John Calvin Commentary Micah 3:8

"But as for me, I am full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin." — Micah 3:8 (ASV)

Here Micah, in a courageous spirit, stands up alone against all the false teachers, even when he saw that they were a large number and that they appealed to their number as their shield, according to their usual practice. Therefore, he says, I am filled with power by the Spirit of Jehovah. This confidence is what all God’s servants should possess, so that they may not succumb to the empty and vain boastings of those who subvert the whole order of the Church.

Whenever, then, God permits His pure truth to be corrupted by false teachers, and they become popular among those high in honor as well as the multitude, let us remember this striking example. This is so that we may not be discouraged, and so that the firmness and invincible power of the Holy Spirit may not be weakened in our hearts. Instead, let us proceed in the course of our calling and learn to oppose the name of God to all the deceptions of men, if indeed we are convinced that our service is approved by Him as being faithful.

Since, then, Micah says that he was filled with power, he no doubt stood, as it were, in the presence of the whole people and alone pitched his camp against the whole multitude. For there were then false teachers going about everywhere, as the devil always sows enough seed whenever God loosens the reins.

Though their number was not small, Micah did not hesitate to go forth among them. “I,” he says—stress is to be laid on the pronoun אנכי, anki,—“You despise me, being one man, and you despise a few men; you may think that I alone serve the Lord. But I am a match for a thousand, yes, for an innumerable multitude, for God is on my side, and He approves of my ministry as it is from Him. Nor do I bring anything to you but what He has commanded. It is I, then.”

He further expresses a fuller confidence by using the word אולם, aulam; Verily, he says, I am filled with power. This “verily” or “truly” is opposed to those lofty boastings by which the false prophets were accustomed to attain a name and honor among the people. But Micah intimates that all that they uttered was only evanescent. “You are,” he says, “wonderful prophets; no, you are superior to the angels, if you are to be believed. But show that you are so in reality; let there be some proof by which your calling can be confirmed.

There is no proof. It then follows that you are only men of wind, and not really spiritual. But there is really in me what you boast of with your mouths.” And he says that he was filled, so that he might not be thought one of the common sort. Micah no doubt shows here, on account of the necessity of the occasion, that he was not supplied with ordinary or usual power.

For as God employs the labors of His servants, so He is present with them and furnishes them with suitable protection. When anyone is not exercised with great difficulties in discharging his office of teaching, only a common measure of the Spirit is necessary for the performance of his duties. But when anyone is drawn into arduous and difficult struggles, he is at the same time especially strengthened by the Lord.

We see daily examples of this, for many simple men, who have never been trained in learning, have yet been so endowed by the celestial Spirit when they came to great trials, that they have closed the mouths of great scholars who seemed to understand all oracles. By such evidences God openly proves today that He is the same now as when He formerly endowed His servant Micah with a power so rare and so extraordinary. This, then, is the reason why he says that he was filled with power.

He afterwards adds, By the Spirit of Jehovah. Here the Prophet casts aside every suspicious token of arrogance; so that he would not seem to claim anything as his own, he says that this power was conferred on him from above. This circumstance should be particularly noticed. Though Micah rightly and justly claimed for himself the name of a teacher, yet before the world he had nothing different from others, for all his opponents discharged the same office and obtained the same honor; the office was common to both parties.

Micah was either alone or connected with Isaiah and a few others. Since, then, he here dares to set himself up, we see that his call alone must be regarded. For we know how great is Satan’s propensity to oppose the kingdom of Christ, and also how proud and fierce false teachers are.

Since, then, the rage of Satan and the presumption of false teachers are well known, there is no reason why the faithful should make much of mere empty titles. And when those who lived at that time declared, as Papists do today, that they had no discrimination or judgment to know which of them should have been deemed impostors or the ministers of God—since Micah was alone and they were many, and also that the others were prophets, or at least they had the name and reputation of being so—what was to be done?

This is the reason I have said that this circumstance was worthy of special notice—that though their vocation was common, yet because they had acted perfidiously, and Micah alone, or with a few others, had faithfully performed what the Lord had commanded, he alone is to be deemed a Prophet and a teacher. In short, there is no reason for false prophets to set up against us a mere coveting when they cannot prove that they are endowed with the Spirit of God.

Whoever, then, desires to be deemed a servant of God and a teacher in His Church must have this seal which Micah here adduces: he must be endowed with the Spirit of God. Then honor will be given to God. But if anyone brings nothing but the name, we see how vain it is before God.

He afterwards adds, With judgment and courage (fortitudine). By judgment, I have no doubt, he understands discernment, as this is also the common meaning of the word. He then adds courage. These two things are especially necessary for all ministers of the Word—that is, to excel in wisdom, to understand what is true and right, and also to be endowed with inflexible firmness, by which they may overcome both Satan and the whole world, and never turn aside from their course, though the devil may assail them in all ways.

Thus we see what these two words import. He had first put כח, kech, power; but now he mentions גבורה, gebure, courage or magnanimity.

By the term “power,” he generally meant all the endowments with which all who take upon themselves the office of teaching should be adorned. This qualification is then first required, and it is a general one. But Micah divides this power of the prophets into two kinds: wisdom or judgment, and courage. He did this so that they might understand what God intended.

Let them excel in doctrine; and then, so that they may be confirmed, let them not yield to any gales that may blow, nor be overcome by threats and terrors. Let them not bend here and there to please the world; in a word, let them not succumb to any corruptions. It is therefore necessary to add courage to judgment.

He then adds, To declare to Jacob his wickedness, and to Israel his sin. We see here that the Prophet did not seek the favor of the people. Had he courted their approval, he would have had to soothe with flatteries those who sought flatteries and were already seized with such hatred and malignant feelings that they had rejected Micah. He would then have had to speak softly to them to please them, but this he did not do.

“On the one hand,” he says, “these men sell to you their blessings and deceive you with the hope of peace; and, on the other, they denounce war, unless their voracity is satisfied. And thus it is that they please you, for so you wish, and you seek such teachers as will promise you wine and strong drink. But I am sent to you for another purpose, for the Lord has not deposited flatteries with me, such as may be pleasant to you; but He has deposited reproofs and threatenings. I shall therefore uncover your crimes and will not hesitate to condemn you before the whole world, for you deserve to be treated thus.” We now perceive why the Prophet says that he was endowed with power to declare his wickedness to Jacob, etc.

But from this we learn how necessary it is for us to be supported by celestial firmness when we have to deal with insincere and wicked men; and this is almost the common and uniform lot of all God’s servants. For all who are sent to teach the Word are sent to carry on a contest. It is therefore not enough to teach faithfully what God commands, unless we also contend. And though the wicked may violently rise up against us, we must still put on a brazen front, as it is said in Ezekiel 3:8-9; nor must we yield to their fury, but preserve invincible firmness. Since, then, we have a contest with the devil, with the world, and with all the wicked, so that we may faithfully execute our office, we must be furnished with this courage of which Micah speaks.

As I have already shown that God’s servants should courageously break through all those obstacles by which Satan may attempt either to delay them or to force them backward, so also the doctrine taught here should be applied to all the godly: they should wisely distinguish between the faithful servants of God and impostors who falsely pretend His name.

Then no one who truly and from the heart desires to obey God will be deceived, for the Lord will always give the spirit of judgment and discrimination. And the reason why today many miserable souls are led to endless ruin is because they either shut their eyes, willfully dissemble, or deliberately involve themselves in such subterfuges as these: “I cannot form any judgment. I see learned and celebrated men on both sides, at least those who are in some repute and esteem. Some call me to the right hand, and others to the left. Where am I to turn?”

“I therefore prefer to close my mouth and my ears.” Thus many, seeking a cloak for their sloth, often reveal their ignorance. For we see that our eyes must be opened when the Lord exercises and tries our faith. And He allows discords and contentions to arise in the Church so that some may choose this and others that. Though God then loosens the reins of Satan, so that contests and turmoils of this kind may be stirred up in the Church, there is still no excuse for us if we do not follow what the Lord prescribes; for He will always guide us by His Spirit, provided we do not foster our own slothfulness. It follows—