The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 32

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 fill, they may soon learn tha.t sin is II great disturber, even in a domestic Eden. Augustine's words are found to be true, "0 God, thou bast made us for thyself, and our heart is restless till it rests in thee." Sickness, suffering, death, and other fruits of sin stir up their nest (Deut. xxxii. 11), and remind them that their rest is polluted and therefore insecure. V. SIN lliVADES AND DISTURBS EVEN THE ADOPTED FAMILY OF Goo. For "deat:n passed upon all men, for that all have sinned," so that "ourselves also which have the firstfrnits of the Spirit, groan within ourselves" (Rom. v. 12; viii. 23). We rejoice to know that "here we have no continuing city," because it is polluted. But already we know of a rest in Christ (Matt. xi. 28, 29; Ileb. iv. 3), which will be perfected into a rest with Christ (Heb. iv. 9), when we shall have completely" escaped the corruption which is in the world by lust," and be made fully "partakers of the Divine nature" (2 Pet. i. 4). To us the summons, ".A.rise, and depart," will be the signal of em1mcipation; the curse will be changed into a blessing, for we shall "depart to be with Christ, which is far better."-E. S. P. Ver. 13.-God the great BO'lld-breaker. There is a marked contrast between the tone of vers. 10, 11 and that of vers. 12, 13. God delights in such contrasts. He loves to turn from threats to promises. Judgment is his strange work; mercy is his delight. The dispersion of his people is a painful necessity, their restoration is a joy to him. Hence the jubilant tone of the concluding verses of this chapter. The great Bond- breaker is God himself. .A.pply- L 'l'o THE BREAKING OF THE BABYLONISH BONDAGE. Cyrus was a bond-breaker. In a certain sense the words are applicable to him (Ezra i. 2--4:, etc.). But above him was the greater Deliverer, whom Cyrus himself recognized, who had long before pre- dicted deliverance (Isa. xiv. 1-6), and who now puts it into the heart of the Persian monarch to act as his servant. Before God interposed, the captives were hut as a flock of sheep (ver. 12) whom a fold, not to say a fortress, could restrain. Till the seventy years of destined captivity were fulfilled no breaker could release that flock; but then "the man that executeth my counsel from a far country" appeared (Isa. xlvi. 9-11). When God broke through, it was an easy thing, even for those timid sheep, to pass through or to break through any gate (like Peter passing the iron gate of his prison). A£, they streamed forth from Babylon, Zerubbabel," the Prince of Judah" (Ezek. i, 8), led them. But there was another invisible Leader, of a nobler royalty than Zerubbabel -" their King," who went before them (Isa. xlix. 8-10; lii. 12). See Exod. xiii. 21: there the symbol was visible; now the invisible King was seen by the eye of prophetic faith. Learn to recognize the Divine hand in all national deliverances; as did David (2 Sam. v. 20), and Queen Elizabeth at the destruction of tho Armada (medal and its inscription, "Affiavit Deus, et dissipuntur "), and godly monarchs in later days. II. To DELIVERANCE FBOIII THE BONDAGE OF BIN. "The Word" was the Di vine Deliverer of Israel from Babylon (Isa. l:xiii. 9), and is so of us. The Jews recognized "the Breaker" as a title of Messiah their Prince. In this work of spiritual deliverance be was foretold, and now is revealed as: 1. .LI. Bond-breaker. (Isa. xiii. 7; xlix. 8, 9, 24, 25.) 2. .A I,ead,er and Commander. (Isa. lv. 4.) 3 . .LI. Redeemer at the cost of conflict. (Isa. lxiii. 1-6.) 4. .LI. Shepherd-King (Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 24); who gains supremacy by dying for the flock be se~kH to deliver (John x.11, 27-30; Heh. ii. 9-15). 6. A fiaviour from f 01-s within as well as oppre$sors witlwut. (Matt. i. 21; Titus ii. 14.) 6- Who shall save all 1 srael at lat.t. (Isa. !ix. 20, 21 ; Rom. xi. 26.) In both these defiver- ances the redeemed have their appointed work. Israel was bidden to humble them- selves in repentance (Lev. xxvi. 40-42), to pray in faith (Jer. xxix. 12, 13), and to accept the Lord as their Redeemer and Leader (Hos. i. 11). And we, too, are com- manded to repent, to" believe in tho Name of his Son Jesus Christ" (Acts xvii. 30; 1 John iii. 23), and thus to work "the work of God" (John vi. 29). Then Christ our Ilood-breaker will, for us, break tlirough the power of evil ha.bit, of this present evil wurl,J, and of the infernal opprc~sor of our souls. OH, II, 1-13.) THE BOOK OF MICAH. 31