The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 53

figure of David the prophetic figure of the Messiah is developed, so upon the figare of Jerusalem is the prophetic figure of the holy community of the future" (Lange). Connecting ver. 1 with the last verse of the previous chapter, we are reminded that whilst the me.terie.l kingdom was marked to fall, and should, in due course and as the result of ne.tional guilt, decay e.nd pass away, yet this mournful apostasy of the chosen race should be rendered in the Divine wisdom" the riches of the world" (Rom. xi. 11, 12). 'l'he old economy should eventually disappear, but the new dispensation should follow. The long-promised Messiah should appear and establish a spirituiil kingdom, the subjects of which should be renewed and sanctified men; to which kingdom higher privileges and honours should be attached than Judaism had evet presented, and the influence of which should extend to the wide world. 2. Its pure and righteous principles of government. "For the Law shall go forth of Zion," etc. (ver. 2). These have been framed with a due regard to the interests of all the subjects; they are not only designed to regulate the outward conduct and actions of men, but they go deeper and affect the heart and the secret springs of action. The great law of the kingdom is love-love to God and to man. "Love is the fulfilling of the Law" (Rom. xiii. 10). 3. Its comprehensiveness. "Peoples shall flow unto it" (ver. 1); "And many nations shall come" (ver. 2). Judaism was marked by its exclusiveness. Its privileges were confined to a particular nationality. But lo! it is here declared that the kingdom of the Messiah should be world-embracing. It shall become indeed "a great nation," for "unto it" all peoples and tribes "shall flow." The King whom Jehovah has" set upon his holy hill of Zion," and who shall" reign in righteousness," shall sway his sceptre at length over a ransomed, regenerated, happy world. 4. Its pei-petuity. "It shall be abidingly established" (ver. 1). "The Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever" (ver. 7). The kingdoms of this world are unenduring. "They all shall perish." They rise, progress, attain unto their zenith, and then decline and pass away. Egypt and Tyre, Assyria and Babylon. Greece and Rome, powers that once dominated the world, their glory is laid in the dust, their pomp has passed away like a dream, their works survive only in chambers of antiquity, and their deeds have only a record in historical lore. So perishes the glory of this world! But this spiritual kingdom of the Lord Christ lives and shall never fail. Its throne shall never be shaken, its riches shall never be impoverished, its glory shall never be dimmed. " Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom," etc. (Ps. cxlv. 13). 5. And hence, its pre-eminence. "It shall be exalted above the hills" (ver. 1). It shall attain unto heights such as no worldly power has ever reached, and its King shall enjoy distinction and honour such as earthly monarchs have never known. " He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high " (Isa. Iii. 13); "And he shall bear the glory " (Zeeb. vi. 13). II. THE mFLUENOE OF THE MEssun's RULE. It is here predicted that this should be of the most healthy and beneficent nature. Under his sway: I. Enthusiasm should be enkindled. "Come, and let us go up," etc. (ver. 2). Men drawn to him in the spirit of whole-souled devotion should seek to lead others to participate with them in the enjoyment of the blessings he imparts. "The love of Christ" has "constrained" men to the consecration of all their energies to his service. So Paul (Acts x:x. 23, 24). Xavier said, "You say they will kill me by poison. It is an honour unto which such a poor sinner as I dare not aspire; but I nm ready to die ten thousand deaths for the salvation of a single soul." In our own day we have seen men thus impelled to go forth to distant and uncivilized tribes; ond when they have been stricken down by fever ending in death, lo! others have been found ready to be" baptized for the dead." 2. Know- ledge should be diffused. "And he will teach us," etc. (ver. 2). The true Messiah is also" the true Light," "the Light of men," "the Light of the world." He came to rule, but his rule should be an enlightened one. Where his influence touches there is light. He dissipates the darkness of error, superstition, idolatry; and his enlightening power shall extend until "the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth" (Isa. xi. 9). 3. Obedience should be rendered. "And we will walk in his paths" ( ver. 2). The connection between this and the preceding sentence is very intimate. All true know- ledge is designed to affect the conduct and life. Knowing and doing are closely related (John xiii. 17). How purifying and eleve.ting Christ's moral iuBuence upon the world has proved I Wherever the influence of his truth is felt, there, as sure a1 54 THE BOOK OF MICAH. (err. xv. 1-13.