part of the Decalogue. The former of these is emphasized repeatedly by Amos (for example, Amo 5:24), the latter by Hosea (for example, Hos 6:6). But Israel was doing the very opposite; on every hand was to be seen cruelty, injustice, oppression (Mic 2:1-2; Mic 2:8; Mic 3:2-3; Mic 3:9, etc.). Micah emphasizes a third requirement, which is a correlative of the majesty and holiness of Jehovah taught by Isaiah, and the proper observance of which meets the requirements in the first part of the Decalogue:
Walk humbly with thy God A humble walk with God is “a life of fellowship with God implying an identity of will and purpose, but fellowship conditioned by that spirit of humility which must ever govern the intercourse of weak and sinful man with a perfect and infinite God” (compare Deu 10:12-13).
In these few words is expressed more clearly than anywhere else in the eighth century prophecies the startling contrast between the popular religion and the religion of the prophets.
Mic 6:9-10
Indignant denunciation of prevalent crimes, Mic 6:9-16.
Mic 6:9 is the introduction, summoning the listeners to pay earnest heed to the words about to be uttered.
Jehovah’s voice It is not a faultfinding prophet, but Jehovah himself, who brings the accusation.
The city Jerusalem.
The man of wisdom shall see thy name Literally, wisdom will see thy name. If translated thus the meaning is obscure. Keil and others take “thy name” as subject and “wisdom” as object, and render, “Thy name sees wisdom,” that is, has the true wisdom of life in view. On name see on Mic 5:4. Even if the meaning “have in view” could be established for the verb “see” by passages like Gen 20:10, and Psa 66:18, this translation would be improbable, since the thought expressed is foreign to the context. It is much better to follow the ancient versions and read “fear” (compare R.V. margin). The result is “wisdom fears thy name,” or, better, “let wisdom fear thy name,” or even, “it is wisdom to fear thy name.” Since the pronoun of the second person is peculiar in this connection, it may be best to follow LXX. also in reading “his name.” “When Jehovah’s voice sounds so threatening and his rod is already buzzing near it is prudent to fear his name and to hear what is said in his name.” Another meaning of the word translated “wisdom” is “safety,” but the thought is not affected if it is substituted for the former.
Hear ye the rod The prophecy concerning the rod; the judgment about to fall.
Who hath appointed it Hear the voice of Him who has ordained the judgment, Jehovah. 9b is altered by many commentators on the basis of LXX. so as to read, “Hear ye, O tribe and council of the city.”
The words of denunciation begin with Mic 6:10. The causes of the judgment are stated first. This is done in the form of questions, which are to arouse the attention and the consciences of the hearers. The sins condemned are the same as those named by the other eighth century prophets.
Treasures of wickedness The exhortations and denunciations of the past have wrought no change for the better; the oppressors still continue their violence and robbery; they acquire treasures by wicked means, and thus they keep alive the wrath of Jehovah.
Scant measure Literally, ephah of leanness. They cheat the buyer by using small measures (see on Amo 8:5; Hos 3:2; compare Deu 24:14-15).
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Mic 6:2. And ye strong foundations of the earth And ye valleys in the lower parts of the earth. Houbigant. Schultens has it, Ye abiding,or everlasting foundations, &c. And instead of testify against me, Mic 6:3. Houbigant reads answer me.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
DISCOURSE: 1212
GODS CONTROVERSY WITH HIS PEOPLE
Mic 6:2-3. Hear ye, O mountains, the Lords controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.
WHENEVER we call on men to serve the Lord, they have some excuses to offer, either for the deferring of their duty, or for the neglecting of it altogether. They will complain that the things required of them are too strict; that, by reason of the weakness of human nature, they are impracticable; or, at all events, that, under their present circumstances, it were better to postpone the observance of them. In these excuses, they do not intend directly to reflect on God: but, in reality, they do cast the blame of their iniquities on him: on him, I say, as a Lawgiver, that he has required too much of us; or on him as a Creator, in that he has formed us incapable of obeying his will: or on him as a Governor, who, in his providence, has assigned us a lot which does not admit of our fulfilling his commands. On these grounds God has a controversy with us; and appeals to the whole creation that he is greatly wronged by us. The whole process of his appeal is here stated.
We have here,
I.
The court summoned
[Sometimes God makes his appeal both to heaven and earth: Hear, O heavens! and give ear, O earth; for the Lord speaketh [Note: Isa 1:2.]. At other times he calls to the earth alone, as in the passage before us: Hear ye, O mountains, and ye strong foundations of the earth! But what amazing condescension is here, that he should summon his own creatures, to sit, as it were, in judgment upon him! He has a right to do whatsoever he shall please: and to presume to question any thing that he does, is the height of impiety. Has not a potter power over the clay, to make of the same lump a vessel unto honour or unto dishonour, as he shall see fit? Or has the clay any right to say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus [Note: Rom 9:20-21.]? If the Maker choose to mar the vessel the very instant he has formed it, he has a perfect right to do so: nor would the vessel have any reason to complain. So has God exactly the same right over us [Note: Jer 18:6.]. He has not injured us, because he did not make us of the highest rank of created intelligences: nor would he have done us any injury, if he had made us devoid of reason, like the beasts? If, when he endued us with reason, he had again bereaved us of it; or if he were at this moment to deprive us of all the advantages we enjoy; we should have no ground of accusation against him: he has a right to do what he will with his own [Note: Mat 20:15,]; nor is he called to give an account to us of any of his matters [Note: Job 33:13.]. But when we arraign his conduct, he is willing to have his cause tried before a tribunal of his own creatures, and to place sinners themselves upon the seat of judgment. His permission, yea, his entreaty, to them is, Judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard [Note: Isa 5:3.].]
Viewing now the court assembled, let us hear,
II.
The pleadings opened
[Here is evidently an accusation implied; namely, God has both injured us, and even wearied us, by his oppressive conduct: and to this the Almighty, standing as a defendant before the court, answers, by challenging inquiry; and, with conscious rectitude, he says, in the face of his accusers, Testify against me. Declare wherein I have injured you: declare it, that ye may be justified [Note: Isa 43:26.].
Have I injured you by any undue strictness in my laws? Point out one that could have been dispensed with, or one that could have been lowered. They are all reducible to love: they require nothing, but that you should love God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength; and, that you should love your neighbour as yourselves. Wherein could any abatement have been made? Point out, in any one particular, wherein these requirements are too strict; or whether they be not, in every respect, holy and just and good [Note: Rom 7:12.].
Have I injured you at all in my providential dealings? You may not be so elevated in rank and affluence as others: but the human race is a body; and the body cannot be all eye, or all ear: it must have hands and feet; and every member must have its proper office: every member, too, must seek its happiness in the good of the whole; and be as willing to contribute, in its place, to the welfare of the rest, as to have its own welfare furthered by the rest. But it may be, that you have been peculiarly afflicted, in mind, or body, or estate. Be it so: but have you been afflicted beyond your deserts? Can a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins [Note: Lam 3:39.]? Hadst thou had thy desert, thou wouldst long since have been in hell, without so much as one drop of water to cool thy tongue: and thy sufferings are infinitely short of that; yea, and are mitigated also by numberless consolations. And art thou aware of all the ends for which these afflictions are sent? What, if they have been sent to call thee to repentance, and ultimately to save thy soul? Thou shouldst, then, be rather adoring me for them with the liveliest gratitude, than be complaining of them as injuries wantonly inflicted on thee.
Perhaps it is of the sanctions of my law that thou complainest: they disquiet thee; they appal thee; the dread of them makes thy life a burthen to thee. But what less than heaven wouldst thou appoint for the reward of my faithful servants? or what less than hell for the punishment of those who rebel against me? The object both of the reward and of the punishment is the sameto make thee flee from sin, the only true source of misery; and to make thee follow after righteousness, which is a certain prelude to glory. Both sanctions are intended equally for good: the one, to operate on thy hopes; the other, on thy fears: and both together to secure thine everlasting happiness. But it is of the threatening only that thou complainest: thou thinkest it hard that such a punishment as death, eternal death, should be annexed to one transgression of my law. But I have told thee, that the wages of sin is death [Note: Rom 6:23. , the provisions given to the soldiery.]. The provisions which were the payment of a Roman soldier were surely no very extravagant remuneration for his services: nor is eternal punishment an undue recompence for sin: the penal evil of damnation does not in the least exceed the moral evil of sin. Only let it be considered what sin is, and against whom it is committed, and its turpitude and malignity will be found perfectly to justify the judgments denounced against it.
If there be any other matter which mine accuser has to lay to my charge, let him bring it forth: I am prepared to plead with him: let him testify against me; and let the court, before which we stand, judge between us.]
The charges being thus, for want of an explicit statement on the part of the accuser, inquired into, let us attend to,
III.
The replication made
[As far as relates to a vindication of Jehovah, in reference to some particular points, an answer has been provided in the allegations themselves: and, as nothing more specific is stated as the ground of complaint against him, all further vindication of him is waved: and now the complaints on his side must be brought forward. This is done in another part of Scripture, where the very complaints which are preferred against God are retorted by him on his accusers. Thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt-offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not (as thou pretendest) caused thee to serve with an offering, or wearied thee with incense; but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, and wearied me with thine iniquities [Note: Isa 43:22-24.] Thus, also, in the passage before us, God prefers his charge against his accusers: 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 [Note: ver. 4, 5.]: that is, Call to mind the mercies I have vouchsafed to you, from the time I brought you out of Egypt, till your entrance into Canaan; and then say, whether you have cause to complain of me as acting unkindly towards you; or whether I have not rather reason to complain of you, for your base ingratitude, and your multiplied transgressions against me? To the same effect may God well reply against us. You complain of me as acting oppressively towards you. Look at the redemption which I have vouchsafed unto you; and not by power only, but by price, even the precious blood of my only dear Son; a redemption, too, not from a mere temporal bondage, but from sin and Satan, death and hell. Look also at the counsels which your great adversary, the Devil, has given, and at the efforts which he has made for your destruction; and see how I have preserved you in the midst of all; from Shittim, where the counsels were given, to Gilgal, in the very land of your inheritance. Look at these things, and then say, whether thine accusations against me are just; and whether there be any terms too strong wherein to state thy baseness and impiety?]
To this reply nothing is added. The truths contained in it being undeniable, not a word is spoken by way of rejoinder: the righteousness of Jehovah is admitted; and, by the consent of all parties, we have,
IV.
The cause adjudged
[As in the case before us, so in all cases will God be justified when he speaketh, and be clear when he is judged [Note: Rom 3:4.]. Brethren, you may now offer your complaints as you please; and, whilst God is not permitted to be heard, you may have it all your own way: You are quite as good as you need to be; and God is unreasonable in expecting you to be better. The denunciations of his wrath are a mere fallacy: they will never be executed: he would be unjust, if he were to proceed in accordance with them: you have nothing to fear: you act in a very rational and justifiable way, whilst you live to yourselves and to the world, rather than unto him: and whatever he may have said to the contrary, you shall have peace, though you walk after the imagination of your own hearts [Note: Deu 29:19.], and trample under foot his holy laws. Of all this you may he confident, whilst God is not heard: but let him be heard, and even you yourselves shall be judges in your own cause. Let him be heard, and not one of you will have a syllable to offer in your own defence, and much less in crimination of your God. If the man that had not on the wedding-garment was silent (was muzzled, as the word means [Note: Mat 22:12.],) much more will you, if you will bring your matters to a trial here; and, at all events, when standing before the judgment-seat of Christ. Indeed I am persuaded, that the cause between you and your God is already adjudged, even in your own consciences: for, where is there one of you who will venture seriously to arraign the conduct of his God, and not acknowledge, that Gods ways are equal, and that it is his own ways only that are unequal [Note: Eze 18:25; Eze 18:29.]?]
Conceiving then the cause terminated, I will offer a few words,
1.
In a way of candid appeal
[Is there one amongst us that will still persist in charging God foolishly [Note: Job 1:22.]? When God asks, What iniquity have ye found in me, that ye have gone far from me [Note: Jer 2:5.]? will any of you venture to accuse him as the cause of your miscarriages? When he further asks, Have I been a wilderness to Israel? a land of darkness? Wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee [Note: Jer 2:31.]? will any one amongst you dare to maintain the charge that is here supposed? No: you all know that the fault is altogether in yourselves. You know, that God is worthy to be loved and served; and that to consecrate yourselves to him is a reasonable service [Note: Rom 12:1.]. You know well, that you can neither substantiate your own accusations against him, nor rebut his accusations against you. I will, therefore, proceed to address you,]
2.
In a way of salutary advice
[Offer not excuses now, which will not avail you in the day of judgment. That time is quickly coming: and then God will be heard, whether ye desire it or not. You will not then have to make your cause good against a man like yourselves, but against the Omniscient and Almighty God. Cease, then, to determine from your own statements alone. Let God be heard speaking to you in his word. Try your case fairly, according to that book which you have in your hands, and by which you will be judged in the last day [Note: Joh 12:48.]. Be candid in weighing both sides of the question, and in giving judgment according to truth. Then you will surely acknowledge, that by the law you are justly condemned; and that God is true, though every man be made a liar [Note: Rom 3:4.]. But need you, on that account, despair? No. If you have sinned, you have an advocate with the Father, even our Lord Jesus Christ; who is also the propitiation for your sins [Note: l Joh 2:1.]. Put your cause into his hands; and though condemned by the law, you shall be acquitted by the Gospel: for through this Saviour you shall have all your past iniquities blotted out, and a righteousness given to you that shall be perfectly commensurate with all the demands of law and justice [Note: Rom 3:21-22.]. Then, in the presence of the whole assembled universe, shall you stand approved; and God himself be just in justifying and rewarding you [Note: Rom 3:25-26.]. To that day, so terrible to the impenitent and unbelieving sinner, you may look forward with confidence and joy: for though guilty in yourselves, you shall be accepted in the Beloved [Note: Eph 1:6.]; and, though in yourselves deserving of the heaviest condemnation, you shall receive a crown of righteousness that fadeth not away.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Mic 6:2 Hear ye, O mountains, 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.
Ver. 2. Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord’s controversy] Although the people would neither hear nor obey God, the prophet doth; and, according to command, he summoneth the mountains to hear and testify; the Lord seeming to say unto him, as once he did to Ezekiel, “But thou, son of man, be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house; but hear what I say unto thee, and do it.” It might seem to him a senseless thing to cite the mountains. But he knew that if God command a thing, to argue or debate upon it were bold presumption, to search the reason of it proud curiosity, to detract or disobey it flat rebellion. To the mountains and foundations of the earth he applies himself; haply with like mind and in like manner as the host of Nola did to the churchyard, and there called at the graves of the dead, Oh, ye good men of Nola, come away; for the Roman censor calls for your appearance; for he knew not where to call for a good man alive.
And ye strong foundations of the earth
For the Lord hath a controversy with his people
And he will plead with Israel
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Hear ye, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deu 32:1). App-92.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
foundations: Deu 32:22, 2Sa 22:8, 2Sa 22:16, Psa 104:5, Pro 8:29, Jer 31:37
a controversy: Isa 1:18, Isa 5:3, Isa 43:26, Jer 2:9, Jer 2:29-35, Jer 25:31, Eze 20:35, Eze 20:36, Hos 4:1, Hos 12:2
Reciprocal: Gen 35:19 – Ephrath Deu 4:26 – I call heaven Deu 30:19 – I call heaven 1Sa 12:7 – reason Job 13:3 – I desire Psa 18:15 – foundations Psa 50:4 – call Psa 65:6 – Which Psa 114:7 – Tremble Isa 1:2 – Hear Isa 3:13 – standeth up Isa 18:3 – All ye Isa 27:8 – thou wilt Isa 34:1 – let the Isa 41:21 – Produce Jer 2:5 – What Jer 2:12 – General Jer 6:19 – O earth Jer 22:29 – General Eze 6:2 – the mountains Eze 6:3 – Ye Eze 17:20 – plead Eze 37:4 – O ye Mic 1:2 – hearken Mic 6:1 – Arise
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Mic 6:2. But while the universe is to hear the defence of Israel (if she can produce any), the Lord will also make His complaints just as public. He has a controversy or accusation to make against the ungrateful naLion.