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英文原文
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)
百姓的罪惡 (700 BC)
¹ 哀哉！我好像夏天的果子已被收摘，又像摘了葡萄所剩下的；沒有一掛可吃的；我心羨慕初熟的無花果。
² 地上虔誠人滅盡，世間沒有正直人；各人埋伏，要殺人流血，都用網羅獵取弟兄。
³ 他們雙手作惡；君王徇情面，審判官要賄賂；位分大的吐出惡意，都彼此結聯。
⁴ 他們最好的，不過是荊棘；最正直的，不過是蒺藜牆。你守望者說降罰的日子已經來到，他們必擾亂不安。
⁵ 不要倚賴鄰舍；不要信靠密友。要守住你的口，不要向你懷中的妻提說。
⁶ 因為兒子藐視父親，女兒抗拒母親，媳婦抗拒婆婆；人的仇敵就是自己家裡的人。
這段對壞時代的描述，有人認為不太可能適用於這位先知說預言時的希西家時代，因此他們寧可將之視為對瑪拿西年間將要發生之事的預言。但我們倒不如設想這是在亞哈斯年間（他也在那時說預言，Mic 1:1），或是在希西家時代初期，即在他所推動的改革之前；甚至在希西家最好的日子裡，當他已盡力清除腐敗之後，仍有許多不對之處。先知呼喊說：哀哉！他為自己的分被派在這樣一個敗壞的時代而悲嘆，並認為自己活在這樣一群迅速成熟走向毀滅的百姓中間，是極大的不幸——而許多敬虔人也必不可避免地被捲入其中。大衛也如此呼喊：我寄居在米設，有禍了！他哀嘆：1. 甚至在神的百姓中間，也找不到幾個好人；這正是他們的羞辱：虔誠人從地上滅盡了，或作從這地上，就是迦南地；那是一塊美地，是正直之人的地（Isa 26:10），但其中敬虔的人寥寥無幾，沒有一個正直人（Mic 7:2）。虔誠人是敬虔的人，也是慈悲的人——這個詞兼有兩個含義。完全的善人，就是對神敬虔、對人慈悲憐憫、樂施善捨的人，就是喜愛憐憫、與神同行的人。「這些人都已經滅盡了；從前那些使本國豐富且光彩的誠實人，如今都已離世，沒有繼承他們腳蹤的人興起；誠實被放逐了，再也找不到一個好人。那些受過宗教教育的也已經墮落，變得和最壞的人一樣壞；虔誠人斷絕了」（Ps 12:1）。這可用一個比方來說明（Mic 7:1）：他們好像夏天的果子已被收摘；要找到一個好人，就像在收割之後要找夏天的果子（那些最上等最好的，必須小心收進的）一樣困難。先知幾乎要像以利亞在他那時代一樣說（1Ki 19:10）：只剩下我一個人。從前成串垂掛的敬虔人，如今如同摘了葡萄所剩下的，這裡一顆、那裡一顆（Isa 17:6）。你找不到他們成群結隊如一串串的葡萄，所剩下的只是單獨的個人：沒有一掛可吃的；而最飽滿最好的葡萄，總是成串生長的。有人認為這不僅表示敬虔人稀少，更表示那些留下的、被當作好人的，也起不了什麼作用，如同那些細小枯乾的葡萄——是被收穫者和拾取者都遺棄的殘餘。當先知觀察到這普遍的敗壞時，他就羨慕初熟的果子；他渴望看見從前那個時代那些可敬的善人——他們是上古時代的光榮，遠勝過如今這時代中最好的人，正如初熟的、熟透的果子遠勝過那些永遠不能成熟、後長的果子。當我們讀到、聽到從前時代信仰者所表現的智慧和熱心、嚴謹和敬虔、敬拜和慈善，又看見如今這時代的人完全相反，我們就不得不坐下來，帶著嘆息渴望：願再有純正的基督教！從前那些人的純樸和正直在哪裡？那些沒有詭詐的真以色列人在哪裡？我們的心羨慕他們，卻是枉然。黃金時代已經過去，無法挽回；我們必須善處現狀，因為我們不可能再看見從前那樣的時代了。2. 在他們中間有那麼多邪惡敗壞的人，不僅沒有一人行善，更有成群的人竭盡所能地作惡：「他們各人埋伏要殺人流血，用網羅獵取弟兄。為了使自己得著財富，他們不顧怎樣損害鄰舍和至近的親屬。他們行事如同人類處於戰爭狀態，唯有強權才是公理。他們對鄰舍如同猛獸，因為他們各人埋伏要殺人流血，如同獅子埋伏要擒獵物；他們渴想流人的血，把奪去任何人的性命或生計當作無關緊要的事，只要能為自己圖利就好，並且埋伏等候機會如此行。他們對鄰舍也如同猛獸，因為各人用網羅獵取弟兄；他們逼迫他們如同有害的生物，該被捉拿毀滅，儘管他們是無辜而優秀的人。」我們論到被放逐的人說，他像狼一樣被追獵。「或者他們如人獵取獵物一般獵取他們，以之為盛宴；他們有千般詭計陷阱叫人陷入毀滅，只要自己能從中獲利。如此他們雙手竭力作惡——他們的心渴望惡，他們的頭腦籌謀惡，然後雙手就預備付諸實行。」注意，人對任何罪惡的追求越是熱切執著，在其中所下的功夫越多，就越惹神發怒。3. 那些按職分本該作公正的保護者的官長，竟是歪曲不義的實行者和推動者：他們雙手竭力作惡，以此激發自己、壯自己的膽，君王徇情面，審判官要賄賂，他們可以被收買去動用一切權力來支持推進任何邪惡的計謀。他們雙手善於作惡（有人如此讀）；他們作惡極有技巧和手腕，還為自己作得如此出色而自誇。另有人如此讀：他們雙手樂意作惡（他們一有機會就伸手作惡），但君王和審判官行善卻要賄賂；他們若行什麼善事也是唯利是圖的，必須有人付錢。有財富和權力行善的大人物，卻不恥於與君王和審判官一同吐露他的惡意，而君王和審判官也樂意支持他、與他同夥。他們就彼此結聯；他們使事情複雜、糾纏、混亂（有人如此理解），好叫公正消失在迷霧之中，從而使案件隨他們的意思轉向。百姓的首領、審判官和大人物結盟顛倒公正，這是百姓的災禍。關於他們，有一個可悲的評語（Mic 7:4）：他們最好的不過是荊棘，最正直的不過是蒺藜牆；要與他們有任何瓜葛都是危險的事；凡摸他們的必須用鐵器防備（2Sa 23:6,7），他必被刮傷，衣服被撕裂，眼睛幾乎被挖出。如果連最好最正直的人都是如此，那些最壞的人又如何呢？當事情到了這般地步，你守望者說降罰的日子已經來到，也就是隨後所說的你被察罰的日子——神要為這一切惡行與你算帳，這被稱為守望者的日子，因為神所設立作他們守望者的先知，曾屢次警告他們那日子將到。當所有的人都敗壞了自己的道路，連最好的和最正直的人也不例外，除了察罰的日子、審判的洪流之外，還能期望什麼呢？正如洪水淹沒了上古世界，因為地上滿了強暴。4. 人與人之間沒有信實；人們已經變得普遍詭詐背信，以至於不知道可以信任誰（Mic 7:5）。「那些心中還存有絲毫榮譽感或美德火花的人，對友誼的法則堅守不渝；他們不會洩露私下談話的內容，也不會出賣朋友而洩露秘密。但這些事如今成了笑柄；你找不到一個你敢信任的朋友——他的話你不敢信，他對你也沒有任何體恤和關懷；因此智者要以之為準則：不要倚賴鄰舍——因為你必發現他虛假，你只能在他眼前才信任他；即使是那被認為誠實的人，你也只有在嚴加防備時才發現他不過如此。至於那應承作你的引導者、領你進入他所自稱比你更精通的事務的人，你也不能信靠他，因為只要能從中獲利，他必定誤導你。」有人將引導者理解為丈夫，因為丈夫被稱為你年輕時的引導者；這與接下來的話也很吻合：「要守住你的口，不要向你懷中的妻提說，就是對你自己的妻子也要謹慎你所說的，免得她出賣你，如大利拉出賣參孫一樣，免得她成為那傳揚言語的空中的飛鳥，傳揚你在內室中所說的話」（Ec 10:20）。當連謹慎的人也不得不被迫如此保持沉默時，這實在是邪惡的時代。5. 兒女辱沒父母，人在自己的家中和至近的親屬中得不到安慰和滿足（Mic 7:6）。當兒子藐視父親，對他惡言相向，羞辱他，威脅他，處心積慮要害他，當女兒起來背叛自己的母親，毫無孝心和天性之情；那麼媳婦與婆婆爭吵、惹她煩惱，也就不足為奇了。他們或因財產利益不能相和，或因脾氣性情衝突，或出於一種偏執和逼迫的靈——弟兄要把弟兄交到死地，父親要把孩子交出去（Mt 10:21, Lu 21:16）。當一個人的出賣者和最壞的仇敵就是自己家裡的人——他自己的兒女和僕人，那些本該護衛他、作他最好朋友的人——這實在可悲。注意，輕視和違背家庭本分的法則，是風俗普遍敗壞的可悲徵兆。那些不孝敬父母、處處惹他們生氣、與他們作對的人，永遠不會有好的下場。
英文原文
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)
在神裏面尋求安慰；百姓的罪惡 (700 BC)
⁷ 至於我，我要仰望耶和華，等候那救我的神；我的神必應允我。
⁸ 我的仇敵啊，不要向我誇耀！我雖跌倒，必再起來；我雖坐在黑暗裏，耶和華卻作我的光。
⁹ 我要忍受耶和華的惱怒，因我得罪了他；直等到他為我辨屈，為我伸冤。他必領我到光明中，我必得見他的公義。
¹⁰ 那時我的仇敵看見，就必有羞愧蒙蓋她——就是那曾對我說：耶和華你的神在哪裏呢？我的眼必看見她；如今她必像街上的泥土被踐踏。
¹¹ 你的城牆重建之日，你的境界必被拓展。
¹² 當那日，人必從亞述和埃及的城邑，從埃及到大河，從這海到那海，從這山到那山，都歸到你這裏。
¹³ 然而，這地必因居民的緣故荒涼，因他們行事的結果。
先知既已沉痛地抱怨了他那時代的邪惡，此處便抓住了一些考量來安慰自己和他在此事上的朋友們。情況雖然惡劣，卻不是絕望的。然而在以色列這事還有指望。
I. 雖然神如今不悅，他必再與我們和好，那時一切就都好了（Mic 7:7,9）。我們如今在耶和華的惱怒之下；神向我們發怒，這是公義的，因為*我們得罪了他。*注意，是我們得罪神才惹動了他對我們的惱怒；每當我們在屬神的責打之下，我們必須看見並承認這一點，好叫我們稱義為義，並努力以悔改歸正來回應他管教我們的目的。在這樣的時候：1. 我們必須在患難中投靠神（Mic 7:7）：至於我，我要仰望耶和華。當神的兒女無論有多少理由呼喊哀哉（如先知在此Mic 7:1），他仍可得著安慰——他有一位神可以仰望，有一位神可以投奔、可以飛向他，在他裏面可以喜樂並得著滿足。當他周圍的一切看來幽暗時，上面的一切可能看來光明。先知曾抱怨在地上找不到安慰、不能信任親友，這便驅使他歸向他的神：*至於我，我要仰望耶和華。*我們越沒有理由在任何受造物中喜樂，就越有理由在神裏面喜樂。如果首領不可信任，我們就可以說：以雅各的神為幫助的那人有福了——如果他是我的幫助，我在目前的禍患中也有福了。如果人虛假，我們的安慰是神是信實的；如果親屬無情，他是而且必是恩惠的。所以我們當仰望在他們之上、超越他們的，不因在他們身上的失望而耿耿於懷，而要仰望耶和華。2. 我們必須在患難中順服神的旨意：我要忍受耶和華的惱怒——要忍耐地忍受，不發怨言、不滿，*因為我得罪了他。*注意，真正為罪悔改的人在患難之下有許多理由忍耐。人為自己罪的刑罰何必抱怨呢？當我們向神抱怨時代之壞時，我們理當控告自己心之壞。3. 我們必須倚靠神來為我們施行拯救，在適當的時候使我們的患難得著好的結局；我們不僅要仰望他，還要等候他：我要等候那救我的神，等候他向我施恩回轉。在我們最大的患難中，我們若憑信心仰望神為我們救恩的神——他能拯救最軟弱的人，只要他們謙卑祈求；他願意拯救最壞的人，只要他們真實悔改——我們就沒有理由絕望。我們若以神為我們救恩的神而倚靠他，就必須等候他，等候他的拯救，以他的方式、在他的時間成就。現在讓我們看看教會在此被教導要從神那裏期望和應許自己什麼——即使在事情到了最後絕境的時候。（1）我的神必應允我；耶和華若作我們的神，他必聽我們的禱告，賜下平安的答覆。（2）我雖跌倒，雖有被摔碎的危險，必再起來，恢復過來。我雖跌倒，卻不至全然被打倒（Ps 37:24）。（3）我雖坐在黑暗裏——孤寂灰心、憂鬱困惑，不知如何是好、往何處求援——耶和華卻作我的光，安慰我、使我甦醒，教導我、指引我，作我眼的光、我腳的光、在暗處的光。（4）他要為我辨屈，為我伸冤（Mic 7:9）。我們若真心擁護神的事業——那正義卻受損害的信仰和美德的事業——將之作為我們的事業，我們就可以期望他認同我們的事業並為之辯護。教會的事業雖然暫時看來對她不利，終必被熱心地辯護，不僅要對仇敵作出判決，更要對仇敵執行判決。（5）他必領我到光明中——使我從隱密中卓越地發出光來，成為顯著的；使我的公義從誹謗的烏雲下明明地發出光來（Ps 37:6, Isa 58:10）。安慰的清晨要從漫長而幽暗的患難之夜中照耀出來。（6）我必得見他的公義——我要看見他關乎我的作為之公正，以及他對我所應許之信實的履行。
II. 雖然仇敵誇勝羞辱，他們必被制止並蒙羞（Mic 7:8,10）。請注意此處：
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神百姓的仇敵在他們患難時何等驕傲地踐踏他們。他們說：*耶和華你的神在哪裏呢？*如同因為他們受苦，神就離棄了他們——他們不知道到哪裏憑禱告去尋找他，他也不知道怎樣以恩惠幫助他們。大衛的仇敵也如此對他說，這在他骨中如刀刺透（Ps 42:10，又見Ps 115:2）。他們如此在羞辱以色列如同被棄絕的百姓之時，也影射了以色列的神是一位不仁慈、不忠實的神。
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神的百姓憑信心在這些羞辱之下何等安然地自持（Mic 7:8）：*我的仇敵啊，不要向我誇耀！*我如今雖然跌倒，卻不會永遠如此；當我的神為我出頭時，我的仇敵看見就必羞愧——不僅因她所期望的教會徹底覆滅的期望落空，更因同一杯令人戰慄的杯要交在她手中——那時我的眼必看見她在我如今所處的同樣可悲的境況中；*如今她必像街上的泥土被踐踏。*注意，教會的拯救將是仇敵的混亂；他們的羞愧將是雙重的——正如他們曾踐踏神的百姓，他們自己也必被踐踏。
III. 雖然這地持續荒涼很久，但當拯救的時候——所定的時候——來到時，它終必再被充滿。1. 它的拯救要等到它已經荒涼之後才來到（旁注如此讀，Mic 7:13）。神與這地有爭論，它必長久在他的責打之下，因其中的居民；是他們的罪孽使他们的地荒涼（Ps 107:34）；是因他們行事的結果——他們自己所犯的惡行，以及罪惡的果子——別人所犯的罪，他們因自己不良的影響和榜樣而成了幫兇。為此他們必須料到要受苦很久；因為世界必知道神恨惡罪，即使在他自己的百姓中也是如此。2. 當拯救來到時，它必是完全的拯救；這似乎是指他們藉古列從巴比倫得拯救，以賽亞在此時也預言了此事，作為我們藉基督得救贖的預表。（1）境界必被拓展。神關乎他們被擄的旨意，以及尼布甲尼撒下令使他們永遠被擄的決定——他永不釋放他們的決心——這些必被撤銷和廢止，你們必不再聽見這些事；它們必不再如軛一般壓在你的頸項上。（2）耶路撒冷和猶大的城邑必再被建造：你的城牆重建之日——為居住的牆，為防禦的牆，房屋的牆，城邑的牆，聖殿的牆；正是為了這些，那命令才被廢止（Isa 44:28）。錫安的牆雖可能長久荒廢，終必有一日要被修復。（3）一切屬以色列地的人——無論散佈何方、無論多麼困苦——在整個地球的面上遠近各處，都必湧回這地（Mic 7:12）：他必歸到你這裏——有歸回的自由和歸回的心意——從亞述（十個支派被擄到那裏，雖然偏遠），從埃及的城邑，從埃及那些他們以為緊緊抓住他們的堅固堡壘；因為當神的時候來到，雖然法老不容百姓去，神也必以大能的手將他們帶出來。他們要從一切遙遠的地方來——從這海到那海，從這山到那山——不因你們的灰心而退縮，卻要力上加力，直到來到錫安。如此，在那大拯救的日子，神要將他的選民從四方招聚來。
英文原文
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.
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Encouraging Prospects; Encouraging Promises (700 BC)
鼓勵的展望；鼓勵的應許 (700 BC)
¹⁴ 求耶和華在迦密山的樹林中，以你的杖牧放你獨居的民，就是你產業的羊群；求你容他們在巴珊和基列得草吃，像古時一樣。
¹⁵ 耶和華說：我要把奇事顯給你看，如你從埃及地出來的日子一樣。
¹⁶ 列國看見必慚愧，他們的一切勢力歸於無有；他們必用手摀口，耳朵變聾。
¹⁷ 他們必舔土如蛇，如土中的腹行物；他們必戰戰兢兢地出他們的營寨；他們必懼怕耶和華我們的神，也必因你而畏懼。
¹⁸ 神啊，有何神像你，赦免罪孽，饒恕你產業之餘民的過犯？他不永遠懷怒，喜愛施恩。
¹⁹ 他必再憐憫我們，將我們的罪孽踹在腳下，又將我們的一切罪惡投入深海。
²⁰ 你必按古時應許我們列祖的話，向雅各施誠實，向亞伯拉罕施慈愛。
此處我們看到：I. 先知禱告神看顧他自己的百姓，以及他們的事業和利益（Mic 7:14）。當神要拯救他的百姓時，他激動他們的朋友為他們禱告，並澆灌施恩和懇求的靈（Zec 12:10）。當我們看見神以憐憫的道路向我們走來時，我們必須以禱告去迎接他。這是一個預言性的禱告，等同於對所求之善事的應許；神指示他的先知求的，無疑也是他定意要賜的。如今：1. 以色列百姓在此被稱為神產業的羊群，因為他們是他手中的羊、他草場上的羊、他在世上微小的一群羊；他們也是他的產業——他在世界中的分。雅各是他產業的份。2. 這群羊獨居在樹林中，或作森林，在迦密山——一座高山——之中。以色列是一個獨特的民族，獨自居住，不被算在列國之中，如同樹林中的一群羊。他們如今是一個荒涼的百姓（Mic 7:13），在他們被擄之地如同樹林中的羊，有迷失和被野獸吞食的危險。他們分散在山上，如同沒有牧人的羊。3. 他禱告神在那裏以他的杖牧放他們——就是說，在他們被擄之中看顧他們、保護他們、供應他們，盡好牧人的本分：「願你的杖和竿安慰他們，即使在那幽暗的山谷中；即使在那裏，也不叫他們缺乏任何對他們有益的東西。讓他們受你的杖管治，而不是受他們仇敵的杖管治，因為他們是你的百姓。」4. 他禱告神在適當的時候帶領他們回到巴珊和基列的平原上吃草，不再在樹林和山間受餵養。*讓他們在自己的國土上再得草吃，像古時一樣。*有人將此作屬靈的應用，使之或為先知對基督的禱告，或為天父對基督的吩咐——要他作羊群的大牧人，看顧他的教會，在他們於這世上如樹林之中時在他們前頭出入，使他們可以在迦密山、在巴珊和基列一樣找到草場。
II. 神的應許，作為對這禱告的回答；我們大可將神的應許視為對信心之禱告的真實回答，並照之領受，因為在他說和做不是兩回事。先知禱告神牧放他們、為他們行善事；但神回答說他要將奇事顯給你看（Mic 7:15），要為他們做超過他們所能求所能想的事，要超越他們的盼望和期望；他要將他奇妙的慈愛顯明（Ps 17:7）。1. 他要為他們行重複前代奇事和神蹟的事——如你從埃及地出來的日子一樣。他們從巴比倫的拯救必是一件不遜於他們從埃及得拯救的奇事和恩典之工；不，它必使那光輝黯然失色（Jer 16:14,15），基督所成就的救贖之工更是如此。注意，神從前對他教會的恩惠是將來恩惠的模型，在有需要的時候必再被複製出來。2. 他要為他們行使當代成為驚奇和驚嘆之事（Mic 7:16,17）。周圍的列國必注意到它，人必在外邦中說：耶和華為他們行了大事（Ps 126:2）。猶太人從巴比倫得拯救對鄰國所造成的印象，必大大有助於神和教會的尊榮。（1）那些在百姓遭難時侮辱他們、誇口一旦將他們打倒就要永遠壓制他們的人，必慚愧——當他們看見百姓如此出人意料地興起；他們必慚愧於一切勢力——就是被擄者如今所施展的一切大能——那些他們以為永遠喪失了能力的人所施展的。他們如今必用手摀口——為自己所說的話羞愧，不能再以勝利的口吻論到以色列。不但如此，他們的耳朵也變聾——他們對神為那百姓所行的奇妙拯救感到如此羞愧；他們掩耳不願再聽見神為他們所如此藐視和侮辱的百姓所行的奇事。（2）那些放肆地對抗神自己的人，如今必被對他的敬畏所擊打，並因此至少在表面上行上歸順他（Mic 7:17）：他們必舔土如蛇——他們必如此被挫折，如同被判了蛇所受的同樣咒詛一般（Ge 3:14）：你必用肚子行走，終身吃土。他們必被帶到所能想像的最低微之境地，必如此喪膽以至甘心順服。他的仇敵必舔土（Ps 72:9）。不但如此，他們必舔教會腳下的塵土（Isa 49:23）。驕傲的欺壓者如今必被喚醒認識自己在偉大的神面前是何等卑微、何等渺小，他們必戰戰兢兢地從他們藏身的洞穴中出來（Isa 2:21），如同他們本是的地上的蟲一般，羞愧害怕而不敢露頭；他們被降卑時必如此卑賤。當神為他的教會行奇事時，那地的許多人民就入了猶太籍，因為對猶太人以及他們的神的懼怕臨到了他們（Es 8:17）。此處也是如此應許：*他們必懼怕耶和華我們的神，也必因你而畏懼——以色列啊！*勉強的歸順往往只是虛假的歸順；但它們仍歸榮耀給神和教會，雖然不歸益處給那些假冒為善者自己。
III. 先知以教會的名義感恩地承認神的憐憫，以信心的倚靠仰望他的應許（Mic 7:18-20）。我們在此被教導：
1. 將赦罪之恩的榮耀歸給神（Mic 7:18）。神既應許帶回他被擄的百姓，先知便因此機會讚歎赦罪之恩——以此為其根基。既然是他們的罪將他們帶入奴役，也是神赦免他們的罪將他們從中帶出（Ps 85:1,2, Isa 33:24, 38:17, 60:1,2）。赦罪是一切其他聖約憐憫的根基（Heb 8:12）。先知對此驚嘆不已，而周圍的列國只對那些不過是這赦罪之果子的拯救驚嘆。注意：（1）神的百姓——就是他產業的餘民——被控告犯了許多過犯；他們既是餘民、人數極少，有人或盼望他們都是極好的，但事實並非如此；神的兒女有他們的瑕疵，常常得罪他們的天父。（2）施恩的神樂意在他們悔改歸向他時饒恕和赦免他百姓的罪孽和過犯。神的百姓是蒙赦免的百姓，他們的一切都歸功於此。當神赦免罪時，他便越過它——不按他所當行的刑罰它，也不按罪所應得的對待罪人。（3）雖然神可能暫時使他的百姓處於他不悅的記號之下，但他不永遠懷怒；他雖使人憂愁，卻要施憐憫；他不是不能挽回的；但對那些不是他產業之餘民的、未蒙赦免的人，他必永遠保持他的怒氣。（4）神赦免罪、不永遠懷怒的原因，全是從他自己裏面取的；是因為他喜愛施恩——罪人的拯救是他所喜悅的，不是他們的死和滅亡。（5）神在赦免罪上的榮耀，如同在其他事上一樣，是無可比擬、無與倫比的。在這方面沒有神像他；沒有任何官長、任何普通人，能像神那樣赦免。在這方面他的意念和道路無限地高過我們的；在這方面他是神，不是人。（6）一切經歷過赦罪之恩的人不能不讚歎那憐憫；我們有理由為之驚奇——如果我們知道它是什麼的話。神是否赦免了我們的過犯？我們大可以說：*有何神像你？*我們對赦罪之恩的聖潔驚奇，將是我們在其中確有分的美好證據。
2. 以那憐憫以及隨之而來的一切恩典和真理為慰。神的百姓在此既存感恩的心回顧神赦免他們的罪，也憑信心前瞻他將來還要為他們做的事。他的憐憫永遠長存，因此他既已施憐憫，他也必如此行（Mic 7:19,20）。（1）他必更新對我們的恩惠：他必再憐憫我們——就是說，他必再如從前那樣憐憫我們；他的憐憫每早晨都是新的；他似乎在怒中離開，但他必轉回憐憫我們。他必使我們歸向他，然後轉向我們，憐憫我們。（2）他必更新我們，為我們預備和裝備我們以領受他的恩惠：他必將我們的罪孽踐踏；當他除掉罪的罪債——使之不能定我們罪——時，他也必打破罪的權勢——使之不能管轄我們，使我們不懼怕罪，不被它擄去。罪是與我們爭戰的仇敵、壓制我們的暴君；除了全能的恩典，沒有什麼能制伏它——它在墮落的人中權勢如此之大，又長久盤踞。但神若赦免了我們所犯的罪，他也必制伏我們裏面居住的罪——在赦免上無人像他；一切罪得赦免的人都熱切渴望並盼望他們的敗壞被治死、罪孽被制伏，並以這盼望為樂。我們若被交在自己手中，我們的罪孽必過於我們所能勝任；但我們信靠神的恩典必夠我們用，去制伏它們，使它們不能統治我們，如此它們也不能毀滅我們。（3）他必堅固這善工，有效地確保他的恩典之舉永不撤銷：你必將我們的一切罪惡投入深海——正如他帶領他們出埃及時（他在此處的應許中有此含義，Mic 7:15）制伏了法老和埃及人，將他們投入深海。這暗示當神赦免罪時，他便不再記念，並確保它不再被記念來反對罪人。Eze 18:22：他所犯的一切罪過都不被記念；它們被抹去如雲——永不再現。他將它們投入海中——不是在近岸處，在那裏它們可能在下次退潮時再現，而是投入深海——永不再起。一切罪惡都必被投在那裏，毫無例外，因為神赦免罪時，他赦免一切。（4）他必成全關乎我們的事，並以此善工為我們成就我們的處境所需的一切以及他所應許的一切（Mic 7:20）：那時你必按古時應許我們列祖的話，向雅各施誠實，向亞伯拉罕施慈愛。我們的罪得赦、我們的情慾被治死，都是在聖約的延續中成就的；一切這些溪流都從那源頭流出，他也必以此將萬物白白地賜給我們。應許被稱為向亞伯拉罕的慈愛，因為最初賜給他時，它純粹是慈愛——是預先的慈愛——考慮到它尋見他時他所處的狀態。但它對雅各卻是誠實，因為神的信實已經保證要向他和他的後裔——作為亞伯拉罕的繼承人——成就一切恩惠地應許給亞伯拉罕的。請見此處：[1] 恩典之約以何等的莊嚴向我們確認；它不僅被說出、寫下、蓋印，更以最高的確認方式——向我們的列祖起誓；它也不是近代的計劃，而是以古遠為證；它是從古時起誓的；它是一份古老的憑章。[2] 它可以何等滿足地被我們應用和倚靠；我們可以以最高的確信說：你必施行誠實和慈愛；它的一點一畫也不落空。那應許我們的是信實的，他也必成就。
英文原文
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.
在本章中：I. 先知代表教會，沉痛哀嘆他那時代宗教的可怕衰落，以及淹沒全國的不敬虔和不道德的洪流——這洪流夷平了一切界限，沖垮了一切公正和神聖的藩籬（Mic 7:1-6）。II. 先知為教會的緣故，開出一些在這樣的時代能有幫助的安慰之方，並給予當行的指教。1. 他們必須仰望神（Mic 7:7）。2. 他們必須勇敢抵擋仇敵的囂張（Mic 7:8-10）。3. 他們必須忍耐承受神的責打（Mic 7:9）。4. 他們必須料到患難會持續很久，並努力善處逆境（Mic 7:11-13）。5. 他們必須以神的應許——就是回答先知禱告的應許——來激勵自己（Mic 7:14,15）。6. 他們必須預見現今欺壓他們的仇敵必將傾覆（Mic 7:16,17）。7. 他們自己必因神的恩典憐憫和他對聖約的信實而歡呼（Mic 7:18-20），預言便以這安慰的話作為結束。