PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Micah
William J. Deane [1853-1943] · 121,119 words · 134 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 61
3. "Striclcen of God, and ajfticted." Unfaithfol "shepherds" among their own rulers (E1.ek. xxxiv. 1-6) or heathen conquerors were the scourges; but" shall there be evil in a. city, and the Lord bath not done H?" Devout men recognized this, and uttered such penitential wails as we find in Ps. xliv., lxxiv.; Lam. i., ii…
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iu t<-nts (contrnst their former "ease in Zion," Amos vi. 1-7, etc.); without the pro- tection of the old towers and bulwarks in which they had prided themselves (Pa. xlviii. 12, 13); without weapons or leaders, and thus exposed to any indignities that these conquerors choose to inflict upon them. Thus may it be wit…
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built on Mount Moriah, and called the mountain of the Lord's houee. The temple was the greatest thing in the religion of the Jews; it was the "mountain" in their scenery. The true religion is to become a. mountain. The little stone will become a mountain, and fill the whole earth. In truth, the true religion, where …
866 wordsSECTION 64The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 64
Ver. 6.-Man's religio'll,S nature. "For all people will walk every one in the name ,,f his god, and we will walk in the Ne.me of the Lord our God for ever and ever." It is t.rite to say, what has been said & thousand times, that; ,man has a roligious nature, Albeit the practical recognition of the fact is of immense…
864 wordsSECTION 65The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 65
to all that are "weary" and "heavy laden." The Church of Christ from the begin- ning bae comprised those who were the most afflicted, the most scattered, and the moat distressed of mankind. It bas been and is the grand a.sylum for the tried and the sorrowful and those who are counted " the offscouring of all things" (1…
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1•eri8hed?" It was more ~erious for the Jewish people to be deprlved of a king than f, •r any other people, for their king was theocratic; he was supposed to be the voice and vkegerent of God. The prophet means to say that when the Chaldeans would come Rnrl cnrry them away, they would have no king and no counsellors. N…
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EXPOSITION. Herod's question where the Christ wu to CHAPTER V. be bom (Matt. ii. 5, 6; comp. John vii. 42). Verll, 1-4.-§ 8. After Zion's degrada,- But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah. Ephratah iion Mea,iah shall be born, and ,hall bring (Ephrathah, or Ephrath), "fruitfulness," i» another name for Bethlehem, " House of th…
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without end, the FathElr begc-tting, the Son Messiah, shl\ll stand ns a good shepherd, being born (na,r.ens), and the Holy Ghost guiding nnd ordering hie tlook, Wl\tchful proooeding." Many oomn1entators take the and rendy to aid and defend (comp. F.zuk, "goings forth" to be the ancient promises, xxxiv. 23; John x. 1…
1,007 wordsSECTION 69The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 69
the world-power is arrayed against God's nations. The remnant of la.ooh. The faithful, people ; the details ( ae often in snob pro- Messianic Israel, a.a eh. iv. 7; lea. x. 21. phecies) do not exa.ctly suit the actual Many people; rather, many poople• (eh. iv. facts in ccntempomry history. Then ahall 11, 13); BO in ver…
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11ationB. Rones . ohariota. The thinga (I Kings xiv. 23). A pillar to mark a plclce most ueoo in attack and defenoe, and for- consecrated to the worship of the Lord wa& bidden by God BS betraying diatrust in his allowed (see Gen. xxviii. 18; :nxi. 18, 45; providenoe (comp. Deut. xvii. 16; le:i.. ii. 7; Isa. xix. 17)…
850 wordsSECTION 71The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 71
chanting tbo natal-song," Glory to God in tho highest," etc. (Luke ii. 14). And if a humble 'llillage through its connection with the Christ of God became thus exal red, much more surely shall human hearts and lives. Associated with him, they w1,o, judged by the world's standards, are accounted mean and despicable, s…
1,069 wordsSECTION 72The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 72
Ver. 2 (last clause).-The eternal "goings fortA" of the Ohrist of God. "When he aaye bis beginnings are from the beginning, from the days of antiquity, he shows his pre-existent nature, as when be says he will go forth as Ruler to feed his people Israel he shows his temporal birth" (Chrysostom). "Going forth is here op…
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"Ho shall come forth unto me," meaning surely that Christ, in his incarnation, with all that was thus involved of mercy and grace, would, in rescuin~ and restoring man, fulfil the Divine purpose and accomplish the Diviae will. The Divine Father is no wrathful Being, needing to be appeased by the sacrifice of hie Son. T…
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over a nmeomed and redeemed world. And to that bright day of God we look on with longing hearts. De.wn upon our de.rkened world it surely will. God hBB not totally "given up" and abandoned our sin-stricken and sin-stained world. Even his with- dnnrnls are with a view to the spiritual good of his children, and are follo…
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already come. His faith had peered beyond the centaries 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 looked on to the ages followin" the advent, and saw the ever-growing, ever-widening influence and honour the Chris…
1,151 wordsSECTION 76The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 76
Vers. 7-15.-1?te 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 h…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 2.-A new David: the lowliness and majesty of the Mes1n:ah. Thoughts respecting the lowliness of the Messiah cluster around tbe reference to bis 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,…
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Vers. 7-9.-The gentleness and t6rribleness ef the pe,ople ef (Joel,. "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 (1 Kings xix. 18), Uzziah (Isa. i. 9), or Christ (Rom, xi. 5). The people of God, the Church of Christ dispersed amon…
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places, the very camp, tribes, companies, palace, senate, Coram ; 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, whic6 it sought to "tear in pieces" with weapons not carnal, but spiritual. And t…
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humanity ba.s been of ad van Iage in making him less a theological abstraction, and more manifestly our Brother; but there is some danger of our forgetting hie royal diguHy. 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 supe…
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flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedaesses 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 ha.th laid siege against us." The dnngeroue condition of Jerusalem, when the Chald…
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"Oc1t 0£ thee slinll he come forth unto me." Unto whom? Jehovah. Thefact of hie Nrth, the scene of his birth, the object of hie birth, were ell according to a Divine plan. •• He shall be called Great, and . . . the Son of the Highest." " Behold my Servant. whom I uphold, mine Elect, in whom my soul delighteth." " He sh…
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Tltis could only arise from the giving up of Israel into the power of its enemies. JII icah 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 ap011tai1y from the Lord; so that he could overlook this here, and give prominence…
1,670 wordsSECTION 84The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 84
ns "clow." Silent in its fall, beautiful in it~ apr,carance, refreshing in its influence. ·Three things aro suggested concerning this" dew.' 1. It is Divine. It is "from the Lord." All that is quickening and rcfroshing in the thoughtd, spirits, character of good men on this earth descends from heaven. "Every good a.…
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is not the Almighty constantly, in his providence, taking these thin~s from mou? lfa takes from the rich man llis property, the strong m:i.n his health; tne ambitious m:1.n bis power, the social man his dearest friends. And such deprivations are the constnut "'°urces of human sorrow and anguish. All temporal good mu…
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which e.re but l.'<\neilory. The LXX. offers the mirncnloue poseage or the ,Jordan, the nn interpretation e., well e.e a tranele.tion, Al renewal of the covenant at Gilga\ (Josh.. <f,dpa.nu 9,,,_b..,a. ,-11 , '."'I•••• Ye ve.lleye, the v. 9). Shittim; th6 a,ca,,ia meadow (Abd,. founde.tione of the ee.rth." With his …
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pRnied every burnt offering (see Exod. xxix. 1 Sam. xv. 22; Pa. :r.l . 6, eto.; I. 8, eto.; 40; Lev. vii. 10-12; Numb. xv. 4, etc.). Isa. i. 11-17; Jer. vi. 20; Hos. vl 6, The Vulgate has a different reading, In etc.; see on Zech. vil 7.) To do jutqr. m,uti, millibus hiroorum pinguium; so the To act equitably, to hu…
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Observe the rod of God's anger, the threat- sake, in the month or one of the rich ened judgmente (so lea. ix. 4 (31 Hebrew]; oppressors. Jerome's translation is contrary x. 5, 24), 'fhe power of Assyna ie meant, to the use or the verb, which is always The LXX. renders differently, 'A,co11• <1>11/\f,, intransitive in …
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The cff'eet mny be owing to tho judicial but he is n~med here as the founder of thnt i;terility of the wil, but more likely to the evil dynnsty which gave Ahnb to 1srael, aml in<"nTI!ions of the enemy. Trochon quotes the murderess Athnliah (who is oalled in Virgil, • Eel.,' i. 70- 2 Kings viii. 26, " the daughter ot…
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4). 2. Heavenly guidance. "I sent berore thee Moses" (ver. 4}-the dislinguisherl leacler and lawgiver. 3. Sacred fellowship. "Aaron" (ver. 4)-their high priest and intercessor, who led them in thought into "the holiest of all." 4. Grateful adoration. "Miriam" (ver. 4), with timbrel and <lance inspiring them to celebrat…
1,199 wordsSECTION 91The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 91
No fragrance breathes around; But with thee even grief is gladness, The heart its home he.th fonnd." Ver. 8.-17.e Divine response to the cry of humanity. "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good." "Who will show us any good?" (Ps. iv. 6) is the cry of humanitv, and bas been its reiterated inquiry all through the ag…
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•• mnn convinced of sin ie Te&dy to sacrifice what is dearest to him rather tho.n give up his own will o.nd give himsdf to God" (W. Robert~on Smith). It is easier to offer "to come bt>fore him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old," than to lay our proud wills at his feet and to yield to him our hearts. But …
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'1'1111: DIVINE nEQUIREMENTB BEING FOUND WANTING. Notice in this case: 1. Dishones(y -i,n trade as opposed to" doing justly." Rectitudo in all the transactions of life wa,; repeatedly insisted upon in the Law of God as given by Mo~es (Lev. xix. 35, 36; Deut. xxv. 14, 16). Disregard of this requirement was an indictme…
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WHOSE ADVENT THIS PROPHET PREDIOTED, AND TO REJOIOE IN RIB WORK ON OUR nEHALF, We cannot meet God on the ground of obedience to bis pure Law. If we take that stand, then he righteously and imperatively requires that the whole Law be kept; and this i& impossible to m1, since even if we were capable of perfect obedien…
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received. The cliffs of Horeb have echoed back the precepts and promises of Jehovah, 11nd the gentler tones of hie "still small voice,n but hie people have remained deaf to hie appeu.le. Hence-- I. A PROTEST, Before Jehovah passes judgmP,Dt be permits himself to be regarded as the defendant if his people can ventnre t…
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explain cle&rly the p&th of righteousness and peace, and yet neglect 1~ B&laam may prophesy; Deml\8 may preach ; Judas may cast out devils; but "I never knew you • d_epart. from me ~e that --:ork iniq~ity I" Or if we regard the questions as proposed: t,Jther by the DRtrnn convicted of sm (vers. 1--5), or by any one si…
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hnve found satisfactory answers to tbom. 2. "To love mercy." Mercy is more th~11 justice, just as" a good man" is more than a merely" righteous" one (Rom. v. 7). Th,r lack of it may arise from hardness of character, or from never having passed through ·the tomptatiorls by which some have fallen. To cultivate the love…
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that requires the punishment of the unrighteous (Exod. xxxiv. 7). So long as men perei!!t in sin, they must remain under the wrath of God. Sinniug and punishment. an, inseparable, Till sinners "see God's Name" by recognizing its meaning and. learning that they can honour it by nothing but a renunciation of sin, the …
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Vere. 1-5.-Man in the moral court of history. "Hear ye now "°hat the Lori\ nith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. Hear ye, 0 mountains, the Lord's controversy and ye strong foundations of the earth : for the Lord bath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Isr…
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howev~r, iill!tCBd o_f bringing forward the cha.rge, abdic:ites, as it were, hia right, and leaves 1t to the guilty party to state the ca.se. In the a.ppeal to lofty and ever-during mountain&, in which the puny affairs of man could excite no prejudice, and which might therefore be regarded as quite impartial juages, th…
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prorligal son remote from his father's house and in a far country. How far is the human soul, In its unregenerate state, from God? How far is selfishness frora benevolenoe, error from truth, pollution from holiness, wrong from right? The moral spa.co or gulf that lies between is immea.surable. II. THAT BAOB1FIOEB T…
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Name." "And wisdom he.s thy Name in its eye" (Delitzsch). "And he who ie wiso will regard thy Name" (Henderson). The idea seems to be this-that the wise man will recognize God's voice. Job says," God spe11ks once, yea twice, and they perceive it not." The crowds that populate cities are deaf to the Divine "voice." The …
789 wordsSECTION 103The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 103
"Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee." Crime is inimical t;o physical .h~alth and eLrength. 'l'he dieeaees that prevail in cities are, in most ca889, traceable to their crimes. In every sin there is a germ of physical disease, a something which -tends to disturb the nerves, taint the blood, and sap th…
1,076 wordsSECTION 104The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 104
EXPOSITION. The Hebrew word. (k1,aaidh) implies :one CHAPTER VII. who exercises love to.others, who is meroiful, \'era. 1-6.--§ 5. Israera penitential loving, and righteoUB. .la perished out of aclmm.oledgment of the general COTTuption. the earth; has diaappeared from the world (comp. Pa. xiv. 2, S; and especially…
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whon men "cnll evil good, o.ncl good evil" here. They wore ne bad n.s a thom-he,lge- (Ieo.. v. 20), The general mettning is tho.t (merucah); they shall foll into perplexity they nre roo.dy enough to do evil, o.nd, ne (mel,ucah). the 110J1.t cluuee says, co.n be bribed to do Ver. 5.-Snch ia the moral corn1ption anythin…
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Lord. 0 mine enemy. The oppressor of the day that thy wall■ are to be built ; the Church, the worldly power, is repre- rather, a dny for building thy v,aU, (gader) sented at one time by Asshur, 11t another by cometh. Zion is reproaented as a vineyard Bllbylon. God USC'S these heathen king- whose fence has been destr…
1,034 wordsSECTION 107The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 107
from mountain to mountain; ,.e. not from old; usually to.ken to refer to tl,e time nr Lobe.non to Bino.i, or from Hor (Numb. xx. Moses and Joshua, but aleo and mnre- 22) to Hor (Numb. xxxiv. 7), which is too probably, to that of David and Solomon, limited, but rrom a.II lands situated between which realized the ideal o…
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The sudden cl11\nge of persons is quite in oompe.BBion 11pon us. The verb" turn 11ge.in," the prophet's sty le. joined with ,mother verb, often danotos the Vers. 18-20.-§ 8. The book endA tcith repetition of an aotion, ns in Job vii. 7; Hoe. xiv. 8, cto.; so here we may tre.nsln.te simply, a lyric ode in prai'.se of …
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in the prophetical writinge.(Hos. ix.10; Jer. xxiv.). The meaning, then, is that the good longed for the prevalence of piety in the nation, and to see the people bringincr forth the fruits of righteousness, This is the aspiration of the good in every age. A~ the sculptor ardently desires to see the rough block transfo…
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mouthpiece of the good but prophetically as the seer, Micah delivers the Assurance he· wRs inspired by God to utter, and bearing upon the time to come. His words, as rendered in the Authorized Version, are somewhat obscure, bnt we gather from them- t.hat a brighter future should dawn upon the world sin had darkened and…
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well ns by open nnd earnest toil in eeeking the good of others. "They also serve who Oll!y stand nnd wnit." Great wae the service rendered by the Man Christ Jesus as he traversed. the cities and villages of Palestine, going about doing good, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God; but yet higher se…
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Yers. H-17.-Prayer and its response. How mysteriously great is the privilege ,,f pmyer ! How wonderful that finite creatures may thus draw near to the Infinite, cn.rrying their needs into the Divine presence, breathing their desires into the ear of (3od, and obtaining from him all required mercy and grace I We think of…
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pardoning grace: "Ho retaineth not," etc. (vers. 18, 19). Let us reflect 11pon the incomparableness of the Lord our God, viewed as the Divine Forgiver. Consider- I. WHAT THIS DIVINE FOnOIVENE88 IMPLIES. 1. The great /uct of ain. There arn those who have endeavoured to explain a.way this solemn fact of sin; who conte…
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mlemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of our sine" (Col. I. 14). It involved the heavenly Shepherd's coming forth to seek his lost and fallen world. "The- Son of man is come to seek and to 81\Ve that which was lost" (Luke xix. 10). Lo I the Christ of God, the Gift of the Father's love, clothed himself in ou…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vera. 1, 2.-~ moral dearth in the land. The prophet, speaking in the name of the godly remnant of the land, laments their terrible isolation. We are thus reminded of the sad condition of a land in which there is a dearth of good men. For: 1. They are the choice fruit of the land-wholesome,…
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~J purpose. They are men of one idea-how to please themselves. As they have abandoned all thought of seeking their pleasure in doing the will of God, and doing "good unto all men," they concentrate their energies, "both hands," on gratifying every desire whatever the cost may be. 2. Perversion of conscience. We are rem…
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the psalmist, "All men are liars." If we cannot repose confidence in others, can wa trust in ourselves? Our consciousness of sin and utter failure forbids this (vers. 8, 9,; Jer. xvii. 9). Thus we are utterly shut up to God. A military man, suffering from some obscure disease of the mind, was in the habit of promenadin…
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Vers. 8, 9.-God the Vindkator of the penitent. The trn the here taught might be Rpplied to the people of Israel, with whom the prophet identifies himself, when bumbled before exulting foes like the Edomites (Obe.d. 8-16) or their Chaldean con- querors. Light came to them in Babylon, through the witness borne by Daniel …
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they are provided for: "My liUle children, these things write I unto yon, that ye si11 not. And if any man sin "-if any one of you little children Bin, grievous and aggravated as yovr sin may be-" we have an Advocate with the ~•ather, Jesus Cbrist the righteous: and he is the Propitiation fur ovr sins" (1 John ii. 1, 2…
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labourers. If you seem to have laboured in vain, you can add, "My judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God" (Isa. xlix. 4). He will rccorupeuse y-ou accord- ing to the natural results of your life's work, "the fruit of your doings" (Isa, iii. 10). Yet this fruit must vary with the qua.lity of our work (see th…
881 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.