Calvin, Commentary on Micah, Part 5
(... continued from part 4)
Lecture Eighty-fifth.
Micah 2:12,13
I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather
the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of
Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make
great noise by reason of [the multitude of] men.
The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have
passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king
shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.
The exposition of this passage is twofold. The greater part of
interpreters incline to this view, - that God here promises some
alleviation to the Israelites, after having sharply reproved them,
and threatened them with utter ruin. They therefore apply this
passage to the kingdom of Christ, as though God gave hope of a
future restoration. But when I narrowly weigh every thing, I am, on
the contrary, forced to regard these two verses as a commination,
that is, that the Prophet here denounces God's future vengeance on
the people. As, however, the former opinion is almost universally
received, I will briefly mention what has been adduced in its favor,
and then I shall return to state the other meaning, which I prefer.
It is suitable to the kingdom of Christ to say, that a people
who had been dispersed should be gathered under one head. We indeed
know how miserable a dispersion there is in the world without him,
and that whenever the Prophets speak of the renovation of the
Church, they commonly make use of this form of expression, that is,
that the Lord will gather the dispersed and unite them together
under one head. If then the passage be referred to the kingdom of
Christ, it is altogether proper to say, that God by gathering will
gather the whole of Jacob. But a restriction is afterwards added,
that no one may extend this restoration to the whole race of
Abraham, or to all those who, according to the flesh, derived their
descent from Abraham as their father: hence the word "sh'erit" is
laid down. Then the whole of Jacob is not that multitude, which,
according to the flesh, traced their origin from the holy
Patriarchs, but only their residue. It then follows, "I will set
them together as the sheep of Bozrah", that is, I will make them to
increase into a large, yea, into an immense number; for they shall
make a tumult, that is, a great noise will be made by them, as
though the place could not contain so large a number. And they
explain the next verse thus, - "A breaker shall go before them",
that is, there shall be those who, with a hand, strong and armed,
will make a way open for them; inasmuch as Christ says that the
kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, (Matth. 11: 12:) they then
mean that the people will have courageous leaders, whom nothing will
stop from breaking through, and that they will also lead the whole
people with them. They shall therefore go forth through the gate,
and their king shall pass through. This also well agrees with the
kingdom of Christ. For whenever God declares that he will be
propitious to his Church, he at the same time adds, that he will
give a king to his people; for their safety had been placed in that
kingdom, which had been erected by the authority and command of God
himself. It is therefore a common thing, and what occurs everywhere
in the Prophets, that God would give a king from the seed of David
to his people, when it would be his will to favor them with complete
happiness. Thus they understand that a king shall pass on before
them, which is the office of a leader, to show them the way. "And
Jehovah shall be at their head"; that is, God himself will show
himself to be the chief king of his people, and will ever defend by
his help and grace those whom he adopts as his people.
But I have already said that I more approve of another.
exposition: for I see not how the Prophet could pass so suddenly
into a different strain. He had said in the last verse that the
people could endure no admonitions, for they only desired flatteries
and adulation. He now joins what I have lately referred to
respecting the near judgment of God, and proceeds, as we shall see,
in the same strain to the end of the third chapter: but we know that
the chapters were not divided by the Prophets themselves. We have
therefore a discourse continued by the Prophet to the third chapter;
not that he spoke all these things in one day; but he wished to
collect together what he had said of the vices of the people; and
this will be more evident as we proceed. I will now come to the
words.
"Gathering, I will gather thee, the whole of Jacob; collecting,
I will collect the remnant of Israel". God has two modes of
gathering; for he sometimes gathers his people from dispersion,
which is a singular proof of his favor and love. But he is said also
to gather, when he assembles them together to devote and give them
up to destruction, as we say in French, Trousser; and this verb is
taken elsewhere in the same sense, and we have already met with an
instance in Hosea. So, in the present passage, God declares that
there would be a gathering of the people, - for what purpose? Not
that being united together they might enjoy the blessings of God,
but that they might be destroyed. As then the people had united
together in all kinds of wickedness, so God now declares, that they
should be gathered together, that the one and the same destruction
might be to them all. And he adds, the remnant of Israel; as though
he said, "Whatever shall remain from slaughters in wars and from all
other calamities, such as famine and pestilence, this I will
collect, that it may be wholly destroyed." He mentions the remnant,
because the Israelites had been worn out by many evils, before the
Lord stretched forth his hand at last to destroy them.
He afterwards subjoins, "I will set them together as the sheep
of Bozrah"; that is, I will cast them into one heap. Bozrah was a
city or a country of Idumea; and it was a very fruitful place, and
had the richest pastures: hence Isaiah, chap. 34, in denouncing
vengeance on the Idumeans, alludes at the same time to their
pastures, and says, "God will choose for himself fat lambs and
whatever is well fed, and will also collect fatness, for the Lord
has a sacrifice in Bozrah." So also, in this place, the Prophet
says, that the Jews, when collected together as it were into a
bundle, shall be like the sheep of Bozrah. And he further adds, "as
the sheep in the middle of the sheepfolds", though some render it,
leading: "davar" sometimes means to lead; but I see no reason why it
should be drawn so far from its meaning in this connection. I take
it as signifying a sheepfold, because sheep are there collected
together. Some interpreters consider that a siege is referred to
here, that is, that God would confine the whole people within
cities, that they might not be open to the incursions of enemies;
but I extend the meaning much wider, namely, that God would gather
the people, in order at last to disperse them. I will then gather
them, as I have already said, Je vous trousserai; as the sheep of
Bozrah in the middle of the sheep fold; and there shall be a noise
on account of their number; that is, "Though ye now glory in your
number, this will avail you nothing; for I shall be able to reduce
you all to strait, so that you may, as ye deserve, perish together."
It follows, "Ascend shall a breaker before them"; that is, they
shall be led in confusion; and the gate shall also be broken, that
they may go forth together; for the passage would not be large
enough, were they, as is usually done, to go forth in regular order;
but the gates of cities shall be broken, that they may pass through
in great numbers and in confusion. By these words the Prophet
intimates, that all would be quickly taken away into exile. "And
they shall go forth, he says through the gate, and their king shall
pass on before if them". The Prophet means here, that the king would
be made captive; and this was the saddest spectacle: for some hope
remained, when the dregs of the people had been led into Chaldea;
but when the king himself was led away a captive, and cast into
prison, and his eyes pulled out, and his children slain, it was the
greatest of misery. They were wont to take pride in their king, for
they thought that their kingdom could not but continue perpetually,
since God had so promised. But God might for a time overturn that
kingdom, that he might afterwards raise it anew, according to what
has been done by Christ, and according to what had been also
predicted by the Prophets. "Crosswise, crosswise, crosswise, let the
crown be, until its lawful possessor comes." We then see that this,
which the Prophet mentions respecting their king, has been added for
the sake of amplifying.
He afterwards adds, "Jehovah shall be at the head of them";
that is, He will be nigh them, to oppress and wholly to overwhelm
them. Some consider something to be understood, and of this kind,
that Jehovah was wont formerly to rule over them, but that now he
would cease to do so: but this is too strained; and the meaning
which I have stated seems sufficiently clear, and that is, - that
God himself would be the doer, when they should be driven into
exile, and that he would add courage to tyrants and their
attendants, in pursuing the accursed people, in order to urge on
more and more and aggravate their calamities and thus to show that
their destruction vault happen through his righteous judgment. We
now then understand the real meaning of the Prophet. Now follows -
Chapter 3.
Micah 3:1-3
1 And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of
the house of Israel; [Is it] not for you to know judgment?
2 Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin
from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;
3 Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off
them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for
the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.
The Prophet in this chapter assails and severely reproves the
chief men as well as the teachers; for both were given to avarice
and cruelty, to plunder, and, in short, to all other vices. And he
begins with the magistrates, who exercised authority among the
people; and briefly relates the words in which he inveighed against
them. We have said elsewhere, that the Prophets did not record all
that they had spoken, but only touched shortly on the heads or chief
points: and this was done by Micah, that we might know what he did
for forty or more years, in which he executed his office. He could
have related, no doubt, in half-an-hour, all that exists of his
writings: but from this small book, however small it is, we may
learn what was the Prophet's manner of teaching, and on what things
he chiefly dwelt. I will now return to his words.
He says that the chief men of the kingdom had been reproved by
him. It is probable, that these words were addressed to the Jews;
for though at the beginning he includes the Israelites, we yet know
that he was given as a teacher to the Jews, and not to the kingdom
of Israel. It was as it were accidental, that he sometimes
introduces the ten tribes together with the Jews. This address then
was made, as I think, to the king as well as to his counselors and
other judges, who then ruled over the people of Judah.
"Hear this, I pray", he says. Such a preface betokens
carelessness in the judges; for why does he demand a hearing from
them, except that they had become so torpid in their vices, that
they would attend to nothing? Inasmuch then as so brutal a stupor
had seized on them, he says, "Hear now ye chiefs, or heads, of
Jacob, and ye rulers of the house of Israel". But why does he still
speak of the house of Israel? Because that name was especially known
and celebrated, whenever a mention was made of the posterity of
Abraham: and the other Prophets, even while speaking of the kingdom
of Judah, often make use of this title, "ye who are called by the
name of Israel;" and they did this, on account of the dignity of the
holy Patriarch; and the meaning of the word itself was no ordinary
testimonial of excellency as to his whole race. And this is what is
frequently done by Isaiah. But the name of Israel is not put here,
as elsewhere, as a title of distinction: on the contrary, the
Prophet here amplifies their sin, because they were so corrupt,
though they were the chief men among the chosen race, being those
whom God had honored with so much dignity, as to set them over his
Church and elect people. It was then an ingratitude, not to be
endured to abuse that high and sacred authority, which had been
conferred on them by God.
"Does it not belong to you, he says, to know judgment?" Here he
intimates that rectitude ought to have a place among the chief men,
in a manner more especial than among the common people; for it
behaves them to excel others in the knowledge of what is just and
right: for though the difference between good and evil be engraven
on the hearts of all, yet they, who hold supremacy among the people,
and excel in power, are as it were the eyes of the community; as the
eyes direct the whole body, so also they, who are placed in any
situation of honor, are thus made eminent, that they may show the
right way to others. Hence by the word, to "know", the Prophet
intimates that they wickedly subverted the whole order of nature,
for they were blind, while they ought to have been the luminaries of
the whole people. Is "it not for you, he says, to know judgment" and
equity? But why was this said, especially to the chief men? Because
they, though they of themselves knew what was right, having the law
engraven within ought yet as leaders to have possessed superior
knowledge, so as to outshine others. It is therefore your duty to
know judgment. We hence learn that it is not enough for princes and
magistrates to be well disposed and upright; but it is required of
them to know judgment and wisdom that they may discern matters above
the common people. But if they are not thus endued with the gift of
understanding and wisdom let them ask of the Lord. We indeed know,
that without the Spirit of God, the acutest men are wholly unfit to
rule; nor is it in vain, that the free Spirit of God is set forth,
as holding the supreme power in the world; for we are thus reminded,
that even they who are endued with the chief gifts are wholly
incapable of governing except the Spirit of God be with them. This
passage then shows that an upright mind is not a sufficient
qualification in princes; they must also excel in wisdom, that they
may be, as we have already said, as the eyes are to the body. In
this sense it is that Micah now says that it belonged to the leaders
of the people to know judgment and justice.
He afterwards subjoins, "But they hate good, and love evil, and
pull off the skin from my people, the flesh from their bones"; that
is, they leave nothing, he says, sound and safe, their rapacity
being so furious. The Prophet conveys first a general reproof, -
that they not only perverted justice, but were also given to
wickedness and hated good. He means then that they were openly
wicked and ungodly, and also that they with a fixed purpose carried
on war against every thing just and right. We hence learn how great
and how abominable was the corruption of the people, when they were
still the peculiar possession and heritage of God. Inasmuch then as
the state of this ancient people had become so degenerated, let us
learn to walk in solicitude and fear, while the Lord governs us by
pious magistrates and faithful pastors: for what happened to the
Jews might soon happen to us, so that wolves might bear rule over
us, as indeed experience has proved even in this our city. The
Prophet afterwards adds the kinds of cruelty which prevailed; of
which he speaks in hyperbolical terms, though no doubt he sets
before our eyes the state of things as it was. He compares the
judges to wolves or to lions, or to other savage beasts. He says not
that they sought the property of the people, or pillaged their
houses; but he says that they devoured their flesh even to the very
bones; he says that they pulled off their skin: and this he confirms
in the next verse.
"They devour, he says, the flesh of my people, and their skin
they strip off from them, and their bones they break in pieces and
make small, as that which into the pot is thrown, and which is in
the midst of the caldron". For when any one throws meat into the
pot, he does not take the whole ox, but cuts it into pieces, and
having broken it, he then fills with these pieces his pot or his
caldron. The Prophet then enhances the cruelty of the princes; they
were not content with one kind of oppression, but exercised every
species of barbarous cruelty towards the people, and were in every
respect like bears, or wolves, or lions, or some other savage
beasts, and that they were also like gluttons. We now then perceive
the Prophet's meaning.
Now this passage teaches us what God requires mainly from those
in power, - that they abstain from doing injustice: for as they are
armed with power, so they ought to be a law to themselves. They
assume authority over others; let them then begin with themselves,
and restrain themselves from doing evil. For when a private man is
disposed to do harm, he is restrained at least by fear of the laws,
and dares not to do any thing at his pleasure; but in princes there
is a greater boldness; and they are able to do greater injustice:
and this is the reason why they ought to observe more forbearance
and humanity. Hence levity and paternal kindness especially become
princes and those in power. But the Prophet here condemns the
princes of his age for what deserved the highest reprehension; and
their chief crime was cruelty or inhumanity, inasmuch as they spared
not their own subjects.
We now see that the Prophet in no degree flattered the great,
though they took great pride in their own dignity. But when he saw
that they wickedly and basely abused the power committed to them, he
boldly resisted them, and exercised the full boldness of the Spirit.
He therefore not only calls them robbers or plunderers of the
people; but he says, that they were cruel wild beasts; he says, that
they devoured the flesh, tore and pulled it in pieces, and made it
small; and he says all this, that he might convey an idea of the
various kinds of cruelty which they practiced. Now follow
threatenings -
Micah 3:4
Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he
will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved
themselves ill in their doings.
Micah now denounces judgment on the chief men, such as they
deserved. He says, "They shall cry then to Jehovah". The adverb
"'az" is often put indefinitely in Hebrew, and has the force of a
demonstrative, and may be taken as pointing out a thing,
("deiktomos" - demonstratively,) then, or there, as though the
Prophet pointed out by his finger things which could be seen, though
they were far away from the sight of men. But in this place, the
Prophet seems rather to pursue the subject to which I have already
referred: for he had before stated that God would take vengeance on
that people. This adverb of time then is connected with the other
combinations, which have been already explained. If, however, any
one prefer a different meaning, namely that the Prophet meant here
to hold them in suspense, as to the nearness of God's vengeance, I
do not oppose him, for this sense is not unsuitable. However this
may be, the Prophet here testifies that the crimes of the chief men
would not go unpunished, though they did not think themselves to be
subject either to laws or to punishment. As then the princes and
magistrates regarded themselves as exempt, by some imaginary
privilege, from the lot of other people, the Prophet declares here
expressly, that a distress was nigh at hand, which would extort a
cry from them: for by the word, cry, he means the miseries which
were nigh at hand. They shall then cry in their distress. I have now
explained the design of the Prophet.
We indeed see how at this day those who are in high stations
swell with arrogance; for as they abound in wealth, and as honor is
as it were an elevated degree, so that being propped up by the
shoulders of others they seem eminent, and as they are also feared
by the rest of the people, they are on these accounts led to think
that no adversity can happen to them. But the Prophet says, that
such would be their distress, that it would draw a cry from them.
They shall then cry, but Jehovah will not hear; that is, they
shall be miserable and without any remedy. Jehovah will not answer
them, but will hide from them his face, as they have done
perversely; that is, God will not hear their complaints; for he will
return on their own heads all the injuries with which he now sees
his own people to be afflicted. And thus God will show that he was
not asleep, while they were with so much effrontery practicing all
kinds of wrong.
It may however be asked here, how it is that God rejects the
prayers and entreaties of those who cry to him? It must first be
observed, that the reprobate, though they rend the air with their
cries, do not yet direct their prayers to God; but if they address
God himself, they do this clamorously; for they expostulate with
him, and contend with him, yea, they vomit out their blasphemies, or
at least they murmur and complain of their evils. The ungodly then
cry, but not to the Lord; or if they address their cries to God,
they are, as it has been said, full of glamour. Hence, except one is
guided by the Spirit of God, he cannot pray from the heart. And we
know that it is the peculiar office of the Spirit to raise up our
hearts to heaven: for in vain we pray, except we bring faith and
repentance: and who is the author of these but the Holy Spirit? It
appears then that the ungodly so cry, that they only violently
contend with God: but this is not the right way of praying. It is
therefore no wonder that God rejects their clamors. The ungodly do
indeed at times pour forth a flood of prayers and call on God's name
with the mouth; but at the same time they are, as we have said, full
of perverseness, and they never really humble themselves before God.
Since then they pour forth their prayers from a bitter and a proud
heart, this is the reason why the Prophet says now, that the Lord
would not then hear, but hide his face from them at that time,
inasmuch as they acted perversely.
He shows here that God would not be reconciled to men wholly
irreclaimable, who could not be restored by any means to the right
way. But when any one falls [and repents] he will ever find God
propitious to him, as soon as he cries to him; but when with
obstinate minds we pursue our own course, and give no place to
repentance, we close up the door of mercy against ourselves; and so
what the Prophet teaches here necessarily takes place, - the Lord
hides his face in the day of distress. And we also hear what the
Scripture says, - that judgment will be without mercy to those who
are not merciful, (James 2: 11.) Hence if any one be inexorable to
his brethren, (as we see at this day many tyrants to be, and we also
see many in the middle class to be of the same tyrannical and wholly
sanguinary disposition,) he will at length ,whoever he may be, meet
with that judgment which Micah here denounces. The sentence then is
not to be taken in a general sense, as though he had said, that the
Lord would not be reconciled to the wicked; but he points out
especially those irreclaimable men, who had wholly hardened
themselves, so that they had become, as we have already seen,
altogether inflexible. The Prophet now comes to his second reproof.
Micah 3:5
Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err,
that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not
into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.
Micah accuses here the Prophets, in the first place, of avarice
and of a desire for filthy lucre. But he begins by saying that he
spoke by God's command, and as it were from his mouth, in order that
his combination might have more weight and power. "Thus then saith
Jehovah against the Prophets": and he calls them the deceivers of
the people: but at the same time he points out the source of the
evil, that is, why or by what passion they were instigated to
deceive, and that was, because the desire of gain had wholly
possessed them, so that they made no difference between what was
true and what was false, but only sought to please for the sake of
gain. And he shows also, on the other hand, that they were so
covetous of gain, that they declared war, if any one did not feed
them. And God repeats again the name of his people: this had escaped
my notice lately in observing on the words of Micah, that the
princes devoured the flesh of God's people; for the indignity was
increased when this wrong, was done to the people of God. Had the
Assyrians, or the Ethiopians, or the Egyptians, been pillaged by
their princes, it would have been more tolerable; but when the very
people of God were thus devoured, it was, as I have said, less to be
borne. So when the people of God were deceived, and the truth was
turned to a lie, it was a sacrilege the more hateful.
This then was the reason why he said, "Who deceive my people".
"This people is sacred to me, for I have chosen them for myself; as
then they are destroyed by frauds and deceptions, is not my majesty
in a manner dishonored - is not my authority lessened?" We now then
see the reason why the Prophet says, They deceive my people. It is
indeed certain, that the Jews were worthy of such deceptions; and
God elsewhere declares, that whenever he permitted false prophets to
come among them, it was to try them to see what sort of people they
were, (Deut. 13.) It was then their just reward, when liberty was
given to Satan to prevent sound doctrine among the people. And no
one is ever deceived, except through his own will. Though their own
simplicity seems to draw many to destruction, yet there is ever in
them some hypocrisy. But it does not extenuate the sin of false
teachers, that the people deserve such a punishment: and hence the
Prophet still goes on with his reproof and says, that they were the
people of God, - in what respect? By adoption. Though then the Jews
had rendered themselves unworthy of such an honor, yet God counts
them his people, that he might punish the wickedness of the false
teachers, of which he now accuses them. It now follows, that they
did bite with their teeth. But I cannot finish today.
Prayer.
Grant, Almighty God, that as thou wouldest have the image of thy
justice to shine in princes, and whom thou arrest with the sword,
that they might rule in thy name, and be really thy ministers, - O
grant, that this thy blessing may openly appear among us, and that
by this evidence thou mayest testify that thou art not only
propitious to us, but hadst also a care for our safety, and watches
over our welfare and well-being: and do thou so shine by thy word,
that it may never be obscured or clouded among us through any
depraved cupidity, but ever retain its own clear purity, so that we
may proceed in the right path of salvation, which thou hast
discovered and prescribed, until we be at length gathered into thy
celestial kingdom, to enjoy that eternal inheritance, which has been
procured for us by the blood of thy only-begotten Son. Amen.
Calvin, Commentary on Micah, Part 5
(continued in part 6...)
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