John Calvin Commentary Micah 4:4

"But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of Jehovah of hosts hath spoken it." — Micah 4:4 (ASV)

Micah continues here with the same subject: that when the minds of people are disposed to acts of kindness, everyone will enjoy God’s blessing without being disturbed. There seem indeed to be two things included here: that acts of hostility will cease, and that real happiness cannot exist among people unless Christ rules among them by the doctrine of His Gospel.

The prophets teach the same thing elsewhere: that everyone will live without fear. They do this to show that people always live in miserable dread, unless they are safe under the protection of God. It is as though the Prophet had said that human life is most miserable where the doctrine of the Gospel is not present, since, when people are disturbed by continual unrest, everyone fears for themselves and suffers constant terrors. There is nothing more miserable than such a state of things, for peace is the chief good.

So now we understand the Prophet's meaning to be that under the reign of Christ, the faithful will enjoy true and full happiness, as they will be exempt from trembling and fear. This is why he names the vine and the fig-tree. He might have said, “Everyone will live securely at home,” but he says, Everyone will rest under his own fig-tree and under his own vine.

This means that though exposed to thieves, they will still fear no violence, no injury. For those who were thieves will observe what is just and right; those who were murderous will strive to do good.

Therefore, when no one closes the door of their house, indeed, when someone goes out into the fields and sleeps in the open air, they will still be safe and secure. So now we see why the Prophet mentions the fig-tree and the vine here, rather than the house.

And there will be no one to terrify them. What the Prophet intended to express is specified more clearly here: that there would be no danger, and therefore no need of hiding-places or of any defenses. Why? Because the very fields, he says, will be free from everything that might hurt, as there will be no one to cause fear. And the Prophet seems to allude to the blessing promised in the Law, for Moses used nearly the very same words. We know that the Prophets drew many things from the Law, for their design was to retain the people in its doctrine and to make it as familiar as possible to them. Since Moses then promised, among other things, this security:

You will sleep, and no one will terrify you (Leviticus 26:6).

So the Prophet also, in speaking here of the kingdom of Christ, shows that this blessing would then be fully accomplished.

He finally adds, The mouth of Jehovah has thus spoken, to confirm what seemed incredible. For, as I have already said, since he had shortly before predicted the devastation of Mount Zion and the ruin of the temple, it seemed very improbable that the nations would come there to worship God.

But he declares that the mouth of God had spoken thus, so that the faithful might overcome all obstacles and struggle against despair. Though they saw the temple destroyed, Mount Zion desolated, and a horrible wasteland with wild beasts occupying the place of people, they were still to continue to hold firm hope.

How so? Because Jehovah has made a promise and He will fulfill it. For when God’s mouth is mentioned, His omnipotence is to be understood, by which whatever He has promised will be executed.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that since, at the coming of Christ Your Son, You truly performed what Your servants, the Prophets, had previously so much foretold, and since You daily invite us to the unity of faith, so that with united efforts we may truly serve You, O grant that we may not continue torn apart, each one pursuing their own perverse inclinations, at a time when Christ is gathering us to You; nor let us only profess with our mouths and in words that we are under Your government, but prove that we feel this in real sincerity. May we then add to the true and lawful worship of Your name brotherly love towards one another, so that with united efforts we may promote each other’s good, and that our adoption may thus be proven and be more and more confirmed, so that we may always be able with full confidence to call on You as our Father through Christ our Lord. Amen.