The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 41

wisher of the r&Ce will endeavour to etem the ever-swelling torrent, and to present motives to turn the energies and enterprises of the world into another and higher direction. This chapter may be viewed as illustrative of the deplorable evils and the fe.tal results of this spirit of avarice. I. Trrn DEPLORABLE EVILS OONNEOTl!:D WITH Av ARIOB, 1. It saps tha foundation, <?f equity. (Ver. 1.) These rulers understood the Law, but being so thoroughly possessed by the mercenary spirit, they failed to administer it righteously-were partial in their decisions, favouring those who offered the most tempting bribe, and thus caused the legl\l administration in the land to become rotten and corrupt. 2. It leads to oppression and cruelty. (Vers. 2, 3, 10.) The one concern of the princes was to enrich themselves and to find themselves surrounded with all luxuries and splendours; and hence they cared not to what lengths of extortion and fraud anri oppression they went, or what suffering might be involved, if only they could compass this end. 3. It rM1ders its subJed unfaithful in the d-ischarge ef the most sacred trmts. No trust can be more sacred than that committed to the man who is constituted a teacher of spiritual truth, and upon whom it devolves to direct men in the ways of righteousness and God; but here (rnr. 5) we have such catching the spirit of covetousness, and, as the result, proving altogether faithless to God aud to the consciences of men, prophe- sying, "peace" to those who bribed them, and "war" to those who withheld the mercenary gift. 4. It excites the spirit qf self-confili,enctJ and self-S'Ufficiency. The~e leaders of the people, whilst acting thus at variance with the true and the right, yet finding their ill-gotten gains increasing in their hands, boasted that evil could not reach them (ver. 11). II, THE FATAL RESULTS OF AVARICE. 1. Loss of the Divinefavour. For" covetous- ness is idolatry," and God will not give his glory to another (ver. 4). 2. Non-apprehen- sion ef spiritual rerilities. (Ver. 7.) 3. Complete frustration of their designs. 'l'he palaces they had built up with blood, and the city they had defiled by their iniquity, should come to nought, and in its overthrow all that they had unrighteously sought to secure for themselves should perish (ver. 12). They who boast that they are "full and increased in riches, and have need of nothing," are in reality the most needy and desolate. Spenser, in ' The Faery Queene,' has described their true condition- " Most wretched wight whom nothing might suffice, Whose greedy lust did le.ck in greatest store, Whose need had end, bnt no end covetize, Whos6 wealth was want, whose plenty made him poor, Who he.d enough, yet wishM evermore." Ver. 8.- Worldly and spiritual power: a contrast. In this verse the prophet seems to place himself in contrast with the false prophets to whom he had referred. They, and the priests and rulers with whom they were in association, may be taken as repre- sentinu the worldly power of that age, whilst he represented that spiritual power which is inspired in the true servants of God by the working of bis own Spirit. H is instructive, in reading this chapter, to contrast these worldly and spiritual forces. l. THE FORMER IB POWER OFTEN EMPLOYED TO ORUBH j THE LATTER IB POWEB EVER EXERTED TO BA VE. JI. 'J'HE FORMER IB POWER BRINGING BLIGHT UPON THOSE WHO COME UNDER ITS INFLUENCE; THE LATTER IS POWER THE EXERCISE 011' WHICII EVER RESULTS IN BLESSING. III. '!'HE FORMER IS POWER THE PUTTING FORTII OF WHICH IS PROMPTED BY SELFISH• NESS ; THE LATTER IS THE OUTCOME OF LOVE. JV. THE FORMER BRINGS SHAME AND DISHONOUR UPON THOSE WHO EMPLOY IT; THI,. LA TTEB YIELDS TO ITS P086ESSORB PRESENT DIS1INCTION, AND SHALL BEOURE TO THEM IMPERISHABLE RENOWN.