Micah 7
THIS final chapter of our prophet has a distinct character. It begins with Micah’s grief-laden acknowledgment of the evil state of the people he feels the solitude, being alone, or nearly alone, in a generation of the godless. No doubt his words are, as those of David and others in the Psalms, and Jeremiah in his writings, intended by God for the believing remnant of the coming days.
The third verse has been retranslated thus: “Both hands are for evil, to do it well! The prince asketh, and the judge (is there) for a reward; and the great (man) uttereth his soul’s greed, and together they combine it.” (N.T.)
Verses 5 and 6 suggest a reference to Matthew 10:35, 30,35For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. (Matthew 10:35)
30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:30) where the Lord spoke of the effect of the hearing of the gospel, and, we may suppose, having Micah’s words in mind as He spoke. Many have had for His sake to pass through the experience of the loss of friends, and faced bitter opposition in the home, perhaps for long years; such can say in the confidence of faith with the prophet.
“But as for me, I will look unto Jehovah; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” (N.T.)
The enemies of God (the believer’s enemies) rejoice when His people fall (verse 8); humbleness of mind is, however, given to bear the chastening which He has seen to be needed (verse 9). In due time relief will come, and for Israel, that will be when the wicked are overtaken by God’s judgment (verse 10).
We have next Jehovah’s word (verses 11-13), speaking for the encouragement of the remnant
“In the day when thy walls shall be built, on that day shall the established limit (or bound) recede” (N. T.). Jerusalem’s former walls will not contain the city that shall be, when God’s grace shall have followed His “strange work” of judgment.
“In that day they shall come to thee from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt to the river (Euphrates), and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain” (verse 12, N. T.). Instead of Israel’s being as now a people not desired, they will occupy the central sphere of earthly blessing, honored as they were not even in Solomon’s day of glory. First, however, the land of Israel must be desolate because of them that dwelt there (verse 13); this part of the prophecy was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar finished his conquest of Judah (2 Chronicles 36:17-2117Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand. 18And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon. 19And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. 20And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: 21To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years. (2 Chronicles 36:17‑21); Jeremiah 44:22Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein, (Jeremiah 44:2)).
In verse 14, Micah, speaking for the remnant who fear God, asks Him for the return to them of all of Israel’s land. The answer of God to this request in verses 15 and 16 is altogether worthy of Himself:
“As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt, will I show them marvelous things. The nations shall see, and be ashamed for all their might, etc.”
The last three verses are an ascription of praise to Him from Whom all blessings flow, Who pardons the sinner, and delights in mercy. He will surely carry out all He has promised for Israel. For us who have believed in the Lord in the day of His rejection, a yet brighter prospect is in view (Ephesians 1, 2 and 3: Revelation 1:5, 65And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5‑6)).
ML 05/02/1937