Matthew Henry Commentary Micah 2
Matthew Henry Commentary
Micah 2
Matthew Henry Commentary
Micah 2
"Woe to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand. And they covet fields, and seize them; and houses, and take them away: and they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage. Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks, neither shall ye walk haughtily; for it is an evil time. In that day shall they take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, [and] say, We are utterly ruined: he changeth the portion of my people: how doth he remove [it] from me! to the rebellious he divideth our fields. Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the line by lot in the assembly of Jehovah." — Micah 2:1-5 (ASV)
Woe to the people who devise evil during the night, and rise early to carry it into execution! It is bad to commit mischief on a sudden impulse, much worse to do it with design and forethought. It is of great importance to improve and employ hours of retirement and solitude in a proper manner.
If covetousness reigns in the heart, compassion is banished; and when the heart is so engaged, violence and fraud commonly occupy the hands. The most haughty and secure in prosperity are often most ready to despair in adversity. Woe to those from whom God turns away! Those are the gravest calamities which cut us off from the congregation of the Lord, or curtail our enjoyment of its privileges.
"Prophesy ye not, [thus] they prophesy. They shall not prophesy to these: reproaches shall not depart. Shall it be said, O house of Jacob, Is the Spirit of Jehovah straitened? are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? But of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye strip the robe from off the garment from them that pass by securely [as men] averse from war. The women of my people ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their young children ye take away my glory for ever. Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your resting-place; because of uncleanness that destroyeth, even with a grievous destruction. If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood do lie, [saying], I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people." — Micah 2:6-11 (ASV)
Since they say, “Prophesy not,” God will take them at their word, and their sin shall be their punishment. Let the physician no longer attend the patient that will not be healed. Those are enemies, not only to God, but to their country, who silence good ministers, and stop the means of grace.
What bonds will hold those who have no reverence for God's word? Sinners cannot expect to rest in a land they have polluted. You shall not only be obliged to depart out of this land, but it shall destroy you. Apply this to our state in this present world.
There is corruption in the world through lust, and we should keep at a distance from it. It is not our rest: it was designed for our passage, but not for our portion; our inn, but not our home; here we have no continuing city; let us therefore arise and depart, let us seek a continuing city above. Since they will be deceived, let them be deceived.
Teachers who recommend self-indulgence by their doctrine and example, best suit such sinners.
"I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the midst of their pasture; they shall make great noise by reason of [the multitude of] men. The breaker is gone up before them: they have broken forth and passed on to the gate, and are gone out thereat; and their king is passed on before them, and Jehovah at the head of them." — Micah 2:12-13 (ASV)
These verses may refer to the captivity of Israel and Judah. But the passage is also a prophecy of the conversion of the Jews to Christ. The Lord would not only bring them from captivity and multiply them, but the Lord Jesus would open their way to God, by taking upon Himself human nature, and by the work of His Spirit in their hearts, breaking the chains of Satan. Thus He has gone before, and the people follow, breaking, in His strength, through the enemies that would block their path to heaven.
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