Miquéias 7
James Montgomery Boice · Citado em PreceptAustin
Miquéias 7
Boice - Micah is describing a monumental breakdown of society. It is seen, first, in a breakdown of morality. No society is ever entirely upright or godly; there are always evil people in it. But in a well-functioning society the evil are suppressed and those of good character are prominent and rule the land. In times of moral breakdown this is inverted. The evil triumph, and the good are driven out....In my judgment this is happening in our own time. I was talking with the principal of one of our city schools. He is an excellent man, but he was resigning because of the irrational and impossible demands being made of him by the school administration. He said that he felt he was working in an insane asylum run by inmates. It is a case of the upright being swept from the land. (Boice Expositional Commentary - The Minor Prophets, Volume 2: Micah-Malachi) Godly (02623)(hasid from hasad = to be good, kind) is an adjective that means kind, benevolent, merciful. Hasid is in the same Hebrew word group as heced, which describes loyal lovingkindness. Thus the main idea of hasid is faithful kindness and piety that springs from mercy. Hasid is used to describe Jehovah as "kind (hasid) in all His deeds" (Ps 145:17 - Lxx = hósios = persons who live right before God, used of Jesus - Acts 2:27, 13:35) and as "gracious" (Jer 3:12 - Lxx = eleemon = actively compassionate leading to acts of mercy to relieve suffering or misery of the object of compassion). In Psalm 16:10 hasid is a prophecy fulfilled in Jesus ("Holy One"; Lxx = hósios). God will keep (preserve - same verb shamar in Ps 121:3, 5, 7, 8-note) "the feet of His godly ones, But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; For not by might shall a man prevail. " (1Sa 2:9) "With the kind (hasid; Lxx = hósios) Thou dost show Thyself kind, With the blameless Thou dost show Thyself blameless." (2Sa 22:26) Most of the OT uses of hasid are translated in the Lxx with hósios. The first use of hasid which was a reference to Levi - "And of Levi he said, “[Let] Thy Thummim and Thy Urim [belong] to Thy godly man, whom Thou didst prove at Massah, with whom Thou didst contend at the waters of Meribah." (Dt 33:8) TWOT has this note on hasid - Holy one, saint. Whether God’s people in the OT were called hasid because they were characterized by heced (as seems likely) or were so called because they were objects of God’s heced may not be certain. The word is used thirty-two times, twenty-five of them in the Psalms. It is used in sing.. and pl. Once, Ps 16:16, it refers to the Holy One to come. The word became used for the orthodox party in the days of the Maccabeans. Baker - Hasid carries the essential idea of the faithful kindness and piety that springs from mercy. It is used of the Lord twice: once to convey His holiness in the sense that His works are beyond reproach (Ps 145:17); and once to declare His tender mercy (Jer. 3:12). Hasid is translated (NAS) - godly(2), godly man(3), godly ones(20), godly person(1), gracious(1), Holy One(1), kind(3), love(1), ungodly*(1). Hasid - 33v - Dt 33:8; 1 Sam 2:9; 2 Sam 22:26; 2 Chr 6:41; Job 39:13; Ps 4:3; 12:1; 16:10; 18:25; 30:4; 31:23; 32:6; 37:28; 43:1; 50:5; 52:9; 79:2; 85:8; 86:2; 89:19; 97:10; 116:15; 132:9, 16; 145:10, 17; 148:14; 149:1, 5, 9; Pr 2:8; Jer 3:12; Mic 7:2 Deuteronomy 33:8 Of Levi he said, "Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your godly man, Whom You proved at Massah, With whom You contended at the waters of Meribah; 1 Samuel 2:9 "He keeps the feet of His godly ones, But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; For not by might shall a man prevail. 2 Samuel 22:26 "With the kind You show Yourself kind, With the blameless You show Yourself blameless; 2 Chronicles 6:41 "Now therefore arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might; let Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation and let Your godly ones rejoice in what is good. Job 39:13 "The ostriches' wings flap joyously With the pinion and plumage of love, Psalm 4:3 But know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for Himself; The LORD hears when I call to Him. Psalm 12:1 For the choir director; upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David. Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases to be, For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. Psalm 16:10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. Psalm 18:25 With the kind You show Yourself kind; With the blameless You show Yourself blameless; Psalm 30:4 Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones, And give thanks to His holy name. Psalm 31:23 O love the LORD, all you His godly ones! The LORD preserves the faithful And fully recompenses the proud doer. Psalm 32:6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him. Psalm 37:28 For the LORD loves justice And does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off. Psalm 43:1 Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly (negative "lo" before hasid) nation; O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! Psalm 50:5 "Gather My godly ones to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice." Psalm 52:9 I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it, And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones. Psalm 79:2 They have given the dead bodies of Your servants for food to the birds of the heavens, The flesh of Your godly ones to the beasts of the earth. Psalm 85:8 I will hear what God the LORD will say; For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; But let them not turn back to folly. Psalm 86:2 Preserve my soul, for I am a godly man; O You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You. Psalm 89:19 Once You spoke in vision to Your godly ones, And said, "I have given help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. Psalm 97:10 Hate evil, you who love the LORD, Who preserves the souls of His godly ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His godly ones. Psalm 132:9 Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your godly ones sing for joy. 16 "Her priests also I will clothe with salvation, And her godly ones will sing aloud for joy. Psalm 145:10 All Your works shall give thanks to You, O LORD, And Your godly ones shall bless You. 17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways And kind in all His deeds. Psalm 148:14 And He has lifted up a horn for His people, Praise for all His godly ones; Even for the sons of Israel, a people near to Him. Praise the LORD! Psalm 149:1 Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones. 5 Let the godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds. 9 To execute on them the judgment written; This is an honor for all His godly ones. Praise the LORD! Proverbs 2:8 Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones. Jeremiah 3:12 "Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say, 'Return, faithless Israel,' declares the LORD; 'I will not look upon you in anger. For I am gracious,' declares the LORD; 'I will not be angry forever. Perished (destroyed, lost) (also used in Mic 4:9-note, Mic 5:10-note)(06) (abad) is a verb meaning to perish, to be destroyed, to be ruined, to be lost, to in a state of ruin and destruction pertaining to an object, including the death (Ex 10:7). The Lxx translates perished with apollumi in the perfect tense (describing this longstanding state!) There is no upright person among men. - Micah laments the general absence of godliness and righteousness. The Lxx uses Greek negative (ou rather than me) which speaks of absolute negation. Upright (yashar root sense = to be smooth, to be straight, to be right). The Lxx translates yashar with the verb katorthoo which means to cause something to be correct or come out right and in the present tense speaks of this as one's lifestyle or habitual practice. Micah says there is an absolute void of such men. Katorthoo is used in the Lxx of Ps 119:9 "How can a young man keep his way pure?" Life Application Bible - Even today (Ed: in America, in the world in general) fair-mindedness (uprightness, honesty, integrity) is difficult to find. Society rationalizes sin, and even believers sometimes compromise Christian principles in order to do what they want. It is easy to convince ourselves that we deserve a few breaks, especially when "everyone else" is doing it. But the standards for honesty come from God, not society. We are to be honest because God is truth, and we are to be like him. All of them lie in wait for bloodshed - This depicts the depraved "animalistic" vicious nature of the men of Judah, crouching like predators waiting to pounce on their unsuspecting prey. Compare the descriptions in Mic 3:10, Mic 6:12. We see this same depraved nature in the story of Cain and Abel where sin was "lying in wait" for Cain and pounced on him which caused him to murder Abel - Gen 4:6-8 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?7 “If you do well, will not [your countenance] be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” 8 And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. Lie in wait (0693)(arab) means to ambush, to lie in wait, to lurk. The wicked "lie in wait" for the blood of righteous (Pr 1:11,18; 12:6; 24:15). In Jdg. 21:20, the men of Benjamin lie in wait for the daughter of Shiloh in order to get wives. Dt 19:11 speaks of the man who lies in wait for his neighbor to do him harm. David laments that Saul seeks to ambush him (Ps. 59:3). Arab can speak of lying in ambush as a military tactic with intent to kill (Josh. 8:2, 4, 7). Arab can have the sense of to lurk as would a harlot looking for her prey (Pr 12:6; 23:28, cp Job 31:9 - Job denies lurking!) The Lxx uses enedreuo which means to lie in wait for another (to prepare a trap, to ambush) several times (Dt 19:11, Joshua 8:4, Jdg 9:32, 34, 43) Lurk in English means to lie in wait in a place of concealment especially for an evil purpose (cp Ps 10:9) Ambush means to set a trap in which concealed persons lie in wait to attack by surprise Arab is translated (NAS) - ambush(15), ambushes(2), lay in wait(3), lie in ambush(1), lie in wait(7), lies in wait(1), lurked(1), lurks(4), lying in ambush(1), lying in wait(3), set an ambush(2), waited in ambush(1). Arab - 39v - Deut 19:11; Josh 8:2, 4, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21; Jdg 9:25, 32, 34, 43; 16:2, 9, 12; 20:29, 33, 36ff; 21:20; 1 Sam 15:5; 22:8, 13; 2Chr 20:22; Ezra 8:31; Job 31:9; Ps 10:9; 59:3; Pr 1:11, 18; 7:12; 12:6; 23:28; 24:15; Jer 51:12; Lam 3:10; 4:19; Mic 7:2 Each of them hunts the other with a net.- Micah's predatory picture continues. The Lxx translated into English says "they grievously afflict every one his neighbor:" Net (02764)(herem from haram = to slit) is a noun which refers to a net that could be used for either hunting or fishing. Women lacking morals are said to have hearts that "are snares and nets" (Eccl 7:26). This describes the fierce Babylonians who catch and sacrifice their pray in a net (Hab 1:15-17). Ezekiel prophesies that Tyre will, under the judgment of the Lord, become a place to spread fishnets (Ezek. 26:5). In a search of Strong's numbers, note that the NAS distinguishes those OT uses that speak of devoted thing or ban, whereas KJV includes them which accounts for the difference in counts below. See the Hebrew word study - Curse (devoted, destruction, utterly destroy) (02764) herem Herem - KJV has 31 uses - Lev 27:21, 28f; Num 18:14; Deut 7:26; 13:17; Josh 6:17f; 7:1, 11ff, 15; 22:20; 1 Sam 15:21; 1 Kgs 20:42; 1 Chr 2:7; Eccl 7:26; Isa 34:5; 43:28; Ezek 26:5, 14; 32:3; 44:29; 47:10; Mic 7:2; Hab 1:15ff; Zech 14:11; Mal 4:6 Herem - NAS has only 9 uses translated as net - Eccl 7:26; Ezek 26:5, 14; 32:3; 47:10; Mic 7:2; Hab 1:15ff -- The 21 uses of herem in the NAS with the meaning of devoted thing or ban are discussed in the study on herem. IVP Bible Background Commentary - Fowling and fishing were the common man’s form of hunting since they required only nets and traps. Egyptian tomb paintings depict hunting birds with a net (see Pr 1:17) and the antiquity of the net is to be found in the Sumerian word for hunting that is an ideogram in the shape of a net. Isaiah 51:20 describes using a net, possibly a corral of nets, to hunt antelopes that may have been driven into the trap by a line of beaters. It is truly a lawless time when every man is both hunter and hunted (Ps 10:9). Micah 7:3 Concerning evil, both hands do it well. The prince asks, also the judge, for a bribe, And a great man speaks the desire of his soul; So they weave it together. do Proverbs 4:16,17; Jeremiah 3:5; Ezekiel 22:6 the prince Micah 3:11; Isaiah 1:23; Jeremiah 8:10; Ezekiel 22:27; Hosea 4:18; Amos 5:12; Matthew 26:15 the great 1 Kings 21:9-14 his mischievous desire - Heb. the mischief of his soul. wrap. Isaiah 26:21; Luke 12:1,2; 1 Corinthians 4:5 Concerning evil, both hands do it well. - Pictures their skill in, passion for and performance of evil. These evil men were morally and ethically "ambidextrous" so to speak! That's how good they were at being bad! Everything they touched was evil, like men who "cannot sleep unless they do evil." (Pr 4:16) They did it well because they had practiced at it! The prince asks, also the judge, for a bribe - A charge similar to that noted in Mic 3:11 (cf Isa 1:23), picturing their ravenous, insatiable greed. The Lxx translates "asks" with aiteo in the present tense which indicates these corrupt men are unrelenting in their evil demands, even in face of impending judgment! This demonstrates the depth of depravity of their hearts! Webster (1828) defines bribery as "The act or practice of giving or taking rewards for corrupt practices; the act of paying or receiving a reward for a false judgment, or testimony, or for the performance of that which is known to be illegal, or unjust. It is applied both to him who gives, and to him who receives the compensation, but appropriately to the giver." Kaiser - Bribery was a way of life for princes and judges. Profit, not justice, was the new motivation for leaders. James Montgomery Boice - We do not need to look far to see this in our land. The Watergate era was full of revelations of precisely this kind of corruption, even including payoffs to a vice president of the United States. Not long after, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began its Abscam probes, in which numerous congressmen, senators, and others were caught receiving bribes to give special treatment to imaginary Arab oil interests. Not long ago a New Jersey judge was arrested going up the courthouse steps with $12,000 in his pocket that he had been given to waive or reduce the sentence on a convicted arsonist. These are just a few recent examples of people in high places who have been caught! Are we to believe that this is all the corruption there is? Are these the only felons? (Boice Expositional Commentary - The Minor Prophets, Volume 2: Micah-Malachi) And a great man speaks the desire of his soul - "the powerful dictate what they desire" (NIV). They issue a decree "I want ____" and they get it. Kaiser - Once the powerful man had spoken, or revealed, the passion of his soul (v. 3b), a web was spun that captured all his friends, allies and neighbors. But this practice was not limited to ancient times. In the summer of 1991 it was revealed that a Chicago lawyer had paid off a long list of judges, lawyers and officials, and even a suburban mayor, for twenty-five years in order to protect his guilty clients—twenty-five years this travesty of justice went on! So they weave it together - "They all conspire together." (NIV); "Together they scheme to twist justice." (NLT) "they plot it together" (HCSB) " they all do what is necessary to satisfy them." (NET)
Miquéias 7
Boice - I wonder if this is not being fulfilled in our own time in many instances. Externally, people appear successful and happy. They have good jobs. They have good relationships with their friends. They have no real enemies. But often there is something gnawing away inside, and that inner agony is often a case of heartbreak or even hatred at home. Not long ago I had a Jewish man come to see me. He was not interested in Christianity. He would never have turned to me under normal circumstances. He was married to a nominally Christian wife who was an alcoholic. Outwardly they were a beautiful couple. Professionally he was riding on the crest. But the wife was slipping downhill quickly, and for the husband every moment on the job was filled with desperate thoughts about what might be happening at home either to his wife or their children. I know another couple who are distressed over their teenage daughter. They are marvelous parents who have struggled to make a good life for her. They have worked hard to see that she is instructed and fed in Christian things. But the girl has utter disregard for their feelings and for the turmoil she is causing. She wants her own way without responsibility. I could reproduce more examples, but the point is clear. We are experiencing the same kind of decline in our own time as occurred in Micah's times. Morality, leadership, and family are crumbling. But notice this: it is not just a meaningless decline. It is part of God's judgment. For God has decreed that whenever a society departs from him, the effects of that departure will be seen in every aspect of the life of that society. Paul talks about that in Romans 1:18-32, where he says that once men and women give up on God, neither glorifying him nor giving him thanks, God also gives them up to various sins and perversions, and to depraved minds. God is a moral God; he is faithful in doing this. There is no one like God in such judgments.(Boice Expositional Commentary – The Minor Prophets, Volume 2: Micah-Malachi) Micah 7:7 But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. I will look Ps 34:5,6; 55:16,17; 109:4; 142:4,5; Isaiah 8:17; 45:22; Habakkuk 3:17-19; Luke 6:11,12 wait Genesis 49:18; Ps 25:5; 27:12-14; 37:7; 40:1-3; 62:1-8; Isaiah 12:2; 25:9; Lamentations 3:25,26; Luke 2:25-32 my God Ps 4:2,3; 38:15; 50:15; 65:2; 1 John 5:14,15 English of the Septuagint = But I will look to the Lord; I will wait upon God my Saviour: my God will hearken to me. See Spurgeon's Sermons on this passage - My Own Personal Holdfast (2069) - Micah 7:7 A Sweet Silver Bell Ringing in Each Believer's Heart (1819) - Micah 7:7 A CHANGE OF DIRECTION! "BUT AS FOR ME"
Miquéias 7
Boice - The prophet has been writing about judgment to come: he is not retracing that now. Judgment will come. The people will be carried off to Babylon. But as the book draws to a close, he looks beyond the deportation to another deliverance and regathering into the Promised Land. In that day the enemies of the people will be defeated, Jerusalem will be rebuilt, and the borders of the nation will be extended as they were previously. (Boice Expositional Commentary – The Minor Prophets, Volume 2: Micah-Malachi) It would have been easy for Micah to look around his society and begin to wonder if God were still working, still able to right the wrongs that had become endemic. And yet instead of viewing the glass half empty, he chose to view the glass half full and to patiently wait for God to move in His perfect timing. As I write these words in December, 2014, I look around America and see a ravaged moral, ethical landscape, and wonder whether God still sees us, whether He still cares. But when I read of the hope filled attitude in godly men like Micah, it encourages me to trust that God is still on the throne and that "He is able"....He is able to right the wrongs, able to send revival, able to restore broken marriages and families, etc. And so I will wait and watch for the God of our salvation. McComiskey - The clouds of gloom began to separate as the prophet, speaking as the representative of the remnant, described the attitude of the godly person amid such difficult circumstances...The godly man will look expectantly for God. As a watchman observes every shadow and listens to every night sound, so the godly man looks for every evidence of God’s working. To close one’s eyes to the working of God, no matter how small the evidence may be, is to open the door to despair. Along this same line, it is worth noting that about 1 out of every 20 verses in the NT speaks directly or indirectly about the Second Coming of the Messiah. Such Spirit inspired prevalence is undoubtedly meant to cause all of God's children to keep "looking (see the great verb prosdechomai, which in the present tense calls for expectation and anticipation to be a saint's continual mindset! Like godly Simeon and Anna - Lk 2:25, 38. Is it your heart attitude beloved?) for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus." (Titus 2:13-note) Remember that what (Who) you are looking for will (should) directly impact what (Who) you are living for! If you are convicted, join the "club!" Micah's words also remind me of Joshua's final words to Israel just before he dies (always good to pay attention to a dying man's last words, especially if he is a godly man!) - "And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD = Job 5:8, Ps 5:7, 26:11, 31:14, 52:8, 59:16, 69:13, 71:14, 73:2, 28, 75:9, 119:87, Jer 17:16, 18, Da 2:30) The phrase but as for me signals that this is the prophet's personal choice. He is not being forced or coerced to choose for God. This phrase (but as for me) could be a great qualifier so to speak for believers as we conduct ourselves in the world and are tempted to compromise our righteousness, our morals, our ethics (in Christ). Indeed, may the Spirit enable us in those manifold, variegated tempting situations to quickly speak to ourselves the "tagline" - "But as for me....". Amen. In this section from Micah 7:7-20 we see primarily the confession and intercession of Micah who identifies himself with Israel, much like Daniel did in his great intercessory prayer (Da 9:3-19). Clearly intercession was a role fulfilled by God's prophets (Ge 20:7 Jer 27:18). Watch...wait - These actions (attitudes) are a reflection of faith or trust in Jehovah's faithfulness. James Smith applies these passages to our lives - The upward look to the believing soul is always a clear one, even when the outward and the inward look is dark, cloudy, and foreboding. "Look unto Me, and be ye saved." The look may be like a flash, but we must also quietly wait for Him The waiting time may be the testing time; but if we are waiting for God's salvation it will surely come. (Handfuls of Purpose) I will watch expectantly - NIV has "I watch in hope". The Lxx translates watch expectantly with the verb epiblepo which means to pay close attention, look attentively and in James 2:3 is rendered "pay special attention to." This verb is applied figuratively to the prophets who were Israel’s watchmen who were to see Lord’s purposes and communicate them to their people (Hos 9:8 cf Isa 56:10,11 Jer 6:17 Ezek 3:17 Mic 7:4,7). John
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Boice - As the book draws to a close, he [Micah] looks beyond the deportation to another deliverance and regathering into the Promised Land. In that day the enemies of the people will be defeated, Jerusalem will be rebuilt, and the borders of the nation will be extended as they were previously. The prophet Amos inspired by the Holy Spirit saw this future day for Israel and Jerusalem... Amos 9:11 “In that day I will raise up the fallen booth of David, And wall up its breaches; I (God) will also raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old (cp "building your walls"); 12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom (cp "your boundary will be extended") and all the nations who are called by My name,” Declares the LORD who does this. 13 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “When the plowman will overtake the reaper And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; When the mountains will drip sweet wine, And all the hills will be dissolved. (Millennium) 14 “Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, And they will rebuild the ruined cities and live [in them], They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 “I will also plant them on their land, And they will not again be rooted out from their land Which I have given them (Notice that the land was originally promised in the Abrahamic Covenant in Ge 12:1-3, 15:18-20 and here we see the Nation of Israel finally realizing the full intent of that promise -- this is not the church beloved, as some would have us believe because of their false belief that God is finished with Israel! He is not finished with Israel -- all one has to do is read what happened miraculously in the United Nations in 1947 and was finalized in May, 1948 - see birth of Israel. If that does not convince you of God's continuing covenant love and faithfulness to Israel, then I suppose nothing will convince you! To read this passage as referring to the church is to refuse to read it literally and in context, both hermeneutical mistakes which will almost always lead to misinterpretation! See related discussion on the dangers of Allegorical Interpretation.),” Says the LORD your God. (Amos 9:11-15) Micah 7:12 It will be a day when they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, from Egypt even to the Euphrates, even from sea to sea and mountain to mountain. also Isaiah 11:16; 19:23-25; 27:12,13; 43:6; 49:12; 60:4-9; 66:19,20; Jeremiah 3:18; 23:3; 31:8; Ezekiel 37:21; 29:21; Hosea 11:11 It is time for it to come into your possession, stretching from Assyria to from Egypt to the River, from sea to sea and mountain to mountain, (NICOT) A FUTURE DAY OF GENTILE MIGRATION It will be a day when they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, from Egypt even to the Euphrates - Note that this is the third mention of day a crucial expression of time as discussed above. They will come - Who is they? Gentile nations. Interesting that Egypt had been the first oppressor of Israel and Assyria had defeated the 10 nation Northern Kingdom of Israel! Do not let anyone tell you that Jehovah is "finished" with Israel! Do not be deceived! God will have the last word with Israel's enemies, in this context even to the point of showing them mercy! Wiseman on the verb will come - The verb come is singular, suggesting that individual choice is involved. The prophet does not envision all peoples of all nations coming; rather he envisages individuals coming from all peoples. To you - Jerusalem. Earlier Micah had recorded a parallel prophecy declaring " many (Gentile) nations will come and say, “Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD (Jerusalem) and to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us about His ways and that we may walk in His paths.” For from Zion will go forth the law, even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Mic 4:2) Even from sea to sea and mountain to mountain - Notice that "they" will come not just from Assyria and Egypt but from sea to sea, indicating this will be a global migration to Jerusalem in the day when Messiah reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords (Millennium). (cp Ps 72:8, Zech 9:10). McComiskey - That the Gentiles (Ed: "they will come") are to become partakers of the promise through faith is a cardinal doctrine of both testaments (Ge 12:3; Amos 9:11–12; Ro 9:30; Gal 3:6–9). The perspective of the present passage seems not to be primarily the church age but rather the kingdom age, when the Jewish remnant will obtain visible prominence in the world and the unbelieving nations will be subjugated. Thus the passage is similar to Amos 9:11–12, where the inclusion of Gentiles in the promise is rooted in the era of peace when Israel’s fortunes will be restored (Amos 9:13–15). Isaiah describes a "day" that is very similar to the day described by Micah - Now it will come about that In the last days, The mountain of the house of the LORD (Jerusalem = Zion) will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. 3 And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war. (Isa 2:2-4-see note)(Micah 4 Commentary) It will come about also in that day that a great trumpet will be blown; and those who were perishing in the land of Assyria and who were scattered in the land of Egypt will come and worship the LORD in the holy mountain at Jerusalem. (Isa 27:13)
Miquéias 7
Boice - God is without equal is pastoral care. He is the supreme shepherd. The theme reappears here for the third time in Micah. It has appeared every time the hope of better days has broken through the clouds of pending judgment: Micah 2:12; 4:6-8; 5:4. (Boice Expositional Commentary – The Minor Prophets, Volume 2: Micah-Malachi) There is a similar prayer in Psalm 28:9 "Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance; Be their shepherd The flock of Thy possession - Micah 7:18 (see note there for more discussion of possession, the Lxx translating both uses with kleronomia) says that God "passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession." From the beginning of the nation of Israel, God has referred to Israel as His possession Moses recording that "the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, from Egypt, to be a people for His own possession, as today." (Deut 4:20) After their deliverance from bondage God declared to Israel "‘Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession (KJV = "a peculiar treasure") among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” (Ex 19:5-6) The NET Note explains that the Hebrew word here for possession "means a special possession. Israel was to be God's special possession, but the prophets will later narrow it to the faithful remnant. All the nations belong to God, but Israel was to stand in a place of special privilege and enormous responsibility. See Deut 7:6; 14:2; 26:18; Ps 135:4; and Mal 3:17.) With Thy rod (shebet) - David used the same Hebrew word (shebet) in Ps 23:4 "Thy rod (shebet) and Thy staff, they comfort me." Isaiah uses shebet to describe the returning King of kings who "will strike the earth with the rod (shebet) of His mouth." (Isa 11:4). in the midst of a fruitful field - The KJV has "in the midst of Carmel," because the Hebrew word for "fruitful field" is karmel, the "garden-land." Kaiser - The prophet’s prayer is that this flock might find good grazing in those proverbial beauty spots in the Holy Land, viz., “Carmel,” “Bashan,” and “Gilead” (Mic 7:14c). At that time (of Micah's prophecy), however, these good grazing and farming areas were in the hands of others. In Jeremiah we read a related prophecy in which Jehovah promises "And I shall bring Israel back to his pasture, and he will graze on Carmel and Bashan, and his desire will be satisfied in the hill country of Ephraim and Gilead." (Jer 50:19) The immediate context (Jer 50:20) uses the time phrases "in those days and at that time" (see importance of carefully observing expressions of time), describes a time when God not only restores a His people to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but restores their hearts so to speak so that they have no sin because He will pardon them (the believing Jewish remnant will enter into the New Covenant originally promised to Judah and Israel - Jer 31:31-34) So clearly the fulfillment of this prophecy, of God's bringing them back to Carmel and Bashan and Gilead without sin, has not yet occurred, but awaits a future day when the Deliverer (Messiah) returns and "removes ungodliness" from Israel (Ro 11:26-28). O Glorious Day! Let them feed in Bashan (map - note it is north of Gilead) and Gilead (map) as in the days of old - This is the second request, asking Jehovah to bring back the "good old days" (so to speak), when His hand of blessing was so evident on Israel, as exemplified by by the agriculturally rich provinces of Bashan and Gilead. These areas were overrun by Tiglath-Pileser III, king of Assyria in 734BC (Micah wrote his prophecy after this event) Bashan (one dictionary says the meaning is "fertile land") in the northernmost region of Israel, east of the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee was known as a rich, fertile area. Bashan enjoyed abundant rainfall and volcanic soil, and thus became known as the “breadbasket” of the region because of rich wheat fields and abundant livestock. It was celebrated for its cattle (Ps 22:12), its breed of sheep (Deut 32:14), and for its oak trees (Isa 2:13; Ezek 27:6). Gilead ("rugged") - In the time of Moses Gilead was a lush region with good forests, rich grazing lands, and abundant moisture. " The scenery among these mountains is described as very fine. The plains are covered with a fertile soil, the hills are clothed with forests, and at every new turn beautiful landscapes are presented. The Scripture references to the stately oaks and herds of cattle in this region are well known, Genesis 37:25 Numbers 32:1. (Gilead - American Tract Society Bible Dictionary) Gilead - "Physically, Gilead is a rugged country; the Hebrew name Gil' ad may be translated “rugged.” Some of its peaks reach over 3500 feet. It also has plains with grassland suitable for cattle, and in antiquity the northern half of the region particularly was heavily forested. The King Highway, an important international trade route, passed through Gilead. Gilead was an agriculturally significant region as well. It was famous especially for its flocks and herds, and also for the balm of Gilead, an aromatic and medicinal preparation, probably derived from the resin of a small balsam tree." (Gilead - Holman Bible Dictionary) John