John Calvin Commentary Micah 4:5

"For all the peoples walk every one in the name of his god; and we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God for ever and ever." — Micah 4:5 (ASV)

Micah, after having spoken of the restoration of the Church, now confirms the same truth. He shows that the faithful would have reason enough to cling constantly to their God and to despise all the superstitions of the world. And even though they may be tossed here and there by contrary opinions, they will yet continue in true religion.

This verse, then, is connected with the kingdom of Christ. For until we are gathered, and Christ shines among us and rules us by his word, there can be no constancy or firmness in us. But when, under the guidance of Christ, we join together in one body, the Church, then the constancy of our faith becomes such that nothing can turn us from the right course. This holds true even if new storms were to arise at any time, by which the whole world might be shaken, and even if it were to happen that the universe should be agitated or pass away. We now understand what the Prophet means.

He therefore says, All nations shall walk every one in the name of his god. This sentence must be explained as follows: though nations may be divided into various sects, and each may be addicted to their own superstitions, yet we shall continue firm in the pure worship of God and in unity of faith. But this question arises: how could the Prophet say that there would be such discords in the world, when he had shortly before spoken of the Church being gathered and united together? For he had said that all nations shall come, and each will say, Come, let us ascend into the mount of Jehovah.

There seems to be some inconsistency here: that all nations would come to Mount Zion, and yet that every people would have their own gods. But the solution is not difficult. The Prophet in this verse strengthens the faithful until Christ should be revealed to the world. Nor is there any doubt that the Prophet intended to sustain the confidence of the godly, who might otherwise have been overwhelmed a hundred times with despair.

When the children of Israel were driven into exile, when their inheritance was taken from them, when the temple had been demolished—when, in a word, no visible religion existed—they might, as I have said, have desponded, if this promise had not come to their minds: that God would restore Mount Zion and gather a Church from the whole world.

But there was also need of some confirmation, and this is what the Prophet now adds. Hence he says that since the Lord gives you hope of so glorious a restoration, you ought to feel confidence and, in reliance on his promise, to continue in his true worship, however much the Gentiles may serve their own idols and boast that they have the true God.

Therefore, however much every one of the nations may take pride in their superstitions, you ought not to fluctuate, nor turn here and there like reeds, which are tossed to and fro as the wind changes; but you shall continue firm and steady in your course. For you know that God is true, who has once for all adopted you, and has promised that your salvation will be the object of his care, even when the world shall think you to be ruined and lost.

We therefore see that what the Prophet had in view was to instill confidence in the minds of the godly, not only in the midst of troubles but of utter confusion. All nations then shall walk; that is, when the temple and the city shall be demolished, and the people are led into distant exile, the ungodly will, at the same time, triumph, and everyone will extol his own gods. Though our God should not then appear, there will still be no reason for us to be discouraged; instead, we ought to rely on his word.

We shall then walk in the name of our God, and that for ever and ever; that is, even if it should happen that the world should be turned and turned over again a hundred times, there shall still be no change in our minds. For as the truth of God is eternal, so also our faith ought to be constant and never to vary. Now the difficulty is removed, and we see how these two things agree: that all nations shall come and with one consent worship God, and yet that each of them would have their own gods. For the diversity of time must be regarded here, when all nations would walk every one in the name of his god.

By saying, aish beshem Aleiu, he touches indirectly on the variety that exists among men. Though all of them stubbornly follow and defend their own superstitions, yet each one fabricates a god for himself. Thus it happens that nothing is certain, for they follow only their own inventions.

But the Prophet meant only to touch on this by the way. His main object was what I have stated: that though the Church of God would be small and find a great multitude opposed to it, it ought not yet to succumb. We know how powerful public consent is; for when the majority conspire together, the small number who entertain a different opinion are, as it were, instantly swallowed up.

It is not without reason, then, that the Prophet exhorts the faithful here to an invincible firmness of mind, so that they might triumph over all the nations. Therefore, however small the faithful might be in number, the Prophet wished them to look down, as it were from a higher place, not only on large multitudes but on all mankind.

Though then all nations walk, etc.; nor is the word כל, cal (all), superfluous—though all nations shall walk, etc. At that time, there was only one nation, the offspring of Abraham, among whom true religion existed.

And it was a dreadful devastation when God allowed the royal city and the temple to be pulled down, and the whole body of the people to be torn asunder and driven away here and there, so that no kingdom and no kind of civil community remained.

Hence the Prophet intimates here that though the faithful should find that in number and dignity they were far surpassed by their enemies, they still should not despair. His intimation is that though then all the nations walked, every one in the name of their god—though every people set up their superstitions against you, and all conspired against you together—yet you must stand firm and proceed in your course, and this not for a short time, but for ever and ever. Now this passage shows that faith does not depend on the opinions of men, and that we ought not to regard what anyone may think, or what the consent of all may be; for the truth of God alone ought to be considered sufficient by us.

Therefore, however much the whole world may oppose God, our faith ought not to be changeable but remain firm on this strong foundation: that God, who cannot deceive, has spoken. This is the first point. Secondly, it must be added that this firmness ought to be perpetual.

So, though Satan may incite new troubles against us, since we have thus far stood firm in our faith in God’s word, let us proceed in the same course to the end. The Prophet intentionally added this verse because he saw that the people would be subject to various and long-continued temptations.

It was a long captivity; hence, languor might have, as it were, wasted away all the confidence that the people then had. Furthermore, after they returned from exile, we know how often and how grievously their faith was tried, when all their neighbors hostilely assailed them and when they were afterwards oppressed by cruel tyranny. This was the reason why the Prophet said that the children of God are to walk perpetually and to the end in his name.

Though he gives the name of gods to the idols of the nations, he still shows that there is a great and striking difference. For the nations worship their own gods, which they had invented. Or how did they derive their majesty and their power, except from the false imagination of men? But the Prophet says, We will walk in the name of Jehovah our God.

He therefore shows that the power and authority of God is not founded on any vain device of men, for he himself exists, and will exist, even if he were denied by the whole world. And this also confirms what I have already stated: that the faithful ought thus to embrace the word of God, as they know that they are not dealing with men, whose credibility is doubtful and inconstant, but with him who is the true God, who cannot lie, and whose truth is immutable. Let us proceed—