서론
제목 없음
繁體中文
영문 원문
In this chapter we have, I. A prediction of the troubles and distresses of the Jewish nation, Mic 5:1. II. A promise of the Messiah, and of his kingdom, to support the people of God in the day of these troubles. 1. Of the birth of the Messiah, Mic 5:2,3. 2. Of his advancement, Mic 5:4. 3. Of his protection of his people, and his victory over his and their enemies, Mic 5:5,6. 4. Of the great world by it, Mic 5:7. 5. Of the destruction of the enemies of the church, both those without, that attack it, and those within, that expose it, Mic 5:8-15.
1-6
The Abasement and Distress of Zion; Birth of the Messiah Predicted; The Glory of Messiah (720 BC)
繁體中文
錫安的降卑與困苦；彌賽亞降生的預言；彌賽亞的榮耀 (720 BC)
¹ 成群的民哪，現在你要聚集成隊；仇敵圍攻我們；他們用杖擊打以色列審判官的臉。
² 伯利恆以法他啊，你在猶大諸城中為小，將來必有一位從你那裏出來，在以色列中為我作掌權的；他的根源從亙古，從太初就有。
³ 耶和華必將以色列人交付敵人，直等那生產的婦人生下子來。那時他其餘的弟兄必歸到以色列人那裏。
⁴ 他必起來，倚靠耶和華的大能，並耶和華他神之名的威嚴，牧養他的羊群；他們要安然居住。因為他必日見尊大，直到地極。
⁵ 這位必作我們的平安。當亞述人進入我們的地境，踐踏宮殿的時候，我們就立七個牧者，八個首領攻擊他。
⁶ 他們必用刀劍毀壞亞述地和寧录地的關口。亞述人進入我們的地境踐踏的時候，他必救我們脫離亞述人。
這裏和先前一樣，我們看到：
I. 錫安的降卑與困苦（Mic 5:1）。猶大民族在被擄之前許多年間，日漸衰微，陷入恥辱之中：成群的民哪，現在你要聚集成隊！這或是對錫安的仇敵——那些擁有軍隊供其差遣的——發出的召集令，要他們來盡力攻擊她（神也任憑他們如此行），或是對錫安的朋友——那些也有軍隊可供調度的——發出的挑戰，要他們來為她盡力；讓他們聚集成隊，卻終歸徒然；因為先知以耶路撒冷居民的名義說：仇敵圍攻我們——亞述王如此行，巴比倫王也如此行，我們卻不知如何自衛；以至仇敵要達到目的，且得勝到一個地步，用杖擊打以色列審判官的臉——就是君王、大審判官和其他較低的審判官——以藐視他們和他們的尊嚴；既然將他們作了俘虜，便要像對待任何普通俘虜一樣羞辱他們。從前對以色列的審判官曾有控告（Mic 3:11），說他們敗壞、收受賄賂，這恥辱臨到他們，正是因他們濫用權力而罪有應得；然而以色列的審判官被如此羞辱地對待，對以色列而言仍是一場大災禍。有人認為這是軍隊（即羅馬軍隊）圍攻耶路撒冷的原因，因為猶太人擊打以色列審判官的臉，因為他們對彌賽亞——以色列的審判官——所行的凌辱，他們打他的臉，說：*你說預言吧，是誰打你？*但前一種解釋看來更為可信，即這是指耶路撒冷被圍困，不是被羅馬人，而是被迦勒底人圍困，並應驗在西底家王和大衛家的首領們所受的凌辱上。
II. 錫安之王的被高舉。先知既已說明大衛家將被帶到何等卑微的地步，那個強大家族的盾牌將被怎樣可恥地拋棄——如同未曾被油膏抹一般——為要鼓勵神百姓的信心（他們此時可能受到試探，認為神與大衛和他的家所立的約已經被廢止了，正如詩人的抱怨，Ps 89:38,39），他便加上了關於彌賽亞和他國度的榮耀預言，在那位彌賽亞裏，那約將被堅立，那個家族的尊榮也將被恢復、提升並永遠存留。現在讓我們來看：
1. 彌賽亞在此是怎樣被描述的。他就是那要在以色列中作掌權的，他的根源從亙古，從太初就有——原文是從永恆的日子而來。此處我們看到：（1）他作為神的永恆存在：他的根源，或作發出，如同光線從太陽發出，從亙古，從太初就有——波考克博士說，這是基督永恆受生、或他作為神的兒子從父而在萬世之前受生的如此顯著的描述，以致這預言只能屬於他，絕不能應驗在別人身上。它確實說的是先知說話時已經過去的一種「發出」，我們讀作他的根源已有；而將這兩個分別用來表示永恆的詞放在一起，清楚地表明它們在此必須取最嚴格的含義（與Ps 90:2相同：從亙古到永恆，你是神），只能應用在那能說還沒有亞伯拉罕就有了我的那位身上（Joh 8:58）。波考克博士指出，發出一詞在De 8:3中被用來指從口中發出的言語，因此非常適合用來表示他被稱為神的道的那位的永恆受生——那太初與神同在的道（Joh 1:1,2）。（2）他作為中保的職分；他要在以色列中作掌權的，作他教會的王；他要永遠治理雅各家（Lu 1:32,33）。猶太人反對說，我們的主耶穌不可能是彌賽亞，因為他非但沒有在以色列中作王，反而是以色列統治了他，將他處死，不願意他作王治理他們；但他自己已經回答了這一點——他說：我的國不屬這世界（Joh 18:36）。而且他所治理的是屬靈的以色列，就是應許的兒女、一切效法有信心之亞伯拉罕和祈禱之雅各的跟從者。他在這些人的心中藉著他的聖靈和恩典治理，在這些人的群體中藉著他的道和職分治理。那風和海都聽從的、群鬼不得不降服的、命令人離開病人並叫死人從墳墓中出來的那位，難道不是在以色列中作掌權的嗎？除了那根源從亙古、從太初就有的那位，沒有人配作在以色列中作掌權的，作教會的頭，並作教會萬有之首。
2. 關於他有什麼在此被預言。
（1）伯利恆將是他降生之地（Mic 5:2）。這就是文士們以最大的把握告訴希律基督當生在何處所根據的聖經（Mt 2:6），因此猶太人普遍知道基督要從大衛所在的伯利恆城出來（Joh 7:42）。伯利恆意為麵包之家——最適合那作生命之糧的他降生之地。又因為它是大衛的城，藉著特別的護理，那要作大衛的子孫、作他永遠的繼承者和後繼者的，被安排生在那裏。它被稱為伯利恆以法他——是同一座城的兩個名字（Ge 35:19）。它在猶大諸城中為小，無論是居民的數目還是他們的地位，都不足為道；它本身沒有什麼配得這樣的尊榮；但神在這件事上如同在其他事上一樣，揀選了叫卑微的升高（Lu 1:52）。基督要將尊榮賜給他降生之地，而不是從那裏得著尊榮：雖然你為小，這卻要使你為大，正如馬太所讀的：你在猶大的首領中並不是最小的，反倒因這緣故真正比他們任何一位更為尊貴。與基督的關係能使世上微小的人被高舉。
（2）在時候滿足之際，他要由婦人所生（Mic 5:3）：因此他必將他們交付；他要把他的百姓以色列交在困苦患難之中，並推遲他們久已應許、久已盼望的拯救，直到那指定的時候，那生產的婦人生下子來，或作（應該如此讀）那將要生產的已經生下子來——就是那蒙福的童貞女、要作彌賽亞之母的，在所指定的伯利恆生下他。波考克博士認為這是這些話最真確的含義。雖然彌賽亞的發出從亙古就有，但耶路撒冷的救贖、以色列的安慰卻必須等候（Lu 2:25-38），直到那將要生產的（如此稱呼童貞女馬利亞，正如基督自己被稱為那將要來者）生下子來；在此之前，他必將他們交付。屬神的拯救必須等到為它們所定的時候來到方可成就。
（3）*那時他其餘的弟兄必歸到以色列人那裏。*猶太民族的餘民必歸回真正以色列兒女的靈——就是與神立約的百姓；兒女的心必轉向父親（Mal 4:6）。有人將此理解為所有的信徒，包括外邦人和猶太人；他們都要被納入以色列的公民社會；而他們既彼此都是弟兄，他也不以為恥地稱他們為弟兄（Heb 2:11）。
（4）他必作榮耀的君王，他的臣民在他的治理下必享福（Mic 5:4）：他必起來，牧養——就是說，他要教導也要治理，並要持續如此行，如同好牧人，以智慧、看顧和慈愛牧養。這是早已預言的。他必像牧人牧養自己的羊群，為他們預備青草地，又設立副牧人引領他們進入這些草場。他是好牧人，走在羊群前頭，在他們中間主持。他不是以一個普通人的身份如此行，而是倚靠耶和華的大能——如同披上了神聖的權能，以完成他的工作、克服路上的困難，不灰心也不喪膽；他要在耶和華他神之名的威嚴中如此行——以明明地證明神的名在他裏面（Ex 23:21），彰顯他名的威嚴，因為他教訓他們，正像有權柄的人，不像文士。先知們以耶和華如此說作為信息的開端；但基督說話，不是像僕人，而是像兒子——我實實在在地告訴你們。這就是在耶和華他神之名的威嚴中牧養。天上地下所有的權柄都賜給他了，管轄凡有血氣的權柄，他憑此權柄至今仍然在耶和華他神之名的威嚴中治理——那超乎萬名之上的名。基督的政權將是：[1] 對他的臣民極為幸福，因為他們要安然居住；他們必安全無慮，永遠如此。*因為他活著，他們也要活著。*他們必躺臥在他所領他們到的青草地上，必永遠住在神的帳幕裏（Ps 61:4）。他的教會必長存，他也必在其中、與它同在，直到世界的末了。[2] 對他自己極為榮耀：他必日見尊大，直到地極。如今他起來牧養他的羊群，便日見尊大。因為基督以行善為自己的偉大。他必日見尊大，直到地極，因為地的極處必賜給他為業，地的四極必看見他的救恩。
（5）他必保衛教會和百姓的平安與福祉，抵擋他和百姓一切仇敵的攻擊（Mic 5:5,6）：這位作君王和統治者的，在亞述人進入我們地境的時候，必作我們的平安。這在預表中是指希西家和他的國從入侵者西拿基立手中得拯救；但在其影兒之下，這是福音教會和一切信徒將脫離黑暗權勢——撒但和他的一切工具，那龍和它的使者，他們要吞滅長子之教會和一切屬於其中之人的計謀和企圖——而得著安全的應許。請注意：[1] 基督的臣民所處的危險患難。亞述人——一個強大的仇敵——進入他們的地（Mic 5:5,6），踐踏他們的境界，甚至得勢到踐踏他們的宮殿；當西拿基立攻擊猶大、攻取一切堅固城、圍攻耶路撒冷時，那是一個踐踏和混亂的時候（Isa 36:1, 37:3）。這預表陰間的權柄攻擊基督的國度，圍住聖徒的營與蒙愛的城，威脅要將一切衝垮。當律法的恐怖列陣反對一個知罪的靈魂，當撒但的試探攻擊神的百姓，當世上的患難威脅要奪去他們一切的安慰時，那時亞述人就進入他們的地，踐踏他們的宮殿。外有爭戰，內有懼怕。[2] 他的臣民在那時必確定無疑地在他的保護之下。第一，基督自己要作他們的平安。當亞述人帶著如此大軍進入一國之境時，除了屈辱投降和任其蹂躪之外，還能有什麼平安嗎？有的，即使在那時，教會的王也必作教會平安的保守者，必作藏身之處（Isa 32:1,2）。基督作我們的平安，是作祭司——為罪贖罪，使我們與神和好；他作我們的平安，也是作君王——征服我們的仇敵，命令平息擾人的恐懼和情慾；他創造嘴脣的果子——平安。即使當亞述人進入這地、我們處於極大的困苦危險之中、自己心裏也定了死罪的判決時，這位仍可作我們的平安。你們在我裏面有平安，基督說——當在世上你們有苦難的時候；在那樣的時候，我們的靈魂仍可以在他裏面安然居住。第二，他必找到合適的人選來保護他們、拯救他們、擊敗他們的仇敵：那時我們必立七個牧者、八個首領攻擊他——就是說，一個足夠的人數，適合抵抗仇敵、與他抗衡、在平安中保護神的教會——他們要有牧者的看顧和慈愛，也要有首領或人中之君的勇氣和權威。七和八是以確定數代表不確定數。注意，當神有工作要做時，他不會缺少合適的工具去完成；當他願意時，他可以藉少數人來做；他不必興起千軍萬馬，只要有七個或八個首領，若神與他們同在，就足以成事。官長和傳道人是牧者和首領，為維護信仰的義舉、抵擋世上罪惡和撒但的權勢而被興起。第三，反對教會的勢力必被克服，反對者必被降卑。這以亞述和迦勒底之地被毀來表示——這兩個民族是神的以色列最可怕的仇敵，他們的毀滅象徵基督的仇敵要作他的腳凳：他們必用刀劍毀壞亞述地和寧錄地的關口；他們要攻入那地，將一切拿武器的人盡行殺戮。注意，那些威脅要毀滅神教會的人，反而加速了自己的毀滅；他們的毀滅就是教會的拯救：他必如此救我們脫離亞述人。當撒但如同閃電從天墜落——在福音傳揚之前——以及基督的仇敵，就是那些不願意他作王治理他們的人，被殺在他面前時，這應許就應驗了。
영문 원문
The Abasement and Distress of Zion; Birth of the Messiah Predicted; The Glory of Messiah (720 BC)
¹ Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
² But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
³ Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
⁴ And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
⁵ And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
⁶ And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.
Here, as before, we have,
I. The abasement and distress of Zion, Mic 5:1. The Jewish nation, for many years before the captivity, dwindled, and fell into disgrace: Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops! It is either a summons to Zion's enemies, that had troops at their service, to come and do their worst against her (God will suffer them to do it), or a challenge to Zion's friends, that had troops too at command, to come and do their best for her; Let them gather in troops, yet it shall be to no purpose; for, says the prophet, in the name of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, He has laid siege against us; the king of Assyria has, the king of Babylon has, and we know not which way to defend ourselves; so that the enemies shall gain their point, and prevail so far as to smite the judge of Israel—the king, the chief justice, and the other inferior judges—with a rod upon the cheek, in contempt of them and their dignity; having made them prisoners, they shall use them as shamefully as any of the common captives. Complaint had been made of the judges of Israel (Mic 3:11) that they were corrupt and took bribes, and this disgrace came justly upon them for abusing their power; yet it was a great calamity to Israel to have their judges treated thus ignominiously. Some make this the reason why the troops (that is, the Roman army) shall lay siege to Jerusalem, because the Jews shall smite the judge of Israel upon the cheek, because of the indignities they shall do to the Messiah, the Judge of Israel, whom they smote on the cheek, saying, Prophesy, who smote thee. But the former sense seems more probable, and that it is meant of the besieging of Jerusalem, not by the Romans, but the Chaldeans, and was fulfilled in the indignities done to king Zedekiah and the princes of the house of David.
II. The advancement of Zion's King. Having shown how low the house of David should be brought, and how vilely the shield of that mighty family should be cast away, as though it had not been anointed with oil, to encourage the faith of God's people, who might be tempted now to think that his covenant with David and his house was abrogated (according to the psalmist's complaint, Ps 89:38,39), he adds an illustrious prediction of the Messiah and his kingdom, in whom that covenant should be established, and the honours of that house should be revived, advanced, and perpetuated. Now let us see,
1. How the Messiah is here described. It is he that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting, from the days of eternity, as the word is. Here we have, (1.) His existence from eternity, as God: his goings forth, or emanations, as the going forth of the beams from the sun, were, or have been, of old, from everlasting, which (says Dr. Pocock) is so signal a description of Christ's eternal generation, or his going forth as the Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, that this prophecy must belong only to him, and could never be verified of any other. It certainly speaks of a going forth that was now past, when the prophet spoke, and cannot but be read, as we read it, his outgoings have been; and the putting of both these words together, which severally are used to denote eternity, plainly shows that they must here be taken in the strictest sense (the same with Ps 90:2, From everlasting to everlasting thou are God), and can be applied to no other than to him who was able to say, Before Abraham was, I am, Joh 8:58. Dr. Pocock observes that the going forth is used (De 8:3) for a word which proceeds out of the mouth, and is therefore very fitly used to signify the eternal generation of him who is called the Word of God, that was in the beginning with God, Joh 1:1,2. (2.) His office as Mediator; he was to be ruler in Israel, king of his church; he was to reign over the house of Jacob for ever, Lu 1:32,33. The Jews object that our Lord Jesus could not be the Messiah, for he was so far from being ruler in Israel that Israel ruled over him, and put him to death, and would not have him to reign over them; but he answered that himself when he said, My kingdom is not of this world, Joh 18:36. And it is a spiritual Israel that he reigns over, the children of promise, all the followers of believing Abraham and praying Jacob. In the hearts of these he reigns by his Spirit and grace, and in the society of these by his word and ordinances. And was not he ruler in Israel whom winds and seas obeyed, to whom legions of devils were forced to submit, and who commanded away diseases from the sick and called the dead out of their graves? None but he whose goings forth were from of old, from everlasting, was fit to be ruler in Israel, to be head of the church, and head over all things to the church.
2. What is here foretold concerning him.
(1.) That Bethlehem should be the place of his nativity, Mic 5:2. This was the scripture which the scribes went upon when with the greatest assurance they told Herod where Christ should be born (Mt 2:6), and hence it was universally known among the Jews that Christ should come out of the town of Bethlehem where David was, Joh 7:42. Beth-lehem signifies the house of bread, the fittest place for him to be born in who is the bread of life. And, because it was the city of David, by a special providence it was ordered that he should be born there who was to be the Son of David, and his heir and successor for ever. It is called Bethlehem-Ephratah, both names of the same city, as appears Ge 35:19. It was little among the thousands of Judah, not considerable either for the number of the inhabitants or the figure they made; it had nothing in it worthy to have this honour put upon it; but God in that, as in other instances, chose to exalt those of low degree, Lu 1:52. Christ would give honour to the place of his birth, and not derive honour from it: Though thou be little, yet this shall make thee great, and, as St. Matthew reads it, Thou art not the least among the princes of Judah, but upon this account art really honourable above any of them. A relation to Christ will magnify those that are little in the world.
(2.) That in the fulness of time he should be born of a woman (Mic 5:3): Therefore will he give them up; he will give up his people Israel to distress and trouble, and will defer their salvation, which has been so long promised and expected, until the time, the set time, that she who travails has brought forth, or (as it should be read) that she who shall bring forth shall have brought forth, that the blessed virgin, who was to be the mother of the Messiah, shall have brought him forth at Bethlehem, the place appointed. This Dr. Pocock thinks to be the most genuine sense of the words. Though the out-goings of the Messiah were from everlasting, yet the redemption in Jerusalem, the consolation of Israel, must be waited for (Lu 2:25-38) until the time that she who should bring forth (so the virgin Mary is called, as Christ is himself called, He that shall come) shall bring forth; and in the mean time he will give them up. Divine salvations must be waited for until the time fixed for the bringing of them forth.
(3.) That the remnant of his brethren shall then return to the children of Israel. The remnant of the Jewish nation shall return to the spirit of the true genuine children of Israel, a people in covenant with God; the hearts of the children shall be turned to the fathers, Mal 4:6. Some understand it of all believers, Gentiles as well as Jews; they shall all be incorporated into the commonwealth of Israel; and, as they are all brethren to one another, so he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Heb 2:11.
(4.) That he shall be a glorious prince, and his subjects shall be happy under his government (Mic 5:4): He shall stand and feed, that is, he shall both teach and rule, and continue to do so, as a good shepherd, with wisdom, and care, and love. So it was foretold. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, shall provide green pastures for them, and under-shepherds to lead them into these pastures. He is the good shepherd that goes before the sheep, and presides among them. He shall do this, not as an ordinary man, but in the strength of the Lord, as one clothed with a divine power to go through his work, and break through the difficulties in his way, so as not to fail, or be discouraged; he shall do it in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God, so as plainly to evidence that God's name was in him (Ex 23:21) the majesty of his name, for he taught as one having authority and not as the scribes. The prophets prefaced their messages with, Thus saith the Lord; but Christ spoke, not as a servant, but as a Son—Verily, verily, I say unto you. This was feeding in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. All power was given him in heaven and in earth, a power over all flesh, by virtue of which he still rules in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God, a name above every name. Christ's government shall be, [1.] Very happy for his subjects, for they shall abide; they shall be safe and easy, and continue so for ever. Because he lives, they shall live also. They shall lie down in the green pastures to which he shall lead them, shall abide in God's tabernacle for ever, Ps 61:4. His church shall abide, and he in it, and with it, always, even to the end of the world. [2.] It shall be very glorious to himself: Now shall he be great to the ends of the earth. Now that he stands and feeds his flock, now shall he be great. For Christ reckons it his greatness to do good. Now he shall be great to the ends of the earth, for the uttermost parts of the earth shall be given him for his possession, and the ends of the world shall see his salvation.
(5) That he shall secure the peace and welfare of his church and people against all the attempts of his and their enemies (Mic 5:5,6): This man, as king and ruler, shall be the peace when the Assyrians shall come into our land. This refers to the deliverance of Hezekiah and his kingdom from the power of Sennacherib, who invaded them, in the type; but, under the shadow of that, it is a promise of the safety of the gospel-church and of all believers from the designs and attempts of the powers of darkness, Satan and all his instruments, the dragon and his angels, that seek to devour the church of the first-born and all that belong to it. Observe, [1.] The peril and danger which Christ's subjects are supposed to be in. The Assyrian, a potent enemy, comes into their land (Mic 5:5,6), treads within their borders, nay, prevails so far as to tread in their palaces; it was a time of treading down and of perplexity when Sennacherib made a descent upon Judah, took all the defenced cities, and laid siege to Jerusalem, Isa 36:1,37:3. This represented the gates of hell fighting against the kingdom of Christ, encompassing the camp of the saints and of the holy city, and threatening to bear down all before them. When the terrors of the law set themselves in array against a convinced soul, when the temptations of Satan assault the people of God, and the troubles of the world threaten to rob them of all their comforts, then the Assyrian comes into their land and treads in their palaces. Without are fightings, within are fears. [2.] The protection and defence which his subjects are then sure to be under. First, Christ will himself be their peace. When the Assyrian comes with such a force into a land, can there be any other peace than a tame submission and an unresisted desolation? Yes, even then the church's King will be the conservator of the church's peace, will be for a hiding-place, Isa 32:1,2. Christ is our peace as a priest, making atonement for sin, and reconciling us to God; and he is our peace as a king, conquering our enemies and commanding down disquieting fears and passions; he creates the fruit of the lips, peace. Even when the Assyrian comes into the land, when we are in the greatest distress and danger and have received a sentence of death within ourselves, yet this man may be the peace. In me, says Christ, you shall have peace, when in the world you have tribulation; at such a time our souls may dwell at ease in him. Secondly, He will find out proper instruments to be employed for their protection and deliverance, and the defeat of their enemies: Then shall we raise against him seven shepherds and eight principal men, that is, a competent number of persons, proper to oppose the enemy, and make head against him, and protect the church of God in peace, men that shall have the care and tenderness of shepherds and the courage and authority of principal men, or princes of men. Seven and eight are a certain number for an uncertain. Note, When God has work to do he will not want fitting instruments to do it with; and when he pleases he can do it by a few; he needs not raise thousands, but seven or eight principal men may serve the turn if God be with them. Magistrates and ministers are shepherds and principal men, raised in defence of religion's righteous cause against the powers of sin and Satan in the world. Thirdly, The opposition given to the church shall be got over, and the opposers brought down. This is represented by the laying of Assyria and Chaldea waste, which two nations were the most formidable enemies to the Israel of God of any, and the destruction of them signified the making of Christ's enemies his footstool: They shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof; they shall make inroads upon the land, and put to the sword all that they find in arms. Note, Those that threaten ruin to the church of God hasten ruin to themselves; and their destruction is the church's salvation: Thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian. When Satan fell as lightning from heaven before the preaching of the gospel, and Christ's enemies, that would not have him to reign over them, were slain before him, then this was fulfilled.
7-15
The Increase of the Church; Encouraging Predictions (720 BC)
繁體中文
教會的增長；鼓勵的預言 (720 BC)
⁷ 雅各餘剩的人必在多國多民中，如耶和華降下的露水，又如甘霖降在草上；不仗賴人，不等候世人之功。
⁸ 雅各餘剩的人必在列國萬民中，如林間百獸中的獅子，又如羊群中的少壯獅子；他若經過，就必踐踏撕裂，無人搭救。
⁹ 你的手必高舉，勝過你的仇敵，你的一切仇敵必被剪除。
¹⁰ 耶和華說：到那日，我必從你中間剪除馬匹，毀壞車輛；
¹¹ 也必從你國中除滅城邑，拆毀一切的保障；
¹² 又必從你手中除掉邪術，你不再有占卜的。
¹³ 我必從你中間除滅雕刻的偶像和柱像，你就不再跪拜自己手所造的。
¹⁴ 我必從你中間拔出木偶，毀滅你的城邑。
¹⁵ 我也必以怒氣和憤恨向列國施報，如他們未曾聽見的。
此處有榮耀的話論到雅各餘剩的人——那從瘸腿的（Mic 4:7）興起的餘民，看來就是凡求告耶和華我們神之名的（Joe 2:32），聖靈必澆灌在他們身上——那將要得救的餘民（Ro 9:27）。注意，神的百姓不過是餘民——與許多被任憑滅亡的人相比，是一小群人，一個小群；但他們是雅各的餘民——與神立約、在他恩寵中的百姓。如今關於這餘民，此處應許：
I. 他們在列國中間必如露水（Mic 5:7）。神的教會分散在全世界；它在多國多民中，如同礦中的金子、禾捆中的麥子。屬肉體的以色列獨自居住，不被算在列國之中；但屬靈的以色列分散在多國多民中，如同地上的鹽，又如撒在地裏的種子，這裏一粒、那裏一粒（Ho 2:23）。如今這餘民必如耶和華降下的露水。1. 他們必出於屬天的源頭；是耶和華降下的露水——他是雨的父，又生了露珠（Job 38:28）。他們是從上頭生的，不屬地，不體貼地上的事。2. 他們必如夏晨的露珠那樣眾多。Ps 110:3：你清晨的甘露。3. 他們必純淨清澈，不混濁敗壞，而是水晶般的露珠，如生命水。4. 他們必無聲無息地產生，如露水不知不覺地凝結——我們不知如何；聖靈的作為正是如此。5. 他們必持續倚靠神，不斷地從他那裏領受，如同露水不仗賴人，不等候世人之功；他們不倚靠人的幫助和勢力，而是倚靠屬神的恩典，因為他們確實承認自己不過是神每天白白的恩典所造成的。6. 他們對所居住的人必成為極大的福氣，如同露水和甘霖之於青草，使草在無人幫助之下生長。他們的教訓、榜樣和禱告，必使他們如同露水，軟化滋潤別人，使他們結出果子。他們的言語必如露滴落（De 32:2），他們周圍的人必等候他們如甘霖（Job 29:23）。他們所居住其中的百姓必如同青草，青草只靠神的賜福而茂盛，不靠人的技藝和照料；他們必藉著將神的祝福引到別人身上而使周圍的人得益——如雅各之於拉班的家，又藉著冷卻和減輕神的怒氣（否則那怒氣必將他們燒盡）而使周圍的人得益，如同露水保護青草不被烈日曬焦——波考克博士如此說；他們待人也必溫和柔順，像他們的主一樣，他如雨降在割過的草上（Ps 72:6）。
II. 他們必如林間百獸中的獅子，踐踏撕裂（Mic 5:8）。他們對那些以愛心領受真理的人，必是沉默、溫和、樂施一切善事的；但對他們所處時代和地方的腐敗，他們在作見證反對時必如獅子般勇敢，在抵擋和勝過他們屬靈的仇敵時，靠神的力量如獅子般剛強。他們爭戰的兵器，靠著神，大有能力，可以攻破堅固的營壘（2Co 10:4,5）。他們必有一切仇敵無法抵擋的口才和膽量（Lu 21:15），如獅子撕裂時無人能搭救。當不信被制止，一切不義被迫閉口，當罪人被福音的大能——在傳道人的教訓中和信徒的品行中——折服歸正時，雅各的餘民就如獅子一般。這在Mic 5:9中被解釋：你的手必高舉，勝過你的仇敵——教會終必勝過一切反對她的勢力。她的仇敵必被剪除——他們要不再作仇敵；他們的敵意必被剪除。基督 conviction 的箭必射入他們心中，使他們伏在他腳下；他們必歸順他為臣民（Ps 45:5），並被喜樂地征服和制伏（Ps 110:2）。
III. 他們必脫離一切他們所倚靠的屬肉體的依靠——藉著神的護理，他們必享受一種不需要那些依靠的安全；又藉著神的恩典，他們必被帶到看見那些依靠的愚妄，從而脫離它們。以色列的罪正是在於他們過度地為自己裝備了馬匹和車輛，又行占卜和拜偶像；見Isa 2:6-8。但此處應許他們不再看重這些。基督國度的安寧，在那解釋本應許的Zec 9:10中有所說明：我必從以法蓮剪除戰車，從耶路撒冷剪除戰馬。注意，被剝奪那些我們用以與神競爭、我們所倚靠為膀臂、我們隨之偏離神去行淫的事物，是一大憐憫。讓我們注意以下的細節：1. 他們曾倚靠戰車和馬匹，並多多加增（Ps 20:7）；但如今神要剪除他們的馬匹，毀壞他們的車輛（Mic 5:10），如同大衛砍斷戰車的馬的蹄筋（2Sa 8:4）。他們不再擁有它們，免得受試探去倚靠它們。2. 他們倚靠堅固城和設防城來保障安全；但神必看顧使它們被拆毀（Mic 5:11）：我必從你國中除滅城邑；拆毀你的保障。他們可以有它們作為居所，卻不能作為營壘，因為神必作他們唯一的防禦之地、他們的高臺、他們的拯救者。3. 他們中間有許多人極度倚靠術士、占卜者和算命者的指引和建議；那些神必剪除——不僅作為無用、不足以救他們的軟弱之物，更作為足以毀滅他們的邪惡之物（Mic 5:12）：我必從你手中除掉邪術——使你不再抓住它們、倚靠它們——你不再有占卜的，因為你必確知他們一切的假冒都是欺騙。國家的公正必按律法剪除他們（Le 20:27）。福音的傳揚使人心脫離好奇的邪術（Ac 19:19）。4. 他們中間有許多人曾對自己手所做的說：你們是我們的神；但如今偶像崇拜必被廢除和放棄（Mic 5:13）：我必從你中間除滅雕刻的偶像和柱像——無論是可移動的還是固定的；它們必被摩西律法的權能所毀滅，被基督福音的權能所廢棄，以至你不再跪拜自己手所造的，反要羞愧自己竟如此被迷惑。在偶像崇拜的其他紀念物中，我必從你中間拔出木偶（Mic 5:14）。這些是為尊榮他們的偶像而栽種和保留的，並用以敬拜它們；他們被吩咐要燒掉它們（De 12:2,3），若他們不如此行，神必親自如此行，使他們不能以之為倚靠。如此我必毀滅你的城邑——意指那些獻給偶像、獻給某個糞堆之神或別的神祇的城邑，他們以之為保護而信賴。
IV. 那些堅持抵擋基督的福音、繼續與偶像崇拜和邪術結盟的人，必落在神的怒氣之下，被其消滅（Mic 5:15）：我也必以怒氣和憤恨向列國施報——就是向異教主義施報——如他們未曾聽見的；偶像崇拜必被廢除，拜偶像的人必蒙羞。有人讀作：我必向未曾聽見的列國施報——或作不肯聽受和接受基督之道的。神必將他仇敵的心或頸項交給他的兒子，使他們或作他的朋友，或作他的腳凳。
영문 원문
The Increase of the Church; Encouraging Predictions (720 BC)
⁷ And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.
⁸ And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.
⁹ Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.
¹⁰ And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:
¹¹ And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:
¹² And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:
¹³ Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.
¹⁴ And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.
¹⁵ And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.
Glorious things are here spoken of the remnant of Jacob, that remnant which was raised of her that halted (Mic 4:7), and it seems to be that remnant which the Lord our God shall call (Joe 2:32), on whom the Spirit shall be poured out, the remnant that shall be saved, Ro 9:27. Note, God's people are but a remnant, a small number in comparison with the many that are left to perish, a little flock; but they are the remnant of Jacob, a people in covenant with God, and in his favour. Now concerning this remnant it is here promised,
I. That they shall be as a dew in the midst of the nations, Mic 5:7. God's church is dispersed all the world over; it is in the midst of many people, as gold in the ore, wheat in the heap. Israel according to the flesh dwelt alone, and was not numbered among the nations; but the spiritual Israel lies scattered in the midst of many people, as the salt of the earth, or as seed sown in the ground, here a grain and there a grain, Ho 2:23. Now this remnant shall be as dew from the Lord. 1. They shall be of a heavenly extraction; as dew from the Lord, who is the Father of the rain, and has begotten the drops of the dew, Job 38:28. They are born from above, and are not of the earth, savouring the things of the earth. 2. They shall be numerous as the drops of dew in a summer's morning. Ps 110:3, Thou hast the dew of thy youth. 3. They shall be pure and clear, not muddy and corrupt, but crystal drops, as the water of life. 4. They shall be produced silently and without noise, as the dew that distils insensibly, we know not how; such is the way of the Spirit. 5. They shall live in a continual dependence upon God, and be still deriving from him, as the dew, which tarries not for man, not waits for the sons of men; they shall not rely upon human aids and powers, but on divine grace, for they are, and own that they are, no more than what the free grace of God makes them every day. 6. They shall be great blessings to those among whom they live, as the dew and the showers are to the grass, to make it grow without the help of man, or the sons of men. Their doctrine, example, and prayers, shall make them as dew, to soften and moisten others, and make them fruitful. Their speech shall distil as the dew (De 32:2), and all about them shall wait for them as for the rain, Job 29:23. The people among whom they live shall be as the grass, which flourishes only by the blessing of God, and not by the art and care of man; they shall be beneficial to those about them by drawing down God's blessings on them, as Jacob on Laban's house, and by cooling and mitigating God's wrath, which otherwise would burn them up, as the dew preserves the grass from being scorched by the sun; so Dr. Pocock; they shall be mild and gentle in their behaviour, like their Master, who comes down like rain upon the new-mown grass, Ps 72:6.
II. That they shall be as a lion among the beasts of the forest, that treads down and tears in pieces, Mic 5:8. As they shall be silent, and gentle, and communicative of all good, to those that receive the truth in the love of it, so they shall be bold as a lion in witnessing against the corruptions of the times and places they live in, and strong as a lion, in the strength of God, to resist and overcome their spiritual enemies. The weapons of their warfare are mighty, through God, to the pulling down of strongholds, 2Co 10:4,5. They shall have courage which all their adversaries shall not be able to resist (Lu 21:15), as when the lion tears none can deliver. When infidelity is silenced, and all iniquity made to stop her mouth, when sinners are convinced and converted by the power of the gospel, in the doctrine of its ministers and the conversation of its professors, then the remnant of Jacob is like a lion. This is explained, Mic 5:9, Thy hand shall be lifted up upon thy adversaries; the church shall have the upper hand at last of all that oppose her. Her enemies shall be cut off; they shall cease to be enemies; their enmity shall be cut off. Christ's arrows of conviction shall be sharp in their hearts, so that they shall fall under him; they shall yield themselves subjects to him (Ps 45:5) and be happily conquered and subdued, Ps 110:2.
III. That they shall be brought off from all carnal confidences, which they have relied on, that by the providence of God they shall enjoy such a security that they shall not need them, and by the grace of God they shall be brought to see the folly of them and come off from them. It was the sin of Israel that they furnished themselves extravagantly with horses and chariots, and were soothsayers and idolaters; see Isa 2:6-8. But here it is promised that they shall not regard them any more. The tranquillity of the kingdom of Christ is intended in that promise, which explains this, Zec 9:10, I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem. Note, It is a great mercy to be deprived of those things in which we have reposed a confidence in competition with God, which we have made our arm, and after which we have gone a whoring from God. Let us observe the particulars:— 1. They had trusted in chariots and horses, and multiplied them (Ps 20:7); but now God will cut off their horses, and destroy their chariots (Mic 5:10), as David houghed the chariot-horses, 2Sa 8:4. They shall not have them, lest they should be tempted to trust in them. 2. They depended upon their strongholds, and fortified cities, for their security; but God will take care that they be demolished (Mic 5:11): I will cut off the cities of thy land; I will throw down thy strongholds. They shall have them for habitations, but not for garrisons, for God will be their only place of defence, their high tower, and their deliverer. 3. Many of them depended much upon the conduct and advice of their conjurors, diviners, and fortune-tellers; and those God will cut off, not only as weak things, and insufficient to relieve them, but as wicked things, and sufficient to ruin them (Mic 5:12): "I will cut off witchcrafts out of thy hand, that thou shalt no more take hold of them, and stay thyself upon them, and thou shalt have no more soothsayers, for thou shalt be convinced that all their pretensions are a cheat." The justice of the nation shall cut them off according to law, Le 20:27. The preaching of the gospel brought men off from using curious arts, Ac 19:19. 4. Many of them had said to the work of their hands, You are our gods; but now idolatry shall be abolished and abandoned (Mic 5:13): "Thy graven images will I cut off, and thy standing images, both those that were movable and those that were fixed; they shall be destroyed by the power of the law of Moses and deserted by the power of the gospel of Christ, so that thou shalt no more worship the work of thy hands, but be ashamed that ever thou hast been so deluded. Among other monuments of idolatry, I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee," Mic 5:14. These were planted and preserved in honour of their idols, and used in the worship of them; these they were ordered to burn (De 12:2,3), and, if they do not, God will, so that they shall not have them to trust to. And so will I destroy their cities, meaning the cities that were dedicated to the idols, to some dunghill-deity or other, which they confided in for their protection.
IV. That those who stand it out against the gospel of Christ, and continue in league with their idolatries and witchcrafts, shall fall under the wrath of God, and be consumed by it (Mic 5:15): I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen (that is, upon heathenism), such as they have not heard; idolatries shall be done away, and idolaters put to shame. I will execute vengeance upon the heathen who have not heard (so some read it), or who would not hear and receive the doctrine of Christ. God will give his Son either the hearts or the necks of his enemies, and make them either his friends or his footstool.
在本章中，我們看到：I. 預言猶大民族的患難與困苦（Mic 5:1）。II. 彌賽亞與他國度的應許，以在這些患難之日扶持神的百姓。1. 彌賽亞的降生（Mic 5:2,3）。2. 他的被高舉（Mic 5:4）。3. 他對百姓的保護，以及他對自己和百姓的仇敵的勝利（Mic 5:5,6）。4. 藉此對世界所產生的重大影響（Mic 5:7）。5. 教會仇敵的毀滅——包括外部攻擊教會的，以及內部出賣教會的（Mic 5:8-15）。