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Micah Kapitel 7
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Englisches Original
In this chapter, I. The prophet, in the name of the church, sadly laments the woeful decay of religion in the age wherein he lived, and the deluge of impiety and immorality which overwhelmed the nation, which levelled the differences, and bore down the fences, of all that is just and sacred, Mic 7:1-6. II. The prophet, for the sake of the church, prescribes comforts, which may be of use at such a time, and gives counsel what to do. 1. They must have an eye to God, Mic 7:7. 2. They must courageously bear up against the insolences of the enemy, Mic 7:8-10. 3. They must patiently lie down under the rebukes of their God, Mic 7:9. 4. They must expect no other than that the trouble would continue long, and must endeavour to make the best of it, Mic 7:11-13. 5. They must encourage themselves with God's promises, in answer to the prophet's prayers, Mic 7:14,15. 6. They must foresee the fall of their enemies, that now triumphed over them, Mic 7:16,17. 7. They must themselves triumph in the mercy and grace of God, and his faithfulness to his covenant (Mic 7:18-20), and with that comfortable word the prophecy concludes.
1-6
The Sins of the People (700 BC)
简体中文
百姓的罪恶（主前700年）
¹ 哀哉！我好像夏天的果子已被收尽，又像摘了葡萄所剩下的；没有可吃的；我心所羡慕的初熟果子没有了。
² 地上虔诚人灭尽，世间没有正直人；各人埋伏要杀人流血，都用网罗追逐弟兄。
³ 他们双手作恶；君王徇情面，审判官要贿赂；大位人说出心中的恶欲，便彼此勾结。
⁴ 他们中间最好的不过是荆棘；最正直的不过是蒺藜篱笆；你守望者所定的惩罚之日，你的刑罚已经来到；如今他们必惶惑不安。
⁵ 不要倚赖邻舍；不要信靠密友；要守住你的口，不要向你怀中的妻提说。
⁶ 因为儿子藐视父亲，女儿抗拒母亲，媳妇抗拒婆婆；人的仇敌就是自己家里的人。
有人认为，此处所描写的恶时世，几乎不能与这位先知说预言时的希西家时代相符；因此他们宁可将其视为对玛拿西年间将要发生之事的预言。但我们更可假定它是在亚哈斯年间（他也在那年间说预言，弥 1:1），或在希西家时代初期——在他借以改革的工具之前；甚至在他最好的日子、当他已尽所能清除腐败之后，仍有许多不对之处。先知呼喊：哀哉！他哀叹自己的命运竟被抛在这样一个堕落的世代中，并以自己活在那正飞速成熟于毁灭之中的百姓中间为极大的不幸——许多义人将无可避免地被卷入其中。如此大卫也呼喊：我与那恨恶和睦的人，同住太久！他哀叹：1. 敬虔人何等稀少，甚至在神的百姓中间也难以寻见；而这正是他们的羞辱：虔诚人从地上灭尽——或从这地灭尽——迦南地；那原是好地、公义之地（赛 26:10），但其中敬虔人寥寥，无人正直（弥 7:2）。虔诚人既是敬虔之人，也是怜悯之人——这字眼兼有二义。那些向着神虔诚、向着人有怜悯、乐善好施的人，才是完全的敬虔人——既爱怜恤，又与神同行。"这些人已经灭了；从前那些使我国富足、使我土得装饰的少数诚实人，如今已经死了、过去了，却没有接续他们、走他们脚步的人兴起；正直被驱逐，再也找不到一个所谓敬虔人了。那些曾受敬虔教育的人已经堕落，变得与最坏的人一样坏；虔诚人断绝了（诗 12:1）。"这事以一个比喻加以说明（弥 7:1）：他们好像夏天的果子已被收尽；要找一个敬虔人，如同收割已过之后要寻找任何夏天的果子（那是上选的，因此必须小心收聚）一样困难。先知几乎要以利亚当日的口吻说（王上 19:10）：只剩下我一个人。素来成串悬挂的敬虔人，如今如同摘了葡萄所剩下的——东一颗西一颗的浆果（赛 17:6）。你再找不到他们的群体如同葡萄的果串，剩下的只是零星的个人：没有可吃的果串；而最好最饱满的葡萄总是成串生长的。有人认为这不仅暗示敬虔人稀少，更暗示剩下的少数——那些被视为敬虔人的——也几乎无甚价值，如同干瘪的小葡萄——被摘的人和拾取的人都遗弃的残渣。当先知观察到这种普遍的堕落时，他便心慕初熟的果子——他愿意看见如古时世代那样的、值得称道的敬虔人——那些是初创时代的装饰，并且远胜过当今世代最好的，正如初熟和充分成熟的果子远胜过那永不能成熟的晚生果子。当我们读到、听到从前世代信仰之人的智慧与热心、严谨与认真、虔诚与慈善，又看见当今之人的反面，我们不能不坐下叹息：巴不得再有初创的基督教！那些在我们以先之人的单纯与正直在哪里？那真以色列人——没有诡诈的——在哪里？我们的心羡慕他们，却属徒然。黄金时代已经过去，无法追回；我们必须善处现今所有的，因为我们不可能再看见从前那样的日子了。2. 他们中间有那么多邪恶好伤害人的人——不仅没有人行善，更有许多人尽力行一切伤害："他们都埋伏要杀人流血，并各用网罗追逐弟兄。他们为要自己致富，不顾对邻舍和至亲行了何等的冤屈、何等的伤害。他们行事仿佛人类处于战争状态，强权即唯一的公理。他们对邻舍如同野兽——他们都埋伏要杀人流血，如同狮子埋伏其猎物；他们渴慕这事，为服事自己便毫不顾惜夺去任何人的性命或生计，并埋伏等候机会去行。他们对邻舍也如同野兽——他们各用网罗追逐弟兄；他们迫害他们如同应当被捉拿除灭的有害生物，虽然他们是无辜而卓越的人。"我们对那被放逐的人说：Caput gerit lupinum——他必被当作狼来猎取。"或者他们猎取他们如同人猎取野味以饱其口腹；他们有千万可咒诅的诡计陷害人于毁灭，只要自己能从中取利。如此，他们双手竭力行恶——他们的心切慕它，他们的脑筹画它，然后双手便准备好付诸执行。"请注意，人越是热切专心于任何犯罪的追逐，并在其中越发用力，便越惹神发怒。3. 那些本当以其职分作公义之恩主和保护者的官长，竟成了枉法的实行者和促进者：他们双手竭力行恶——为要在其中激发并壮自己的胆——君王徇情面，审判官要贿赂——为贿赂所雇，尽力运用自己一切权柄去支持并推进任何邪恶的图谋——双手竭力。"他们双手善于作恶（有人如此读）；他们以极高的技巧和灵巧行恶；他们因作得如此之妙而自夸。另有人如此读：作恶他们双手齐用（他们抓住一切行恶的机会），但行善君王和审判官却要报酬——他们若行什么善事，便在其中图利，必得报酬才肯作。那位有财富和权柄可行善的大位人，并不以与君王和审判官一同说出他心中的恶欲为耻——而君王和审判官则随时准备支持他、与他同伙。他们便彼此勾结；他们使事情纠缠复杂、纠缠不清（有人如此理解），好叫公义在迷雾中失丧，他们便可随心使案件转向。当一民的首领、审判官和贵人们联合枉法之时，那民就有祸了。对他们也有一个可悲的评语（弥 7:4）：他们中间最好的不过是荆棘；最正直的不过是蒺藜篱笆——与他们有任何瓜葛都是危险的事；凡摸他们的，必须用铁枪矛（撒下 23:6,7）——他必被刮伤，衣服被撕破，眼睛几乎被挖出。如果最好最正直的人都是如此，那最坏的又当如何？当事态已到这地步，你守望者所定的日子来到——即随后所说的你的刑罚已经来到——神要因这一切恶向你算账之日；这日之所以称为守望者之日，因为神所立作他们守望者的先知，曾屡次警告他们那日的来临。当所有人都已经败坏了自己的道——连最好最正直的也是如此——除了刑罚之日、审判的洪水之外，还能期望什么呢？正如那淹没古世界、当地上满了强暴之时的洪水一样。4. 人与人之间没有信实可言；百姓已经普遍变得奸诈，以致人不知该信任谁（弥 7:5）。"那些尚存一点荣誉之感或一星美德之火的人，都坚定持守友谊的法则；他们不会泄露私下谈话的内容，也不会因有损朋友的缘故泄露秘密。但如今这些事都成了笑谈；你找不到一个敢于信任的朋友，也找不到一个其言可凭信的人，或一个对你有任何体恤和关怀的人；所以智慧人应当以此作为通则——不要倚赖邻舍——因为你必发现他虚谎，你只能信他到你眼所见的地步；甚至连那被称为正直的人，你也必发现他只有在被人盯着看的时候才是正直的。再说，那承担作你密友、要领你进入他自称比你更熟悉的事务中的人，你也不能信靠他——因为他若能从中取利，便必定误导你。"有人将"密友"理解为丈夫，因他被称为你幼年的指引；这与下面的话十分吻合："要守住你口的门，不向你怀中之人提起——不向你自己的妻提起；当心你在她面前所说的话，免得她出卖你，正如大利拉出卖参孙；免得她成为那空中的鸟，将你在内室所说的话传扬（传 10:20）。"当智慧人甚至不得不如此保持缄默之时，实在是恶时世。5. 儿女虐待父母，人在自己的家中和最近的亲属中也毫无安慰、毫无满足（弥 7:6）。当儿子藐视父亲——对他恶言相向、羞辱他、恐吓他、处心积虑要伤害他——当女儿起来背叛自己的母亲，全无责任感或天然的感情，那时实在是恶时世；那时媳妇与婆婆争吵、并烦扰她，也就不足为奇了。他们或是因财产和利益不能相安，或是因性情和情欲冲突，或是出于一种盲信和逼迫的灵——弟兄要把弟兄交到死地，父亲要把孩子交到死地（太 10:4；路 21:16）。当一个人的出卖者和最可恶的仇敌就是自己家里的人——自己的儿女和仆人——本该作他的护卫和他最好的朋友的人——那是何等可悲。请注意，对家庭本分的法则之蔑视和违犯，乃是风气普遍败坏的可怕征兆。那些不孝敬父母、并处心积虑地激怒父母、与他们作对的人，绝不可能有好结局。
Englisches Original
The Sins of the People (700 BC)
¹ Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape-gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the first-ripe fruit.
² The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
³ That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.
⁴ The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.
⁵ Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
⁶ For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.
This is such a description of bad times as, some think, could scarcely agree to the times of Hezekiah, when this prophet prophesied; and therefore they rather take it as a prediction of what should be in the reign of Manasseh. But we may rather suppose it to be in the reign of Ahaz (and in that reign he prophesied, Mic 1:1) or in the beginning of Hezekiah's time, before the reformation he was instrumental in; nay, in the best of his days, and when he had done his best to purge out corruptions, still there was much amiss. The prophet cries out, Woe is me! He bemoans himself that his lot was cast in such a degenerate age, and thinks it his great unhappiness that he lived among a people that were ripening apace for a ruin which many a good man would unavoidably be involved in. Thus David cries out, Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech! He laments, 1. That there were so few good people to be found, even among those that were God's people; and this was their reproach: The good man has perished out of the earth, or out of the land, the land of Canaan; it was a good land, and a land of uprightness (Isa 26:10), but there were few good men in it, none upright among them, Mic 7:2. The good man is a godly man and a merciful man; the word signifies both. Those are completely good men that are devout towards God and compassionate and beneficent towards men, that love mercy and walk with God. "These have perished; those few honest men that some time ago enriched and adorned our country are now dead and gone, and there are none risen up in their stead that tread in their steps; honesty is banished, and there is no such thing as a good man to be met with. Those that were of religious education have degenerated, and become as bad as the worst; the godly man ceases," Ps 12:1. This is illustrated by a comparison (Mic 7:1): they were as when they have gathered the summer fruits; it was as hard a thing to find a good man as to find any of the summer-fruits (which were the choicest and best, and therefore must carefully be gathered in) when the harvest is over. The prophet is ready to say, as Elijah in his time (1Ki 19:10), I, even I only, am left. Good men, who used to hang in clusters, are now as the grape-gleanings of the vintage, here and there a berry, Isa 17:6. You can find no societies of them as bunches of grapes, but those that are are single persons: There is no cluster to eat; and the best and fullest grapes are those that grow in large clusters. Some think that this intimates not only that good people were few, but that those few who remained, who went for good people, were good for little, like the small withered grapes, the refuse that were left behind, not only by the gatherer, but by the gleaner. When the prophet observed this universal degeneracy it made him desire the first-ripe fruit; he wished to see such worthy good men as were in the former ages, were the ornaments of the primitive times, and as far excelled the best of all the present age as the first and full-ripe fruits do those of the latter growth, that never come to maturity. When we read and hear of the wisdom and zeal, the strictness and conscientiousness, the devotion and charity, of the professors of religion in former ages, and see the reverse of this in those of the present age, we cannot but sit down, and wish, with a sigh, O for primitive Christianity again! Where are the plainness and integrity of those that went before us? Where are the Israelites indeed, without guile? Our souls desire them, but in vain. The golden age is gone, and past recall; we must make the best of what is, for we are not likely to see such times as have been. 2. That there were so many wicked mischievous people among them, not only none that did any good, but multitudes that did all the hurt they could: "They all lie in wait for blood, and hunt every man his brother. To get wealth to themselves, they care not what wrong, what hurt, they do to their neighbours and nearest relations. They act as if mankind were in a state of war, and force were the only right. They are as beasts of prey to their neighbours, for they all lie in wait for blood as lions for their prey; they thirst after it, make nothing of taking away any man's life or livelihood to serve a turn for themselves, and lie in wait for an opportunity to do it. Their neighbours are as beasts of prey to them, for they hunt every man his brother with a net; they persecute them as noxious creatures, fit to be taken and destroyed, though they are innocent excellent ones." We say of him that is outlawed, Caput gerit lupinum—He is to be hunted as a wolf. "Or they hunt them as men do the game, to feast upon it; they have a thousand cursed arts of ensnaring men to their ruin, so that they may but get by it. Thus they do mischief with both hands earnestly; their hearts desire it, their heads contrive it, and then both hands are ready to put it in execution." Note, The more eager and intent men are upon any sinful pursuit, and the more pains they take in it, the more provoking it is. 3. That the magistrates, who by their office ought to have been the patrons and protectors of right, were the practicers and promoters of wrong: That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, to excite and animate themselves in it, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh, for a reward, for a bribe, with which they well be hired to exert all their power for the supporting and carrying on of any wicked design with both hands. They do evil with both hands well (so some read it); they do evil with a great deal of art and dexterity; they praise themselves for doing it so well. Others read it thus: To do evil they have both hands (they catch at an opportunity of doing mischief), but to do good the prince and the judge ask for a reward; if they do any good offices they are mercenary in them, and must be paid for them. The great man, who has wealth and power to do good, is not ashamed to utter his mischievous desire in conjunction with the prince and the judge, who are ready to support him and stand by him in it. So they wrap it up; they perplex the matter, involve it, and make it intricate (so some understand it), that they may lose equity in a mist, and so make the cause turn which way they please. It is ill with a people when their princes, and judges, and great men are in a confederacy to pervert justice. And it is a sad character that is given of them (Mic 7:4), that the best of them is as a brier, and the most upright is sharper than a thorn-hedge; it is a dangerous thing to have any thing to do with them; he that touches them must be fenced with iron (2Sa 23:6,7), he shall be sure to be scratched, to have his clothes torn, and his eyes almost pulled out. And, if this be the character of the best and most upright, what are the worst? And, when things have come to this pass, the day of thy watchmen comes, that is, as it follows, the day of thy visitation, when God will reckon with thee for all this wickedness, which is called the day of the watchmen, because their prophets, whom God set as watchmen over them, had often warned them of that day. When all flesh have corrupted their way, even the best and the most upright, what can be expected but a day of visitation, a deluge of judgments, as that which drowned the old world when the earth was filled with violence? 4. That there was no faith in man; people had grown so universally treacherous that one knew not whom to repose any confidence in, Mic 7:5. "Those that have any sense of honour, or spark of virtue, remaining in them, have a firm regard to the laws of friendship; they would not discover what passed in private conversation, nor divulge secrets, to the prejudice of a friend. But those things are now made a jest of; you will not meet with a friend that you dare trust, whose word you dare take, or who will have any tenderness or concern for you; so that wise men shall give it and take it for a rule, trust you not in a friend, for you will find him false, you can trust him no further than you can see him; and even him that passes for an honest man you will find to be so only with good looking to. Nay, as for him that undertakes to be your guide, to lead you into any business which he professes to understand better than you, you cannot put a confidence in him, for he will be sure to mislead you if he can get any thing by it." Some by a guide understand a husband, who is called the guide of thy youth; and that agrees well enough with what follows, "Keep the doors of thy lips from her that lieth in thy bosom, from thy own wife; take heed what thou sayest before her, lest she betray thee, as Delilah did Samson, lest she be the bird of the air that carries the voice of that which thou sayest in thy bed-chamber," Ec 10:20. It is an evil time indeed when the prudent are obliged even thus far to keep silence. 5. That children were abusive to their parents, and men had no comfort, no satisfaction, in their own families and their nearest relations, Mic 7:6. The times are bad indeed when the son dishonours his father, gives him bad language, exposes him, threatens him, and studies to do him a mischief, when the daughter rises up in rebellion against her own mother, having no sense of duty, or natural affection; and no marvel that then the daughter-in-law quarrels with her mother-in-law, and is vexatious to her. Either they cannot agree about their property and interest, or their humours and passions clash, or from a spirit of bigotry and persecution, the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child, Mt 10:4, Lu 21:16. It is sad when a man's betrayers and worst enemies are the men of his own house, his own children and servants, that should be his guard and his best friends. Note, The contempt and violation of the laws of domestic duties are a sad symptom of a universal corruption of manners. Those are never likely to come to good that are undutiful to their parents, and study to be provoking to them and cross them.
7-13
Seeking Comfort in God; The Sins of the People (700 BC)
简体中文
在神里面寻求安慰；百姓的罪（公元前700年）
⁷ 至于我，我要仰望耶和华，要等候那救我的神；我的神必应允我。
⁸ 我的仇敌啊，不要向我夸耀；我虽跌倒，必再起来；我虽坐在黑暗里，耶和华必作我的光。
⁹ 我要忍受耶和华的恼怒，因我得罪了他；直等他为我的事辨屈，为我伸冤；他必领我到光明中，我必得见他的公义。
¹⁰ 那时我的仇敌看见，就必蒙羞，就是那曾对我说：耶和华你的神在哪里？她必眼见而遭践踏，如街上的泥土。
¹¹ 你的城墙重修的那日，命令必传到远方。
¹² 当那日，人必从亚述和坚固的城邑，从堡垒直到大河，从这海到那海，从这山到那山，都来归你。
¹³ 然而，这地因居民的缘故，又因他们行事的结果，必然荒凉。
先知既忧伤地抱怨他所处时代的邪恶，便在此抓住一些关乎他自己和他的朋友在其中的安慰之考虑。光景虽然不好，却未至于绝望。然而以色列在此事上仍有指望。
I. 神如今虽不喜悦，他却必与我们和好，那时一切都好了（弥7:7、9）。我们如今在耶和华的恼怒之下；神向我们发怒，并且是公义的，因为我们得罪了他。请注意，正是我们对神的罪惹动他对我们的怒气；每当我们受神圣管教之时，必须看见并承认这一点，使我们能称义神，并借着为罪悔改、离弃罪，努力回应他管教我们的目的。在这样的时候，1. 我们当在患难之下投靠神（弥7:7）：至于我，我要仰望耶和华。当神的儿女有再多理由呼喊我有祸了（如此处先知在弥7:1所言），他仍可得安慰，因他有一位神可仰望，可投奔，可飞奔而归，并可在其中喜乐满足。当周围一切尽都黑暗之时，在他之上仍可看见一片光明。先知既抱怨在地上从朋友亲属之中既不得安慰、也不可信赖，这就驱使他归向他的神：至于我，我要仰望耶和华。我们越是少有理由以任何受造之物为乐，就越是多有理由以神为乐。若君王不可信，我们就可以说：那以雅各的神为帮助的人，便为有福；若他是我的帮助，我纵然在现今祸患之中，也为有福。若人虚假，我们的安慰是神信实；若亲属无情，他乃是、也必作恩慈的主。所以我们当超越他们，越过在他们身上的失望，仰望耶和华。2. 我们当在患难中顺服神的旨意：我要忍受耶和华的恼怒——要耐心忍受，不发怨言，不怀不平，因我得罪了他。请注意，那些真正为罪悔改的人，必看见许多在受苦中忍耐的理由。人为何因自己的罪受罚而发怨言呢？当我们向神抱怨时势艰难之时，也当因自己内心的败坏而埋怨自己。3. 我们当倚靠神为我们施行拯救，并在适时为我们一切的患难安排好结局；我们不仅当仰望他，更当等候他：我要等候那救我的神，等候他恩惠的回转。在我们最大的患难之中，我们若凭信心以神为我们救恩的神——他能拯救最软弱的人，只要他们谦卑呼求；也愿拯救最坏的人，只要他们真诚悔改——就必不见有绝望之理由。我们若以神为我们救恩的神而倚靠他，就必须等候他，等候他在他自己的道路和他自己的时间所赐的救恩。如今让我们看教会在此蒙教导，即使万事已被推至最后绝境，她仍可指望从神得着并应许自己什么。(1.) 我的神必应允我；耶和华若作我们的神，他必听我们的祷告，赐我们平安的回应。(2.) 我虽跌倒——虽有被摔碎之危险——必再起来，重新恢复自己。我虽跌倒，却不至全然被抛弃（诗37:24）。(3.) 我虽坐在黑暗里——孤寂沮丧、忧郁迷茫，不知当怎样行，不知向何处求救——耶和华必作我的光，安慰复兴我，指教训诲我，引导带领我；作我眼中的光、脚前的光、黑暗之处的明灯。(4.) 他为我的事辨屈，为我伸冤（弥7:9）。我们若诚心以神的旨意为念——那本为公义却被屈枉的宗教与德行之事——以之为我们自己的事，我们就可指望他认我们的事，为我们辨明。教会之事虽一时似与她相逆，至终必被热烈地辩护，并且判语不仅宣告仇敌有罪，更要向其执行。(5.) 他必领我到光明中——使我突出地从隐密之处发光，成为显耀；使我的公义显然从诬蔑的乌云之下发出光辉（诗37:6，赛58:10）。安慰之晨必从漫长幽暗的患难之夜透出光辉。(6.) 我必得见他的公义——我必看见他对我所行的实在是公义，也必看见他向我所应许的都得应验。
II. 仇敌虽夸胜羞辱，他们必被制止并蒙羞（弥7:8、10）。请观察，
1. 神百姓的仇敌在他们遭难之时何等骄傲地践踏他们。他们说：*耶和华你的神在哪里？*仿佛他们既受苦，神就已丢弃他们；他们不知在何处借祷告寻见他，他也不知如何以恩惠帮助他们。大卫的仇敌曾如此对他说，这话如刺骨之剑（诗42:10；又见诗115:2）。他们如此辱骂以色列，视之为被弃之民，便也影射以色列的神为不仁不忠之神。
2. 神的百姓凭信心在这些侮辱之下何等安稳地自持（弥7:8）：*我的仇敌啊，不要向我夸耀！*我如今虽倒下，却不会永远如此；当我的神为我显现之时，那作我仇敌的必看见而蒙羞——不仅因指望教会彻底覆灭而落空，更将有同样战惊之杯递在她手中；那时我的眼必看见她在如今我所处的同样凄惨之境；她必眼见而遭践踏。请注意，教会的解救必成为她仇敌的混乱；他们的羞辱必是双重的——正如他们曾践踏神的百姓，他们也必同样被践踏。
III. 这地虽长久荒凉，及至拯救之时——就是所定之时——来到，必再得充满。1. 它的拯救必不来到，直到它先荒凉；旁注如此读（弥7:13）。神与这地有争辩，它必须长久在他的责罚之下，因其中居民的缘故；正是他们的罪孽使他们的地荒凉（诗107:34）；这是因他们行事的结果——他们自己所犯的恶行，以及他们因着自身恶影响和恶榜样而成为帮凶的、别人的罪之恶果。为此他们必预期受苦多时；因为世人必知神即便在己民之中也恨恶罪。2. 拯救若来到，它必是完全的拯救；此处似乎指他们借居鲁士从巴比伦得蒙解救——这事以赛亚约在此时已预言——作为我们借基督得赎的预表。(1.) 命令必传到远方。神关于他们被掳的判语，以及尼布甲尼撒关于被掳永续、永不愿释放他们的定意，这些将被搁置撤销，你们必不再听见；必不再如轭一般压在你们颈项上。(2.) 耶路撒冷和犹大的城邑必再被建造：你的城墙重修的那日——为居住的墙，为防御的墙，房屋的墙，城墙，圣殿的墙；正是为此，命令才被取消（赛44:28）。锡安的城墙虽可能长久在废墟之中，却必有一日要被修造。(3.) 凡属以色列地的人，无论分散何处、境况何等困苦，远在普世四方，都必再涌回归回（弥7:12）：他必来归你——既得归回的自由，又有归回的心愿；从亚述——十支派被掳之地，虽地处偏远——又从坚固的城邑，又从堡垒——他们自以为紧紧拘禁他们的那些保障；因为当神的时候来到，法老虽不容百姓去，神必以大能的手将他们领出来。他们必从一切远处而来，从这海到那海，从这山到那山，不因你们的挫折而退缩，必从力量到力量，直到锡安。如此，在那大救赎之日，神必从四方招聚他的选民。
Englisches Original
Seeking Comfort in God; The Sins of the People (700 BC)
⁷ Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
⁸ Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.
⁹ I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.
¹⁰ Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.
¹¹ In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed.
¹² In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.
¹³ Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.
The prophet, having sadly complained of the wickedness of the times he lived in, here fastens upon some considerations for the comfort of himself and his friends, in reference thereunto. The case is bad, but it is not desperate. Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
I. "Though God be now displeased he shall be reconciled to us, and then all will be well, Mic 7:7,9. We are now under the indignation of the Lord; God is angry with us, and justly, because we have sinned against him." Note, It is our sin against God that provokes his indignation against us; and we must see it, and own it, whenever we are under divine rebukes, that we may justify God, and may study to answer his end in afflicting us, by repenting of sin and breaking off from it. Now, at such a time, 1. We must have recourse to God under our troubles (Mic 7:7): Therefore I will look unto the Lord. When a child of God has ever so much occasion to cry, Woe is me (as the prophet here, Mic 7:1), yet it may be a comfort to him that he has a God to look to, a God to come to, to fly to, in whom he may rejoice and have satisfaction. All may look bright above him when all looks black and dark about him. The prophet had been complaining that there was no comfort to be had, no confidence to be put, in friends and relations on earth, and this drives him to his God: Therefore I will look unto the Lord. The less reason we have to delight in any creature the more reason we have to delight in God. If princes are not to be trusted, we may say, Happy is the man that has the God of Jacob for his help, and happy am I, even in the midst of my present woes, if he be my help. If men be false, this is our comfort, that God is faithful; if relations be unkind, he is and will be gracious. Let us therefore look above and beyond them, and overlook our disappointment in them, and look unto the Lord. 2. We must submit to the will of God in our troubles: "I will bear the indignation of the Lord, will bear it patiently, without murmuring and repining, because I have sinned against him." Note, Those that are truly penitent for sin will see a great deal of reason to be patient under affliction. Wherefore should a man complain for the punishment of his sin? When we complain to God of the badness of the times we ought to complain against ourselves for the badness of our own hearts. 3. We must depend upon God to work deliverance for us, and put a good issue to our troubles in due time; we must not only look to him, but look for him: "I will wait for the God of my salvation, and for his gracious returns to me." In our greatest distresses we shall see no reason to despair of salvation if by faith we eye God as the God of our salvation, who is able to save the weakest upon their humble petition, and willing to save the worst upon their true repentance. And, if we depend on God as the God of our salvation, we must wait for him, and for his salvation, in his own way and his own time. Let us now see what the church is here taught to expect and promise herself from God, even when things are brought to the last extremity. (1.) My God will hear me; if the Lord be our God, he will hear our prayers, and grant an answer of peace to them. (2.) "When I fall, and am in danger of being dashed in pieces by the fall, yet I shall arise, and recover myself again. I fall, but am not utterly cast down," Ps 37:24. (3.) "When I sit in darkness, desolate and disconsolate, melancholy and perplexed, and not knowing what to do, nor which way to look for relief, yet then the Lord shall be a light to me, to comfort and revive me, to instruct and teach me, to direct and guide me, as a light to my eyes, a light to my feet, a light in a dark place." (4.) He will plead my cause, and execute judgment for me, Mic 7:9. If we heartily espouse the cause of God, the just but injured cause of religion and virtue, and make it our cause, we may hope he will own our cause, and plead it. The church's cause, though it seem for a time to go against her, will at length be pleaded with jealousy, and judgment not only given against, but executed upon, the enemies of it. (5.) "He will bring me forth to the light, make me shine eminently out of obscurity, and become conspicuous, will make my righteousness shine evidently from under the dark cloud of calumny, Ps 37:6, Isa 58:10. The morning of comfort shall shine forth out of the long and dark night of trouble." (6.) "I shall behold his righteousness; I shall see the equity of his proceedings concerning me and the performance of his promises to me."
II. Though enemies triumph and insult, they shall be silenced and put to shame, Mic 7:8,10. Observe here,
1. How proudly the enemies of God's people trample upon them in their distress. They said, Where is the Lord their God? As if because they were afflicted God had forsaken them, and they knew not where to find him with their prayers, and he knew not how to help them with his favours. This David's enemies said to him, and it was a sword in his bones, Ps 42:10, and see Ps 115:2. Thus, in reproaching Israel as an abandoned people, they reflected on the God of Israel as an unkind unfaithful God.
2. How comfortably the people of God by faith bear up themselves under these insults (Mic 7:8): "Rejoice not against me, O my enemy! I am now down, but shall not be always so, and when my God appears for me then she that is my enemy shall see it, and be ashamed" (not only being disappointed in her expectations of the church's utter ruin, but having the same cup of trembling put into her hand), "then my eyes shall behold her in the same deplorable condition that I am now in; now shall she be trodden down." Note, The deliverance of the church will be the confusion of her enemies; and their shame shall be double, when, as they have trampled upon God's people, so they shall themselves be trampled upon.
III. Though the land continue a great while desolate, yet it shall at length be replenished again, when the time, even the set time, of its deliverance comes. 1. Its salvation shall not come till after it has been desolate; so the margin reads it, Mic 7:13. God has a controversy with the land, and it must lie long under his rebukes, because of those that dwell therein; it is their iniquity that makes their land desolate (Ps 107:34); it is for the fruit of their doings, their evil doings which they have been themselves guilty of, and the evil fruit of them, the sins of others, which they have been accessory to by their bad influence and example. For this they must expect to smart a great while; for the world shall know that God hates sin even in his own people. 2. When it does come it shall be a complete salvation; and it seems to refer to their deliverance out of Babylon by Cyrus, which Isaiah about this time prophesied of, as a type of our redemption by Christ. (1.) The decree shall be far removed. God's decree concerning their captivity, and Nebuchadnezzar's decree concerning the perpetuity of it, his resolution never to release them, "these shall be set aside and revoked, and you shall hear no more of them; they shall no more lie as a yoke upon thy neck." (2.) Jerusalem and the cities of Judah shall be again reared: Then thy walls shall be built, walls for habitation, walls for defence, house-walls, town-walls, temple-walls; it is in order to these that the decree is repealed, Isa 44:28. Though Zion's walls may lie long in ruins, there will come a day when they shall be repaired. (3.) All that belong to the land of Israel, whithersoever dispersed, and howsoever distressed, far and wide over the face of the whole earth, shall come flocking to it again (Mic 7:12): He shall come even to thee, having liberty to return and a heart to return, from Assyria, whither the ten tribes were carried away, though it lay remote, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress, those strongholds in which they thought they had them fast; for when God's time comes, though Pharaoh will not let the people go, God will fetch them out with a high hand. They shall come from all the remote parts, from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain, not turning back for fear of your discouragements, but they shall go from strength to strength till they come to Zion. Thus in the great day of redemption God will gather his elect from the four winds.
14-20
Encouraging Prospects; Encouraging Promises (700 BC)
简体中文
令人鼓舞的前景；令人鼓舞的应许（公元前700年）
¹⁴ 求耶和华在迦密山林中，用你的杖牧放你独居的民，就是你产业的羊群；求你容他们在巴珊和基列得着牧养，像古时一样。
¹⁵ 耶和华说：我要照你出埃及地的日子，将奇事显给他看。
¹⁶ 列国人必看见，就因自己的一切势力惭愧；他们必用手捂口，耳朵变聋。
¹⁷ 他们必舔土如蛇，又如地上爬行的虫；他们因耶和华我们的神而战兢，因你的缘故而惧怕。
¹⁸ 神啊，有何神像你，赦免罪孽，饶恕你产业之余民的过犯？他不永远怀怒，喜爱施恩。
¹⁹ 他必再怜恤我们，将我们的罪孽践踏在脚下；你必将他们的一切罪投于深海。
²⁰ 你必按古时应许我们列祖的话，向雅各施行诚实，向亚伯拉罕施大慈爱。
此处有，I. 先知向神祷告，求他看顾自己的百姓，以及他们的归向和利益（弥7:14）。神要解救他的百姓之时，就激动他们的朋友为他们祷告，并浇灌施恩叫人恳求的灵（亚12:10）。当我们看见神以怜悯的道路向我们而来时，我们当借祷告出来迎接他。这是一个预言性的祷告，等同于对所求之福的应许；神引导他先知所求的，无疑也是他定意要赐的。如今，1. 以色列民在此被称为神之产业的羊群，因为他是他手中的羊，他草场上的羊，他在世上之小群；他们是他的产业，他在地上的份。雅各乃是他的产业之分。2. 这羊群独居在树林中，或译森林中，在迦密山中——一座高山。以色列本是特殊的子民，独居不算在列国之中，如林中的羊群。他们如今是荒凉的子民（弥7:13），在被掳之地如林中的羊，有迷失并成为林中野兽猎物之危险。他们如同没有牧人的羊分散在山上。3. 他求神在那里用他的杖牧放他们，即在被掳之中看顾他们、保护他们、为他们预备，并尽善牧之本分："愿你的杖你的竿在他们行经幽谷之时安慰他们；在那里也不容他们缺乏对他们有益之物。让他们受你的杖治理，而非受他们仇敌的杖，因为他们是你的百姓。"4. 他求神在适当的时候领他们回到巴珊和基列的平原上牧放，不再在山林中被喂养。求你容他们在本国再得牧养，像古时一样。有人将此作属灵的应用，或视为先知向基督的祷告，或视为父神对基督的吩咐，要看顾他的教会，作为群羊的大牧人；他们在此世如身处林中之时，在他们前后出入，使他们可以在迦密、在巴珊和基列得着草场。
II. 神为应允这祷告所赐的应许；我们大可以将神的应许视为对信心祷告的真实答复，并照此领受，因为在他并不是说与行是两件事。先知求神牧放他们，向他们施恩；但神答复说他要将奇事显给他们看（弥7:15）——要为他们作超过他们所能求所能想的事，胜过他们的盼望和期望；他要用奇妙的慈爱待他们（诗17:7）。1. 他要为他们行那重复前代奇事神迹之事——照你出埃及地的日子。他们从巴比伦得蒙解救，必是不逊于他们出埃及之拯救的奇事与恩典之作，更要使那光辉黯然失色（耶16:14-15），何况基督所成之救赎。请注意，神对教会前次的恩惠，乃是将再施恩惠的范式，遇有需要必将照样而行。2. 他要为他们行那成为当代惊奇诧异之事（弥7:16-17）。四围的列国必留意此事；必在外邦中说：主为他们行了大事（诗126:2）。犹太人从巴比伦得解救这事对邻近列国所生的影响，必大大有助于神与教会双方的尊荣。(1.) 那些曾在神百姓遭难时辱骂他们，并以得着他们便要将他们压住不放为夸的人，必惭愧——当他们看见他们如此令人惊奇地兴起；他们必因俘虏如今所发显的一切势力而惭愧——他们原以为他们已永远无能为力。他们如今必用手捂口——既为自己从前所说的羞愧，又不能再说什么以夸胜于以色列。不但如此，他们的耳朵变聋——他们如此为这奇妙的解救而羞愧；他们塞耳不听，因不愿再听见神为他们所藐视、所辱骂之民所行的奇事。(2.) 那些曾放胆顶撞神自己的人，如今必被击打而生敬畏，并借此（至少在名义上）归顺他（弥7:17）：他们必舔土如蛇——他们必如此受羞辱，如同受了蛇所受的同一咒诅（创3:14）：你必用肚子行走，终身吃土。他们必被带到所能想象的最低卑微之境，并如此丧胆以至于驯服地顺从。他的仇敌必舔土（诗72:9）。不但如此，他们必舔教会脚上的尘土（赛49:23）。骄傲的欺压者如今必在大神面前被唤起他们是何等卑微、何等微小；他们必战战兢兢、以最低下的顺服从所藏的洞中出来（赛2:21），如同地上的虫——羞愧惊惶，不敢露头；他们被降卑之时，必沦落到何等卑贱的光景。当神为教会行奇事之时，那地的许多人民就入了犹太籍，因为惧怕犹太人和他们的神临到他们身上（斯8:17）。此处如此应许：*他们必因耶和华我们的神而战兢，因你以色列的缘故而惧怕！*勉强的顺从往往不过是虚伪的顺从；然而它仍有助于神和教会的荣耀，虽然对那些假冒者本身无益。
III. 先知代表教会以信心倚靠神的应许，向神的怜悯所作的感恩承认（弥7:18-20）。此处教导我们，
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当将赦免之怜悯的荣耀归给神（弥7:18）。神既应许领回他被掳的百姓，先知便借此机会赞叹赦免之怜悯，以此为这事工的根基。因为正是他们的罪使他们被掳，也正因为神赦免了他们的罪，才使他们被领出来（诗85:1-2，赛33:24，38:17，60:1-2）。罪的赦免乃是一切圣约怜悯的根基（来8:12）。先知在此为之惊奇，而四围的列国只对那不过是这赦免之果子的解救惊奇。请注意，(1.) 神的百姓——他产业的余民——被控许多过犯；他们既是余民、为数不多，人所盼望他们应都是好人，但他们并非如此；神的儿女也有他们的瑕疵，常常得罪他们的父。(2.) 恩慈的神愿意在百姓悔改归向他之时，赦免他们的罪孽过犯。神的百姓是蒙赦免的百姓，他们之一切都由此而来。当神赦免罪时，他便将其放过——不按他本可以行的去刑罚，也不按罪所应得的对待罪人。(3.) 神虽暂时将自己百姓置于他不悦的标记之下，却不永远怀怒；他虽使人忧愁，还要照他诸般的慈爱发怜悯；他并非不能挽回；但对于那些不属于他产业之余民、未蒙赦免的人，他必永远怀怒。(4.) 神所以赦免罪、不永远怀怒的理由，都从他自己里面取出；这是因他喜爱施恩；罪人之得救是他所喜悦的，不是他们的死亡和沉沦。(5.) 神在赦免罪上所得的荣耀，如在其他事上一样，无可比拟。除他之外没有神能如此赦免；无论是官长是平民，无人像神那样赦免。在这一点上他的意念和道路无限地高于我们的意念和道路；在这一点上他是神，不是人。(6.) 凡经历过赦免之怜悯的，不能不为这怜悯称奇；这事我们若知道是什么，就有理由为之惊奇。神是否已赦免了我们的过犯？我们就可如此说：*有何神像你？*我们对赦免之怜悯所发的圣洁惊奇，必是我们有分于这怜悯的佳美凭据。
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当取那怜悯及其所带来的一切恩典与真理之安慰。神的百姓在此既以感恩回顾神赦免了他们的罪，就以确信前瞻他将来还要为他们作什么。他的怜悯永远长存，因此他既已施怜悯，他还要再施（弥7:19-20）。(1.) 他要向我们更新他的恩惠：他必再怜恤我们——即如他从前怜恤我们那样，他必再怜恤我们；他的怜悯每早晨都是新的；他似乎在怒中离开我们，但他必再回转怜恤我们。他必使我们归向他，然后他必转向我们，怜恤我们。(2.) 他要更新我们，使我们预备并配得他的恩惠：他必将我们的罪孽践踏在脚下；他既除去罪的刑罚，使它不能定我们罪，也必打破罪的权势，使它不能管辖我们，使我们不惧怕罪、不被罪掳去。罪是攻击我们的仇敌，是压迫我们的暴君；除全能的恩典外，无物可以制服它——它在堕落之人身上的权势如此强大，它占据之久如此深远。但神若赦免了我们所犯的罪，也必制服住在我们里头的罪——在赦免上他无可比拟；凡罪得赦免的人都切切盼望、也切切期待得着腐败的治死和罪孽的制伏，并以这盼望为乐。我们若被交在自己手中，我们的罪孽必过于我们所能当；但我们信靠神的恩典必足以将它们制伏，使它们不能管辖我们，于是它们也不能毁灭我们。(3.) 他必坚立这善工，有效地安排使他的恩典之工永不废止：你必将他们的一切罪投于深海——正如从前他领他们出埃及之时（这应许正是以此为念，弥7:15），他制伏了法老和埃及人，将他们投于深海。这表明神赦免罪时，便不再记念，并安排使之不再被记念来反对罪人。结18:22：他所犯的一切罪过都不被记念；它们如云消散，永不复现。他将它们投入海中——不是在近岸之处，使它们下次退潮之时再现，而是投入深海，永不再起。他们的一切罪都必被投在那里，毫无例外；因为神赦免罪时，便赦免一切。(4.) 他必成全关乎我们的事，并借着这善工为我们作我们的光景所需、他所应许的一切（弥7:20）：那时你必向雅各施行诚实，向亚伯拉罕施大慈爱。我们之蒙赦罪、我们之蒙治死私欲，乃是在圣约之中；这一切溪流都从那源头而出，他也必在其中有将万物白白赐给我们。这应许被称为向亚伯拉罕所施之慈爱，因它既先赐给他，便是纯然的怜悯——先发的怜悯——鉴于它所寻见他时所处的光景。但这应许对雅各而言是诚实，因为神的信实已经承担，要向他和他后裔——作为亚伯拉罕的承受者——成全所赐给亚伯拉罕的一切恩惠应许。请看，[1.] 恩典之约是以何等庄严肃穆的方式向我们确立；它不仅被陈说、被书写、被盖印，更被向我们列祖起誓——这是至高的确证；它也不是近代的设计，更因古远而得坚立；它是自古所起誓立的；这是一份古老的特许状。[2.] 我们可以何等满足地应用它、倚靠它；我们可以最大的确信说：你必施行诚实与慈爱；它的一点一画也不落空。那应许我们的是信实的，他也必成就。
Englisches Original
Encouraging Prospects; Encouraging Promises (700 BC)
¹⁴ Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
¹⁵ According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.
¹⁶ The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.
¹⁷ They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of thee.
¹⁸ Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
¹⁹ He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
²⁰ Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
Here is, I. The prophet's prayer to God to take care of his own people, and of their cause and interest, Mic 7:14. When God is about to deliver his people he stirs up their friends to pray for them, and pours out a spirit of grace and supplication, Zec 12:10. And when we see God coming towards us in ways of mercy, we must go forth to meet him by prayer. It is a prophetic prayer, which amounts to a promise of the good prayed for; what God directed his prophet to ask no doubt he designed to give. Now, 1. The people of Israel are here called the flock of God's heritage, for they are the sheep of his hand, the sheep of his pasture, his little flock in the world; and they are his heritage, his portion in the world. Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. 2. This flock dwells solitarily in the wood, or forest, in the midst of Carmel, a high mountain. Israel was a peculiar people, that dwelt alone, and was not reckoned among the nations, like a flock of sheep in a wood. They were now a desolate people (Mic 7:13), were in the land of their captivity as sheep in a forest, in danger of being lost and made a prey of to the beasts of the forest. They are scattered upon the mountains as sheep having no shepherd. 3. He prays that God would feed them there with his rod, that is, that he would take care of them in their captivity, would protect them, and provide for them, and do the part of a good shepherd to them: "Let thy rod and staff comfort them, even in that darksome valley; and even there let them want nothing that is good for them. Let them be governed by thy rod, not the rod of their enemies, for they are thy people." 4. He prays that God would in due time bring them back to feed in the plains of Bashan and Gilead, and no longer to be fed in the woods and mountains. Let them feed in their own country again, as in the days of old. Some apply this spiritually, and make it either the prophet's prayer to Christ or his Father's charge to him, to take care of his church, as the great Shepherd of the sheep, and to go in and out before them while they are here in this world as in a wood, that they may find pasture as in Carmel, as in Bashan and Gilead.
II. God's promise, in answer to this prayer; and we may well take God's promises as real answers to the prayers of faith, and embrace them accordingly, for with him saying and doing are not two things. The prophet prayed that God would feed them, and do kind things for them; but God answers that he will show them marvellous things (Mic 7:15), will do for them more than they are able to ask or think, will out-do their hopes and expectations; he will show them his marvellous lovingkindness, Ps 17:7. 1. He will do that for them which shall be the repetition of the wonders and miracles of former ages—according to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt. Their deliverance out of Babylon shall be a work of wonder and grace not inferior to their deliverance out of Egypt, nay, it shall eclipse the lustre of that (Jer 16:14,15), much more shall the work of redemption by Christ. Note, God's former favours to his church are patterns of future favours, and shall again be copied out as there is occasion. 2. He will do that for them which shall be matter of wonder and amazement to the present age, Mic 7:16,17. The nations about shall take notice of it, and it shall be said among the heathen, The Lord has done great things for them, Ps 126:2. The impression which the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon shall make upon the neighbouring nations shall be very much for the honour both of God and his church. (1.) Those that had insulted over the people of God in their distress, and gloried that when they had them down they would keep them down, shall be confounded, when they see them thus surprisingly rising up; they shall be confounded at all the might with which the captives shall now exert themselves, whom they thought for ever disabled. They shall now lay their hands upon their mouths, as being ashamed of what they have said, and not able to say more, by way of triumph over Israel. Nay, their ears shall be deaf too, so much shall they be ashamed at the wonderful deliverance; they shall stop their ears, as being not willing to hear any more of God's wonders wrought for that people, whom they had so despised and insulted over. (2.) Those that had impudently confronted God himself shall now be struck with a fear of him, and thereby brought, in profession at least, to submit to him (Mic 7:17): They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall be so mortified, as if they were sentenced to the same curse the serpent was laid under (Ge 3:14), Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat. They shall be brought to the lowest abasements imaginable, and shall be so dispirited that they shall tamely submit to them. His enemies shall lick the dust, Ps 72:9. Nay, they shall lick the dust of the church's feet, Isa 49:23. Proud oppressors shall now be made sensible how mean, how little, they are, before the great God, and they shall with trembling and the lowest submission move out of the holes into which they had crept (Isa 2:21), like worms of the earth as they are, being ashamed and afraid to show their heads; so low shall they be brought, and such abjects shall they be, when they are abased. When God did wonders for his church many of the people of the land became Jews, because the fear of the Jews, and of their God, fell upon them, Es 8:17. So it is promised here: They shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of thee, O Israel! Forced submissions are often but feigned submissions; yet they redound to the glory of God and the church, though not to the benefit of the dissemblers themselves.
III. The prophet's thankful acknowledgment of God's mercy, in the name of the church, with a believing dependence upon his promise, Mic 7:18-20. We are here taught,
1. To give to God the glory of his pardoning mercy, Mic 7:18. God having promised to bring back the captivity of his people, the prophet, on that occasion, admires pardoning mercy, as that which was at the bottom of it. As it was their sin that brought them into bondage, so it was God's pardoning their sin that brought them our of it; Ps 85:1,2, Isa 33:24,38:17,60:1,2. The pardon of sin is the foundation of all other covenant-mercies, Heb 8:12. This the prophet stands amazed at, while the surrounding nations stood amazed only at those deliverances which were but the fruits of this. Note, (1.) God's people, who are the remnant of his heritage, stand charged with many transgressions; being but a remnant, a very few, one would hope they should all be very good, but they are not so; God's children have their spots, and often offend their Father. (2.) The gracious God is ready to pass by and pardon the iniquity and transgression of his people, upon their repentance and return to him. God's people are a pardoned people, and to this they owe their all. When God pardons sin, he passes it by, does not punish it as justly he might, nor deal with the sinner according to the desert of it. (3.) Though God may for a time lay his own people under the tokens of his displeasure, yet he will not retain his anger for ever, but though he cause grief he will have compassion; he is not implacable; yet against those that are not of the remnant of his heritage, that are unpardoned, he will keep his anger for ever. (4.) The reasons why God pardons sin, and keeps not his anger for ever, are all taken from within himself; it is because he delights in mercy, and the salvation of sinners is what he has pleasure in, not their death and damnation. (5.) The glory of God in forgiving sin is, as in other things, matchless, and without compare. There is no God like unto him for this; no magistrate, no common person, forgives as God does. In this his thoughts and ways are infinitely above ours; in this he is God, and not man. (6.) All those that have experienced pardoning mercy cannot but admire that mercy; it is what we have reason to stand amazed at, if we know what it is. Has God forgiven us our transgressions? We may well say, Who is a God like unto thee? Our holy wonder at pardoning mercy will be a good evidence of our interest in it.
2. To take to ourselves the comfort of that mercy and all the grace and truth that go along with it. God's people here, as they look back with thankfulness upon God's pardoning their sins, so they look forward with assurance upon what he would yet further do for them. His mercy endures for ever, and therefore as he has shown mercy so he will, Mic 7:19,20. (1.) He will renew his favours to us: He will turn again; he will have compassion; that is, he will again have compassion upon us as formerly he had; his compassions shall be new every morning; he seemed to be departing from us in anger, but he will turn again and pity us. He will turn us to himself, and then will turn to us, and have mercy upon us. (2.) He will renew us, to prepare and qualify us for his favour: He will subdue our iniquities; when he takes away the guilt of sin, that it may not damn us, he will break the power of sin, that it may not have dominion over us, that we may not fear sin, nor be led captive by it. Sin is an enemy that fights against us, a tyrant that oppresses us; nothing less than almighty grace can subdue it, so great is its power in fallen man and so long has it kept possession. But, if God forgive the sin that has been committed by us, he will subdue the sin that dwells in us, and in that there is none like him in forgiving; and all those whose sins are pardoned earnestly desire and hope; to have their corruptions mortified and their iniquities subdued, and please themselves with the hopes of it. If we be left to ourselves, our iniquities will be too hard for us; but God's grace, we trust, shall be sufficient for us to subdue them, so that they shall not rule us, and then they shall not ruin us. (3.) He will confirm this good work, and effectually provide that his act of grace shall never be repealed: Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depth of the sea, as when he brought them out of Egypt (to which he has an eye in the promises here, Mic 7:15) he subdued Pharaoh and the Egyptians, and cast them into the depth of the sea. It intimates that when God forgives sin he remembers it no more, and takes care that it shall never be remembered more against the sinner. Eze 18:22, His transgressions shall not be mentioned unto him; they are blotted out as a cloud which never appears more. He casts them into the sea, not near the shore-side, where they may appear again next low water, but into the depth of the sea, never to rise again. All their sins shall be cast there without exception, for when God forgives sin he forgives all. (4.) He will perfect that which concerns us, and with this good work will do all that for us which our case requires and which he has promised (Mic 7:20): Then wilt thou perform thy truth to Jacob and thy mercy to Abraham. It is in pursuance of the covenant that our sins are pardoned and our lusts mortified; from that spring all these streams flow, and with these he shall freely give us all things. The promise is said to be mercy to Abraham, because, as made to him first, it was mere mercy, preventing mercy, considering what state it found him in. But it was truth to Jacob, because the faithfulness of God was engaged to make good to him and his seed, as heirs to Abraham, all that was graciously promised to Abraham. See here, [1.] With what solemnity the covenant of grace is ratified to us; it was not only spoken, written, and sealed, but which is the highest confirmation, it was sworn to our fathers; nor is it a modern project, but is confirmed by antiquity too; it was sworn from the days of old; it is an ancient charter. [2.] With what satisfaction it may be applied and relied upon by us; we may say with the highest assurance, Thou wilt perform the truth and mercy; not one iota or tittle of it shall fall to the ground. Faithful is he that has promised, who also will do it.
弥迦书第七章
本章：
I. 先知代表教会，沉痛哀叹他所处的时代中宗教的悲惨衰败，以及那淹没全国的悖虔与败德之洪流——这洪涛抹平了一切界限，冲毁了关乎公义与神圣的一切藩篱（弥 7:1-6）。
II. 先知为教会的缘故，指出在此等时节可资使用的安慰，并给予当如何行的劝勉：
预言便以这句安慰的话作为结束。