John Calvin Commentary Micah 4:8

"And thou, O tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, yea, the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem." — Micah 4:8 (ASV)

Micah still continues the same subject—that the miserable calamities of the people, or even their ruin, will not prevent God from restoring His Church again. Thou tower of the flock, he says, the fortress of the daughter of Zion, do not doubt that God will again restore to thee thy ancient kingdom and dignity, from which you now seem to have entirely fallen.

But interpreters take the tower of the flock in various senses. Some think that the devastation of the city Jerusalem is pointed out, because it became like a cottage, as it is said in Isaiah; and עפל, ophil, they render “obscure,” because its root means to cover. But another explanation is simpler—that the holy city is called the tower of the flock because God had chosen it for Himself, to gather His people from there; for we know that they had their holy assemblies there.

Thou, then, the tower of the flock, and then, the fortress of the daughter of Zion, to thee shall come the former kingdom. If, however, the former sense is more approved, I will not contend; that is, that Jerusalem is here called the tower of the flock on account of its devastation, as it was reduced, as it were, to a cottage.

As to the main import of the passage, there is no ambiguity, for the Prophet here strengthens the minds of the godly: they were not to regard the length of time, nor to allow their thoughts to be occupied with their present calamity, but to feel assured that what God had promised was in His power, that He could, as it were, raise the dead, and thus restore the kingdom of David, which had been destroyed.

Therefore, he says, hope firmly.—Why? Because come to thee, come to thee shall the former kingdom. Here the breaking off of the sentence is to be noted, when the Prophet speaks of the ancient kingdom and dignity. Indeed, it is not to be doubted that the people of God had become objects of mockery, and that hypocrites and heathens thought that what David had testified respecting the perpetuity of his kingdom was a mere delusion.

‘Behold thy kingdom,’ he said, ‘shall continue as long as the sun and the moon,’ (Psalms 72).

But soon after the death of Solomon, only a small portion was reserved for his posterity, and eventually the kingdom itself and its dignity disappeared. This is the reason that the Prophet now says that the former kingdom would come. Come, he says, to thee, daughter of Zion, come shall the former kingdom. Indeed, there is no doubt that by the former kingdom he understands its most flourishing condition, recorded in Scripture, under David and Solomon.

The kingdom, he says, to the daughter of Jerusalem shall come. He expressly mentions the daughter of Jerusalem because the kingdom of Israel had obscured the glory of the true kingdom. Hence, the Prophet testifies here that God was not unmindful of His promise, and that He would restore to Jerusalem the dignity which it had lost, and unite the whole people into one body, so that they might no longer be divided, but that one king would rule over the whole race of Abraham.

But this, we are certain, was not fulfilled at the coming of Christ in a manner visible to men; we must therefore bear in mind what Micah has previously taught—that this kingdom is spiritual. For he did not ascribe to Christ a golden scepter, but a doctrine: “Come, and let us ascend unto the mount of Jehovah, and he will teach us of his ways;” and then he added, “From Zion shall go forth a law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.”

This, then, ought always to be remembered—that God has not rendered Jerusalem glorious in the sight of men, as it was formerly, nor has He enriched it with influence, wealth, and earthly power. But He has yet restored its sovereign authority, for He has not only subjected to Himself the ten tribes which had formerly revolted, but also the whole world. Let us go on—