John Calvin Commentary Micah 5:9

"Let thy hand be lifted up above thine adversaries, and let all thine enemies be cut off." — Micah 5:9 (ASV)

He confirms what was said in the previous verse and expresses in other words what he meant, and what we have explained: that even though the Church must contend with many strong and violent enemies, it will not fail, because the Lord will supply it with strength from heaven. Exalted, he says, will be your hand, that all your enemies may be cut off.

He does not promise that the Church will be in a quiet state, but victorious, and also declares that there will never be a lack of enemies. This promise, then, ought to arm us for enduring patiently, as we cannot conquer except by fighting. Since, then, there will always be enemies to oppose the Church of God—indeed, to attempt its ruin—the Prophet says here, Exalted will be your hand above your enemies.

But it may be asked, when has this promise been fulfilled? For we know that since the people were led away into the Babylonian exile, they have always been either tributaries, kept under cruel tyranny, or at least unequal to their enemies.

But this principle ought always to be remembered: that the faithful ought to be satisfied with victory. However hard they may be pressed, however constant the contests they have to carry on, and however wearisome, this one thing ought still to be sufficient for them—that they will not wholly perish.

And it appears evident that God’s people have always been preserved by His invincible hand, however numerous their opposing enemies have been. We must also keep in mind what we have just heard: that the promise here is not made to the whole people, but only to a remnant.

And it surpasses the expectation of the whole world that even a small part could have survived so many slaughters, by which they might have been swallowed up a hundred times. Now then we see that it was not without reason promised to the faithful that they would be made conquerors over all their enemies. But this has not been truly fulfilled, except under the conflict of the cross.