The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 61

3. "Striclcen of God, and ajfticted." Unfaithfol "shepherds" among their own rulers (E1.ek. xxxiv. 1-6) or heathen conquerors were the scourges; but" shall there be evil in a. city, and the Lord bath not done H?" Devout men recognized this, and uttered such penitential wails as we find in Ps. xliv., lxxiv.; Lam. i., ii., etc. II. Tamn RESTORATION. The establishment of the new kingdom of God--Christ's kingdom---on Mount Zion was itself a. pledge of the restoration of the Jews a.ad of their participation in its blessings. For it could not be that Christ should reign over the Gentile nations and leave "his own people" (John i. 11) to perish finally in unbelief. This would be opposed both to the ancient promises of God (Isa.. xiv. 17; li.x. 20, 21, etc.) as well a.s to the predictions a.nd the heart of Christ (Matt. xxiii. 37-39). Yet there are stages in this process of restoration. 1. The halting ones are re.st01·ed, but they are only a remnant. (Cf. eh. v. 3, 7, 8.) The immediate effect of the estab- lishment of Christ's kingdom was seen in a great religious revival among the Jews from Pentecost onwards. But all the converts were but a remnant of the nation which, because' of its unbelief, was" broken off" (Rom. xi. 1-5, 17-20). Yet in the fact of the salvation of the few the Apostle Paul sees the pledge of the final salvation of the many. 2. The banished ones shall be made a strong nation. Trace St. Paul's inspired argument in Rom. xi. till he arrives at the sublime conclusion in vers. 32-36. The nation's restoration to God will be accompanied by a restoration to their own land (Zech. xii. 10---14; xiv. 8-11, etc.). 3. " The Lord shall reign over them in M<YUne Zion." We look for the restoration of Israel to their Saviour and to their land a.a one of the marvellous evidences of the truth of the prophetic word which God is reserving for the scepticism of these latter days. We need not anticipate a literal and local throne of Christ at Jerusalem. But the Lord Christ, being enthroned in the hearts of his long faithless yet much beloved people, will as truly "reign over them in Mount Zion" as though they had his glorified humanity always manifested in their midst. And then his reign shall be" from henceforth, even for ever." "I the Lord will hasten it in his time." "0 come, 0 oome, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile h01e Until the Son of God e.ppear. Rejoice, rejoice : Emmanuel Shall come to thee, 0 Israel In E.S.P. Vere. 9, 10.-Diacipline and deliverance. A glorious future has been held up to the view of the Jewish nation (vers. 6-8). It is like the ideals of peace and blessedness presented to all in the Word of God; like the visions of the heavenly glory set before even the most ungodly. Such promises are attractive; even the godless Jews in Micab's time would exult in the thought of" the former dominion," the days of David and Solomon returning to Zion. But the vision again changes. Cries of pain and distress are beard. There passes before the prophet's mind e. view of the discipline and chastisement which must foll on the disobedient nation before the promi.,,ed blessings can be enjoyed. I. THE SALUTARY DISCIPLINE. In brief, vivid words a succession of calamities is sketched. 1. Their monarchy is overthrown. "Is there no king in thee?" J ehoah&Z Jeboiakim, Jeboiacbin, and Zedekio.b in succession were dethroned by foreign con~ querors, and carried into exile. Many national promises and blessings were bound up with the name and family of David (2 Sam. vii.), so that the loss of their kin" wa.s no ordinary loss. He was their chief stay and" counsellor" (cf. Isa. ix. 6), "the breath of their nostrils" (Lam. iv. 20). No wonder their consternation and distress: "pangs,'' etc. (cf. Pa. lxxxix. 38-51). Thus one step in Divine discipline then and now may be the striking down to the ground of the chief o~jects of our confidence, the e,irthly props which we seek to substitute for God. 2. They are humiliated before their foes. They "go forth out of the city;" some in a vain attempt to escape, like Zedekie.h aad bis troops (2 Kings xxv. 4--6); others as prisoners of war from a city which has capitulated and is being sacked by its conquerors. Illustrate from Lam. v. 1-16. They are driven forth into " the field;" without shelter even from the eleinents \Ulless 62 THE BOOK OF MICAH. [011. TV, 1-13.