Once more is the call to hear, and now the earth itself is bidden to witness that Jehovah has a controversy with His people, and will plead with Israel. A touching address follows in verses 3-5, —an address which found but little response in Micah’s day, but will sink deeply into Jewish hearts that will be opened to receive it when the Lord is about to return to take His earthly throne and establish His kingdom.
In verse 4, “servants” is really “bond-men” (slaves), as the same Hebrew word is translated in Deuteronomy 7:88But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:8) and Jeremiah 34:1313Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying, (Jeremiah 34:13).
Verse 5 brings to memory the spectacle of Balaam, the false prophet, seeking to curse, but compelled to bless Israel when they were about to enter the promised land (Numbers 22-21). In his inspired utterances God made known the whole portion of Israel’s blessing, —which has never been realized, because of their grievous departure from Himself. He well knew what they then were, a stiff-necked and rebellious people, but He chose to view them before their enemies in the light of what they will be, when He shall have dealt with them in judgment and in tender mercy.
It will be observed that in verses 3-5 there is only a record of divine compassion and faithfulness; much humbling and sad history of Israel before the crossing of the Jordan, as well as after it, might have been mentioned, but it would have been out of place in such an appeal to the hearts of God’s earthly people.
In verses 6-8 the thoughts of those who will hear are brought out and answered. We have not here the clear light of the gospel of God’s grace, note, for man is seen in the Old Testament under law. The 32nd Psalm is one of many evidences that God then received those who owned with broken spirit and contrite heart that they were not able to meet His requirements. In the Millennium the redeemed of Israel will as never before, answer to verse 8, for then Satan, the tempter and deceiver, will be bound, and what evil appears will be punished.
The “controversy” (verse 2) has, however, not been told, and verses 9-12 declare it. “Hear ye the rod, and Who hath appointed it”, for it is Jehovah Himself who speaks. Treasures of wickedness were yet in the house of the wicked; scant measures, unjust balances (scales) and deceitful weights were used in trading; violence characterized the rich, and lying and deceit the people.
Punishment, long withheld, therefore awaited this guilty nation; God’s “thou shalt”, and “thou shalt not” (verses 14-15) could no longer be avoided. The last verse of the chapter reveals that the laws of Omri (1 Kings 16:16-2816And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died, 19For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the Lord, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin. 20Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 21Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri. 22But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned. 23In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah. 24And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria. 25But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all that were before him. 26For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger with their vanities. 27Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 28So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead. (1 Kings 16:16‑28)), and the works of the house of Ahab his son (1 Kings 16:2929And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years. (1 Kings 16:29)-2 Kings 10:1111So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining. (2 Kings 10:11)) were followed generally in Judah and Jerusalem as well as in the kingdom of Israel and in Samaria. Omri, we gather, showed the way, and his descendants carried out in practice what he had planned. Sad as is the prospect of those who follow in sin, what must the punishment be of them who have led the way in such things?