PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Micah
William J. Deane [1853-1943] · 121,119 words · 134 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 1
THBJ PULPIT COMMENTARY, EDITED BY THE VERY REV. H. D. M. SPENCE, D.D., DEAN Oli' GLOUOESTED; AND BY TilE REV. JOSEPH S. EXELL, M.A. MIO A H. e!xposftfon IlY REV. W. J. DEA.NE, M.A.., BEOTOB Oli' .A.SUEN. ~omClrtfct BY REV. S. D. HILLMAN, B.A.. ~omflies h'1 lJarfous Qutbot1. mw. E s. PROUT, M.A. REV. A. ROW…
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its infliction; he repents of the sins which have occasioned this punishment, looks patiently to God, and puts his sole trnst in him, and, in answer to his prayers, is rewarded by the promise of deliverance. The book concludes with a triumphal song, celebrating the victory which God will achieve, and praising the mercy…
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activity. In either case he is contemporary with Isaiah, and with the latter portion of the ministry of Amos and Hosea. We have a testimony concerning his date in Jer. xxvi. 18, where certain elders of the land appeal to the case of Micah as one who asserted unpopular trnths in the time of Hezekiah, without incurring t…
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persons who knew that he pardons ae well ae punishes. It is this strong conviction of the intimate connection between sin and punishment, repentance and forgiveness, which occasions those startling transitions that meet us, as we have said, so continually; where, with the simple con- junction "and," and with no further…
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CHAPTER I. ye pe;ple,; Septuagint, 71.aol. All nations are summoned to come and witness the Ver. 1-ch. ii. 13.-Pe.rt I. THREATEN- judgment, and to profit by the warning. INGS AND JODGlllENTB ON lsBAEL AND JUDAH, So Micaiah, son of Imlah, the bolcl denouncer WITH PREDICTION OF EVENTUAL DELIVER- of false prophets in th…
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f'vi,lence of snoh c,rnptions in the bietorioe.l being not pu.rnllel with "e.poale.ey "), the 11erio<l is not forthMming. The deeoription Septue.giut ree.da, ,\ Ap,.pTla, " the ain," J-"rnlls tll(' nwful re1·cle.tion a.t Sine.i (Exod. followed by the Syri110 nnd the T,ngum, :xix. ). She.ll be molten; either by the ligh…
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xxiii. 17; Ezek. xvi. 81). Thero me.y be al- their ■ins which ■hould bring like punish- lusion to tho sho.meful practices consecrated ment. The word rendered " wail" means with the name of religion, the proceeds of "to beat" the breast. Septuagint, 1<&,j,<-ra,: which wont to the 6upport of idolatry (seo Vulge.te, plang…
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of Judah. (For its ,iLuation, see note on pulvere vos conspergits. 1'he Septuagint he.a Amos vi. 2.) The paronoma.sias in this an iuexplioable rendering, ,,..,.a -yb,,.,,-a -y;J11 passage, whioh seem to modern ears e.rtiftcie.l Ka.-,i,r.ia-ua-9,, "a.go.inst laughter sprinkle e.nd puC'rile, a.re paralleled in many wr…
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verse with one ides, " Zne,nan would wil- the idolatry of Jehoram (2 Chron. xxi. 6) and lingly to.ke to flight, but the sound of the Ahnziah (2 Cbron. :uii 8, 4). mourning e.t Beth-ezel (which might mean, Ver. 14.-Therefore. Bece.nae Jndah haa • the house, or pluce, o.t one'e side ') fills them adopted the evil practic…
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called .llfer'aok. He shall oome, etc. ; better, Ver. 16.-§ 5. Th~ prnphet calls upon the glory of lt>ro~I ~hnll come t-0 Adullam; i.e. Zion to moum for he,· capti1Jity. Make thee the nobility (comp. Isa. v. 13) oflsrael she.II bl\ld, The Hebrew word implies "to make fly lor refo~e to snoh plaoes 1\11 tho cave of th…
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hesitating tone, RB though doubtful whether he ha.a any meesa.ge to deliver. He Jin~ glorious certa.inties to announce, an authoritative message to declare; and, with. confidont and unwavering trust, should go forth and publish the bright realities of oqr faith. 3. This revelation is made very real to the inner cons…
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Vers. 2-7.-The Divwjud,gments against Israel,. Micah was a prophet of Judah, and had special reference in his prophecy to that kingdom. Still, he referred also to the kingdom of Israel. In these verses be directed attention to the tribulations speedily to come upon the kingdom of Israel; and, whilst his words have refe…
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Yers. 5, 9, and 13 (last clauses).-The contagiousness of sin. Great prominence should be given in Christian teaching to the sad and solemn fact of sin. Would we lead men to prize the redemption wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ, and to appreciate his unutterable love expressed in his "obedience unto death," we must seek…
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''fravels '). So that when the prophet speaks or making "a wailing like the jackal,, and mourning liko the ostriches," he intimates that he would give way to the intensity of grief and distress, in view of the prevailing iniquity a.nd its prospective punishment. II. Tnm OAUSES, This grief a.rises from: 1. Regard for t…
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Ver. 5.-Sins in the metropolia. God's interposition by judgment is threatened on account of the nation's sins. The greatness of their privileges involved special respon- sibilities and chastisements (Amoe iii 2). These sins are traced to their sources in the capitals of the two kingdoms. A metropolis is a centre of …
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3. lt'or editors of newspnpers and other leaders of public opinion. It was these who were, to a lnrge extent, responsible for Lhe Crimean War. 4. For the leaders of fashion, who may foster habits of extravagance, of peril to health, or even of cruelty in matters of dress. 6, For men of business; the exchanges of the me…
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Yers. 3-7.-God's procedure in relation to sin. "For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth," et.c. 'l.'his is a highly figurative and sublime representation of the Almighty in his retributive work, especially in relation to Samaria and Jerusal…
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rnther, that God, in his beneficent march, must ever appear terrible to the Hinner and bring ruin on his head. It is the wiRdom as well B8 the duty of all intelligent creatures to move in thought, sympathy, and purpose as Go<l moves--move with him, not against him. To move with him is to see him in all the attraction o…
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of idolatry between Israel and Judah. Lying in the Shephele.h, a fortified plaoe of great importance, she was the first city in Judah that waa led away by the sin of Jeroboam; and from her the infection spread till at length it reached Jerusalem itself. In the prospect of a sudden attack, it behoved the inhabitants …
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EXPOSITION. The prophet suddenly addresses them, the OHAPTER II. "fe.mily." Your necks. He speaks of the Vere. 1-5.-§ 6. 'I'he prophet juetifie, his calamity as e. heo.vy, galling yoke, from threat by recounting the Bins of which the which they should bt, unable to free them- selves (comp. Hos. x.11). This yoke is…
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rnthrr, to an aposfatc 'he divideth our field,. Should reproaches (against the true 'l'he llpostate is tlie King of Assyria or prophets) never cease ? " We /refer the ChaldcR ; nn,I he is so nllmod ae being 11, interpretations given above, an consider rebd ngninst Jehovah, whom he might hnve the prophet's reply to be g…
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"They set np my people BB an enemy," i.11. ruthlessly stripped of their bleBBings, either the l!ro.ndees treat the Lord's people 11.8 by being forced to grow up in want and onem1es, robbing and plundering them. ignore.nee, or by being sold into ale.very e.nd This translation obviates the difficulty of carried e.we.y…
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"J)'/)p.'' ns yer. 6. Of wine and of strong tt\ke Botsrah e.s e.n nppello.tive, meaning drink. Concerning temporal blessings, "fold," in ngrcement ,vith the Vulgate, dwelli:>[: on God's promises of material qua•i gregem in 011ili, and Chl\ldee, CtS well prosp,rity (Lev. xxvi. 4, eto.; Dent. xxviii. ns Aquila and Sym…
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HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-11.-DelineaUons of deep transgresBi()'TI,, right~ retnln,,tion, and Divine equity. We have in these verses three pictures, drawn by a master-hand, and very suggestive of practical teaching. I. A PICTURE OF DEEP TRANBGRE88ION. (Vere, 1, 2, 8, 9.) Observe delineated in it: 1. The abuse of privile…
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Ver. 7.-God's 'Ways vindicated. In this verse three important questions a.re asked, and in the answers to these lies the clear vindication of God's ways in his dealings with transgressors. L " Is THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD STRAITENED?" i.e. when his judgments over- take men for their sins, is this to be regarded e.e a …
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Vere. 12, 13.-" Glorious things" wpoken of the tMl,ll Israel. No member of "the goodly fellowship of the prophets" had a more vivid sense of the ultimate enfranchise- ment from all evil, awaiting the race, to be effected by the Messiah in due course, than was possessed by "Micah the Morasthite." Even as in the opening …
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in number that they should be as" the sheep of Bozrah," the wealth of which consisted in the abundance of its Aocks and herds; mdeed, BO numerous should they be, that they should make" great noise by reason of the multitude of men" (ver. 12). There are times when we get depressed and sad at heart in holy service, a.nd…
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'CT1''IVERSA.L CHURCH. The ultimate victory and glory of the Ohurch of God is assured. Such is God's eternal purpose, and which by his sovereign power he will eventually accomplish. Obstacles to the fulfilment of this purpose are continually arising. Impedi- ments are placed m the way. Active opposition has been off…
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envious nnd revengeful thoughts of Ho.man (Est h. iii. 6, 6; see Jas. i. 14, 15). Here sin is not traced during its growth. From its birth St. James passes on to its rnatnrity: "The siu, when it is full grown, briogeth forth death." But Micah points out stages in its growth. 2. Plans of wiclcedness are deliberately c…
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a sore temrtalion to 11n earnest preacher who watches for souls not for smiles (Ezok, xxxiii. 30-32). To this impious veto a reply comes in the form of- II. A FATAL WITHDRAWAL. We hear three sharp, decisive messages. 1. "They shall prophesy." God's servants shall oontinue to do AO under the constraint of both a Div…
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willingly." He presides over hie own laws and executes his threat,q; but it is Hin, not God, who ie the great destroyer, "Evil shall slay the wicked" (Ps. xxxiv. 21). II, M1moY IS Gon's DELIGHT, "Do not my words do good," etc. ? 'fhe special reference seems to be to God's words through his prophets, so that it was a g…
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stuck bis Epe1u into the ground, exclaiming, "Alabama I" "Here we rest I" But in vain. r,. Sm BREAKS THE BEST oF THE HAPPIEST HOME, A younii; bride a.nd bridegroom may think they have reached the goa.l of earthly happiness. But unless Christ occupiea in their hearts the place which he claims, and which he alone can fi…
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"The world, with sin and Satan, In vo.in our march opposes ; By faith we shall break through them all, And sing the song of Moses," E.8.P. Vere. 1-4.-.Avarice. "Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds I when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand," …
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Vera. 8, 9.-Sin an antagonist. "Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war. The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever." This chapter refer…
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reason and juetice. The character and relatione of God are ench ae t.o demand the supreme love of all hie intelligent creatures. 8. This enmity ia most miserabui. Enmity to God is the fountain of all the misery in the universe; it is the root of all the cursed passions of the soul. The soul's salvation is in love, i…
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Ver. 11.-Israel's popular preacher. "If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do li0, saying, I will prophesy untu thee of wine and of stroug drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people." Henderson•~ translation of this verse is worth quoting: "If any one conservant with mind and falsehood lie, saying, I …
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CoNCLUSION. Blessed gospel, speed thy work I Bring all the scattered sections of the world together, and unite them together by uniting them to one common centre- Christ. Break the moral chains that bind the faculties, sympathies, aud souls of men to ~in and the devil. Bring on the moral jubilee of the race, and let th…
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" ea.notify war." There may be allusion to this fills hie mind nnd c0mpriAea all !,i.~ the religious rites accompanying a declara- meBBage. The third gift is might, i.e. a tion of we.r ( J er. vl. 4 ; Joel iii. 9) ; but holy courage the.t enables him to foco any Micah eeems to mee.n that, if the customary danger in …
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morality, mnde e. certain ontwe.rd conformity " ... imprimeretque muris 11erve for righteousness and truth. Is not Hostile are.trum exercltus insolens." the Lord among 111 ! (Exod. xvii. 7). As (Comp. 'Propert.,' iii. 7, 41 ; and, for the though the very fact the.t they he.d in their whole pa.ssA.ge, Ie11. xxxii. 13…
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HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-12.-171.e abuse of influence. God has imparted to all men the power of influencing others. We daily exert an influence either for good or for evil. '!'hey who know us, and who come into contact with us, are the better or the worse as the result of such knowledge and association. The nature of our i…
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wisher of the r&Ce will endeavour to etem the ever-swelling torrent, and to present motives to turn the energies and enterprises of the world into another and higher direction. This chapter may be viewed as illustrative of the deplorable evils and the fe.tal results of this spirit of avarice. I. Trrn DEPLORABLE EVI…
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Vers. 8-12.-Gijtsfor Divine service. I. THEIR NATURE. (Ver. 8.) 1. "Power."' (Ver. 8.) ·weak as the prophet felt himself to be, he was conscious of a Divine influe11ce resting upon Lim and inspiring him, clothing him with holy energy an,l irre- Bistible might. His mind and heart had been brought into an enjoyment of th…
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Ver. 11.-The ministry viewed in relation to" hire." The Jewish priests and prophets were the teachers of the people in matters of religion and morals. 'l'hey exercised" the teaching faculty;" and this must form a prominent feature in those who devote them- eel ves to tbe work of the ministry in every age (1 Tim. iii. …
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I. TnE IlISTORI0AI, FACT OF THE MATERIAL DESOLATION wman WAS TO RESULT FROlI THE PilEVAIJ,INO NATIONAL TnA~SORESSION. (Ver.12.) Observe: 1. This prophecy was doubtless oft repeated by the prophet. 'l'bat it was uttered by him during the reign of Hezekiah is clear from Jeremiah (xxvi. 17, 19). But it had probably been…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 8.-God's gift of a faitliftd ministry. The expression, "But truly (0~11): implies_ a con_trast to what precedes. The false 'prophets were in nlliance with the tyrannical pnncei-, and were destined to humiliation and to the utter loss of whatever pawer th~y once possessed. But Micah…
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ruler1. They are open to bribes, in direct violation of Exod. xxiii. 8, and therefore pervert judgment. These sophists on the judgment-seat make "the worse appear the better reason;" and at length reach such a stage of iniquity that they "abhor judgment," and "call evil good," etc. (Isa. v. 20; cf. 2 Pet. ii. 14). In t…
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off their bones," eto. The punishment threatened in this chapter is aaainst the authorities of Israel, against the princes who turn right into wrong and slay the people, against false prophets who lead the people astray and confirm them in their sin, and against the priests in connection with both princes and prophe…
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"Here be attach the false prophets, e.s before he had attackerl the ' princes.' ' That make my people err '-knowingly mislead my people, by not denouncing their sins as incurring judgmente. • 'l'ha.t bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace;' i.e. who, so long 1\8 they are supplied with food, promise peace and prosperit…
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Where have we men now to" declare unto Jacob hie transgression, and unto Israel his sin"? 1. This ta a painful tDOrk. It will incur the disfavour of some, and rouse the antagonism of the delinquents. Still, it must be done-done as John the Baptist did it, who denounced his countrymen as a" generation of vipers;" don…
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EXPOSITION. oomprehension of a.11 nations in the Catholic CHAPTER IV. Church. Isaiah says "all nations" in the parallel passngo (comp. Zeph. ii. 11 Vera. 1-5.-§ 4. The P"ophet suddenly anrl Zech. viii. 22, and notes there). announces tlui future glory of the temple Ver. 2.-The prophet further explains his mountain …
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" Pu me oorta ducis pl11cidos ourvavit in iii. 19). It is the sick and afflicted here who USUS: a.re to be gathered t.ogether, the remnant, Agrioolm nuno sum, militia e.nte fui." tha.t Is (ver. 7), wherever found, whioh turns to the Lord in repentance and humility. The rern!'lle process is seen in Joel ill. 10, Ver…
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will rejoice.'' The ,Yulga.te, lapidetur, points circumstances may exactly suit the l?renlo- to lwr pnnial1ment RB Rn Rdultoreee, whioh tion, but they do not exhllust it. And mdeed does not suit the context. Let our eye look wo do wrong to seek for minuto tiud dellnite upon Zion. The heathen anticipate with fulfilment …
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figure of David the prophetic figure of the Messiah is developed, so upon the figare of Jerusalem is the prophetic figure of the holy community of the future" (Lange). Connecting ver. 1 with the last verse of the previous chapter, we are reminded that whilst the me.terie.l kingdom was marked to fall, and should, in d…
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de.y succeeds night, a higher morality becomes developed. 4. Peace should be estab- Ushed. (\' r.r. 3.) The Messiah i8 "the Prince of Peace" (Isa. ix. 6). "Glory to God in the highest," etc. (Luke ii. 14), was the ~ong of angels as they welcomed his advent, Strange, then, tbe.t men should ascribe to his religion the…
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TIONB HERE EXPRESSED (var. 2), viz.: 1. Of seeking to underst(///1,d God's truth 1M1'd clearly. "And he will teach us of his ways." The consciousness of his imperfect attainments will keep him humble, and preserve him from mere dogmatism and self- conceit. 2. Of endeavouring to be obedient in heart and life to God's wi…
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Ver. 2.-0bedience to the Divine will. "And we will walk in his paths." The idea is-living obediently to the will of God. Observe-- I. GoD HAS REVEALED HIS WILL UNTO HAN. "The Law bas gone forth," etc. (ver. 3). The revelation of what God requires of his creatures has been given (1) in the commandments unfolded to Mo…
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Vere. 9-13; eh. v.1.-Tlvr()1J,!Jh trial to triumph. There is a very natural connection btitween these and the previous verses. The seer has presented a glowing picture of the uHimate triumphs of the Messia.h's kingdom. In choicest language he has unfolded the nature of the Messiah's rule, and the beneficent effects …
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HOMILIES BY V A.RIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1, 2.-.A new Mount Zion. Tho threat of eh. iii.12 has been fulfilled. Mount Zion, the glory of the nation on accouut of its situation, its buildings, its history, and its religious associations (Ps. xlviii.; cxxii., etc.), bas become as a forest, or as desolate heaps of ruins. B…
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hnd been in them. Henceforth they desire t() walk in other "paths," in God's way of holiness. 3. '1.'heir confidence; that the God of Jacob alone wa8 both able and willing to supply their need, 'l'he prophet foresaw what Christ still more clearly predicted (Matt. viii. 11, 12), and what we are seeing in these days of m…
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in the nation, and the gospel of God is seen to have prepared the way for the reign of God. II. THE BEIClN OF Gon WILL BE A REIGN OF PEAOE, war is a terrible defiance of God and of his authority, and yet it is one of the most popular forms of wickedness. Tbe press, the clubs, "the forces," often make it hard even for …
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.