The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 66

1•eri8hed?" It was more ~erious for the Jewish people to be deprlved of a king than f, •r any other people, for their king was theocratic; he was supposed to be the voice and vkegerent of God. The prophet means to say that when the Chaldeans would come Rnrl cnrry them away, they would have no king and no counsellors. Now, men in an 1inregenerat~ state: 1. Have ,io ki,ng. A. political ruler is to man, as a spiritual energy, only a king in name. He does not command the moral affections, rule the con~cience, or legislate for the inner and primal springs of all activity. Such a king ia the deep want of man; he wants some one to be enthroned on his heart, to whom his conscience can render homage. No man in an unregenerate state bas such a king ; h, has gods many and lords many, of a sort, but none to rule him, and to bring all the rowers of his soul into one hnrmonious channel of obedience. 2. Have no counsellor. Society abounds with counsellors who proffer their advice ; but some of them are wicked, most of them wort.hless, few, if any, satisfactory, that is, to conscience. What the soul wants is not the mere book counsellor-though it be the Bible itself-but the spirit of that book, the spirit of reverence, love, Christ-like trust. Such a spirit, when it comes to us, will guide us into all truth; it is the" unction from the Holy One." 3. Have no ease. "Pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail,n The unregenerate soul is always liable to consternation, remorse; it often writhes in agony. "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." Now, moral regeneration brings the man a true King, a true Counsellor, a true Peace-a peace " that passeth all understanding." II. IT IS OPPOSED BY FORMIDABLE ANTAGONISTS. "Many nations are gathered against thee." The nations here referred to are those that composed the army of Nebuchadnezzar, or those that joined it in the attack against the Jews. What formidable opponents there are to the conversion of man I 1. TIU!. depraved elements oJ the soul. Unbelief, selfishness, carnality, etc. These are Canaanites that battle mightily against the moral Joshua. 2. The corrupt inft:uenr,e of society. How much, in this country and this age especially, is there struggling against man's regeneration-custom, fashion, amusements, pleasures I And then, too, acting through all these forces within and without, there are the principalities and powers of darkness ; so that it comes to pass that it is no very easy thing to effect the regeneration of men; there are nations of moral forces battling age.inst it. III. IT IS GUARANTEED BY THE woBD OP .ALmGB'l'Y Gon. " They know not the thoughts of the Lord,'' etc. The enemies of the Jews were utterly ignorant of God's purpose to deliver his people from Babylonish captivity. "They had not the most distant idea that the object of Jehovah, in permitting his people to be so treated, was to recover them from idolatry, and thus prepare them for a triumphant restoration. The metaphor taken from the process of threshing out P!n is frequently used by the prophets to denote the complete destruction of a people.' 1. Man in ignorance fighta against God's purpose. The Chaldeans and all the enemies of the Jews did so now. Men are always doing this. "Had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." 2. Man, in fighting against God's purpose, brings roin on himself, It is here predicted that the enemies of the Jews should be as "sheaves," and that the Jews themselves should be strengthened. "I will make thine hom iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass." "When God," says an old writer, "has conquering work for his people to do, he will furnish them with strength and ability for it-will make the horn iron and the hoofs brass; and when be does so, they must exert the power he gives them, and execute the commission : even the daughter of Zion may arise and thresh." The nations thought to ruin Christianity in its infancy, but it was victorious over them. Those who persisted in their enmity were broken to pieces (Matt. xxi; 44), particularly the Jewish nation; but multitudes by Divine grace were joined to the Church, and they and their substance were consecrated to the Lord Jesus, the Lord ol the whole earth.-D. T. <lH, V, 1-16.] THE BOOK OF MIOAH.