Micah 1:1: "The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem."
Micah 2:11: If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophecy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people The people will find a prophet to feed their own appetite.
Micah 4:3: And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. The end of war. Here's some commentary from John Calvin: "He afterward adds, with respect to the fruit, "They shall beat
their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks". I
have already briefly explained the meaning of the Prophet: he in
fact shows that when the nations should be taught by the word of
God, there would be such a change, that every one would study to do
good, and to perform the duties of love towards his neighbors. But
by speaking of swords and spears he briefly intimates, what men,
until they are made gentle by the word of the Lord, are ever intent
on iniquitous tyranny and oppression; nor can it be otherwise, while
every one follows his own nature; for there are none who are not
wedded to their own advantages, and the cupidity of men is
insatiable. As then all are thus intent on gain, while every one is
blinded by self-love, what but cruelty must ever break forth from
this wicked principle? Hence then it is, that men cannot cultivate
peace with one another; for every one seeks to be the first, and
draws every thing to himself; no one will willingly give way: then
dissensions arise, and from dissensions, fightings. This is what the
Prophet intimates. And then he adds, that the fruit of the doctrine
of Christ would however be such, that men, who were before like
cruel wild beasts, would become gentle and meek. "Forge then shall
they their swords into plowshares, and their spears into
pruninghooks".
"Raise, he says, shall not a nation a sword against a nation,
and accustom themselves they shall no more to war". He explains here
more fully what I have before said, - that the Gospel of Christ
would be to the nations, as it were, a standard of peace: as when a
banner is raised up, soldiers engage in battle, and their fury is
kindled; so Micah ascribes a directly opposite office to the Gospel
of Christ, - that it will restore those to the cultivation of peace
and concord, who before were given to acts of hostility. For when he
says, 'Raise a sword shall not a nation against nation,' he
intimates, as I have already stated, that wherever Christ does not
reign, men are wolves to men, for every one is disposed to devour
all others. Hence as men are naturally impelled by so blind an
impulse, the Prophet declares, that this madness cannot be
corrected, that men will not cease from wars, that they will not
abstain from hostilities, until Christ becomes their teacher: for by
the word "lamad" he implies, that it is a practice which ever
prevails among mankind, that they contend with one another, that
they are ever prepared to do injuries and wrongs, except when they
put off their natural disposition. But gentleness, whence does it
proceed? Even from the teaching of the Gospel.
This passage ought to be remembered; for we here learn, that
there is not growing among us the real fruit of the Gospel, unless
we exercise mutual love and benevolence, and exert ourselves in
doing good. Though the Gospel is at this day purely preached among
us, when yet we consider how little progress we make in brotherly
love, we ought justly to be ashamed of our indolence. God proclaims
daily that he is reconciled to us in his Son; Christ testifies, that
he is our peace with God, that he renders him propitious to us, for
this end, that we may live as brethren together. We indeed wish to
be deemed the children of God, and we wish to enjoy the
reconciliation obtained for us by the blood of Christ; but in the
meantime we tear one another, we sharpen our teeth, our dispositions
are cruel. If then we desire really to prove ourselves to be the
disciples of Christ, we must attend to this part of divine truth,
each of us must strive to do good to his neighbors. But this cannot
be done without being opposed by our flesh; for we have a strong
propensity to self-love, and are inclined to seek too much our own
advantages. We must therefore put off these inordinate and sinful
affections, that brotherly kindness may succeed in their place.
We are also reminded that it is not enough for any one to
refrain from doing harm, unless he be also occupied in doing good to
his brethren. The Prophet might indeed have said only "They shall
break their swords and their spears;" so that they shall hereafter
abstain from doing any hurt to others: this only is not what he
says; but, "They shall forge," or beat, "their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks;" that is, when they
shall abstain from all injuries they will seek to exercise
themselves in the duties of love, consistently with what Paul says,
when he exhorts those who had stolen to steal no more, but to work
with their own hands, that they might relieve others (Eph. 4: 28.)
Except then we endeavor to relieve the necessities of our brethren,
and to offer them assistance, there will not be in us but one part
of true conversion, as the case is with many, who are not indeed
inhuman, who commit no plunder, who give no occasion for complaint,
but they live to themselves, and enjoy unprofitable leisure. This
indolence the Prophet here indirectly condemns, when he speaks of
the plowshares and the pruning hooks. "
Micah 4:5: "For all the people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever." To "walk in the name" means to walk in the power and authority of the person or authority named. The old expression, "Open, in the name of the king," or, "in the name of the law," reflects this. The Name or authority we can rightly claim determines our power. This is why we pray "in Jesus NAME," i.e., in His person and authority. If your god is yourself, or mankind, your authority will be a limited and poor one. The growing impotence of many churches is due to the nature of their god not resembling the biblical God. Their God is limited, sentimental, and incapable of judgment or true redemption. Their god is small, weak, and ineffectual. He can give advice but no government or deliverance.
Mic 5:2: "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose going forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Christs kingdom was predicted to arrive in humility, far from the centers of human power.
Mic 6:8: "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Micah spoke out against false holiness and stated clearly what true holiness is. God requires, of all men: justice, love of mercy, and humility.
