Miquéias 6

Miquéias 6

Phillips - The Hebrew people were doing exactly the opposite of what God required. In condemning them for their sin, Micah spoke of sin's deceptions, disappointments, and distortions. The voice of the LORD will call to the city - The city of Jerusalem (cf. Mic. 3:10-12; 4:2, 7-13) is accused in this lawsuit. And it is sound wisdom to fear Thy Name - The NET translation reads "It is wise to respect Your authority." Godly reverential fear will bring corresponding obedience which leads to "success" (sound wisdom - good results). Barker - The fear of the Lord has also been defined as a “loving reverence for God that includes submission to his lordship and to the commands of his word (Eccl 12:13).” In the introduction of Job we read "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away (this was his habitual practice - not perfection, but direction!) from evil." (Job 1:1) Notice that the effect of godly fear is to prompt (motivate, energize) one to turn away from evil (~obedience). That is wisdom or living wisely! We see the same principle in Ps 112:1 "Praise the LORD! How blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who greatly delights in His commandments." Job tied fear, wisdom and obedience together declaring "'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.'" (Job 28:28, Ps 111:10) Sound wisdom (08454)(tushiyyah) means "sound judgment" or "efficient wisdom," the wisdom that leads to practical success, (good) results (Isa 28:29). A father would exhort his son to seek this sound wisdom as the path to life and honor (Prov. 3:21), and the personified Wisdom claims to exemplify it (Pr 8:14). A selfish man, however, displays appalling lack of discernment (Pr 18:1). God is the source of this prudence, as of all the other varieties of knowledge and wisdom (Isa. 28:29). Thus, it behooves a wise person to fear Him (Mic. 6:9). Job mentioned the word both in the sense of wisdom (Job 11:6; 12:16; 26:3) and of the abiding success that results from that wisdom (5:12; 6:13). And in Proverbs, success is promised for the upright because of the righteous nature of God's rule (Prov. 2:7). Tusiyyah is translated (NAS) - deliverance(1), helpful insight(1), sound wisdom(7), success(1), wisdom(1). Tusiyyah - 11v - Job 5:12; 6:13; 11:6; 12:16; 26:3; Pr 2:7; 3:21; 8:14; 18:1; Isa 28:29; Mic 6:9 The Septuagint gives an interesting sense that is not obvious in the Hebrew text - "The Lord's voice shall be proclaimed in the city, and He shall save those that fear His name: hear, O tribe; and who shall order the city?" Criswell - Wisdom will recognize and reverence the Name of God, who brings the rod of punishment on the city, which is probably Jerusalem. Name of God - This stands for all of His attributes, His holiness, righteousness, justice, faithfulness, etc. So to fear His Name is to fear Him. Matthew Henry (concise) on Mt 6:9-13 - God, having showed how necessary it was that they should do justly, here shows how plain it was that they had done unjustly. This voice of the Lord says to all, Hear the rod when it is coming, before you see it, and feel it. Hear the rod when it is come, and you are sensible of the smart; hear what counsels, what cautions it speaks. The voice of God is to be heard in the rod of God. Those who are dishonest in their dealings shall never be reckoned pure, whatever shows of devotion they may make. What is got by fraud and oppression, cannot be kept or enjoyed with satisfaction. What we hold closest we commonly lose soonest. Sin is a root of bitterness, soon planted, but not soon plucked up again. Their being the people of God in name and profession, while they kept themselves in his love, was an honour to them; but now, being backsliders, their having been once the people of God turns to their reproach. Hear (shama) is a again (cp Mic 3:1, 6:1) a command to hear with reverence (godly fear) and obedient assent. O tribe (KJV = rod) - To which tribe does this refer? Probably the tribe of Judah, who was the leading tribe in the Southern Kingdom. And so in Micah 6:9 both the city of Jerusalem and the tribe of Judah were "named" in this covenant lawsuit. Spurgeon on "hear ye the rod" (KJV - God’s voice to his people is often uttered by means of their affliction Hear ye the rod.” He wishes us to understand that judgments and calamities are his voice crying to the city. Oh, that we were men of wisdom, that we would hear what God has to say! Alas! Israel did not hear, and Judah would not listen, even to God’s own voice! Who has appointed its time - God had ordained the time of their judgment. Cf God's sovereign control over time (Da 2:21-note)? Micah 6:10 Is there yet a man in the wicked house, along with treasures of wickedness and a short measure that is cursed? Are, etc - or, Is there yet unto every man an house of the wicked, etc. the treasures. Joshua 7:1; 2 Kings 5:23,24; Proverbs 10:2; 21:6; Jeremiah 5:26,27; Amos 3:10; Habakkuk 2:5-11; Zephaniah 1:9; Zechariah 5:3,4; James 5:1-4 and Leviticus 19:35,36; Deuteronomy 25:13-16; Proverbs 11:1; 20:10,23; Ezekiel 45:9-12; Hosea 12:7,8; Amos 8:5,6 scant measure - Heb. measure of leanness. A CATALOGUE OF COMMERCIAL & SOCIAL SINS NLT paraphrase = "Will there be no end of your getting rich by cheating? The homes of the wicked are filled with treasures gained by dishonestly measuring out grain in short measures." This is the antithesis of Micah 6:8.