MICAH CHAPTER 7 The church, complaining of the scarcity of good men, MICAH 7:1,2, and the general corruption, MICAH 7:3,4, putteth not confidence in man, but in God, MICAH 7:5. She triumpheth in hopes of restoration after affliction, MICAH 7:8. She prayeth to God, MICAH 7:4. God answereth her with p... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GOOD MAN; who loves and is kind to men in need, and is so from the sense of God's goodness, and in a designed imitation of God, is godly in the frame of his heart and course of life towards God, and beneficent to men for God's sake. IS PERISHED; is dead and gone, and left no heir of his godlike... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THEY MAY DO EVIL WITH BOTH HANDS EARNESTLY: as we render the words, their plain sense will be, that all their diligence, that with both hands they can use, is to set forward evil and mischief. Possibly this clause might bear this reading, _Both hands are towards evil_; and then the following cl... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BEST; among all naught, who is least naught passeth for best; and so must it be here, not one good, but the least evil man is by the prophet called the best. OF THEM; of people, prophets, judges, great men, and princes. IS AS A BRIER; mischievous and hurtful to all that meddle with them; and per... [ Continue Reading ]
TRUST YE NOT IN A FRIEND: most prodigiously treacherous were the people of that age, and since none upright, all lay in wait for blood, and were turned hunters of brethren, it is but necessary caution that they trust no friendship. A GUIDE; either a governor, who ought to guide; or equal, who being... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR: the prophet here gives us a reason of his advice to be wary how and whom they trust. THE SON; who received his being, maintenance, education, and inherits the honour as well as estate of his father; the son, obliged by most inviolable laws to please, preserve, and honour his father, DISHONOURET... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE, since times are so calamitous, and all sorts of men are so perfidious, since no sure comfort or relief from those that are nearest relations, and should be dearest friends, I WILL LOOK; as one set in a watch-tower looks round about, and diligently observes all that stirreth; so will the p... [ Continue Reading ]
The prophet in this verse personates the church, and brings her in bespeaking the enemy in this manner: REJOICE NOT; let it be no pleasure or matter of glorying to time, that the day of calamity hath overtaken me. AGAINST ME; Israel of God, the remnant, the faithful, which are the church of God. O M... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL BEAR, patiently and submissively, the indignation of the Lord; the just and chastising anger of the Lord, in the effects of it upon me. BECAUSE I HAVE SINNED AGAINST HIM, greatly, continually, both against his law and the precepts thereof, and against his love and the effects thereof. Judah w... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN; in the time of this hoped deliverance, when God shall, as I expect he will, plead my cause. MINE ENEMY; what nation or people soever, whether Assyria, Edom, or Babylon, or whoever. SHALL SEE; as they did when Hezekiah was miraculously saved, and Jerusalem with him, out of the hand of the Assyr... [ Continue Reading ]
These words are variously expounded, but the plainest and most suiting with the letter and history to me seems to be this: IN THE DAY THAT THY WALLS ARE TO BE BUILT; O Jerusalem, the days shall certainly come, that thy walls, overthrown and razed by the Babylonians, shall be rebuilt; which was first... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY, after the Jews return out of captivity, and Jerusalem rebuilt, he who is of Jewish race, and proselyted Gentile, SHALL COME EVEN TO THEE, O Jerusalem, seat of God's solemn worship, type of the gospel church, restored to thy promised glory. FROM ASSYRIA; in which many Israelites were fou... [ Continue Reading ]
NOTWITHSTANDING, Heb. _And_, but well rendered here _Not-withstanding_, viz. these promises of restitution, and gathering in the dispersed Jews, &c., which took not place till more than two hundred years after they were first made by the Lord to his people; accounting thus, one hundred and thirty-th... [ Continue Reading ]
That this verse contains good tidings to the people of God, both to his ancient people, type of his church in gospel days, and to the church of the converted Gentiles, is agreed on all hands, for they are either a direction and command to those God doth appoint by office to be shepherds over his flo... [ Continue Reading ]
These words are by all looked on as the answer made to the prayer made in the 14th verse. You Jews do often reflect on the wonders your fathers saw in Egypt some hundreds of years since, and some of you think that such wonders would both establish your hope and engage your obedience for ever to God,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NATIONS; the heathen, enemies to the Jews, as PSALMS 126:1. SHALL SEE AND BE CONFOUNDED; amazed at what they see and know done amongst these nations for the deliverance of his people. The enemy shall neither be able to bear the sight, nor deny the certainly of the thing; it will make them enviou... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY, the proud and cruel enemies of Israel, the Babylonians, shall lick the dust; in the most submissive, servile manner testify their subjection, promise to serve and honour the Jews released out of captivity: it is an expression which alludes to the servile manner of those Eastern complimenters,... [ Continue Reading ]
Lest what hath been spoken of this wonderful change in the affairs of the Jews should on one hand be thought to be made for the righteousness or worthiness of this people, or else on the other hand should seem too great to be done for a sinful people, and so any should doubt whether it should be don... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WILL TURN AGAIN; spoken after the manner of man, who in his anger went away resolved to right himself, but on second thoughts, laying aside his anger, turns again to be reconciled and forgive. So the next words explain these. HE WILL HAVE COMPASSION UPON US; with tender bowels he will show himsel... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU, O God of mercy, wisdom, power, and faithfulness, whoever are honoured with being thine instruments and servants in doing somewhat herein, the work is thine, thou wilt raise up a deliverer, Cyrus shall be thine anointed to do this great work. WILT PERFORM, Heb. _give_, actually bestow what thou... [ Continue Reading ]