d Mic. iv. 6, 7. e Mic. iv. 10.
f Mic. iv. 11—13. g Mic. iv. 2—4.
cut offh." Now, in this passage we have a complete summary of all that shall take place in that day. The whole world of Jews and Gentiles shall be converted to Christ ; but the Jews shall lead the way, and be God's honoured instruments for bringing in the Gentiles ; by whom, in the first instance, they shall be fiercely opposed ; but over whom they shall triumph with immense slaughter, and with the same facility as a lion triumphs over a flock of sheep.
Not less fully does the prophet speak also,]
2. In the chapter before us —
[He represents, in very moving terms, the Jew anticipat- ing this blessed period: " 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. 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. 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 streets1." Then, after confirming this expectation as certainly to be fulfilled at the time appointed for the termination of their present sufferings k, he himself cries to God in their behalf: " 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 old1." And to this prayer God returns a most gracious answer ; declaring, that he would interpose for them as wonder- fully and effectually as he did for them at the time of their deliverance from Egypt, to the utter surprise and dismay of all surrounding nations : " According to the days of thy coming out of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things. The nations shall see, and be confounded at all their might : they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf: 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 theem."
Thus it is that the words of my text are introduced : they arise altogether out of the foregoing subject, and ought to be considered in connexion with it. Let us then next mark,]
II. The soliloquy uttered in the contemplation of it—
The soliloquy may be regarded as proceeding from
* ver. 11—13.
h Mic. v. 7 — 9.
1 ver. 8—10.
1 ver. 14.
m ver. 15 — 17
1217. J god's mercy, as reserved for the jews. 343
the prophet himself, or from any pious and believing Jew.
Picture to yourselves, then, a Jew contemplating this event —
[He breaks forth into a devout ascription of praise to God: first, in a general view of the dispensation ; then, in a view of the particular mercies that shall be vouchsafed under it; and, lastly, in a view of the great result. Let us follow him in each successive step.
'Who is a God like unto thee, O Lord, who dealest thus with the remnant of thine heritage ? As thine " heritage," we were bound to serve thee: and as a " remnant " preserved from so many dangers, we were still more bound to manifest the greatness of our obligations to thee. Yet have we been a rebellious people from the day that thou calledst us. Our sins against thee have been greatly multiplied : but most of all have we deserved thy wrathful indignation for our rejection of thine only dear Son, whom thou didst send to be our Saviour and Redeemer. I am amazed that thou shouldest " pardon such iniquities," and "pass by such inconceivable transgres- sions." But I trace it to thine own love of mercy. It would have been impossible but that thou must have " retained thine anger " for ever, if it had depended on us to get it removed : but within thine own bosom thou hast found motives which could have been found no where else : and I am beyond mea- sure astonished that ever thou shouldst contemplate such mercy towards thine offending people.