Micah 7:9
I will bear the indignation of the Lord
The Targum prefaces these words with
``Jerusalem saith;''
and they are the words of the prophet, in the name of Jerusalem or
the church, resolving in the strength of divine grace to bear the
present affliction, which had at least some appearance of divine
indignation in it; not against the persons of God's people, who are
always the objects of his love, and towards whom there is no fury
in him; but against their sins, which are displeasing and
abominable to him; and this is not in a vindictive way, for such
indignation they could never bear; nor can any creature stand
before it, or bear up under it; and, besides, Christ has bore the
wrath and indignation of God in this sense for them but it here
means the displicency and indignation of God in fatherly
chastisements, consistent with the strongest love and affection for
them; and to bear this is to be humble under the mighty hand of
God, quietly to submit to it, and patiently to endure the
affliction, without murmuring and repining, till the Lord pleases
to remove it. The reason follows,
because I have sinned
against him;
the best of men sin; sin is the cause and reason of all affliction
and distress, whether temporal or spiritual. The consideration of
this tends to make and keep good men humble, and quietly submit to
the chastising rod of their heavenly father, which they see it is
right and proper should be used; and as knowing that they are
chastised and afflicted less than their iniquities deserve; and
that it is all for their good; a sense of sin stops their mouths,
that they have nothing to say against God. The word (
ajx) here used sometimes signifies the
offering an expiatory sacrifice for sin to God; and Gussetius
F3 thinks this is the meaning of it here;
and observes, that with the oblation of a contrite heart, and works
of charity, the satisfaction of Christ is to be pleaded, and in our
way to be offered up to God the Judge, through faith flying to it;
whereby the mind is disposed to bear correction patiently, in hope
that favour will quickly shine forth in help and deliverance:
until he plead cause, and execute judgment for
me;
Christ the mighty Redeemer, and powerful and prevalent Mediator,
not only pleads the cause of his people with God his Father, and
obtains all blessings of grace for them; but he also pleads their
cause against their enemies, an ungodly people that strive with
them, persecute and distress them; and will in his own time do them
justice, and execute vengeance, his righteous judgments, on those
that hate them, and rise up against them, as he will on all the
antichristian party:
he will bring me forth to the
light;
like a person taken out of prison, or out of a dungeon, to behold
and enjoy the light of the sun and day. The sense is, that he will
openly espouse the cause of his church, and give her honour and
glory publicly before men; bring forth her righteousness as the
light, and her judgment as the noon day; and make her innocence
appear as clear as the day, and bring her at last to the light of
glory; see (
Psalms 37:6 ) (
Isaiah 58:8 Isaiah 58:10 ) ;
[and] I shall behold his righteousness:
the equity of his proceedings with his people, in chastising and
afflicting them, that they are all right and good; his justice in
punishing their enemies, and executing judgment on them; his
goodness and beneficence to the saints, all his ways being mercy
and truth; his faithfulness in the fulfilment of his promises; and
the righteousness of Christ, which justifies them before God,
renders them acceptable to him, will answer for them in a time to
come, and introduce them into his everlasting kingdom and glory.