John Calvin Commentary Micah 1:2

"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." — Micah 1:2 (ASV)

The Prophet here adopts an elevated style, not being content with a simple and calm manner of speaking. From this we may learn that, having previously tested the attitude of the people, he knew the stubbornness of almost all classes. For unless he was persuaded that the people would be rebellious and obstinate, he would certainly have used some mildness, or at least endeavored to lead them willingly rather than drive them so violently.

There is then no doubt that the obstinacy and wickedness of the people were already fully known to him, even before he began to address a single word to them. But this difficulty did not prevent him from obeying God’s command. He found it necessary, in the meantime, to add vehemence to his teaching, for he saw that he was addressing deaf, indeed, foolish men, who lacked any sense of religion. They had hardened themselves against God, had not only fallen away through thoughtlessness, but had also become immersed in their sins and were wickedly and abominably obstinate in them. Since the Prophet saw this, he makes a bold beginning here, addressing not only his own nation, for whom he was appointed as a teacher, but he also speaks to the whole world.

For what purpose does he say, Hear, all ye people? It was certainly not his object to proclaim God's truth indiscriminately to everyone for the same purpose. Instead, he summons all nations here as witnesses or judges, so that the Jews might understand that their impiety would be made evident to all, unless they repented. They had no reason to hope they could conceal their wickedness, for God would expose their hidden crimes as if on an open stage. Thus we see how emphatic the words are when the Prophet calls on all nations and wants them to be witnesses of the judgment God had resolved to bring upon His people.

He afterwards adds, Let also the earth give ear and its fullness. We may take "the earth," by metonymy, to mean its inhabitants. But as it is added, and its fullness, the Prophet, I do not doubt, meant here to address the very earth itself, though it lacks reason. He means that God's judgment would be so dreadful as to shake created things which are devoid of sense. In this way, he more severely rebukes the Jews for their stupor, because they heedlessly neglected God's word, which nevertheless would shake all the elements by its power.

He then immediately turns his discourse to the Jews. After having established God’s tribunal and summoned all the nations, so that they might form, as it were, a circle of a solemn assembly, he says, There will be for me the Lord Jehovah against you for a witness — the Lord from the temple of his holiness.

By saying that God would be a witness for him, he not only affirms that he was sent by God, but, as if inflamed with zeal, he appeals to God here and asks Him to be present, so that the wickedness and obstinacy of the people might not go unpunished. It is as if he said, “Let God, whose minister I am, be with me and punish your impiety. Let Him prove that He is the author of this doctrine, which I declare from His mouth and by His command. Let Him not allow you to escape unpunished, if you do not repent.”

So now we perceive the Prophet's meaning when he says that God would be a witness for him. It is as if he had said that there was no room here to trifle, for if the Jews thought to elude God’s judgment, they greatly deceived themselves. This is because when God has given a command to His servants to deal with His people, He is at the same time present as a judge and will not allow His word to be rejected without immediately taking up His own cause.

Neither is this addition superfluous, The Lord from the temple of his holiness: for we know how thoughtlessly the Jews used to boast that God dwelt among them. This presumption so blinded them that they despised all the Prophets, because they thought it unlawful for anything to be said to their disgrace, considering they were the holy people of God, His holy heritage and chosen nation.

Therefore, since the Lord had adopted them, they falsely boasted of His favors. Since the Prophet knew that the people insolently gloried in those privileges with which they had been honored by God, he now declares that God would be the avenger of impiety from His temple. It is as if he said, “You boast that God is bound to you, and that He has so bound His faithfulness to you as to make His name something for you to trifle with. He indeed dwells in His temple; but from there He will reveal Himself as an avenger, as He sees that you are perverse in your wickedness.”

Thus we see that the Prophet beats down that foolish arrogance with which the Jews were inflated; indeed, he turns back on their own heads what they used to boastfully bring forward. After having made this introduction, to awaken slumbering men with as much vehemence as he could, he adds—