The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 17

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 Jerusalem. Ho is repre- sented as leaving his holy temple, coming out of his place, and marching with overwhelming grandeur over the high places of the earth, to deal out punishment to the wicked. "Behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. Aud the mountains shall be molten under ~im," et.c. '' 'l_'he description of this theophanyt says De~i~zsch, "is founded upon the idea of a ternble storm and earthquake, as m Ps. xvm. 8. The mountains melt (Judg. v. 4; Ps. lxviiL 8) with the streams of water which discharge themselves from hea,'en and the valleys split wi: \ the deep channels cut out by the torrents of water. The similes 'like wax,' etc. (as in P<1. lxviii. 2), and 'like water' are intended to express the CJDlplete dissolution of mount,1ius an,\ valleys. 'l'he actual facts answering to this description are the destructive influences exerted upon nature by great national judgments." The reference may be to the destruction oi the King of Israel by Shalma.neser, and the inva'lion of Judah by the armies of Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar, by the la.tter of whom the Jews were carried away captive. The passage is a.n inexpressibly grand representation of God's procedure in relation to sin. Let us look at this procedure in two aspects. I. .A.s IT APPEARS TO THE EYE OF 14AN. The Bible is eminently anthropomorphic: it presents God to ma.n in hnman attributes a.nd modes of operation. Two thoughts are suggested: L God, in dealing out retribution, appears to man in an e:r:traordinary position. • "He cometh forth out of his place." What is his place? To all intelligent beings the settled place of the Almighty is the temple of love, the pavilion of goodness, the mercy-seat. The general beauty, order, and happinfss of the universe give all intelligent creatures this impression of him. But when confusion and misery fall on the sinner, the .Almighty seems to ma.n to come out of his "place "-to step aside from his ordinary procedure. Not that he does so; but in man's view he seews to do so. The lmmntable One does not change his purpose. His purpose is benevolent, though iii carrying it forward it necessarily brin,g-s misery to those who oppose it. J udgment is God's strange work (Isa. xxviiL 21). He comes out of his place to execute it. 2. God, in dealing out retribution, appears to man in a terrific aspect. He does not appear as in ihe silent march of the stars or the serenity of the sun; but as in thunder-storms and volcanic emption.&. "The mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire." 'l'hough the Almighty is as benign and serene when bringing deserved suffering upon the sinner as he is when filling heaven with gladness, yet to the suffering sinner he always seems terrific. He seems to be rending the heavens, cleaving the mountains, and tearing the earth to pieces. God iii evermore presented to an intelligent creature according to the moral state of his soul. IL As IT AFFECTS A SlNFUL PEOPLE. In God's procedure in relation to sin, what dis.strous effects were brought upon Samaria and Jerusalem I 1. God, in his procedure iu relation to sin, brings material ruin upon people. "'l'herefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the fie1d, and as plantwge of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the nlley, and I will discover the foundations thereof." It means utter ruin. Sin brings material destruction upon a people, brings on commercial decay, political ruin, destroys the health of the body, and brings it ultimately to the dust. Sin brings material ruin. 2. God, in his procedure in relation to ~in, brings mentul anguish upon a people. ".A.nd all the graven image11 thereof shall be beaten to pieces, anci all the hires thereof sLall be burned with the fire, and a.ll the idols thereof will I lay desolate." A diJ;ruption betw1:en the soul and the objects of its supreme affections involves the greatest anguish. The gods of a people, whatever they may be, are these objects, and these are to be dei;troyt:d. "The graven imazes thereof shall be beaten to pieces." 'li:.c divi.Ditits, the faoee, the priests-all shattered. Such is the ruin which ~in brings on a peopk Co!icLUl:iWN. Mark well that God has a cour&e of conduct in relation to sin; or OU, I, 1-16,] THE DOOK OF MICAH. lo