CHAPTER II. MICAH, i., iii., iv., vi., vii. MICAH THE MORASHTITE. I. JEHOVAH SHALL VISIT THE EARTH-The Wickedness of the Rulers -Prophets for Hire-Their Vision Withdrawn-Mission of Micah -Corrupt Judges-Bribed Priests-Hired Prophets-Misplaced Confidence-Jerusalem shall Fall-An Ancient Prophecy-Jehovah's House Established-The Reign of Peace-Jehovah King in Zion-II. THE SUIT AGAINST ISRAEL-Jehovah's Plea-Israel Pleads His Sacrifices-True Religion Right Deeds-The Wickedness of Israel-His Punishment-Israel's Hope of SalvationJerusalem Rebuilt-Captives Restored-The Nations DismayedJehovah's Mercy-Sins Forgiven. (THE word of Jehovah that came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.) I.-Hear, ye peoples, all of you; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is; and let the Lord Jehovah be witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple. For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth from His place, and cometh down, and walketh on the high places of the earth. Hear now, ye heads of Jacob, and judges of the house of Israel: Is it not your part to know justice? Haters of good, and lovers of evil; that pluck the skin of my people from off them, and their flesh from their bones! And because they ate the flesh of My people, and flayed their skin from off them, and brake their bones, and chopped them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh in the caldron; so shall they cry unto Jehovah, and He will not answer them, but will hide His face from them at that time, according as they have wrought evil. Thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets that lead My people astray; when one giveth them to gnaw, they cry, Peace; but whoso putteth not into their mouths, against him they prophesy war: Therefore shall night befall that ye you, have no vision; and darkness come upon you, that ye divine not; and the sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day be black over them. And the seer shall be ashamed, and the diviners confounded; and they all shall cover their lips; for there is no answer of God. But I am full of the power of the spirit of Jehovah, judgment, and might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. Hear this, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and judges of the house of Israel, that abhor justice, and pervert all equity; who build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquities; its rulers judge for reward, and its priests teach for hire, and its prophets divine for money; yet would they lean upon Jehovah and say, Is not Jehovah among us? no evil shall befall us : Therefore, because of you, The temple mount forest heights. (And afterward shall be fulfilled the prophecy that was spoken :) But in the latter days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established at the head of the mountains, and exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow unto it; and many nations shall come, and they shall say, Come, and let us go up to the moun ISRAEL PLEADS HIS SACRIFICES. 297 tain of Jehovah, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. And He shall judge between many peoples, and decide between strong nations afar; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and they shall not learn war any more. But they shall sit each man under his vine and his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid; for the mouth of Jehovah of Hosts hath spoken. For all the peoples walk each in the name of his god, but we walk in the name of Jehovah our God for ever and ever. In that day, saith Jehovah, will I assemble her that halteth, and gather her that is driven away, whom I have afflicted; and I will make her that halteth a remnant, and her that was cast off a strong nation; and Jehovah shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth even for ever. II.-Hear, O ye mountains, Jehovah's suit, and ye enduring foundations of the earth; for Jehovah hath a suit with His people, and He will plead with Israel. (Jehovah.) O My people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against Me. For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee from the house of bondmen; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. (Israel.) Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah, and bow myself before God on high? shall I come before Him with whole burnt offerings, yearling calves? Will Jehovah be appeased by thousands of rams, ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God? The voice of Jehovah crieth unto the city: Are the treasures of wickedness yet gathered in the house of the wicked, and is the scant measure there that is abominable? Shall they be pure with wicked balances, and with a bag of deceitful weights? (Because her rich men are full of violence, and her inhabitants have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth;) therefore have I smitten thee with a grievous wound; making thee desolate because of thy sins. Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thou shalt remove thy goods, but not carry them away safe; and that which thou carriest away will I give up to the sword. Thou shalt sow, but shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but shalt not anoint thee with oil; and the vintage, but shalt not drink the wine. (Israel.) For Jehovah will I watch; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, mine enemy; though I fall, I shall arise; though I sit in darkness, Jehovah shall be my light. I will bear the anger of Jehovah, because I sinned against him; until He plead my cause, and give judgment for me. He will bring me forth to the light, I shall behold His righteousness. And mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her that said to me, Where is Jehovah thy God? Mine eyes shall behold her; yea, she shall be trodden down as the mire of the streets. (Jehovah.) A day for building thy walls! in that day shall the boundary be far extended. In that day shall they come unto thee, from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, from Egypt to Euphrates, and from sea to sea, and mountain. SINS FORGIVEN. 299 to mountain. As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt will I shew marvellous things. The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; they shall lay the hand upon the mouth, their ears shall be deaf. They shall lick the dust like the serpent; like the crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their holds. Jehovah our God shall they reverence, and be afraid because of Thee. Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth over the trangressions of the remnant of His heritage? He hath not retained His anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy. He will again have compassion upon us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt shew faithfulness to Jacob, mercy to Abraham; as Thou hast sworn to our fathers from days of old. |