Micah 4
PATYet wilt they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us[or, in the midst of us. ? none evil can come upon us.] Notwithstanding these general corruptions, they will rely upon God’s protection, and think themselves secure, because he hath chosen the temple as the place of his peculiar residence, (Compare Jer. vii. 4. Zeph. iii. 5.) St, Paul alludes to this place, when he describes the Jews as resting or relying upon the law, Rom. ii. 17. The Greek * word liravairavr), is the same which the LXX use here. The prophet foretells the proclamation of the gospel, and the increase of Christ’s kingdom, in the latter ages of the world: and exhorts God’s people not to be discouraged at the apprehension of their approaching captivity, because the church should in due time surmount all difficulties, and break in pieces all the kingdoms of the earth; as Daniel afterward prophesied, ii. 35. 44. [chap. % the text of the tower.o/Eder, beyond which Israel spread Ms tent, he adds, by way of explanation, from hence King Messias shall manifest himself in the latter days.
Micah 4:1
JtSUT in the last days it shall come to pass. The times of the Messias are usually expressed in the prophets by the last days. (See the note upon the parallel text, Isa. ii. 2.) That the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established upon the tops of the momitains.] Sec iii. 12. The temple standing upon Mount Moriah, is often styled God’s holy mountain; from thence the phrase is taken to denote the Christian church in the prophetical writings. (See Isa, xi. 9. lxvi. 20. Jer. xxxi. 23. Ezek. xx. 40. Joel iii. 17. Zech. viii. 3.) Our Lord himself compares his church to a city set on a hill, Matt. v. 14. And people shall flow unto it.] Heathens shall resort thither to be instructed in the ways of salvation. (See the following verse.)
Micah 4:2
And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord — and he will teach us of his ways, &c. The expressions allude to the Jews’ going up in companies to Jerusalem at their solemn feasts. (Sec the notes upon the parallel text of Isaiah.)
Micah 4:3
And he shall judge among many people — and they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, &c. Sec the notes upon the same place.. It is farther observable, that our Saviour was born at a time when there was peacaall the world over; after Augustus, having put an end to the civil wars, had shut up the temple of Janus, in token of his having procured a settled peace.
Micah 4:4
But they shall sit every man under his vine, and under his fig-tree; and none shall make them afraid. This shall be the effect of that peace, foretold in the foregoing verse, when every man may securely enjoy his own possessions, and the fruits of his labour. (See. Isa. xxxvi. 16. 1 Kings iv. 25. Zech. iii/ 10. compare Jer. xxiii. 4. G.)
Micah 4:5
For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever. Or, Although all nations shoidd walk every one in the name of his god, yet we will walk, &c. Since all people are fond of the religion of their forefathers, though false and absurd; itmuchmoro becomes us to cleave steadfastly to the service of the true God, and. not forsake his laws and ordinances, as we have too often done. And this.will be remarkably fulfilled; at the general conversion of the Jews, when this prophecy shall receive its utmost completion; as hath been observed in the notes upon the parallel text of Isaiah. (See likewise the following verses of this chapter,).
Micah 4:6
In that day will I assemble her that halteth. Or, twill heal her that halteth: (compare Zcph. iii. 19.) for so the verb dsaph, assemble, is translated 2 Kings.v. 3. G. The word which we render halteth, signifies in general’’ one that is weak and feeble, or bowed down by any disease or calamity. (Sec Psal. xxxv. 15. xxxviii. 17.) And Iivill gather her that is driven out.] ThisTelates to the calling of the Jews from their several dispersions into the church: (see the notes. upon Ezek. xxxiv. 13. 1G.) although it may in some degree have been fulfilled in, their return from the Babylonish captivity. (Compare Psal. cxlvii. 2.)
Micah 4:7
And I will make her that halteth a remnant. To this remnant are many promises made, which may in some degree be applied to the. state of the Jews after their re; turn from captivity; (see Zeph. ii. 9. Zech; viii. G. 11.) but are chiefly to be understood of those who were to be called by the gospel, when the main body of the Jiewish nation were rejected. (See ii. 12. v. 3. 7, 8. vii. 181 Isa. i. 9, x. 21, 22. Jer. i;20. Joel ii. 32. Zeph! ii. 9. iii. 13. and the notes upon" those places.). •• i And her that was cast off a strong nation.] The Jews, when they return from their several dispersions^ (see yer. G.) shall be victorious over all their enemies. (Compare v. 8.’ Ezek. xxxviii. xxxix. and sec the note upon Obadiah, ver. 8.) And the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zio’nfrom henceforth, even for ever.] Compare Joel iii. 17. God will dwell and reign among his saints in the New Jerusalem, that comes down from heaven, Rev. xxi. 2, 3, &c. and then the kingdoms of the earth shall become, the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever, Rov. xi. 15. compared with xix. 6. Isa. xxiv, 23. Dan. vii. 27.
Micah 4:8
And thou, O tower of the flock, tlie strong hold of the daughter ofZion, unto thee shall it come, everi the first dominion, &c. The church, of which the earthly Jerusalem was but a figure, shall be the scat of this sovereign dominion, which God shall render conspicuous to the whole world, spoken of ver. 7. TJie tower of the flock, or ofEder, is best explained by the strong hold of the daughter ofZion^ which follows. The’Chaldee paraphrase expounds the words of the Messiah, in whom the ancient kingdom sltall be revived; i. e. the kingdom of David, the Beth-lehemite; the tower ofEder being in, or near Bcth-lehem, (Gen. xxxv. 19. 21.) This notion is countenanced by Jonathan’s Targum upon Gen. xxxv. 19, where mention being made ia
Micah 4:9
Now ivhy dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in’ thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail. Why dost thou cry out, as a woman in the anguish of her travail, as if God himself, thy king and counsellor, had forsaken thee? (Compare Jer. viii. 19.) Some understand it of the time when Zedekiah and his counsellors were seized by the Chaldeans, (2 Kings xxv. 6. 18, &c.) Calamities are often compared to the pangs of child-bearing. (See Isa. xiii. 8. Jer. xxx. 6. 1. 43.):Ver. 10. Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of ZionJ] There is reason for your being in pain and anguish; but, as the pangs of a woman in travail, they shall have a happy conclusion; as it follows in the next words. For now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon] The Jews’ captivity is expressed by their going out of the city, and dwelling in the field; because their city and temple being destroyed, they should live in an obscure state, without any visible form of government or worship. The same condition is elsewhere expressed by their living in the wilderness. (See the note upon Ezek. xx. 35. and Hos. ii. 14) So the church under persecution is described as flying into the wilderness, Rev. xii. 14. There shalt thou be delivered, &c] God shall wonderfully restore thy captivity from thence by Cyrus, as he hath foretold by Isaiah, a prophet contemporary with Micah. (Isa. xliv. 28. xlv. 1. compare vii. 8; 11. of this prophecy ^). Ver. 11: Now also many nations are gathered against thee, and say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.] The heathen round about will take occasion to insult the Jews’ calamity, will please themselves with seeing the temple profaned, and gratify their spite with viewing Jerusalem in a forlorn condition. (See Lam. ii. 16.) To look upon our enemies, is to behold their fall with delight. (Compare vii. 10. and see the note upon Obad. ver. 12.).
Micah 4:12
TJierefore shall Zionfor your sake be ploughed as a field, &c. This prophecy had its utmost completion in the final destruction of the city and temple by the Romans. (See the note upon Jer. xxvi. 18.) And Jerusalem shall become heaps.] The word heaps alludes to the heaps of stones laid up together in fields newly ploughed. (See i. G. compare Psal. lxxix. 1.) And the mountain of the house [of the Lord] as the high places of the forest.] The place where the temple stood, which was upon Mount Moriah, shall be overrun with grass and shrubs, like a thicket or forest. But they know not the thought of the Lord — for he shall gather them as sheaves into the floor.’] They are ignorant of God’s purpose, which is to punish them with an entire destruction, after he hath executed his judgments upon his own people. (Sec Jer. xxv. 27—29.) Great calamities are compared to the thrashing of corn in a floor. (Sec the following verse, and the note upon Isa. xxi. 10.)
Micah 4:13
Arise and thrash, O daughter of Zion; for I xvill make thine horn iron, and I will’make thy hoofs brass.". The expressions allude to the manner of treading out the corn in the eastern countries, which was by the feet of oxen: (see Dcut. xxv. 4.) so the word horn is equivalent to the hoofs which follow. The words, as they relate to Zion, may be expounded in a spiritual sense, of bringing in the gentiles to the obedience of Christ. (See the following note.) Or else we may suppose this promise will be fulfilled, when all’ the enemies of the church shall be subdued, and the saints reigning with Christ’shall have power over the nations, and shall rule (the refractory) with a rod of iron, Rev. ii. 26, 27. (Compare this text with v.’ 8.15. of this prophecy, and’ with Isa. xiv. 2. xli. 15. lx. 12. lxi. 5. and sec the notes upon those places.) And I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance nnto the Lord of the whole earth] This denotes the conversion of the gentiles, which is elsewhere expressed by their bringing gifts and offerings to God’s temple; because that was the most solemn part of religious worship practised among the Jews. (See Psal. Ixviii. 29. Isa. xviii.7. xxiii. 18. lx.6. 9. and compare Rev. xxi. 2-1. 26.) The word translated consecrate, properly signifies to devote, and alludes to -the action of conquerors, who use to dedicate part of their booty to God, as a thankful acknowledgment for their victory.