Micah 7
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CHAPTER 7
Israel’s Misery (7:1–7)
1–4 Micah begins this last chapter on a gloomy note. The northern kingdom of Israel is about to fall to the Assyrians; the southern kingdom (Judah) is mostly ungodly and corrupt. All around Micah, society is crumbling. And yet, beginning at verse 7, Micah expresses hope in God, and he ends the book with one of the greatest statements of faith and hope in the entire Old Testament.
But first Micah, speaking for the faithful remnant of Israel, laments that there are no godly people left in the land (verse 2); looking for the godly is like looking for fruit and finding none (verse 1). Everyone who is left does evil, especially the leaders—the ruler and the judge (verse 3). The best of the people are like “briers” that cut and scratch (verse 4). The day of your watchmen (the day of judgment) has come, says Micah; the watchmen were the prophets of Israel who warned of impending judgment (Jeremiah 6:17; Ezekiel 3:17). Here the day of judgment is called the day God visits you (verse 4). For the Israelites, that day—the time of their confusion, the time of exile—had come.
5–7 Even close family relationships are falling apart, says Micah; a man’s enemies are the members of his own household23 (verses 5–6). But even though Israel’s situation is terrible, Micah does not give up hope in God (verse 7). Although all those around him are unfaithful, Micah knows that God will always be faithful to His covenant and to the faithful remnant of His people.
Israel Will Rise (7:8–13)
8–10 In these verses, the faithful remnant of Israel (personified) is speaking to its enemy (other nations). The remnant says, “Though I have fallen, I will rise” (verse 8). Micah sees ahead to the fall of both Israel and Judah (the northern and southern kingdoms).
The remnant, the faithful Israelites, confess that they have sinned and they accept their punishment. They are confident that in the end the Lord will plead their case and establish their right (verse 9); that is, He will vindicate them. They will see the Lord’s righteousness, His faithfulness to His covenant people. Then their enemy will be ashamed; she (Assyria or Babylon) will ultimately be trampled underfoot24 (verse 10).
11–13 Here Micah speaks to the remnant,which has now been vindicated by God. Micah is looking ahead not only to the end of the Exile but also to the final restoration of Israel and the establishment of the Messianic kingdom. In that day the nation of Israel will become great (verse 12); people will come to [Israel] from Assyria and . . . Egypt, which here represent all Gentile nations.25 And then the earth will become desolate because of the sins of its remaining inhabitants (verse 13); this will happen at the end of history when this present world is destroyed (see 2 Peter 3:10–13; Revelation 20:11–15).
Prayer and Praise (7:14–20)
14–15 Micah again speaks on behalf of the remnant; he asks God to shepherd His people, both Jews and Gentiles. After all, His people are the flock of [His] inheritance (verse 14)—that is, they belong to Him; they are His treasured possession (Exodus 19:5–6). Micah asks that God’s “flock” be allowed once again to feed in Bashan and Gilead, symbols of abundance and prosperity.
God replies that He will indeed show wonders on behalf of His people, as He did when He brought them out of Egypt (verse 15).
16–17 When the nations see God’s power and goodness, they will be ashamed (verse 16), and they will turn to God in fear (verse 17).
18–20 These final verses offer words of praise that form a fitting conclusion to the entire book. Who is a God like you? There is no other god like our God. He pardons sin; He forgives the transgression of His people (verse 18). Why? Because He loves us and wants to save us from the penalty of sin, which is death (see Exodus 34:6–7; John 3:16; Romans 6:23). He will tread our sins underfoot and remember them no more (see Isaiah 38:17; Jeremiah 31:34).
Finally, says Micah, God will be true to the promises He gave JACOB and ABRAHAM in days long ago (verse 20). God promised them that their descendants would be as numerous as the dust of the earth and the stars of heaven (Genesis 13:14–17; 22:1718; 28:13–15). He promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations (Genesis 17:6–8). And today these great promises apply to Gentile believers (Acts 2:39): we are those nations; we are the remnant. We are the spiritual descendants of Abraham through faith in Christ (see 1 Peter 2:5,9). We are God’s people and He is our God (2 Corinthians 6:16; Hebrews 8:10). The church of Christ shares Micah’s faith and hope:the Lord will indeed come again and establish His kingdom, and all the nations will turn in fear to the LORD our God (verse 17).
1 Here the two capital cities, Samaria and Jerusalem, represent the northern and southern kingdoms; the capitals are singled out because they were centers of evil. But God’s judgment will fall on all of Israel, not just on these two cities.
2 The Lord will witness against the nations from His holy temple (verse 2)–that is, His heavenly
“temple,” His dwelling place (verse 3).
3 The names Jacob and Israel are usually used interchangeably in the Old Testament; both were names for Jacob, the founding patriarch of the nation of Israel (Genesis 32:27–28), and hence both names are used for the nation he founded. After the nation was divided, however, the name Jacob (Israel) was applied primarily to the northern kingdom, as here in verse 5. But in other places, the name Jacob or Israel is used for the whole nation; the meaning must be determined by the context.
4 Twenty years after Israel was conquered, the Assyrians invaded Judah (the southern kingdom), but Jerusalem was miraculously spared by God’s direct intervention (see 2 Kings 18:13; 19:35–36).
5 Although the Philistines had largely been subdued by King David and had been incorporated into Judah, they still inhabited their former cities, one of which was Gath.
6 In verses 11–15, Micah gives additional examples of towns facing judgment, whose names sound like other Hebrew words.
Verse 11:the people of Shaphir (pleasant) will not find it pleasant when they walk into exile in nakedness and shame; those who live in Zaanan (come out) will not dare come out of their houses.
Verse 12:those in Maroth (bitter) will feel the bitterness of pain without relief, because disaster has come. Notice that Micah is so confident of his prophecy that he speaks as if it had already happened.
Verse 13:the people of Lachish (team) are told to harness the team so they can escape. The sins of Lachish contributed to the judgment that was to fall on the Daughter of Zion (Jerusalem and her inhabitants).
Verse 14: Moresheth Gath, Micah’s hometown (verse 1), will be given parting gifts before it is separated from Judah. The town of Aczib (deception) will prove deceptive; that is, it will cease to exist.
Verse 15: the Lord will bring a conqueror (Assyria or Babylon) against those who live in Mareshah (conqueror). The glory of Israel (God Himself) will come to Adullam in judgment. Adullam was the name of a cave to which David fled (1 Samuel 22:1); therefore, some scholars believe the “glory” of Israel means the “people” of Israel (see Hosea 9:11), who will have to flee just as David fled.
7 The promised land (Canaan) was God’s special gift to His people; it was originally distributed to the Israelite tribes by lot (see Numbers 26:52–56; Joshua 14:1–5). The Israelites were given the land as a trust: as long as they heeded God’s covenant requirements they could enjoy the land. But if they disobeyed God, they would forfeit both the land and all the other blessings promised to God’s covenant people (see Exodus 19:5–6; Leviticus 26:3–39 and comments).
8 God is not against those who become rich as a result of hard work and honesty, and who are kind and generous to those in need. And He does not take the side of people who are poor because of laziness or other sinful habits. What God wants is for everyone to have a fair and equal opportunity; He is against every kind of oppression and injustice.
9 The restoration of the Israelites to their own land took place in a preliminary way when the Jewish exiles returned from Babylon beginning in 538 B.C. However, the complete fulfillment of the Lord’s promise in verse 12 will take place only in the Messianic age when a king (the Messiah) establishes His kingdom on earth.
For further discussion of the Messianic age and about the interpretation of prophecies that relate to it, see Isaiah 32:14–18; 35:1–4; 60:1–3; Joel 1:15; 2:28–32 and comments.
10 Jeremiah quoted verse 12 a century later to show the people of Jerusalem that their judgment was near at hand (Jeremiah 26:18). Judgment came in 586 B.C., when the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and its temple (2 Kings 25:1–21).
11 The last days can mean any time in the future. Whether the writer means the “near future” or the “distant future” can usually be determined from the context. Here in this chapter, Micah is clearly referring to days in the more distant future. For further discussion, see comment on Joel 2:32.
12 Verses 1–3 are also found in the book of Isaiah; it is not certain which prophet originally wrote these verses or whether they both quoted from a third source. It doesn’t matter; it was God’s Holy Spirit who was ultimately the source of these verses. For further comment on verses 1–3, see Isaiah 2:1–4 and comment.
13 In verse 5, Micah does not imply that it’s okay for pagan nations to walk in the name of their gods; he only says that they likely will choose to do so. This, of course, is what has happened throughout history. But when Jesus comes again, all nations will be obliged to submit to Him (see Philippians 2:9–11).
14 To walk in the name of the Lord means to trust Him, worship Him, and obey Him.
15 For the meaning of redeem, see Exodus 13:11–16 and comment; Word List: Redemption.
16 Ephrathah is the ancient name for Bethlehem; it also signifies the region around Bethlehem. Bethlehem was the birthplace of David (see 1 Samuel 17:12); thus, through a common birthplace, Micah establishes a connection between King David and the Messianic ruler yet to come (see Matthew 2:3–6). Though the royal line of David had become corrupt and would be cut down like a tree, another line from the family of David and his father Jesse would survive; and from that line the Messiah would come—like a shoot . . . from the stump of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1).
17 She who is in labor (verse 3) is a personification of either Bethlehem or “abandoned” Israel, or both; through the Exile and the loss of its king, Israel suffered like a woman in labor (Micah 4:10). The one “in labour” could also refer to Mary, the mother of the Messiah; all these meanings are possible.
18 The ruler’s brothers are the followers of Christ, both Jews and Gentiles, who through faith become the new spiritual Israel, the restored people of God.
19 Note in verse 5 that God will raise up seven shepherds (the perfect number)—even eight (even more than enough)!
20 The expression to walk humbly with . . . God sums up the godly life, the Christian life. It means to be in a right relationship with God, to be in fellowship with God. In Genesis 6:9, we are told that Noah was righteous and blameless—and that he walked with God. Noah’s righteousness and blamelessness grew out of his walk with God. Our walk (our relationship) with God is what determines our behavior. . . . if we walk in the light, as [God] is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus . . . purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7).
21 Today God’s covenant people are Christians; God has made a new covenant with us, which has replaced His old covenant with Israel (see Jeremiah 31:31–34 and comment). However, God expects the same standard of behavior from us that He expected from the ancient Israelites; indeed, He expects a higher standard from us, because He has given us His Holy Spirit and He has written His law on our hearts. Therefore, we Christians need to heed what Micah has written in verse 8.
For further discussion on the subject of the Old Testament law and what parts of it are binding on Christians today, see Exodus 20:1–2; Leviticus 11:44–45 and comments; Word List: Law; General Article:The Purpose of the Mosaic Law.
22 God condemns all forms of injustice and cheating. Using false weights and measures was a common means of cheating (verse 11). The short ephah (verse 10) was a container that held less than the standard ephah (22 liters).
23 Jesus quoted verse 6 to show that His coming to earth would divide families into those who believed in Him and those who did not (Matthew 10:34–38). Just as the sun heightens the contrast between brightness and shadow, so does Jesus heighten the contrast between faith and unbelief.
24 “She” (Israel’s enemies) said to the remnant of Israel: “Where is . . . your God?” (verse 10). It seemed as if God was unable to protect His own people. But that, of course, was not the case: Israel fell because of its own sin, not because of any failure on God’s part.
25 The Gentiles will share fully in the blessings of the restored Israel (see Isaiah 2:1–4; Galatians 3:69; Ephesians 2:11–22). Even now, Gentiles are coming into the family of God, and they will continue doing so until Christ comes again to establish His kingdom.