The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 72

Ver. 2 (last clause).-The eternal "goings fortA" of the Ohrist of God. "When he aaye bis beginnings are from the beginning, from the days of antiquity, he shows his pre-existent nature, as when be says he will go forth as Ruler to feed his people Israel he shows his temporal birth" (Chrysostom). "Going forth is here opposed to going forth-a going forth out of Bethlehem to a going forth from eternity; a going forth which then was still to come, to a going forth which had been long ago, from the days ef eternity. The word expresses pre-existence, an eternal existence backwards as well as forwards, the incommunicable attribute of God" (Pusey, in loc.). The expression here naturally leads us to think of the words with which St. John commences his Gospel (1. 1). We can offer no explanation as to how this could be. We fully acknowledge the difficulty, and which lies within the Divine nature itself. We bow before the mystery. "God is great, and we know him not." Reason is baffled when it inquires concerning the Divine Personality; but where reason ca.nnot penetrate, faith can reverentially and tranquilly rest. .And certainly the Prophet Micah here, and the Evangelist John in the prologue to his Gospel, claimed no more for the Messiah than the Christ claimed for himself (comp. John vi. 62; viii. 58; xvii. 5, 24; Rev. i. 8). This eternal Son of God is presented to us here in his Di vine manifestations; for the &eer speaks of " his goings forth." L 'l'uoE THESE "GOINGS FORTH." We may do so: 1. In creation. In view of bis oneness with God, this is declared to have been his work (John i. 8; Col. i. 16, 17). 2. In providenr.e. In reading the Old Testament in its allusions to the Divine care exwcised over eminent saints of God, we find a Divine exalted Personage occasionally referred to as manifesting himself to such-to .Abraham (Gen. xviii.); to Jacob (Gen. :xxxii. 24, 30) to the Israelites through Moses (Exod. xxili. 20, 21); to Joshua (Josh. v, 13-15). There are insnperable difficulties if we sin1ply regard these as angelic minis- tries expressive of the Divine care over the good as the God of providence. It would not have been said in reference to any angel," Provoke him not, for he will not pardon your transgressions;" nor would any mere angelic intelligence have accepted the :i.doration of J osbua, but would have said, "See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow- servant," etc. (Rev. xxii 9). The most reasonable conclusion is that these were the "goings forth" in providence of the pre-existent Son of God. 8. In grace. (1) In the counsels of the Godhead. Man by transgression mournfully departed from his God. He lost the Divine favour and the light of the Divine countenance. And when his condition became helpless and hopeless, lo l Divine interpositions with a view to his salvation. And it was in the depths of the compassion of the eternal Son Qf God that the stream of Divine mercy took its rise, and which shall flow on to bless the whole world ; and from him, " the Sun of Ri 6hteousness," has emanated the cheering ray of llope to ruined man. Nor, in speaking thus of the love of the eternal Son, do we slight the love of the eternal Father. Observe, in this verse God, speaking of his Son, says, -OH, V, 1-15.] THE BOOK OF MICAH. 73