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 influence depends upon our own character. Whether this subtle power we all possess is to result in good or ill depends altogether upon what we are ourselves. Let the life be pure and holy, fed and sustained by those hidden springs which take their rise in the throne of God, and then a healthy and helpful influence will assuredly follow, as effect follows cause. The extent of the range of a man's influence depends very much upon the social position he occupies. The more prominent a ma.n is among his fellows, the wider will be the circle of his influence. In every community there will be, of necessity, positions of special promi- nence to be occupied. To desire to occupy these for the sake of being prominent, and accounted great, is indeed a very poor ambition; but to desire to reach these in the hope of gaining and using for good the additional influence thus acquired; whilst "rising in the world," to be also ascending the heights of holiness and goodness, and in ascending thus to reach out the hand of help to others and to assist them to climb above tl.Je mist.II of error and sin, is an aspiration that is truly noble; and happy is it for com- munities when such men rise. When good men are exalted "the city rejoiceth," 'fbese verses present to us a painful example of the opposite of all this. Note we he.ve here- I. G&EA.T INFLUENCE GROSSLY ABUSED. Three influential classes in the kingdom of J 1:1dah are specially referred to, 1. The princes; i.e. the ruling class, the judges and magistrates, these functions being exercised by members of the royal family (Jer. OR, Ill, 1-12,] THE BOOK OF MICAH. au xxi. 11, 12). 2. The priest.~; i.e. members of the Jewish priesthood, taking part in the services of the temple, and also in teaching the people. 3. The prophets; i.e. not the men who were specially inspired of God, like Micah, but men who claimed to posses~ n desire to work for God, who were trained in "the schools of the prophets," and who °'°ame a very numerous class in the land, and took an important pa.rt in the education of the community. In these three classes wo have comprehended the most influential men in the land; men who, by virtue of their position, ought to have exerted the wisest and most salutary influence upon the people. But instead of this the very opposite was actually the case. They who should have been "the salt of the earth" were "as salt which had lost its savour." The princes, instead of righteously administering the Law, sought their own enrichment. They accepted bribes (" Tbe heads thereof judge for reward," ver. 11), and they utterly sacrificed the rights and interests of the people. "They built up Zion with blood" (ver. 10), i.e. they reared their luxurious palaces and increased their own store of wealth by perverting equity, and by unrighteous decisions. Their unjust judgments, their extortions and oppres- sions, so pressed upon the people that the very life-blood of the nation was drained. Under the expressive figure of cannibalism, the seer describes the effect of their rapacity (vers. 2, 3). The prophets also were utterly mercenary. If the bribe was only given, they prophesied as desired. "They caused the people to err, biting with their teeth [i.e. feeding upon the bribe] and crying, Peace" (ver. 5); but only let the bribe be withheld, and they altered their tone and became the heralds of evil tidings (ver. 5). Nor were the priests behind in cherishing the same spirit. "The priests tea.eh for hire" (ver. 11). The support of the Jewish priesthood was provided for by special Divine arrangement. The tenth in Israel was apportioned to the sons of Levi as their inheritance (Numb. xviii. 20; Deut. xviii. 2). But though thus provided for, such was their greed that, "producing the answer of God upon the receipt of money, they sold the grace of the Lord for a covetous price" (Jerome). And so did these prominent and distinguished classes in the kingdom of Judah abuse the great influence which had been bestowed upon them. History repeats itself; and there have been times in the development of other nations which have presented the counterpart to that which is here recorded respecting the kingdom of Judah (see, for example, the state of Europe during the age preceding" the Reformation,n as described by D'Aubigne, 'History of the Reformation,' bk. i. eh. iii.). II. THE ABUSE OF INFLUENOE RESULTING IN CALAMITY. 1. To the abusers them- selves. The prophet declared that the· day of retribution would duly come, and that in that day of Divine manifestation in judgment (1) the rulers should be requited for their evil deeds "measure for measure" (ver, 4), and in the time of trial should find no help in God, for he would hide his face from them (ver. 4); (2) the false priests and prophets should be overtaken by judici:11 blindness (ver. 6), shame and confusion should be theirs, as the coming events brought to light the falsity of their declarations (ver. 7), and the Divine oracles would be silent in that day (ver. 7). 2. To the nation. The land they were seeking to "build up" by unrighteous deeds should be brought to nought, and the responsibility of its overthrow would rest upon them. "Therefore shall Zion for your salce be ploughed as a field," etc. (ver, 12). Learn: 1. 'l'he blessin<;( of influence well directed. 2. The boon those who in hiah places exert such an influence confer upon a community. 3. The need of consta~t intercession with God on behalf of the leaders of o. nation, in order that peace and prosperity may reign. " I exhort," etc. (1 Tim. ii. 1, 2).
Vers. 1-12.-Avarice. There is nothing wrong in a man's seeking to acquire riches. :Uoney is good. Its possession is to be desired, since it carries with it the means of surrounding its possessor with the comforts of life, and at the same time gives him the ability to impart good to those who are less favoured and in cir~umstances of need. 'l'he very endeavour also to secure this calls into exercise such qualities as industry and thrift, which are truly commendable. It is mther the love of money and the inordinate desire for it for its own sake, that merits condemnation. W orMly treasure beoomes the greatest possible curse when it is accounted by men the chief good. It will buy up everything else. Time, intellect, justice, tmth, conscience, the most aaored rights of humanity, will be bartered for this; and every true well• THE BOOK OF MIOA.H. [on. m, 1-12.