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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.
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The Abasement and Distress of Zion; Birth of the Messiah Predicted; The Glory of Messiah (720 BC)
简体中文
锡安的卑微与困苦；弥赛亚降生的预言；弥赛亚的荣耀（主前720年）
¹ 成群的民哪，现在你要聚集成队！仇敌围攻我们；他们必用杖击打以色列审判者的脸。
² 伯利恒以法他啊，你在犹大诸城中为小，将来必有一位从你那里出来，在以色列中为我作掌权的；他的根源从亘古、从太初就有。
³ 耶和华必将他们交付敌人，直等到那生产的妇人生下子来；那时他其余的弟兄必归到以色列人那里。
⁴ 他必起来，倚靠耶和华的大能，并耶和华他神之名的威严，牧养他的羊群；他们要安然居住；因为他必日见尊大，直到地极。
⁵ 这位必作我们的平安。当亚述人进入我们的地境，践踏我们宫殿的时候，我们就立起七个牧者、八个首领攻击他。
⁶ 他们必用刀剑毁坏亚述地，和宁录地的关口；亚述人进入我们的地境，践踏我们境界的时候，他必救我们脱离亚述人。
与先前一样，此处我们看见：
I. 锡安的卑微与困苦（弥 5:1）。犹太民族在被掳之前的许多年中，日渐衰微，且陷于屈辱之中：成群的民哪，现在你要聚集成队！这或是召唤那拥有军旅的锡安仇敌，来尽其所能地苦待她（神必容让他们如此行）；或是挑战那也拥有可调遣军旅的锡安朋友，来尽其所能地护卫她；任凭他们聚集成队，却必归于徒然；因为先知代表耶路撒冷的居民说：仇敌围攻我们——亚述王围攻了，巴比伦王围攻了，我们不知如何自卫；因此仇敌必达到目的，并且要用杖击打以色列审判者——君王、最高审判官，以及别的下级审判官——的脸，以蔑视他们和他们的尊严；既将他们掳去，便要待他们如同最低贱的俘虏一般羞辱。前文曾控告以色列的审判官（弥 3:11），说他们败坏、收受贿赂；这羞辱临到他们，正是因他们滥用权柄而公义地受罚；然而以色列的审判官被人如此凌辱地对待，对以色列而言仍是大灾难。有人以此为罗马军队（即那"成队"）围攻耶路撒冷的原因——因为犹太人必用杖击打以色列审判者的脸——因他们要向弥赛亚、以色列的审判者行凌辱之事——他们曾打他的脸，说：*你是先知，告诉我们打你的是谁。*但前一种解释似乎更为可取，即这是指耶路撒冷被围攻——并非被罗马人，而是被迦勒底人；这事应验在西底家王和大卫家的众首领所受的凌辱上。
II. 锡安之君的高升。先知既已指明大卫家将落到何等卑微的地步，那权能家族的盾牌要如何被卑贱地抛弃，仿佛未曾被膏油抹过一般——为要坚固神百姓的信心（他们此时或可受试探，以为神与大卫及其家室所立的约已被废弃了——如诗篇作者的申诉，诗 89:38,39）——他便加上了一段关于弥赛亚及其国度的辉煌预言；在那位弥赛亚里，那约必得坚立，那家族的尊荣也必复苏、被高举并永存。如今让我们来看：
1. 弥赛亚在此是如何被描述的。他就是那位要在以色列中作掌权的，他的根源从亘古、从太初就有——原文作"从永恒的日子而来"。在此我们有：(1) 他作为神的永恒存在：他的根源——或"他的发出"（如阳光之自太阳发出），从亘古、从太初就有——Pocock博士说，这是对基督永恒 generation 的如此显著的描述（或说他作为神的儿子，在万世之前为父所生），以至于这预言必只属于他，绝不能应验在任何别人身上。这话无疑是指着先知说话时已经过去的"发出"，因此不能不照我们所读的那样读作"他的发出已是"；而将这两个分别用来表示永恒的字眼并放在一起，便清楚地表明它们在此必须取其最严格的意义（与诗 90:2 相同——从亘古到永远是神），并且只能应用于那能说还没有亚伯拉罕就有了我（约 8:58）的那位。Pocock博士指出，"发出"一词在申 8:3 中用来指从神口中所出的言语，因此极其恰当地用以表明那被称为神之道者的永恒 generation——那道太初与神同在（约 1:1,2）。(2) 他作为中保的职分；他要在以色列中作掌权的，作他教会的王；他要雅各家作王，直到永远（路 1:32,33）。犹太人反对说，我们的主耶稣不可能是弥赛亚，因为他不仅没有在以色列中作王，反而以色列统治了他，将他处死，并且不愿意他作他们的王；但他自己已经回答了这话——他说，我的国不属这世界（约 18:36）。他所治理的乃属灵的以色列——应许的儿女，一切追随有信心的亚伯拉罕和祷告的雅各的人。他在这些人心里借他的灵和恩典作王，并在这些人的团契中借他的道和典章作王。那位风和海都听从的、众群鬼不得不服的、吩咐疾病离开病人并叫死人从坟墓里出来的，岂不就是以色列中的掌权者吗？除了那位根源从亘古、从太初就有的，没有人配在以色列中作掌权，作教会的头，并在凡事上作教会的头。
2. 关于他在此所预言的是什么。
(1.) 伯利恒必是他降生之地（弥 5:2）。文士满有把握地告诉希律基督当生在何处（太 2:6），所根据的就是这处经文；由此犹太人普遍都知道基督要从大卫的城伯利恒出来（约 7:42）。伯利恒意为饼的房屋——最合宜让他降生之地，他就是生命的粮。又因那是大卫的城，借特别的护理，他——将要作大卫的子孙、作他直到永远的继承者和接续者——便被安排生在那里。它被称为伯利恒以法他——同一座城的两个名字（创 35:19）。它在犹大诸城中为小——无论就居民数目还是就他们的地位而言，都不足为道；它本身毫无配受这尊荣之处；但神在此事上，正如在别的例子上，拣选了那卑微的升高（路 1:52）。基督要将尊荣赐给他降生之地，却不从那里得尊荣：虽然你在犹大诸城中为小，然而这事必使你为大；并且如马太所读，你在犹大的首领中并不是最小的，反而因这事实在比他们中任何一位更尊荣。与基督的关系必使世上卑微的人为大。
(2.) 到了时候满足，他必由妇人所生（弥 5:3）：耶和华必将他们交付——他必将他的百姓以色列交付患难困苦，并要耽延他们许久以来所应许、所期望的拯救——直等到那生产的妇人生下子来；或照更当读的译法——直等到那将要生下的已经生下；就是要作弥赛亚之母的蒙福童贞女，必在所定的伯利恒生下他。Pocock博士认为这是这些字句最本真的意义。弥赛亚的发出虽从亘古就有，然而在耶路撒冷的救赎、以色列的安慰，仍必须等候（路 2:25-38）——直等到那将要生下的（童贞女马利亚如此被称为，正如基督自己被称为"那要来的那位"）生下；在此期间，他必将他们交付。神的拯救必须等到所定为生产它们之时才可期望。
(3.) *那时他其余的弟兄必归到以色列人那里。*犹太民族的余民必回归真正以色列儿女的灵——即与神立约的百姓；儿女的心必转向父亲（玛 4:6）。有人将此理解为一切信徒，外邦人与犹太人都在内；他们都将被纳入以色列的公民团体；并且他们既彼此为弟兄，他也不以为耻称他们为弟兄（来 2:11）。
(4.) 他必作荣耀的君王，他的臣民在他的治理下必享福（弥 5:4）：他必起来，牧养——即他必又教导又治理，并且持续如此行——如同好牧人，以智慧、关怀与爱心。如此预言：他必像牧人牧养自己的羊群，必为他们预备青草的牧场，并兴起副牧人来领他们到这些牧场。他是好牧人，在羊前头走，并在他们中间治理。他如此行，并非如同寻常人，而是倚靠耶和华的大能——如同披戴属神的能力以完成他的工作、冲破途中的难处，以至不灰心、也不丧胆；他必在耶和华他神之名的威严中如此行——如此清楚地显明神的名在他里面（出 23:21），即他名的威严，因为他教训他们，正像有权柄的人，不像文士。众先知在传信息之前加上"耶和华如此说"；但基督说话，不像仆人，而像儿子——我实实在在地告诉你们。这就是在耶和华他神之名的威严中牧养。天上地下所有的权柄都赐给他了——有权柄管理凡有血气的——借此他至今仍在耶和华他神之名的威严中治理——那超乎万名之上的名。基督的治理必是：[1.] 使他的臣民大有福气，因为他们要安然居住——他们必安全无虑，并且永远如此。*因为他活着，他们也要活着。*他们要躺卧在他所领他们到的青草地上，要永远住在神的帐幕里（诗 61:4）。他的教会必永存，他也必在教会中、并与教会同在，直到世界的末了。[2.] 使他自己大得荣耀：他必日见尊大，直到地极。如今他既起来牧养他的羊群，他就日见尊大。因为基督以行善为自己的伟大。如今他必日见尊大，直到地极，因为地的极处必赐给他为业，地的四极必看见他的救恩。
(5) 他必保守他教会和百姓的平安与福祉，免受他自己的和他们的仇敌一切图谋与攻击（弥 5:5,6）：这位——作为君王和掌权者——必作我们的平安；当亚述人进入我们的地境，践踏我们宫殿的时候。这话在预表上是指希西家及其国度脱离入侵者西拿基立之手的拯救；但在这预表的影儿之下，它也是应许福音教会和一切信徒脱离黑暗权势——撒但及其一切工具、龙与其使者——的图谋与攻击之安全；这些权势要吞吃长子之教会和属乎它的一切。请留意：[1.] 假设基督的臣民所处的危险与患难。亚述人——一个强盛的仇敌——进入他们的地境（弥 5:5,6），践踏他们的境界，并且得势到践踏他们的宫殿；当西拿基立攻入犹大、夺取一切坚固城、围攻耶路撒冷之时（赛 36:1,37:3），正是践踏和困惑之时。这代表了阴间的门与基督的国争战，围住圣徒的营与蒙爱的城，威胁要将一切冲垮。当律法的威吓列阵攻击一个被扎心的灵魂，当撒但的试探攻击神的百姓，当世上的患难威胁要夺去他们一切安慰，那时亚述人就进入他们的地境，践踏他们的宫殿。外有争战，内有惧怕。[2.] 他的臣民那时必处于何种护卫与保障之下。第一，基督自己必作他们的平安。当亚述人以如此大军进入一地，岂还能有别的平安吗？除了屈辱的顺服和不抵抗的荒废以外？是的，即便在那时，教会的王也必作教会平安的护卫者，必作避难所（赛 32:1,2）。基督作为祭司是我们的平安——为罪赎罪，使我们与神和好；他作为君王也是我们的平安——征服我们的仇敌，并命令下来那搅扰人的恐惧和情欲；他嘴唇的果子就是平安。即便当亚述人进入地境，当我们处在极大的患难和危险之中，并在自己心里已经领了死的判决，这位仍可作我们的平安。*在我里面，基督说，你们有平安——当在世上你们有苦难之时；在那时，我们的灵可以在他里面安然居住。第二，他必找出合适的器皿，被用来护卫并解救他们，使他们的仇敌败溃：那时我们必兴起七个牧者、八个首领攻击他——即一组合适数目的人，足以对抗仇敌、抵挡他、护卫神的教会平安——这些人既有牧者的关怀与温柔，又有首领或人中之君的勇气和权柄。七和八*是以确定的数字表示不确定的数目。请注意，当神有工作要作，他必不缺合用的器皿去作；他若愿意，可借少数人作成；他不必兴起数千人，只要有七八个首领就足以成事——只要有神同在。官长和传道人就是牧者和首领，为护卫信仰公义的事业、抵挡世上罪与撒但的权势而被兴起。第三，对教会的敌挡必被克服，敌挡者必被压下。这在预表上以亚述和迦勒底之地被毁来表示——这两族是以色列神最可怕的仇敌，他们的灭亡象征着基督的仇敌要作他的脚凳：他们必用刀剑毁坏亚述地，和宁录地的关口——他们必侵入那地，将凡遇见的持械之人都用刀杀尽。请注意，凡威胁要毁灭神教会的，反而加速自己的灭亡；他们的毁灭就是教会的拯救：他必如此救我们脱离亚述人。当撒但在福音传讲之前如闪电从天坠落，当基督的仇敌——那不愿意他作王治理他们的——被杀在他面前，那时这话便应验了。
英文原文
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)
简体中文
教会的增长；令人鼓舞的预言（公元前720年）
⁷ 雅各余剩的人必在多国多民中，如耶和华降下的露水，又如甘霖降在草上；不仗赖人力，也不等候世人。
⁸ 雅各余剩的人必在列国中，在多国多民中，如林间百兽中的狮子，又如羊群中的少壮狮子；他若经过，就必践踏撕裂，无人搭救。
⁹ 你的手必举起，临到你的敌人；你的仇敌都必被剪除。
¹⁰ 耶和华说：到那日，我必从你中间剪除马匹，毁坏车辆；
¹¹ 也必从你地剪除城邑，拆毁一切保障；
¹² 又必从你手中剪除邪术，你不再有占卜的；
¹³ 我必从你中间拔出雕刻的偶像和柱像，你就不再敬拜你手所造的。
¹⁴ 我必从你中间拔出你的木偶，如此我将毁灭你的城邑。
¹⁵ 我也必在怒气和烈怒中，向那不听从的列国施报。
此处论及雅各余剩的人所说的事是荣耀的；那余民是从瘸腿的而兴起的（弥4:7），似乎就是主我们神所召的余民（珥2:32），圣灵必浇灌在他们身上——那将要得救的余民（罗9:27）。请注意，神的百姓只是余民，与许多被留在灭亡之中的人相比，是少数，是小群；但他们却是雅各的余民，是与神立约、在他恩惠之中的百姓。关于这余民，此处应许，
I. 他们必在列国中如露水一般（弥5:7）。神的教会分散在全地之上；它在多国多民中间，正如矿石中的金，禾捆中的麦。属肉体的以色列独居，不列在列国之中；但属灵的以色列分散在多国多民中间，如世上的盐，又如撒在地里的种子，这里一粒，那里一粒（何2:23）。这余民必如耶和华降下的露水。1. 他们必有属天的来源；如耶和华降下的露水，他是雨的父，又生发露珠（伯38:28）。他们是从上头生的，不属乎地，也不以地上的事为念。2. 他们必如夏日清晨的露珠那样繁多。诗110:3：你少年时光辉如露。3. 他们必纯洁清明，不浑浊、不腐败，乃是水晶般的露珠，如生命水的露。4. 他们必无声无息地产生，如露水悄然凝结，我们并不知其如何；圣灵的运行正是这样。5. 他们必在持续依赖神之中活着，仍是从他得滋润，正如那露水不仗赖人力，不等候世人；他们必不倚靠人的帮助和权能，乃是倚靠神的恩典；因为他们自己既是、也承认自己不过是神每日所赐白白的恩典所造成的。6. 他们必对他们所居住之人成为大福，正如露水和甘霖之于青草，使青草无需人力或世人相助而生长。他们的教导、榜样和祷告，必使他们如露水，能以柔和滋润他人，使之结果子。他们的言语必滴落如露（申32:2），凡他们周围的必等候他们如甘霖（伯29:23）。他们所居住其中的百姓必如青草，惟靠神的祝福才得茂盛，不靠人的技巧和工夫；他们必因着将神的祝福带到周围的人身上而使人受益——正如雅各之于拉班的家；又因冷却和减轻神本要如烈日烧灼他们的怒气而使人得福——正如露水保护青草不被日头晒焦；波科克博士如此说。他们在行为上也必温和柔谦，像他们的主，他降临如雨降在已割的草上（诗72:6）。
II. 他们必如林间百兽中的狮子，践踏撕裂（弥5:8）。他们对那些以爱心接受真理的人，既静默、温柔、广传各样美善；他们对他们所居之时代和地方之腐败作见证，也必大胆如狮子；并且在神的能力里，抵抗并胜过他们属灵的仇敌，刚强如狮子。他们争战的兵器在神面前大有能力，可以攻破坚固的营垒（林后10:4-5）。他们必有一种口才和智慧，是他们一切仇敌所不能抵挡的（路21:15），正如狮子撕裂时无人能搭救。当不信被使之闭口无言，一切不义被使之塞口无言，当罪人因福音的能力——在其传道人的教训中、在其信徒的言行中——而受感归正之时，雅各的余民便如狮子一般。这在弥5:9得到说明：你的手必举起，临到你的敌人；教会至终必胜过一切反对她的，得着上风。她的仇敌都必被剪除；他们必不再为仇；他们的仇恨必被剪除。基督使人知罪的箭必尖锐地射入他们心里，使他们仆倒在他脚下；他们必将自己献上作他的臣民（诗45:5），并快乐地被征服、被制伏（诗110:2）。
III. 他们必脱离一切他们所倚靠的属肉体的信赖；借着神的护理，他们必享受如此稳妥的境况，以致不再需要它们；又借着神的恩典，他们必得见其愚妄，从而脱离之。以色列的罪正是在于他们奢侈地为自己装备马匹和车辆，并且作占卜的和拜偶像的；见赛2:6-8。但此处应许他们必不再看重它们。基督之国的安宁，正如亚9:10那解释这话的应许所表达的：我必从以法莲剪除战车，从耶路撒冷剪除战马。请注意，能被剥夺那些我们曾用来与神争竞、作为我们所信赖之依靠的事物，乃是极大的怜悯——那些我们曾以之作自己的膀臂，并因之从神那里行邪淫的事物。让我们逐项观察：—1. 他们曾倚靠车马，并多多增加它们（诗20:7）；如今神必剪除他们的马匹，毁坏他们的车辆（弥5:10），正如大卫砍断战车的马筋（撒下8:4）。他们必不再拥有它们，免得他们受试探去倚靠它们。2. 他们曾倚靠坚固城和设防城作为他们的保障；神必顾念使其被拆毁（弥5:11）：我必从你地剪除城邑；我必拆毁你的保障。他们可以有它们作为居所，却不能作为堡垒，因为神必作他们惟一的避难所，他们的高台和拯救者。3. 他们中许多人多多少少倚靠行邪术的、占卜的和算命之人的指引和建议；这些神必剪除——不仅作为无能助人之软弱之物，更作为足以毁坏他们的邪恶之物（弥5:12）：我必从你手中剪除邪术，使你不再抓住它们，不再倚靠它们；你不再有占卜的，因为你必被说服，他们一切所谓的本事不过是欺骗。国家的公义必按律法将他们剪除（利20:27）。福音的传讲也曾使人弃用邪术（徒19:19）。4. 他们中许多人曾对手所造的说：你们是我们的神；如今偶像崇拜必被废除并被弃绝（弥5:13）：我必剪除你雕刻的偶像和柱像——无论可移动的还是固定的；它们必因摩西律法的权能被毁灭，因基督福音的权能被丢弃，使你不再敬拜你手所造的，反因自己曾如此受迷惑而羞愧。在偶像崇拜的其他遗迹之中，我必从你中间拔出你的木偶（弥5:14）。这些是为尊崇他们的偶像而栽植保存的，并用于敬拜它们；他们曾被吩咐焚烧它们（申12:2-3），他们若不行，神必自行焚烧，使他们无它们可倚靠。如此我将毁灭他们的城邑——就是那献给偶像、献给某个粪堆之神、为他们所信赖以为保障的城邑。
IV. 那些顽抗基督福音、仍与他们的偶像和邪术结盟的人，必落在神的烈怒之下，被其吞灭（弥5:15）：我也必在怒气和烈怒中，向那不听从的列国施报——即向外邦的偶像崇拜施报；偶像必被废除，拜偶像者必蒙羞。也有人译为：我必向那未曾听见的列国——即不愿听从和接受基督之道的列国——施报。神必将他仇敌的心或颈项交给他儿子，使他们或作他的朋友，或作他的脚凳。
英文原文
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.
弥迦书第五章
本章我们要看到：
I. 关于犹太民族患难与困苦的预言（弥 5:1）。
II. 关于弥赛亚及其国度的应许，为要在这些患难之日扶持神的百姓。