The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 95

received. The cliffs of Horeb have echoed back the precepts and promises of Jehovah, 11nd the gentler tones of hie "still small voice,n but hie people have remained deaf to hie appeu.le. Hence-- I. A PROTEST, Before Jehovah passes judgmP,Dt be permits himself to be regarded as the defendant if his people can ventnre to bring any charge against him. He knows that nothing but unrighteous treatment on his pu.rt could justify them in departing from him. Hence the u.ppeal in Jer. ii, 6, and the similar remonetrances of Christ in John viiL 46 and x. 32. Nothing but intolerable grievances can justify a national revolt or a desertion of the paternal home. Had God "wearied" Israel by unreaeon- able treatment? The whole history of the nation refutes the suggested libel. Or can we make any such charges against God? What can they be? 1. Undue seuerity, Can " my peoplo" (what a sermon in that mere term I) say so (Job xi. 6; Ps. ciii. 10; Dan. ix. 7)? 2. .J harsh and tryi'ng temper, The very opposite is the spirit of" the Father of mercies" (Ps. cxlv. 8, 9). 3. Unreasonable exactiona of service, No; he can make the appeal," I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense" (Isa. xliii. 23). His " yoke is easy;" "His commandments are not grievous," 4. Negligence in his training of us 1 Far from it; be can declare, "What could have been done more?" etc. (lea. v. 1-4). Forbearance, loving-kindness, and thoughtful con!!_ideration have marked God's conduct throughout. The case against God utterly breaks down. Instead of desiring to remonstrate, or even "reason with God," as at one time Job did, every reasonable eoul, bearing God's words and catching some vision of his glory, must acknowledge, as that patriarch did, "I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (cf. Job xiii. 3; xlii. 5, 6). The way is cleared. 0 God, thou art justified when thou speakest, and clear when thou art judged. .A.nd now God's messenger may take up bis parable, like Samuel (1 Sam. xii. 7), and God himself may make the appeal in vers. 4, 5. II. A BETROBPEOT. Jehovah selects specimens of his gracious dealings with them from their early history. He reminds them of: 1. A grand redemption. (Ver. 4.) We, too, as a nation can speak of great deliverances from political and ecclesiastical bondage. See T. H. Gill's hymn- .. Lift thy eong among the nations, England of the Lord beloved," eto. And for each of us has been provided a redemption from a worse than Egyptian bondage, through " Christ our Passover, sacrificed for us." 2. lllustri(}1J,lf leaders_ Moses, their inspired lawgiver and the friend of God (Numb. xii. 8); Aaron, their high priest and intercessor; Miriam, a singer, poet, prophetess. What memories of" the loving- kindnesses of the Lord" these names would recall-the Paschal night, the morning of final deliverance and song of triumph by the Red Sea, the manna, the plague stayed, etc. I We, too, can look back on our illustrious leaders in English history. And in common with the whole of Christendom," all things are yours, whether Paul or .A.polios, or Cephas "-the apostles, the martyrs, the preachers, the poets of th!_J)ast-" all are yours" by right, if not by actual enjoyment. 3. Foes frustrated. ( Ver. 5.) "Re- member now "-a word of tender appeal, as though God would say," Oh, do remember." Balak was a representative foe, striving against Israel, first by policy (Numb. xxii.), then by villainy (Numb. xxv.), and finally by violence (Numb.:xxxi.). Again the parallel may be traced in national and individual history. 4. Ou.rses turned into blessings. (Dent. xxiii. 6.) So bas it been with many of the trials of the past. "Remember from Shittim unto Gilgal" (cf. Numb. xxv. 1 and Josh. iv. 19). What a contrast I Sins forgiven; reproach" rolled away" (Josh. v. 9); chastisements blessed; the long-looked-for land of promise entered. All these blessings show us "the righteous acts of the Lord." They remind us of the successive acts of God's righteous grace. They make sin against him sho.mefully ungrateful as well as grossly unjust. Oh, that the goodness of God may lead to repentance I that be may overcome our evil by bis good I that" the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" may constrain us to live henceforth, not to ourselves, but to him 1-E. S. P. Vere. 6-8.-77ie essentials of godliness. If the questions of vers. 6 and 7 are those ef Balak and the answers are Balaam's, they remind us of how a man may know and MIOAIL B  THE BOOK OF MICAH. [on. VI. 1-16.