Calvin, Commentary on Micah, Part 4
(... continued from part 3)
Lecture Eighty-fourth.
Micah 2:7
O [thou that art] named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the
LORD straitened? [are] these his doings? do not my words do good to
him that walketh uprightly?
The Prophet now reproves the Israelites with greater severity,
because they attempted to impose a law on God and on his prophets
and would not endure the free course of instruction. He told us in
the last verse, that the Israelites were inflated with so much
presumption, that they wished to make terms with God: "Let him not
prophesy" they said, as though it were in the power of man to rule
God: and the Prophet now repeats, "Is the Spirit of Jehovah
straitened?" as though he said, "Ye see the intent of your
presumption, and how far it proceeds; for ye wish to subject God's
Spirit to yourselves and to your own pleasure." The prophets
doubtless did not speak of themselves, but by the bidding and
command of God. Since then the prophets were the organs of the Holy
Spirit, whosoever attempted to silence them, usurped to himself an
authority over God himself, and in a manner tried to make captive
his Spirit: for what power can belong to the Spirit, except he be at
liberty to reprove the vices of men, and condemn whatever is opposed
to God's justice? When this is taken away, there is no more any
jurisdiction left to the Holy Spirit. We now then see what the
Prophet means in this place: he shows how mad a presumption it was
in the Israelites to attempt to impose silence on the prophets, as
though they had a right to rule the Spirit of God, and to force him
to submission.
"Is the Spirit of Jehovah straitened?" And this mode of
speaking ought to be noticed, for it possesses no ordinary emphasis;
inasmuch as the Prophets by this reproof; recalls the attention of
these perverse men to the author of his teaching; as though he had
said, that the wrong was not done to men, that war was not carried
on with them, when instruction is prohibited, but that God is robbed
of his own rights and that his liberty is taken away, so that he is
not allowed to execute his judgment in the world by the power of his
Spirit.
And farther, the Prophet here ironically reproves the
Israelites, when he says, "O thou who art called the house of Jacob,
is the Spirit of Jehovah reduced to straits?" For if heathens, who
have never known the teaching of religion, and to whom no heavenly
mysteries have been revealed, had said, that they would have nothing
to do with the prophets, it would have been much more endurable; for
what wonder would it be for ignorant men to repudiate all
instruction? But it was monstrous for the Israelites, who gloried in
the name of God, to dare to rise up so rebelliously against the
prophets: they always boasted of their own race, as though they
surpassed all the rest of the world, and were a holy nations
separated from all others. Hence the Prophet says, "Ye wish to be
called the house of Jacob; what is your excellency and dignity,
except that you have been chosen by God to be his peculiar people?
If then you have been habituated to the teaching of God, what fury
and madness it is, that you cannot bear his prophets, but wish to
close their mouths?" We now then see the point of this irony, when
the Prophet says that they were called the house of Jacob. He seems
at the same time to intimate, in an indirect way, that they were a
spurious race. As they were called by other prophets, Amorites and
Sodomites: even so in this place the Prophet says, "Ye are indeed
the house of Jacob, but it is only as to the name." They were in
reality so degenerated, that they falsely pretended the name of the
holy patriarch; yea, they falsely and mendaciously boasted of their
descent from holy men, though they were nothing else but as it were
rotten members. Inasmuch then as they had so departed from the
religion of Abraham and of other fathers, the Prophet says, "Thou
art indeed called what thou art not."
He afterwards adds, "Are these his works?" Here he brings the
Israelites to the proof, as though he said, "How comes it, that the
prophets are so troublesome and grievous to you, except that they
sharply reprove you, and denounce on you the judgment of God? But
God is in a manner forced, except he was to change his nature, to
treat you thus sharply and severely. Ye boast that you are his
people, but how do you live? Are these his works? that is, do you
lead a life, and form your conduct according to the law laid down by
him? But as your life does not in any degree correspond with what
God requires, it is no wonder that the prophets handle you so
roughly. For God remains the same, ever like himself; but ye are
perfidious, and have wholly repudiated the covenant he has made with
you. Then this asperity, of which ye are wont to complain, ought not
to be deemed unjust to you."
He then subjoins, "Are not my words good to him who walks
uprightly?" Here the Prophet more distinctly shows, why he had
before asked, Whether their works were those of the Lord; for he
compares their life with the doctrine, which on account of its
severity displeased them; they said that the words of the prophets
were too rigid. God here answers, that his words were gentle and
kind, and therefore pleasant, that is, to the pious and good; and
that hence the fault was in them, when he treated them less kindly
than they wished. The import of the whole then is, that the word of
God, as it brings life and salvation to man, is in its own nature
gracious, and cannot be either bitter, or hard, or grievous to the
pious and the good, for God unfolds in it the riches of his
goodness.
We hence see that God here repudiates the impious calumny that
was cast on his word; as though he had said, that the complaints
which prevailed among the people were false; for they transferred
the blame of their own wickedness to the word of God. They said that
God was too severe: but God here declares that he was gentle and
kind, and that the character of his word was the same, provided men
were tractable, and did not, through their perverseness, extort from
him anything else than what he of himself wished. And the same thing
David means in Psalm 18, when he says that God is perverse with the
perverse: for in that passage he intimates, that he had experienced
the greatest goodness from God, inasmuch as he had rendered himself
docile and obedient to him. On the contrary, he says, God is
perverse with the perverse; that is, when he sees men obstinately
resisting and hardening their necks, he then puts on as it were a
new character, and deals perversely with them, that is, severely, as
their stubbornness deserves; as for a hard knot, according to a
common proverb, a hard wedge is necessary. We now then perceive the
meaning of this passage, that God's words are good to those who walk
uprightly; that is they breathe the sweetest odour, and bring
nothing else but true and real joy: for when can there be complete
happiness, except when God embraces us in the bosom of his love? But
the testimony respecting this love is brought to us by his word. The
fault then is in us, and ought to be imputed to us, if the word of
God is not delightful to us.
Some expound this whole passage differently, as though the
Prophet relates here what was usually at that time the boast of the
Israelites. They hence think that it is a narrative in which he
represents their sentiments; as though the Prophet introduced here
the ungodly and the rebellious animating one another in their
contempt of God's word, "O thou who art called the house of Jacob,
is the Spirit of Jehovah straitened?" Hypocrites, we know, are so
blind and intoxicated by a false confidence, that they hesitate not
heedlessly to abuse all the favors of God. As then God had conferred
a great excellency on his people, they thus emboldened one another,
- "Are we not the children and posterity of Abraham? What will it
avail us to be a holy and chosen race, and the peculiar people of
God, and a royal priesthood, if we are to be thus unkindly treated?
We find that these prophets shamefully reprove us: where is our
dignity, except we show that we have more privileges than other
nations?" These interpreters therefore think the meaning to be this,
- that they make a show of their own privileges, that they might
with more liberty reject every instruction, and shake off every
yoke. And when it is said, Is the Spirit of God diminished? these
interpreters regard this as meaning, that they were satisfied with
the solemn promise of God, and that as they were a holy race, they
now superciliously despised all the prophets, - "Is the Spirit of
God dead, who was formerly the interpreter of the everlasting
covenant, which God made with us? Has he not testified that we
should be to him a holy and elect people? Why then do ye now attempt
to reduce to nothing this sacred declaration of the Holy Spirit,
which is inviolable?" It is then added, Are these his works? "Ye
talk of nothing but of threats and destruction; ye denounce on us
numberless calamities: but God is beneficent and kind in his nature,
patient and merciful; and ye represent him to us as a tyrant; but
this view is wholly inconsistent with the nature of God." And, in
the last place, God subjoins, as these interpreters think, an
exception, - "All these are indeed true, if faithfulness exists
among you, and the authority of my word continues; for my words are
good, but not to all without any difference: be upright and sincere,
and ye shall find me dealing kindly, gently, tenderly, and
pleasantly with you: then my rigor will cease, which now through my
word so much offends and exasperates you."
This meaning may in some measure be admitted; but as it is hard
to be understood, we ought to retain the former, it being more easy
and flowing. There is nothing strained in the view, that the Prophet
derides the foolish arrogance of the people, who thought that they
were sheltered by this privilege, that they were the holy seed of
Abraham. The Prophet answers that this titular superiority did not
deprive God of his right, and prevent him to exercise his power by
the Spirit. "O thou then who art called the house of Jacob; but only
as far as the title goes: the Spirit of God is not reduced to
straits. But if thou boastest thyself to be the peculiar people of
God, are these thy works the works of God? Does thy life correspond
with what he requires? There is no wonder then that God chastises
you so severely by his word, for there is not in you the spirit of
docility, which allows the exercise of his kindness."
But though the Prophet here upbraids the ancient people with
ingratitude, yet this truth is especially useful to us, which God
declares, when he says that his word is good and sweet to all the
godly. Let us then learn to become submissive to God, and then he
will convey to us by his word nothing but sweetness, nothing but
delights; we shall then find nothing more desirable than to be fed
by this spiritual food; and it will ever be a real joy to us,
whenever the Lord will open his mouth to teach us. But when at any
time the word of the Lord goads and wounds, and thus exasperates us,
let us know that it is through our own fault. It follows -
Micah 2:8
Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe
with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from
war.
As the words of the Prophet are concise, they contain some
obscurity. Hence interpreters differ. First, as to the word
"'etmul", some think it to be one word, others divide it into "'et"
and "mul", which means, over against, opposite; and they regard it
of the same import with "mimul", which immediately follows. But as
the repetition would be frigid, the Prophet no doubt intended that
it should be taken here in its proper sense, and its meaning is
yesterday. But this time is not strictly taken by the Hebrews, for
they take yesterday as meaning the past time, even when many years
have elapsed. I have therefore rendered it "formerly", which suits
this place. There is also another difference as to the sense of the
text, for some think that this "'etmul", is to be joined to the verb
"komem"; but it is rather to be connected with the word "'ami", "My
people formerly". There is another diversity, that is, as to the
term "'oyev", for some apply it to God, and others to the people;
that they rose up or stood one against another. For this verb is
explained in two ways: some view it as a verb neuter, "They stand
against the enemy;" and others render it, "They rise up against the
enemy;" and this second meaning is most approved, and harmonizes
best with the context.
I will now refer to what I consider to be the real meaning. The
Prophet, in the first place, says, that the people were formerly
under the power and government of God, but that now they were become
wholly alienated from him. "Formerly, then, it was my people", as
though God now renounced all friendship with them. "I have hitherto
owned you as my people, but hereafter I shall have nothing to do
with you, for the whole authority of my word is by you entirely
abolished; ye have violated your faith: in short, as you have
destroyed my covenant, ye have ceased to be my people; for whatever
favor I have conferred on you, you have deprived yourselves of it by
your wickedness; and though I have adopted you, yet your wickedness
now strips you of this privilege." This is one thing.
It then follows, "They have risen up as against an enemy." I
consider a note of likeness to be here understood. The Prophet says
simply, Against an enemy have they risen up; but I regard the
meaning to be, that they had risen up as against an enemy; that is
that they had made God, their best father, their enemy, inasmuch as
they had by their crimes provoked his displeasure. He then confirms
this truth by saying, that they practiced robberies among
themselves. We indeed know that hypocrites ever hide themselves
under their religious rites, and spread them forth as their shield
whenever they are reproved. Hence the Prophet says, that they were
not to be deemed the people of God for spending their labors on
sacrifices, for they were at the same time robbers, and plundered
innocent men.
"The garment of comeliness", he says, or, the garment and the
cloak, (about such words I do not labour much,) "they take away from
those who pass by securely;" that is from all who are peaceable. For
when there is a suspicion of war, or when a traveler does any
mischief, he rightly deserves to be punished. But the Prophet says
here, that they were robbed, who passed by securely as though they
were in a safe country. "When travelers fear nothing, ye strip them
of their garments, as though they were returning from war: as they
are wont, when war is over, to seize on spoils wherever found, and
no one can keep his own; so now, during peace, ye take to yourselves
the same liberty, as though all things were exposed to plunder, and
ye were in a hostile country, lately the scene of warfare."
We now then perceive the meaning of the Prophet. He first
intimates that the people were now rejected by God, for they had
rendered themselves, by their most abandoned life, wholly unworthy
of his benefits; and at the same time he reproves their ingratitude
that having been the people of God, they choose to make war with him
rather than to observe the covenant which he had made for their
safety; for it was a most shameful wickedness in them, since they
had been chosen from the whole world to be a peculiar people, to
prefer going to war with God rather than to live quietly under his
protection. And that they did rise up against God he proves, for
they gave themselves up to robberies; they plundered, even during
times of peace, which circumstance greatly aggravated their
wickedness. It now follows -
Micah 2:9
The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses;
from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.
He proceeds with the same subject, that they refrained from no
acts of injustice. It was indeed a proof of extreme barbarity not to
spare women and children, for they are both weak and helpless. Their
sex exempts women from violence, and their age, children. Even in
wars, women, and also children, escape in safety. We hence see that
the Prophet, by stating a part for the whole, proves here that the
people had addicted themselves to cruelty really barbarous; they
were not restrained from exercising it, no, not even on women and
children. Since it was so, it follows, that their boast of being the
chosen people was vain and fallacious.
House of delights he ascribes to the women who, being the
weaker sex, prefer being at home and in the shade, rather than going
abroad. The more necessary it was that their recesses should remain
safe to them. Now, what was taken away from the children, God calls
it his ornament; for his blessing, poured forth on children, is the
mirror of his glory: he therefore condemns this plunder as a
sacrilege. The word "le'olam" designates the continuance of their
crimes, as though he had said, that they were cruel without ever
showing any repentance. Now it follows -
Micah 2:10
Arise ye, and depart; for this [is] not [your] rest: because it is
polluted, it shall destroy [you], even with a sore destruction.
Here again the Prophet checks the foolish confidence of the
people. The land of Canaan, we know, had been honored by God with
the distinction of being a rest; yea God called it, not only the
rest of the people, but also his own rest, 'I have sworn in my
wrath, if they shall enter into my rest,' (Ps. 95: 12.) The land of
Canaan then was a sort of rest, hidden under the wings of God; for
the Lord had assigned it as an inheritance to his chosen people. As
God then dwelt in that land, and had also given it to the children
of Abraham, that they might rest there in safety, and as this was
also one of the blessings contained in the Law, hypocrites said,
pursuing their usual course of falsely and groundlessly claiming to
themselves the favors of God, that they could not be thence
expelled, and that those Prophets were falsifiers who dared to
change any thing in God's covenant. This is the reason why the
Prophet now says,
"Arise, depart; this is not your rest". "False confidence," he
says, "deceives you, as ye think that ye are inseparably fixed in
your habitation. God indeed has made such a promise, but this
condition was added, - If ye will stand faithful to his covenant.
Now ye are become covenant-breakers: ye think that he is fast bound
to you; all the cords are loosened; for as ye have perfidiously
departed from the Law of God, there is now no reason for you to
think that he is under any obligation to you. There is then no
ground for you to boast of being a holy people; you have indeed the
name, but the reality has ceased to be: therefore arise and depart:
but to sit still securely and proudly will avail you nothing, for
God will now drive you afar off: and I now declare to you that you
must arise and depart, for ye cannot rest in this land against the
will of God: and God will now thrust you out of it." We now perceive
the real meaning of the Prophet.
He afterwards adds, "For it is polluted; he will scatter you
with violent scattering." Here again he vindicates God from their
calumny and ungodly murmurings. We indeed know how difficult it was
to bring down that people, who were steeped in so great a
perverseness. And we find that the Prophet had a hard contest with
the hypocrites, for the multitude had ever this language in their
mouths, - "What! is it of no moment that God has favored us with so
many and so remarkable promises? Is our adoption nothing but a
mockery? Has he in vain given us this land by an hereditary right?
"Since then hypocrites thus brought forward their privileges in
opposition to God, and yet abused them, it was necessary to convince
them to the contrary, and this is what the Prophet does here, - "Ye
call," he says, "this land your rest, but how do you rest in it? God
has commanded you to observe the Sabbath, for he dwells among you to
sanctify you: but ye live disorderly, and carry on war with God
himself: have not your pollutions obliterated that holy rest, which
has been enjoined on you by God? Ye then see that this change has
happened through your fault, that is, that God has ceased to call
this land, as he was wont formerly to do, your and his own rest. It
is not then your rest; he will therefore scatter you with violent or
strong scattering: Ye in vain promise to yourselves rest in this
land, since ye carry on war with God, and cease not to provoke his
wrath against you." It follows -
Micah 2:11
If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, [saying], I
will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even
be the prophet of this people.
The Prophet points out here another vice by which the people
were infected - that they wished to be soothed with flatteries: for
all the ungodly think that they are in a manner exempt from God's
judgment, when they hear no reproof; yea they think themselves
happy, when they get flatterers, who are indulgent to their vices.
This is now the disease which the Prophet discovers as prevailing
among the people. Jerome sought out a meaning quite different here,
as in the former verses; but I will not stop to refute him, for it
is enough to give the real meaning of the Prophet. But as before he
rendered women, princes, and thus perverted entirely the meaning, so
he says here, "I would I were a vain Prophet, that is, walking in
vanity, and mendacious;" as though Micah said "I wish I were false
in denouncing on you the calamities of which I speak; for I would
rather announce to you something joyful and favorable: but I cannot
do this, for the Lord commands what is different." But there is
nothing of this kind in the words of the Prophet. Let us then return
to the text.
"If a man walks in the spirit, and deceitfully lies," &c.
Almost all interpreters agree in this, - that to walk in the spirit,
is to announce any thing proudly and presumptuously; and they take
spirit for wind or for deceits. But I doubt not, but that to walk in
the spirit was then a common mode of speaking, to set forth the
exercise of the prophetic office. When therefore any one was a
Prophet, or one who discharged that office, or sustained the
character of a teacher, he professed himself to have been sent from
above. The Prophets were indeed formerly called the men of the
spirit, and for this reason, because they adduced nothing from
themselves or from their own heads; but only delivered faithfully,
as from hand to hand, what they had received from God. To walk in
the spirit then means, in my view, the same thing as to profess the
office of a teacher. When therefore any one professed the office of
a teacher, what was he to do? "If I," says Micah, "being endued with
the Spirit, and called to teach, wished to ingratiate myself with
you, and preached that there would be an abundant increase of wine
and strong drink, all would applaud me; for if any one promises
these things, he becomes the prophet of this people."
In short, Micah intimates that the Israelites rejected all
sound doctrine, for they sought nothing but flatteries, and wished
to be cherished in their vices; yea, they desired to be deceived by
false adulation to their own ruin. It hence appears that they were
not the people they wished to be deemed, that is, the people of God:
for the first condition in God's covenant was, - that he should rule
among his people. Inasmuch then as these men would not endure to be
governed by Divine power, and wished to have full and unbridled
liberty, it was the same as though they had banished God far from
them. Hence, by this proof, the Prophet shows that they had wholly
departed from God, and had no intercourse with him. If there be then
any man walking in the spirit, let him, he says, keep far from the
truth; for he will not otherwise be borne by this people. - How so?
Because they will not have honest and faithful teachers. What is
then to be done? Let flatterers come, and promise them plenty of
wine and strong drink, and they will be their best teachers, and be
received with great applause: in short, the suitable teachers of
that people were the ungodly; the people could no longer bear the
true Prophets; their desire was to have flatterers who were
indulgent to all their corruptions.
Prayer.
Grant, Almighty God, that since we cannot otherwise really profit by
thy word, than by having all our thoughts and affections subjected
to thee, and offered to thee as a sacrifice, - O grant, that we may
suffer thee, by the sound of thy word, so to pierce through every
thing within us, that being dead in ourselves, we may live to thee,
and never suffer flatteries to become our ruin but that we may, on
the contrary, patiently endure reproofs, however bitter they may be,
only let them serve to us as medicine, by which our inward vices may
be cleansed, until at length being thoroughly cleansed and formed
into new creatures, we may, by a pious and holy life, really glorify
thy name, and be received into that celestial glory, which has been
purchased for us by the blood of thy only-begotten Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ. Amen.
Calvin, Commentary on Micah, Part 4
(continued in part 5...)
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