# commentaries

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<p>For the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, is He who touches the land and it melts, and all who dwell in it will mourn- This earthquake is alluded to in <a href='B:370 8:8'>Amo 8:8</a> and is stated as being two years in the future in <a href='B:370 1:1'>Amo 1:1</a>. Here it is spoken of as actually happening. The prophetic word is so certain of fulfilment that it can be spoken of in the present or even past tenses, even though the fulfilment is yet future. And yet as happened with Nineveh, in the gap between pronouncement and fulfilment, there is the possibility of repentance and a change to God’s stated purpose (<a href='B:300 18:7-9'>Jer 18:7-9</a>, and the example of Nineveh and Moses changing God’s purpose of judgment about Israel). However it could be that the earthquake mentioned in <a href='B:370 1:1'>Amo 1:1</a> was but a premonition of the final earthquake which would happen at the time of the Assyrian invasion; they were being given thereby a foretaste of judgment to come, in the hope they repented. I suggested on :2 that the idolaters ran into the Bethel sanctuary for refuge, and it was destroyed by an earthquake as the Assyrians approached, killing the worshippers beneath the falling masonry. But that same earthquake affected the entire country; those who tried to hide in bunkers or mountains like Carmel (:3) were also destroyed or revealed by the same earthquake.</p><p>And it will rise up wholly like the River, and will sink again, like the River of Egypt- The allusion is to how the Nile rises and falls, spreading debris on its flood plain. Because they had trusted in Egypt, they would rise and fall like Egypt. And in physical terms this would refer to the literal rising and falling of the land as a result of the prophesied earthquake.</p>


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<p>It is He who builds His chambers in the heavens, and has founded His vault on the earth; He who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the earth; Yahweh is His name- God is in total, active control of nature. He hasn’t wound it up on clockwork and left it ticking. He is involved intensely and consciously; see on <a href='B:470 6:26'>Mat 6:26</a>. He can equally therefore bring about cataclysm. The literal earthquake described in :2 and :5 would involve flooding, and the flooding of the earth / land / eretz of Israel also spoke of how the invading armies are likened to rivers and gushing waters, called for by God and therefore irresistible. We have just noted how the Israelites thought they could hide in caves and bunkers on and beneath mount Carmel (:3); God’s vaults and chambers are infinitely larger than any human defence. The man who thinks his cattle or cash will be his defence is made to learn that the cattle on a thousand hills are His. All though these verses we see that all human defence against God’s judgment will be declared pathetically irrelevant. And we are to learn that now, and submit to His judgments, and be on His side wholeheartedly.</p>


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<p>Are you not like the children of the Ethiopians to Me, you children of Israel?, says Yahweh. Haven’t I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?- Other nations had been brought by God from one country to another. The reference to the Ethiopians would be in allusion to the idea that the Assyrian ruling dynasty came from Ethiopia. The idea was that the Israelites should not assume that because they had historically been brought from Egypt to Israel through the Red Sea [cp. baptism, <a href='B:530 10:1'>1Co 10:1</a>], therefore they were definitely of God and He was always on their side. He has moved pagan nations around His chessboard as well. The fact God has moved mightily with us in the past, not least through the waters of baptism / the Red Sea, is no guarantee that where we stand now is therefore spiritually pleasing to Him.</p>


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<p>See, the eyes of the Lord Yahweh are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the surface of the earth; except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, says Yahweh- God’s eyes / Angels were now focused for evil upon them, see on :4. They would be destroyed from the eretz or land of Israel, but not utterly destroyed; in that a remnant were intended to repent and be restored. This was God’s intention for the ten tribe kingdom as much as for Judah; for the context here largely refers to the ten tribes. But they never returned, nor was there any recorded stirring of repentance amongst them. So much potential was wasted.</p>


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<p>For, see, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all the nations, as grain is sifted in a sieve, yet not the least kernel will fall to the earth- Israel’s moving to and from amongst the nations is to be likened to corn being “sifted in a sieve”, and the context is in explaining how the repentance and restoration of a remnant was to be brought about; see on :8. The potential plan was that they would be moved around amongst the nations of the Assyrian empire in line with Assyrian policy for captives; they would be preserved and thereby brought to repentance. But this didn’t happen, at least not on any notable scale. The prophecy may have been rescheduled for fulfilment in the last days and over a far longer period. For Israelites have indeed been sifted amongst the nations for centuries now. It follows that the longer they move amongst the nations, the more the corn will be prepared for final ingathering. The longer they suffer, the nearer they are to repentance. Reflect too that “yet shall not the least grain fall to the earth”. The least kernel that will not fall to the earth would mean that this remnant would be preserved. Does this imply that there has always been a faithful remnant amongst Israel, throughout all their wanderings amongst the nations? Remember that the context here is largely concerning the ten tribes.</p>


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<p>All the sinners of My people will die by the sword, those who say, ‘Evil won’t overtake us nor meet us’- They had been warned to prepare for this meeting with God in judgment, i:e. to repent (<a href='B:370 4:12'>Amo 4:12</a>). And as explained on <a href='B:370 3:3'>Amo 3:3</a>, the idea of meeting with God implied the entry of a new covenant with Him. But they were assured that in no way would they have any meeting with God in judgment; their self assurance and self righteousness led them to preclude any real possibility of condemnation by God. We need to be careful here. For we too can assume that the regular rhythm of our religion will somehow tide us through into eternity. But condemnation at the last day is a real possibility. We should be confident that by grace, if the Lord returns right now, I shall be saved and not condemned. That is the good news of the Gospel, and anything less than such confidence robs the ’gospel’ of its good news. But we may throw it all away tomorrow or later in our lives, as so many have done. There is therefore always the longer term possibility of condemnation; that sense of the future we might miss, the weight of our own&nbsp; weakness and how it could indeed lead us to miss the path in future... must ever remain with us, and result in an appropriate humility and casting of ourselves upon God’s grace and spiritual preservation.</p>


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<p>After this- After the repentance of the remnant spoken of in :8-10. Israel didn’t repent in Assyria. And so the plannedrestoration didn’t happen. But God’s prophetic word will still come true; the prophecy was rescheduled and reapplied. One of those reapplications was in the repentance of a remnant of Israelites after the Lord’s crucifixion and resurrection in the first century AD, and in Acts 15 James quotes the LXX version of :11,12 in this regard. But he does so within a practical context- of arguing that Gentiles too should be baptized into Jesus and allowed full part in the church and people of God.</p><p>I will return- It was exiled Israel who were to return to the land. But God so identifies Himself with the downtrodden remnant that He speaks of Himself returning. The cherubim of glory had departed from Jerusalem and reappeared in Babylon, according to Ezekiel’s visions; and Ezekiel 48 concludes with the comment that if the temple were rebuilt as commanded in Ezekiel 40-48, then again"Yahweh will be there"in Zion. But most of the exiles, especially from the ten tribes, didn’t want to return; and so God’s desire to live with people was to be reapplied to the Gentiles, as James makes clear by his quotation of this passage.</p><p>And I will rebuild- The word can mean to resurrect; the reapplication of this prophecy to the formation of a new house or family of God was to be through the resurrection of David’s great descendant, Messiah Jesus.</p><p>The tent of David- Not the"house"of David. The allusion is to how David kept the ark of God in a tent and not in a house.</p><p>That has fallen down- This chapter began with a prophecy of the destruction of the sanctuary at Bethel built over the altar and golden calf, which would collapse and crush the apostate Israelite worshippers beneath it. This collapse and falling down was typical of what had happened to God’s presence amongst His people.</p><p>I will rebuild- The same word used of establishing a covenant (<a href='B:10 6:18'>Gen 6:18</a>; <a href='B:10 9:9'>Gen 9:9</a>; <a href='B:10 9:11'>Gen 9:11</a>). There is hint here of a new, restored covenant between God and His people. This"new covenant"for the returned exiles spoken of in Jeremiah and Ezekiel is the same new covenant which we enter today through baptism into Jesus. This rebuilding was all of grace, for God in His wrath had just sworn that they would never again"arise"or ’rebuild’ (<a href='B:370 8:14'>Amo 8:14</a> s:w:). But here in <a href='B:370 9:11'>Amo 9:11</a> the word is twice used of how God would resurrect / rebuild / make arise His people.</p><p>Its ruins- This is the word used of how Israel had"forsaken Your covenant, thrown down your altars"(<a href='B:110 19:10'>1Ki 19:10</a>; <a href='B:110 19:14'>1Ki 19:14</a>). What was in ruins was God’s covenant relationship with Israel, epitomized by the Jerusalem temple and the sanctuary at Bethel, the house of God (see on :1) being physically ruined (<a href='B:310 2:2'>Lam 2:2</a>; <a href='B:310 2:17'>Lam 2:17</a>; <a href='B:330 16:39'>Eze 16:39</a>; <a href='B:330 36:36'>Eze 36:36</a> s:w:). Under the new covenant, the God who had once ruined / overthrown them would build them again in a new covenant relationship (<a href='B:300 31:28'>Jer 31:28</a>; <a href='B:300 31:40'>Jer 31:40</a>; <a href='B:330 36:36'>Eze 36:36</a> s:w:).</p><p>And I will restore it as in the days of old- The covenant relationship could be rebuilt, and could have happened at Israel’s return from exile, had they rebuilt the temple according to the laws in Ezekiel 40-48. But they didn’t, and so James explains that this prophecy has been reapplied to the building of a new house of God’s people, which includes Gentiles, in line with the prophetic hope that the restoration from exile would also bring blessing upon the Gentiles, who would identify themselves with the returning exiles and become God’s people. That didn’t happen at the time, and as Ezra and Nehemiah record, the returned exiles intermarried with Gentiles rather than being the light of the Gentile world. And so in <a href='B:510 15:15-17'>Act 15:15-17</a> James quotes this as meaning that because the house / people of David have been rebuilt, therefore it is now acceptable to help the Gentiles “seek after the Lord” Jesus. James perceived that firstly the Gospel must go to the house of David, the Jews, and once they had responded, then it would go to the Gentiles. Perhaps the Lord had the same principle in mind when He bad His preachers to not [then] preach to Gentiles but instead [at that stage] concentrateon preaching to the house of Israel (<a href='B:470 10:5'>Mat 10:5</a>). Yet the primary fulfillment of Amos 9 is clearly in the last days- then, after Israel have been sifted in the sieve of persecution amongst the Gentiles in the latter day holocaust, the tabernacle of David will again be ‘rebuilt’, the Gentiles will turn to the Lord, and then the Kingdom situation of :13-15 will come about. Surely what we are being told is that there must be a repeat of what happened in the first century. What happened then, in the repentance of a minority in Israel, the spread of the Gospel to the world and then the Lord’s ‘coming’ in AD70… this must all be repeated on a far greater scale. Thus some in Israel must repent in the last days, after the pattern of the 1st century. This will bring about the great latter day gathering in of the Gentiles at the establishment of the Kingdom, when the whole Gentile world will seek to come up to Zion (<a href='B:290 2:3'>Isa 2:3</a>; <a href='B:290 19:23'>Isa 19:23</a>; <a href='B:290 11:10'>Isa 11:10</a>; <a href='B:290 51:4-5'>Isa 51:4-5</a>; <a href='B:290 60:3'>Isa 60:3</a>; <a href='B:290 60:11'>Isa 60:11</a>; <a href='B:290 66:20'>Isa 66:20</a>; <a href='B:450 8:21'>Zec 8:21</a>).</p>


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<p>That the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord- As explained on :11, the initial possibility was that the returned exiles would have brought with them the Gentiles, who would come with them to"seek the Lord". But they didn’t return, for the most part; and mixed with the Gentiles rather than encouraging them to"seek the Lord", as Ezra and Nehemiah describe. And so the prophecy was reapplied, and partially fulfilled in Gentiles seeking the Lord Jesus and being baptized into the new covenant."The remnant"of natural Israel was to mix with all the Gentiles who called the Name on themselves by baptism into it. And so from this, James concludes that Gentiles should be baptized and accepted on an equal footing with ethnic Jews in the newly rebuilt house of David / kingdom of God, under the new covenant.</p><p>And all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who makes these things known from of old- <a href='B:510 15:17'>Act 15:17</a> uses these words to encourage us to preach to the Gentiles “upon whom my name is [Amos says ‘has already been’] called”. The Name is called upon us by baptism; yet in prospect, in potential, the Name has already been called upon the whole world. But it is for us to go and convert them. This explains why Paul is spoken of as having been a convert before he actually was. James’ usage of this passage is an example of how the New Testament quotes several passages evidently prophetic of the future Kingdom as having their fulfillment in the preaching of the Gospel today. <a href='B:370 9:11-12'>Amo 9:11-12</a> had its fulfillment in the work of preaching to the Gentiles (<a href='B:510 15:13-18'>Act 15:13-18</a>; <a href='B:510 26:16-18'>Act 26:16-18</a>).</p>


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<p>See, the days come, says Yahweh, that the ploughman shall overtake the reaper, and the one treading grapes him who sows seed- The idea is that the harvests would take so long to reap, that it would already be sowing time whilst the harvest was still ongoing. This idea is alluded to in John 4. The experience of preaching is in itself a foretaste of the future world-wide Kingdom. The harvest is both at the end of the age, according to the parables of Matthew 13, but also is ongoing right now (<a href='B:500 4:36'>Joh 4:36</a>) as we gather in the harvest of converts. The Lord in <a href='B:500 4:35-36'>Joh 4:35-36</a> took this figure far further, by saying that the harvest is such that the interval between sowing and harvesting is in some sense collapsed for those who engage in preaching. The reaper was already collecting his wages; the harvest was already there, even though it was four months away (<a href='B:500 4:35'>Joh 4:35</a>). This clearly alludes to the promises that in the Messianic Kingdom there would also be no interval between sowing and harvest, so abundant would be the harvest (<a href='B:30 26:5'>Lev 26:5</a>; <a href='B:370 9:13'>Amo 9:13</a>). And hence, we are impelled to spread the foretaste of the Kingdom world-wide by our witness right now.</p><p>And sweet wine will drip from the mountains, and flow from the hills- Vines were grown on terraces, and the grapes were seen as dripping wine directly from themselves.</p>


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<p>I will bring My people Israel back from captivity, and they will rebuild the ruined cities, and inhabit them; and they will plant vineyards, and drink wine from them. They shall also make gardens, and eat their fruit- Tragically, Israel and Judahdidn’t want to return from the lands of their captivity; many remained there, and those of Judah who did return were motivated by the hope of personal benefit, as Haggai and Malachi make clear, and soon descended into self-righteousness. So much Divine potential was wasted; the temple complex of Ezekiel 40-48 was a commandment to be obeyed, but the returned exiles didn’t obey it. As Haggai and Malachi record, they were smitten with drought and famine, rather than eating the fruit of their gardens. The Divine plan was therefore rescheduled and reapplied, as explained on :11. Our lives too waste so much potential; it must be so tragic for God, although He must therefore be the more pleased with we weak ones who at least say"Yes"to His plans rather than ignore them.</p>


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<p>I will plant them in their land, and they will no more be plucked up out of their land which I have given them- As explained on :11,12, this entire prophecy could have come true at the restoration; but it didn’t, and so was reapplied to the coming of the Gentiles to believe in the Lord Jesus under the new covenant. It is questionable therefore whether these verses are to be read as requiring a literal returning of Jews to"their land". It certainly can’t apply to the return of Jewish people to Israel in the 20th century, because the descriptions of the latter day tribulation require Israel’s plucking up and brief latter day exile, when passages like <a href='B:50 28:68'>Deu 28:68</a> shall have to be fulfilled.</p><p>Says Yahweh your God- It is grace itself for Yahweh to still call Himself their God, when the context is of an Israel who had refused His word and multiple opportunities to repent. Always God remembers His longer term plan, which is of salvation.</p>


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<p>The vision of Obadiah. This is what the Lord Yahweh says about Edom- Edom, which is Esau Jacob’s brother (<a href='B:10 36:8'>Gen 36:8</a>), often joined in the attacks of others upon Judah and Jerusalem. Jeremiah’s prophecy against Edom seems to quote Obadiah’s (<a href='B:300 49:7-22'>Jer 49:7-22</a>). I say Jeremiah quotes Obadiah because Jeremiah is full of quotations of earlier prophecies against nations: against the Philistines (<a href='B:300 47:1-7'>Jer 47:1-7</a> = <a href='B:290 14:28-32'>Isa 14:28-32</a>), the Moabites (Jeremiah 48 = <a href='B:290 15:1-9'>Isa 15:1-9</a>; <a href='B:290 16:1-14'>Isa 16:1-14</a>), the Ammonites (<a href='B:300 49:1-6'>Jer 49:1-6</a> = <a href='B:370 1:13-15'>Amo 1:13-15</a>), Babylon (Jeremiah 50, 51 = <a href='B:290 13:1'>Isa 13:1</a> to <a href='B:290 14:23'>Isa 14:23</a>) and against Damascus (<a href='B:300 49:23-27'>Jer 49:23-27</a> = <a href='B:370 1:13-15'>Amo 1:13-15</a>). The style of Jeremiah’s prophecy against Edom is different to those passages where Jeremiah is giving his unique material. Israel and Judah are both in view in :10. The references to Jerusalem being taken do not have to refer to the Babylonian invasion, as Jerusalem was plundered several times before that; by the Egyptians (<a href='B:110 14:25-26'>1Ki 14:25-26</a>; <a href='B:140 12:2'>2Ch 12:2</a>), by the Arabians and Philistines in the time of Jehoram (<a href='B:140 21:16-17'>2Ch 21:16-17</a>); by Joash of Israel (<a href='B:120 14:13-14'>2Ki 14:13-14</a>; <a href='B:140 25:23-24'>2Ch 25:23-24</a>); by the Babylonians at the time of Jehoiakim (<a href='B:120 24:1'>2Ki 24:1</a>; <a href='B:140 36:6-7'>2Ch 36:6-7</a>). <a href='B:360 2:32'>Joe 2:32</a> quotes <a href='B:380 1:17'>Oba 1:17</a> ("as Yahweh has said"). So we can conclude that Obadiah was prophesying well before the final Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem and Judah. I suggest that Obadiah’s prophecy was originally given at the time of Jehoram, when the Edomites rebelled against Judah (<a href='B:120 8:22'>2Ki 8:22</a>; <a href='B:140 21:10'>2Ch 21:10</a>). They joined in with the Arabians and Philistines in sacking Jerusalem, and the Philistines gave the captives of Judah to the Edomites to abuse (<a href='B:370 1:6'>Amo 1:6</a>; <a href='B:370 1:9'>Amo 1:9</a>).</p><p>When the Egyptians sacked Jerusalem (<a href='B:110 14:25-26'>1Ki 14:25-26</a>; <a href='B:140 12:2'>2Ch 12:2</a>), the Edomites joined in (<a href='B:360 3:19'>Joe 3:19</a>). They likewise assisted the Babylonians (<a href='B:230 137:7'>Psa 137:7</a>); and they would have been included within the general term"Arabians"who assisted the Philistines in destroying Jerusalem in the time of Jehoram (<a href='B:140 21:16-17'>2Ch 21:16-17</a>), and <a href='B:370 1:6'>Amo 1:6</a>; <a href='B:370 1:9'>Amo 1:9</a> speak of the Philistines and Edomites together abusing the captives of Judah.</p><p>We may wonder why the main perpetrators (Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, the Philistines) are not singled out for such condemnation; why do we have in Obadiah an entire prophecy against a minor player? In my early days of school teaching, I had to break up a fight between two boys behind the bicycle sheds. A ring of boys stood observing, but one boy was in the ring with the other two, full of blood lust, jumping up and down and inciting one of the fighters to grievously hurt the other, shouting abuse at that other fighter. My anger was particularly against that boy rather than the protagonists. And this then would be one of the major lessons from a minor prophet; that God likewise views the ancillaries to conflict as worthy of even more condemnation than the protagonists. And we need to think that through in the context of our own lives.</p><p>Further, Edom or Esau was singled out for such special condemnation because he was Jacob’s brother (:10). This was not the case for the Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Philistines etc. Jacob and Esau were admittedly somewhat separated, and Jacob hadn’t been the best brother to Esau. But they were still brothers, and God expected much better of Esau / Edom than He did of the others. And here too we find a penetrating challenge. Our brethren whom we may view askance, from whom we may be separated by the way life has gone for us, are still our brothers. And we are judged very sensitively according to our attitudes toward them, especially in the time of their distress, however justified we may feel that distress to be.</p><p>We have heard news from Yahweh- It was the duty of prophets to share with others the"news"revealed to them from Yahweh. The"we"could refer to a school of the prophets centred around Obadiah. Or the"we"could refer to the Angels.</p><p>And an ambassador is sent among the nations- The Hebrew for"ambassador"is also translated"messenger", which is also what the Hebrew for"angel"means. So perhaps an Angel is in view, sent amongst the nations to stir them up to a battle which would result in the destruction of Edom.</p><p>Saying, Arise, and let’s rise up against her in battle- The judgment of Edom was to result in the restoration of Israel’s Kingdom. This could have happened at various points in the history of Judah and Israel, but it didn’t, because Israel didn’t repent and the restoration was not conducted spiritually. The ultimate fulfilment of this prophecy, as of all prophecy, will be in the last days.</p>


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<p>Behold, I have made you small among the nations. You are greatly despised- The past tense here must be compared with the present tense of :3 used about Edom’s pride at that time. It is therefore a prophetic perfect- God’s word, both of judgment and salvation blessing, is so certain of fulfilment that it can be spoken as having already happened. The parallel in <a href='B:300 49:15'>Jer 49:15</a> uses the future tense:"I will make you small among the nations". This is why there are passages which speak of the believer’s salvation as if it has already occurred, whereas at this point in human time we are still mortal. It was Israel / Jacob who were made small among the nations; Jacob was the"younger", s:w. ’smaller’, son compared to Esau (<a href='B:10 27:15'>Gen 27:15</a>; <a href='B:10 27:42'>Gen 27:42</a>). Esau / Edom was to receive the judgment of Jacob. This is a major theme of the Apocalypse, that Israel’s enemies suffer as she suffers; the seals of judgment upon Israel are in essence repeated in the vials of judgment upon the surrounding nations.</p>


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<p>The pride of your heart has deceived you- It was their apparently awesome human strength which deceived Esau / Edom, according to the parallel in <a href='B:300 49:16'>Jer 49:16</a>. And in <a href='B:380 1:7'>Oba 1:7</a> it is the other nations in the confederacy against Israel who deceive Edom. They praised Edom’s strength, and Edom’s heart was thereby lifted up in pride. The problem with human strength is that it deceives; we thereby play God and become proud.</p><p>You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high- Pride is consistently given as the reason for the judgment of nations God is so sensitive to it, and so should we be. The allusion is to how the houses in Petra were carved out of caves in the rock. Edom is recorded as having expelled the Horites from the area where the Edomites settled, and ’Horite’ is literally ’a cave dweller’. The consistent message of the prophets is that human strength will not save ultimately, and is in fact an abomination to the God who loves humble trust in Him above all things.</p><p>Who says in his heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’- The answer to that was"God"(:4).</p>


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<p>Though you mount on high as the eagle- The parallel <a href='B:300 49:22'>Jer 49:22</a> says that an eagle greater than them shall take them away from their mountain fortress.</p><p>And though your nest is set among the stars, I will bring you down from there, says Yahweh- This is similar language to the condemnation of Babylon in Isaiah 14, whose heart likewise was exalted to the stars. Edom thought that their physical height and unapproachable fortress in Petra (see on :3) guaranteed their safety. Just as a woman may think her bank balance or a man may consider his pedigree to be an invincible advantage in life. We need to come down from those heights in this life, rather than be brought down from them in the condemnation process. The bringing down of human pride and strength is a major theme of the latter day judgment of the nations around Israel; the word is used multiple times in the prophets (s:w. <a href='B:330 32:30'>Eze 32:30</a> <a href='B:440 2:22'>Hag 2:22</a>; <a href='B:450 10:11'>Zec 10:11</a>; <a href='B:450 11:2'>Zec 11:2</a> and often) as well as Israel herself (<a href='B:300 13:18'>Jer 13:18</a> and often). We either come down now, or then. And even the most modestly stationed person in life has some aspect to their lives which is their height of human strength.</p>


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<p>If thieves came to you, if robbers by night- The Lord’s second coming will indeed be as a thief in the night (<a href='B:590 5:2'>1Th 5:2</a>; <a href='B:680 3:10'>2Pe 3:10</a>), both to the world and to the unprepared amongst God’s people. Again we see that the final moment of all Bible prophecy is at the Lord’s return in the last day, the climax of prophecy.</p><p>Oh, what disaster awaits you!- This seems to be Obadiah’s interjection, so fully does he personally believe the message he is preaching. Such interjections are common in the prophets. We too should feel the reality of the message of the Kingdom we preach; these things are really so, and shall absolutely come true.</p><p>Wouldn’t they only steal until they had enough? If grape pickers came to you, wouldn’t they leave some gleaning grapes?- The implication of the argument is that a certain degree of theft or grape picking would have been acceptable with God. He recognized that Esau / Edom had a legitimate issue with Jacob, even though of course he should ideally have simply forgiven him. But God perceived that they had gone far beyond that. This is not to say that some degree of vengeance and sin is somehow OK with God, but beyond that invisible line, it is not. But on the other hand, God is used to judging human sin, and He does so with understanding, as the only true judge, taking into account all background factors which led to the sinful behaviour.</p>


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<p>How are the men of Esau searched out! How are his hidden things searched through!- As noted on :2, the past tense is used of events yet future. The picture is of the attackers searching through the hidden things of Edom in search of booty, stripping the bodies of the slain men of Esau. As all the things and men of Jacob were searched (<a href='B:10 31:35'>Gen 31:35</a> s:w:), and as latter day Jacob must be likewise searched (<a href='B:430 1:12'>Zep 1:12</a> s:w:), so Esau must experience what Jacob went through. Perhaps this is why"Esau"is used here rather than"Edom". Despite the strong language of total condemnation, perhaps the idea is that Esau / Edom will come to understand the experiences of his brother Jacob, and eternally reconcile in the Kingdom age. The"hidden things"may refer to the secret sins of Esau (as Jacob’s hidden sins are to be searched out, s:w. <a href='B:350 13:12'>Hos 13:12</a>). And those hidden sins were his hatred of his brother. This is the central pivot of the prophecy- that Esau / Edom had hated his brother (:10).</p>


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<p>All the men of your alliance have brought you on your way, even to the border- The idea is as in GNB"Your allies have deceived you; they have driven you from your country". It is hard to discern a major historical fulfilment of this; Edom is to be part of a wider alliance against Jacob / Israel, which then turns upon her and destroys her by deceit. But we can see it coming true in the last days, where so many Bible prophecies suggest that Israel’s invaders will destroy themselves, the ten horns will hate the whore. The"alliance"is that of the ten nations around Israel who make a covenant or alliance to destroy her (<a href='B:230 83:5'>Psa 83:5</a> s:w:). That sounds exactly like the Palestinian Covenant and other such documents which are the founding principles of the jihadist enemies of Israel in our days.</p><p>The men who were at peace with you have deceived you, and prevailed against you. Friends who eat your bread lay a snare under you. There is no understanding in him- Eating bread together was a religious act, and"peace"is the characteristic appeal of Islam, a word which can mean both ’submission’ and is also related to salam, peace; by peace the latter day entity of abuse shall destroy many (<a href='B:340 8:25'>Dan 8:25</a>; <a href='B:590 5:3'>1Th 5:3</a>).</p>


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<p>Won’t I in that day, says Yahweh, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mountain of Esau?- The one time apparent friends of Esau have no understanding (:7) and neither does Esau. Understanding here is presented as the antithesis to pride and human strength. The true understanding is the humility that knows that human strength is nothing and indeed is an abomination to God. As Judah were destroyed (:12 s:w:) so was Edom to be. The destruction of understanding and human wisdom (see the parallel in <a href='B:300 49:7'>Jer 49:7</a>) happens in"that day". In a moment, men will realize that their entire worldview, what seemed to them wise and sensible and logical, has come crashing down. They were wrong, and it will be too late to learn wisdom. Now is the time to do so.</p>


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<p>Your mighty men, Teman, will be dismayed, to the end that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter- The reference may be to the mountain in the sense of the nation, but probably specifically to Petra, their mountain fortress which they considered so invincible (see on :3). The"mighty men"may not simply be warriors; the parallel <a href='B:300 49:22'>Jer 49:22</a> implies that the heart of those might men will suddenly become like that of a woman hit by labour pains. As noted on :8, the entire worldview and value system of the world will in a sudden moment come crashing down. They will be left only with utter dismay and desperation."Dismay"is a word often used in the prophets of the result of Divine judgment; the idea is of mental shock and desperation."Slaughter"is the same word as"violence"in :10- hamas, a word often used by jihadism in teaching violence against Israel. What they do and have done to Jacob shall be done to them. We noted on :1 that Edom were never the main aggressors but the ancillaries; yet they are singled out for such judgment because they did this against their brother. The Arabs are Israel’s brothers; and this is felt and noted by God and factored in to His final judgment of Arab jihadism against Israel.</p>


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<p>For the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame will cover you, and you will be cut off forever- This verse in terms of structure stands at the centre of the prophecy. This is the fundamental lesson; that Esau hated his brother, even though his brother had sinned against him and God recognized his legitimate feelings of anger (see on :5). And such hatred of our brother leads to eternal condemnation. Eternal"shame"is the language of rejection at the final judgment."Violence"translates hamas, the name of a terror organization currently fighting against Israel; and the use of hamas against Jews is one of the dogmas of jihadism. We can see how the latter day fulfilment of these words is already upon us. The eretz / land promised to Abraham is to be filled with this hamas before the Lord’s judgments come as the flood did to destroy all such violent people (s:w. <a href='B:10 6:11'>Gen 6:11</a>; <a href='B:10 6:13'>Gen 6:13</a>). The word is also used of the hamas done by Hagar against the seed of Abraham (<a href='B:10 16:5'>Gen 16:5</a>).</p>


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<p>In the day that you stood on the other side- As noted on :1, it was Esau’s refusal to help Jacob during his time of trouble, both historically and particularly in the last days, which leads to this severe judgment. And so we have another major message from a minor prophet; doing nothing, looking on, is indeed seen as passive aggression by God and judged accordingly. Standing and doing nothing during the various desolations of Jerusalem listed on :1 made Edom"as one of them".</p><p>In the day that strangers carried away his substance- This is the same word used in :13 of how Edom carried away Jacob’s substance. It could be that the allusions are to the various times when Jerusalem was invaded (see on :); sometimes Edom just did nothing to help, other times they joined in. Or the idea could be that by passively doing nothing they were indeed"like one of them". This is the serious weight of sins of omission, doing nothing when another is in need. You did not make the homeless person be on the street; but by not responding, you are responsible for their plight. The historical reference would have been to Edom supporting the Philistines when they ransacked Jerusalem and took captives (<a href='B:370 1:6'>Amo 1:6</a>; <a href='B:370 1:9'>Amo 1:9</a>).</p><p>And foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots for Jerusalem, even you were like one of them- The writer of Psalms 137, sitting angry and frustrated by a Babylonian riverside, with his guitar hanging on a willow branch, being jeered (“tormented” <a href='B:230 137:3'>Psa 137:3</a> RVmg:)&nbsp; by the victorious Babylonian soldiers who had led him away captive… he felt so angry with them. Especially when they tried to make him sing one of the temple songs (“sing us one of the songs of Zion”). And, as a bitter man does, his mind went from one hurt to another. He remembered how when Babylon had invaded, the Edomites hadn’t helped their Hebrew brethren (<a href='B:380 1:11-12'>Oba 1:11-12</a>). They had egged on the Babylonian soldiers in ripping down the temple, shouting [in a chorus?] “Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation”; see my comment on :1 about the boy who eggs on another boy in a school yard fight. And so in anger and bitterness this Jew prays with tears, as he remembered Zion, “O daughter of Babylon… happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock” (:8,9 RV). God read those angry words as a prayer, and in some sense they will have their fulfilment, in the judgment not only of Babylon but of Edom in the last days:&nbsp;For these words are picked up in <a href='B:730 18:8'>Rev 18:8</a>; <a href='B:730 18:21'>Rev 18:21</a> and applied to what will finally happen to Babylon. Her spiritual children such as Edom will be dashed against the rock of Christ, the stone of <a href='B:340 2:44'>Dan 2:44</a>, at His return. He will dash in pieces the Babylon-led people that oppose Him.</p>


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<p>But don’t look down on your brother in the day of his disaster- The time of Jacob’s trouble has particular reference to the last days (<a href='B:340 12:1'>Dan 12:1</a>; <a href='B:300 30:7'>Jer 30:7</a>). Edom are being urged not to act as they have done historically. And the challenge comes to us to not despise sinners when they are undergoing judgment for their sins, lest we be treated like them. Only by recognizing our own sinfulness will we be saved from doing this.</p><p>And don’t rejoice over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction- Rejoicing over the downfall of anyone is sin; for we all deserve to fall and to take the consequence of our sin as they are doing. The fact Esau mocked Jacob as he skulked off to Padan Aram is picked up in <a href='B:380 1:12'>Oba 1:12</a> as a ground for Esau’s condemnation; and yet, humanly, Jacob was at that time by far the bigger and more responsible sinner. A bit of mocking from Esau was, from a human standpoint, a mild response. But he is here condemned for such an attitude. The future tense of this verse suggests that in the last days Edom / Esau is to be tempted to again treat Jacob / Israel in the same way as they did during previous invasions of Judah. To break with history and culture is indeed hard, even when that history is wrong and abusive. But this is an appeal for repentance on Edom’s part.</p><p>Don’t speak proudly in the day of distress- This has particular reference to the latter day time of Jacob’s trouble (s:w."distress"; <a href='B:300 30:7'>Jer 30:7</a>; <a href='B:340 12:1'>Dan 12:1</a>).</p>


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<p>Don’t enter into the gate of My people in the day of their calamity- Again, this has particular reference to the latter day time of Jacob’s trouble (s:w."distress"; <a href='B:300 30:7'>Jer 30:7</a>; <a href='B:340 12:1'>Dan 12:1</a>). The AV renders these verses as rebuke of Esau for having done these things. The ambiguity in the tenses reflects God’s awareness that latter day Esau will be tempted to act toward Jacob as they have done historically. And the appeal is to break with the pattern of past behaviour and instead live by grace, motivated by n awareness of our own sin and desert of judgment. Entering into the gate of a person was an idiom used of intercourse, and in this context, of rape. This was what Edom were judged as having done, even though they were the lesser players in the drama, and simply jumping onside with the far larger powers who had invaded Judah. But this is how God saw it.</p><p>Don’t look down on their affliction in the day of their calamity- For all the major acts of abuse listed here, looking down in pride upon a suffering sinner was especially noteworthy to God. This is just as bad as rape and theft.</p><p>Neither seize their wealth on the day of their calamity- Again,"the day"has particular reference to the latter day time of Jacob’s trouble (s:w."distress"; <a href='B:300 30:7'>Jer 30:7</a>; <a href='B:340 12:1'>Dan 12:1</a>). I noted on :11 that standing doing nothing positive to assist may be counted here as if Edom did in fact seize Judah’s wealth. But it may also be a simple, plain statement as to what they did.</p>


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<p>Don’t stand in the crossroads to cut off those of his who escape- This presumably refers to a particular point on the route southwards to Egypt which ran through Edomite territory. The Jewish refugees were"cut off"by Edom; in line with the second half of the verse, this need not refer to murdering them, but to blocking their route, just as had happened when Israel came up out of Egypt to Canaan. By doing so they were effectively cutting them off in death, because the attackers would therefore catch up with them and slay them. Again and again we see that the collateral damage of apparently lesser actions is weighed carefully by God. And this is the huge takeaway lesson for our lives.</p><p>Don’t deliver up those of his who remain in the day of distress- It could be that some Jews fled to Edom for safety, throwing themselves upon their brother- but Edom delivered them up to their attackers.</p>


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<p>For the day of Yahweh is nearly upon all the nations!- The proximity of judgment day ought to stand for every generation as a reason for repentance. The preceding verses have been an appeal for Esau to act out of character with his historical pattern; and that is the essence of every human repentance. Edom was to be punished along with"all the nations", a term often used about all the nations around Israel. This never clearly happened historically, but looks ahead therefore to the latter day situation. The Nabatean conquest of Petra from the Edomites doesn’t fit Edom perishing along with"all nations".</p><p>As you have done, it will be done to you. Your deeds will return upon your own head- I have noted several times already on Obadiah that Esau was to be taught Jacob’s experiences; not simply for the sake of a ’measure for measure’ punishment, but in order that they would perceive the meaning of what they had done, and repent.</p>


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<p>For as you have drunk on My holy mountain- Drinking is often used in a religious sense. They had blasphemed the temple mount; but the cup of wine they drunk there was effectively a drinking of condemnation to themselves.</p><p>So will all the nations drink continually. Yes, they will drink, swallow down, and will be as though they had not been- The cup of Divine judgment would cause their eternal death. This is the ultimate condemnation, rather than eternal, conscious torture. Again we note that Edom is to be destroyed at the same time as"all the nations"around Israel. This must have specific reference to the last days, as such a scenario hasn’t happened historically. And God’s word will always essentially and ultimately come true.</p>


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<p>But in Mount Zion, there will be those who escape, and it will be holy- This appears to have specific reference to the last days. In the very place where Israel’s God is mocked and blasphemed by the conquerors of Zion (:16), there will also be a remnant who escape (<a href='B:360 2:32'>Joe 2:32</a>; <a href='B:290 59:20'>Isa 59:20</a>). That remnant may refer to a remnant of Edom as well as Israel (<a href='B:290 4:2'>Isa 4:2</a>); the referent is purposefully ambiguous, because it is God’s plan to save individuals from Edom as well as Israel. Although the temple mount will have been desecrated (:16), it will suddenly be made holy (<a href='B:360 3:17'>Joe 3:17</a>). The reference is surely to the literal return of the LordJesus to Zion, to save the repentant remnant and judge their abusers.</p><p>The house of Jacob will possess their inheritances-"Jerusalem"is literally"possession of peace". The plural"inheritances"may refer to their one great inheritance, as an intensive plural- i:e. Jerusalem and Mount Zion. This area is already a major issue in Jewish-Arab relations, and possessing it is the goal of jihadism.</p>


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<p>The house of Jacob will be a fire, the house of Joseph a flame- As required by the new covenant and the prophecy of the sticks becoming one in Zechariah, the two houses of Israel, Judah and Israel, will unite as one (<a href='B:300 3:18'>Jer 3:18</a>). Entry of the new covenant will make them one who are part of it, as it does now. For disunity between believers is a denial of covenant relationship.</p><p>And the house of Esau for stubble- As will all the opposing nations be burnt as stubble at the return of the Lord Jesus (<a href='B:460 4:1'>Mal 4:1</a>).</p><p>They will burn among them and consume them. There will not be anyone remaining to the house of Esau. Truly Yahweh has spoken- The judgment upon Edom which we have in Obadiah raises questions regarding Isaac’s blessing of Jacob and Esau; for <a href='B:10 27:40'>Gen 27:40</a> promises that ultimately, Esau would break off the yoke of Jacob and also come to blessing. But this isn’t really what the prophecy of Obadiah sounds like. Perhaps Jacob’s words were only true of Esau personally and not his seed. Or maybe we are to conclude that Isaac’s blessings&nbsp; were nothing more than his ramblings, and were not the Abrahamic blessing. And so all the angst of Jacob and Esau about getting that human blessing was totally misplaced; Isaac’s words and blessing had no ultimate power in the long term. And that is true of all the secular blessings we might seek, when the Abrahamic blessing ought to be all we are interested in.</p>


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<p>Those of the South will possess the mountain of Esau, and those of the lowland, the Philistines. They will possess the field of Ephraim, and the field of Samaria. Benjamin will possess Gilead- The"possessions"of :17 within the eretz will be finally and eternally possessed by the latter day repentant remnant of Israel. As they were sold into those areas to be abused by the historical Edomites and Philistine / Palestinians (<a href='B:370 1:6'>Amo 1:6</a>; <a href='B:370 1:9'>Amo 1:9</a>), so they will again; but they will rise up at the Lord’s return and possess those areas.</p>


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<p>The captives of this army of the children of Israel, who are among the Canaanites, will possess even to Zarephath; and the captives of Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, will possess the cities of the Negev- The historical reference is to how when the Philistines [Canaan-dwellers] sacked Jerusalem, they sold the captives of Jerusalem to the Edomites to abuse (<a href='B:370 1:6'>Amo 1:6</a>; <a href='B:370 1:9'>Amo 1:9</a>). There could have been a restoration and Messianic kingdom even then; but Judah didn’t repent, and so the possibility was reapplied and rescheduled to the last days. The captive remnant of Israeli Jews, under abuse by latter day Edom and the Philistines / Palestinians, will repent and possess the eretz as God originally intended. Jerome says the name Sepharad in Assyrian means a boundary- i:e:, ’the Jews scattered in all boundaries and regions’.</p>


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<p>Saviours will come up on Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau, and the kingdom will be Yahweh’s- As the latter day Edomites and others desecrate the temple mount, perhaps by briefly building a physical structure there (:16), the Lord Jesus will return, Yah’s salvation, Yehoshua. He and those in Him, the repentant Jewish remnant who now identify with and in Him (:17), will appear there and judge Esau. And the kingdom of Yahweh will be eternally established upon earth, the scene of <a href='B:290 24:23'>Isa 24:23</a>.</p>


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<p>Now the word of Yahweh came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying-"Jonah"means ’dove’, and we recall the dove going out from the ark, not finding rest,returning, and then going out again to find rest away from her original sanctuary in the ark, after judgment had been poured out upon the eretz or land promised to Abraham (<a href='B:10 8:8-9'>Gen 8:8-9</a>). This speaks of Jonah’s two journeys to Nineveh; the first unfruitful, and the second fruitful. And again, water is a strong feature of the narrative, as it was in that of the flood. The dove like Jonah was saved from the water by grace.</p><p>"Amittai"means ’truth’ or possibly even suggests ’the truth of Yahweh’. The final truth of the prophetic word is grace and not judgment, which is what Jonah was brought to learn. The narrative addresses the elitism which had crept into Israel, especially at the time of the restoration from Babylon. Although the book describes an event before then, at a time before Nineveh was overthrown, it was perhaps published, as it were, at that time.</p>


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<p>Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city- Quoting <a href='B:10 10:12'>Gen 10:12</a> about Nineveh. The archeological excavations have found an area of about 25 square kilometers all surrounded by a mighty wall. It took three days to go into the city (<a href='B:390 3:3'>Jon 3:3</a>).</p><p>And preach against it- The idea is, to its face. Face to face contact is always the most effective way of witnessing, although we live in a world of social media and communication which tempts us to avoid doing this.</p><p>For their wickedness has come up before Me- There is no specific call to repentance. But Jonah ought to have deduced that he was not called to merely inform them that they were wicked and that God had noticed. Rather the idea was that because God had noticed and was therefore going to respond in judgment, they ought to do something- repent. The language is that used about how the wickedness of Sodom and the world before the flood came up before God (<a href='B:10 6:5'>Gen 6:5</a>; <a href='B:10 18:21'>Gen 18:21</a>). Jonah passed through water, which he describes as a flood (<a href='B:390 2:3'>Jon 2:3</a>). He is presented therefore as having carried and experienced their judgment. He experienced ’death’ by a flood, just as Noah’s world did; and this was the experience which in essence was going to come upon Nineveh, seeing their wickedness had come before God as that of Noah’s world had done. This depends the sense in which Jonah was a type of the Lord Jesus; He represented us, tasting death for every man, dying the death of the cross, the death of the criminal, the sinner. And yet after three days and nights, was resurrected from it.</p>


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<p>But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish- The idea is, a place far from the eretz promised to Abraham, beyond its borders. But if a boat of those times could sail on a single voyage from Joppa to Tarshish, we can be sure that"Tarshish"has no reference to Britain. And there is no evidence that Palestine traded with Britain at that time or even knew it existed. Wherever it was, it was accessible by one voyage from Joppa. If it refers to the ancient city of Tartessus in Spain, then this was in precisely the opposite direction of Nineveh. In <a href='B:390 4:2'>Jon 4:2</a> Jonah states that he fled because he suspected that Yahweh would relent of His purpose to destroy Nineveh. He therefore represents the unspoken xenophobia which developed within Hebrew thinking after the restoration, a hypocritical dislike of Gentiles and assumption that ethnic Israel were the only people of God. We too can preach without any actual desire for the repentance of our audience, the exercise can often be a stroking of our own egos, in the name of ’witness’, rather than a desire that some will actually respond.</p><p>From the presence of Yahweh- Jonah knew the theory from the well known <a href='B:230 139:7'>Psa 139:7</a>:"Whither shall I go from thy Spirit, and whither shall I flee from thy presence?". But we can know Bible texts well, and yet act in a completely opposite way; see on :9. Perhaps he still laboured under the idea that God’s presence was only in the eretz promised to Abraham, and he thought that by leaving that he could thereby flee from relationship with God. The place where Yahweh was revealed was understood as the face or presence of God (<a href='B:10 4:4'>Gen 4:4</a>; <a href='B:10 32:30'>Gen 32:30</a>). Or possibly the allusion is to how God’s prophetic servants stood before His face / presence, and he thought that by leaving the eretz he could resign from relationship with God and the call to propheticservice. But we cannot resign from God and our standing before Him. Judah had indeed been cast out from the presence of Yahweh (<a href='B:120 24:20'>2Ki 24:20</a>; <a href='B:300 23:39'>Jer 23:39</a>; <a href='B:300 52:3'>Jer 52:3</a>), but Jonah was to learn that even when ’dead’ in the seas of the Gentiles, he was not out of that presence ultimately. And this was the lesson for all Israel and Judah in their dispersion.</p><p>To stand in the presence of someone is often used in the sense of acting as one’s official minister (<a href='B:10 41:46'>Gen 41:46</a>; <a href='B:50 1:38'>Deu 1:38</a>; <a href='B:50 10:8'>Deu 10:8</a>; <a href='B:90 16:21'>1Sa 16:21</a> f:; <a href='B:110 17:1'>1Ki 17:1</a>; <a href='B:110 18:15'>1Ki 18:15</a>; <a href='B:120 3:14'>2Ki 3:14</a>, etc:) To flee from His presence was therefore"to refuse to serve Him in this office” (Theodore Laetsch, The Minor Prophets (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1956), p. 222). But there is no way we can resign from our calling to be witnesses. We are now with the Lord, and we cannot just resign from His purpose and calling. Jonah intended to flee to Tarshish, the very end of the known world; going the very opposite direction to Nineveh. And we too need to be impressed by the reality of the fact that we can never resign from the Father and Son; we are in their grip. We cannot just ‘pass’ on the piercing issues of commitment day by day.</p><p>He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going down to Tarshish; so he paid its fare, and went down into it, in order to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh- We notice the triple emphasis upon his ’going down’, away from God. The term is used again in :5. See on <a href='B:390 2:6'>Jon 2:6</a>.</p>


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<p>But Yahweh sent out a great wind on the sea and there was a mighty storm on the sea, so that the ship was likely to break up- &nbsp;God created a great wind, perhaps through an Angel being sent out (<a href='B:230 104:4'>Psa 104:4</a>) with which He brought Jonah and his fellows to their knees. God later creates another great wind with which to teach Jonah something else (<a href='B:390 4:8'>Jon 4:8</a>). Jonah ought to have perceived the same hand of the same God at work with him. Divine work and control of creation is quite a theme in Jonah- the wind, the great fish, the vine / gourd, the tiny maggot which ate it, and prepares the way for the conclusion at the end of the book, that God cares for animals too (<a href='B:390 4:11'>Jon 4:11</a>). The extent and scope of Divine involvement in our world was something Jonah as well as Israel in captivity needed to learn. He was not only involved with the Israelite people on the territory of their land, but with all men worldwide, and even with vegetation and animals great and small. Jonah surely knew all this from the Psalms, but as noted on :3 he acted contrary to the basic Bible verses he knew and sung. This is our problem too; the implications of just one verse of the Bible or a Bible-based hymn can turn our worldview right around, if we let them.</p>


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<p>Then the sailors were afraid, and every man cried to his god- The implication was that Jonah was amongst Gentiles (see on :9), the very people he despised as unworthy of his witness. But through the whole incident of the storm, he was made to realize that he was to witness to Gentiles, indeed he had to. And this failure, like ours, prepared him for his greater witness to Gentile Nineveh.</p><p>They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten the ship- Circumstances repeat within the experience of God’s servants; repeating examples of Biblical characters, and also those of God’s children known and contemporary to us. It is the same Divine hand at work. Paul during his shipwreck experienced something similar, <a href='B:510 27:18-19'>Act 27:18-19</a> being very similar to the LXX here in Jonah; and again, it was a suffering en route to make a witness to the Gentiles. Paul would have been encouraged to go forward, insofar as he perceived the similarities with Jonah. We need to keep asking ourselves what Bible character has trodden our path before us, that through the comfort of the scriptures we might have hope, even if we cannot attach exact meaning to event in this life.</p><p>But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship-&nbsp; We noticed the triple emphasis upon his ’going down’ in :3, away from God. And now he goes even deeper down, and he will go even deeper, taken to the depths of the ocean by the fish. He ought to have come to repentance there, but it appears he didn’t; and so Jonah had o go into the great fish and be up hard against its rib cage, a grander form of the sides of the ship. At least later, he would have perceived the similarities. Our tribulations often repeat, that we might learn the lessons we ought to have previously learnt from similar but less extreme situations.</p><p>And he was laying down, deeply asleep- Surely he wasn’t asleep, but was giving that impression. Here we have one of many examples of where the Bible records things from the viewpoint of how they appeared to men, even if that appearance was incorrect. The language of demons is another example. We think of the Lord Jesus likewise asleep during a storm; and see how Jonah was being set up as a type of Messiah.</p>


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<p>So the captain came to him and said to him, What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call on your God! Maybe your God will look to us so that we won’t perish- Jonah was the only one who didn’t apparently pray to his God, even though he is presented as the only one on board who had a relationship with the true God. He would have reflected that despite this, he had not used that relationship as he might have done, in order to save both himself and Gentiles. The Gentiles were more zealous for their gods than Jonah was. The captain himself made the effort to come down to Jonah to ask him to pray. Perhaps Jonah thought that Yahweh was only approachable from within the eretz promised to Abraham, and stubbornly refused to entertain the possibility that God could be prayed to from anywhere. This was a lesson which the captives in Babylon and Assyria had to learn, and so the book of Jonah addresses that question. Or maybe Jonah had given up with a God of so much grace. We note that "Your God" is ha Elohim, as if to imply that the captain was driven to the suspicion that there was only one true God, the God; and it was the God of Israel, the God of this rebellious Hebrew passenger. As with Jonah, God worked with those pagans to elicit from them a true recognition of Himself.</p>


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<p>They all said to each other, Come, let’s cast lots, that we may know who is responsible for this evil that is on us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah- Jonah had the opportunity to repent in front of them all; but he doesn’t. So the lot fell upon Jonah to elicit repentance from him. We too could avoid so many problems, for ourselves and others, if we repented earlier, rather than circumstance arising which forces us to public repentance.</p>


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<p>Then they asked him, Tell us, please, for whose cause this evil is on us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? Of what people are you?- This was to elicit from Jonah a statement of his own biography, which was used by God to elicit true repentance. It is no bad thing for us all to mentally prepare such a biography, that we might realize who we are before God.</p>


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<p>He said to them, I am a Hebrew, and I fear Yahweh the God of heaven- "Hebrew" was a term always used either by or to foreigners. Again we are given the impression that he was on a Gentile ship; see on :5. The implication could be that he feared Yahweh’s judgment. For in :10 we read that Jonah told them that he was fleeing from Yahweh’s call. So he could hardly claim that he was truly fearing Yahweh when he had been so disobedient to Him.</p><p>Who has made the sea and the dry land- The Gentiles thought there were separate gods of the sea and of the dry land. Jonah in his extremity is brought to realize and teach that Yahweh is the only true God, God of both sea and dry land. But he had fled from the presence of Yahweh, thinking that Yahweh was only really active and present in the land of Israel. Now he was being driven to realize that God was also the God of the sea, symbolic as it clearly is in scripture of the Gentile nations. Jonah came to this realization quite naturally; we marvel at the way God taught him so much so quickly, or rather, brought Jonah to realize the truth in reality of that which he theoretically knew. See on :3.</p>


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<p>Then were the men extremely afraid and said to him, What is this that you have done?- This can be read not as a question, but an exclamation: "What ever have you done!". They realized the extreme sinfulness of what Jonah had done, more than he did. The wind and waves all around them were clearly sent from God, and were witness enough to the seriousness of the sin of denying others salvation. We must ask whether implicitly or explicitly we have done the same. For it is a serious matter. Who can be baptized or fellowshipped is a question we must ask ourselves; and it’s no good assuming that we are innocent of our part in barring others from these things just because we are mere members of a church or group who does this.</p><p>For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of Yahweh, because he had told them- He may have done so whilst explaining to them why he feared God’s judgment upon him (:9). Or perhaps he had earlier jokingly but in truth told them that he was a prophet of Yahweh who was running away from Him, seeing Jonah considered that He only operated in the land of Israel. And now they were all being taught how wrong that was.</p>


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<p>Then they said to him, What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us? For the sea grew more and more stormy- They realized that their salvation depended upon Jonah; note the contrast between "you" and "us". This was to set Jonah up to appreciate that he and his mission really could be usedby God to save Gentiles. It was clear that destruction was imminent and not a moment could be wasted, or else that destruction was going to take away the lives of the sailors unless Jonah was proactive. This was to prepare Jonah for his work with Nineveh; in a sense, their salvation depended upon him being proactive.</p>


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<p>He said to them, Take me up- The Hebrew means ‘to lift up’ in the sense of exaltation; the very idea used by the Lord to describe His exaltation and ‘lifting up’ on the cross. The language of Jonah suffering in the fish and drowning in “great waters” is full of allusions to Messianic Psalms which point forward to the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus- and His saving out of it in resurrection.</p><p>And throw me into the sea. Then the sea will be calm for you; for I know that because of me this great storm is on you- Jonah reasoned that Yahweh sought to kill him in judgment, and he didn’t see the point in the Gentiles perishing along with him. This was a natural conclusion on his part; he was being brought to the position where he did in fact care whether Gentiles perished or not. God’s patient efforts to educate Jonah were amazing; and He tries likewise with us, working through our failures to teach the lessons. Jonah recognizes that his judgment is just; being drowned in the sea of nations but miraculously preserved by grace makes Jonah a representative of sinful Israel, who would finally accept the justice of their punishments (<a href='B:30 26:41'>Lev 26:41</a>; <a href='B:30 26:43'>Lev 26:43</a>). And yet at the same time, Jonah is clearly typical of the Lord Jesus, who died so that a great company of Gentiles might be saved (<a href='B:500 11:50'>Joh 11:50</a>). The Lord’s death was if He was drowning in the stormy sea (<a href='B:230 69:1-2'>Psa 69:1-2</a>). His three days in the grave was clearly represented by Jonah’s time inside the fish. The Lord represented sinful Israel, and yet at the same time, His death brought both them and the Gentiles to salvation. Jonah opens up to us the real import of the Lord’s representative sacrifice, dying as the representative of God’s sinful people, and yet thereby their saviour.</p>


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<p>Nevertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land- Literally, they ’broke through’, i:e. the waves. Jonah would have later reflected on their humanity, not wishing for one Hebrew to perish. This is in stark contrast to his indifference as to the perishing of multiple thousands of Gentiles, and the book of Jonah concludes by recording Jonah being rebuked for this. And who wrote the book of Jonah? Presumably, Jonah himself, under Divine inspiration. The way he concludes it is therefore his own recognition of how his inhumanity and indifference was worse than that of the Gentiles whom he had so despised. The book is really his own confession of utter guilt, having come to repentance and marvel at God’s grace by the time he wrote it.</p><p>But they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them- The men deeply believed Jonah’s story, and were driven by his suggestion to pray to Yahweh (:14). "Tempestuous" implies a whirlwind, of the type associated with the cherubim in Ezekiel’s visions. Jonah and the sailors were really witnessing a theophany, so powerful that they could only be saved from it by accepting Yahweh as God and [in Jonah’s case] repenting.</p>


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<p>Therefore they cried to Yahweh and said, We beg you Yahweh, we beg you, don’t let us die for the sake of this man’s life, and don’t lay on us innocent blood; for you, Yahweh, have done as it pleased You- As Jonah heard these Gentiles praying to Yahweh rather than their own gods, he must have realized that his failure had led them to Yahweh; and that Gentiles were quite capable of turning away from their gods to whom they had fruitlessly been praying just a short time before.</p><p>When Jonah heard the men of Nineveh praying that they ‘might not perish’, he should’ve thought back to how the men in the boat to Tarshish prayed the very same words. The men in the shipprayed earnestly that they ‘might not perish’, both in the storm and for the sake of Jonah’s life (1:6,14). The men of Nineveh prayed to God that they too ‘might not perish’ (<a href='B:390 3:9'>Jon 3:9</a>)- the record uses the same Hebrew word in both cases. Jonah should’ve learnt his lesson; the men in the ship didn’t perish because of his self-sacrifice- and the implication could be that they turned to Israel’s God as a result of the whole dreadful experience. And Jonah’s self-sacrifical preaching, just as painful for him as voluntarily suggesting he be thrown to his death, was eliciting in Jonah the same response from those he was preaching to. But he couldn’t maintain the intensity of the self-sacrificial life of witness; he gave up and got angry that they were responding, and, it seems, stopped preaching once he had entered into the city and the response had started. Take another lesson from this; we would likely have been inspired to continue preaching by such a good response. But for Jonah, the response was what discouraged him. What is encouraging for one in the work of witness is a great discouragement for another.</p>


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<p>So they took up Jonah, and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased its raging- This continues the similarity with the Lord asleep in the storm and then the storm suddenly ending (<a href='B:490 8:24'>Luk 8:24</a>), confirming Jonah as a type of the Lord Jesus, even in his rebellion. The sea "stood still" (Heb:), recalling the miracle at the Red Sea. The Gentile sailors were bidden realize that they too could participate in such a great deliverance, through identity with the people of God.</p>


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<p>Then the men feared Yahweh exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh and made vows- They sacrificed and animal whilst onboard, and made vows which would have been fulfilled when they got to land. Those vows were surely to accept Yahweh as their God. Perhaps as Jonah hit the waters and the storm ceased, the last thing he heard in the sudden silence was their vowing to make Yahweh their God. And this was why from within the fish he also made vows and promised that he would keep them and also offer sacrifice when back on dry land (<a href='B:390 2:9'>Jon 2:9</a>).</p>


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<p>Yahweh prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah- As noted on :4, this continues the theme of God being actively at work not just with Israelites outside the land of Israel, not just with Gentiles, but also with animals, the natural creation and vegetation like the vine / gourd.</p><p>And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights- The Lord quoted this as being typical of His time in the grave (see on <a href='B:470 12:40'>Mat 12:40</a>). Likewise we have noted that Jonah’s being asleep in the boat and then the storm ceasing was also typical of the Lord. But Jonah made no active effort in these matters; the events happened to him. Just as he brought Gentiles to believe in Yahweh and worked to save them (:12) without making any conscious effort. All this was to show him God’s grace; he was saved and used by grace, and this was intended to prepare him for the next stage of his life, which was the journey to Nineveh in order to offer them God’s grace based upon his own experience of that grace. We can also see phases in our own lives, for which we are educated by experience through our previous failures.</p><p>As Jonah was three days in the fish and then came up out of it to preach to the Gentiles, so the Lord would be three days in the grave and then would rise- as a sign to the Jews. But how was His resurrection a sign to them, seeing they never saw His risen body? Yet the Lord’s reasoning demands that His resurrection be a sign to them, just as tangible as the re-appearance of the drowned Jonah. But, the Jews never saw Him after the resurrection…? The resolution must be that in the preaching of the risen Jesus by those in Him, it was as if the Jews saw Him, risen and standing as a sign before them, every bit as real as the Jonah who emerged from the fish after three days.</p><p>Matthew’s Gospel, which refers to this as a type of the Lord’s time in the grave, doesn’t seem to teach a literal 72 hours for Jesus in the grave. But a ‘day’ can mean ‘part of a day’- as in <a href='B:110 20:29'>1Ki 20:29</a>; <a href='B:190 4:16'>Est 4:16</a> to <a href='B:190 5:1'>Est 5:1</a>. The term is surely used to highlight the connection withJonah’s experience.</p>


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<p>Then Jonah prayed to Yahweh his God out of the great fish’s belly- Did Jonah die? It could be argued that he was cast into the sea, drowned, and his body went to the bottom of the sea. But there, he was swallowed by the "great fish", and revived within the fish’s belly. And from there he prayed to God, reflecting upon his death experience. This would then heighten the connection with the Lord’s death and resurrection. To pray to God on reviving inside the fish was surely natural and inevitable for any man. But as noted on Jonah 1, Jonah was led almost involuntarily to realize the error of his previous positions. He could pray to God from outside the land / eretz promised to Abraham, and far from the temple or any organized religious apparatus.</p>


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<p>He said, I called because of my affliction to Yahweh and He answered me- "Affliction" translates the same word used of Israel’s afflictions for disobedience (<a href='B:50 31:17'>Deu 31:17</a>; <a href='B:160 9:27'>Neh 9:27</a>; <a href='B:290 37:3'>Isa 37:3</a>) and the time of Jacob’s trouble (<a href='B:10 35:3'>Gen 35:3</a>); Jonah was the representative of sinful Israel, bearing their punishment at the same time as he represented the sinless Lord Jesus in His time of dying. In this sense, the Lord Jesus was afflicted in all their affliction / condemnation for sin (<a href='B:290 63:9'>Isa 63:9</a> s:w:). Here we have profound insight into the representative nature of the Lord’s death; He died sinless, and yet intensely identified with the sinful people of God and their condemnation. Jonah’s prayer in Jonah 2 is shot through with allusions to various Psalms; here to <a href='B:230 120:1'>Psa 120:1</a>. God’s word was in his heart, but only through Divine teaching and affliction due to his own sinfulness... could he come to know it as true for him personally. And this is a path we too pass through.</p><p>Out of the belly of Sheol I cried. You heard my voice- Here we learn clearly that sheol refers not to a place of fire and torment for the wicked, but to a covered place, the grave. And as noted on :1, it would support the idea that Jonah did actually die by drowning, and the belly of the fish became his tomb. The Hebrew words for "cried" and "heard" differ by only one rather similar letter; a subtle difference. Our cry in prayer and God’s hearing are intimately connected. He is not truly not far from every one of us.</p>


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<p>For You threw me into the depths, into the heart of the seas- Jonah perceived God’s hand in what others did to him, and that is an abiding lesson to take with us in life’s path. He alludes to <a href='B:230 88:6'>Psa 88:6</a>. The same word is used of God casting His people out of their land (<a href='B:50 29:28'>Deu 29:28</a>), out of His presence (<a href='B:120 24:20'>2Ki 24:20</a>; <a href='B:300 52:3'>Jer 52:3</a>)- just as Jonah felt he had been (see on :4).</p><p>The water was all around me. All Your waves and Your breakers passed over me- This confirms the suggestion made on :1, that Jonah was not instantly swallowed by the fish. The pictures in children’s Bibles are nearly all wrong: of a grinning whale waiting eagerly to catch the body thrown by the sailors from the boat. Jonah was surrounded by waves and went down "into the heart of the seas". The Psalms allusions are to <a href='B:230 42:7'>Psa 42:7</a>; <a href='B:230 69:1-2'>Psa 69:1-2</a>; <a href='B:230 69:14-15'>Psa 69:14-15</a>, and Psalms 69 is clearly a foretaste of the Lord’s feelings on the cross. He felt there as condemned sinners like Jonah felt in the time of their condemnation. He never sinned, and was personally unworthy of condemnation. But that doesn’t mean that He doesn’t know how sinners feel now, as they are condemned in real time for their sins y the court of Heaven; nor how the condemned will feel at the last day. Judges pass down sentences which they have never experienced; but the Lord has experienced the feelings of condemned men, whilst being morally innocent. In this we see His complete identity with sinful man.</p><p>The AV has "floods". Jonah experienced death by flooding; as noted on <a href='B:390 1:2'>Jon 1:2</a>, he thereby bore the condemnation due to Nineveh (<a href='B:390 1:2'>Jon 1:2</a> cp. <a href='B:10 6:5'>Gen 6:5</a>), and could therefore give Nineveh a real hope of repentance and salvation thanks to his experience.</p>


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<p>I said- The language and ideas are similar to those of Hezekiah (<a href='B:290 38:11'>Isa 38:11</a>), who felt he was condemned to death. Jonah in the fish is now recalling his last conscious thoughts before his lungs filled with water for the last time (see on :1). So his later thoughts in this chapter are the wonder of a man saved from condemnation by utter grace.</p><p>‘I have been banished from Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple’- This is absolutely the language of God’s exiled people, recalling the statement in Solomon’s prayer that wherever they were scattered for their sins, they could always look again towards the temple and pray (<a href='B:110 8:38'>1Ki 8:38</a>). Jonah was clearly representative of Israel. He had chosen to go out of God’s presence (<a href='B:390 1:3'>Jon 1:3</a>), and so he was being confirmed in that desire. He was being made to realize how terrible it was to in fact resign from God and His presence. His personal sin, however, must not be overlooked; for it was that which called forth all this judgment. It was not the sin of idolatry nor lukewarm response to Yahweh, but rather that of intolerance, pride and avoiding the call to witness. All of which things we at times have been guilty of and are continually tested with.</p>


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<p>The waters surrounded me, even to the soul- Alluding to <a href='B:230 40:12'>Psa 40:12</a>; <a href='B:230 69:1'>Psa 69:1</a>, both of which Psalms are quoted in the New Testament about the Lord’s death. See on :3.</p><p>The deep was around me- The word used for sin and its judgment compassing around the condemned (<a href='B:230 18:4'>Psa 18:4</a>; <a href='B:230 40:12'>Psa 40:12</a>; <a href='B:230 116:3'>Psa 116:3</a>).</p><p>The weeds were wrapped around my head- Confirming the suggestion in :1 that Jonah drowned and his body sunk to the bottom of the ocean. Perhaps he found himself inside the fish with seaweed wrapped around his body, as if they were his grave clothes and the burial napkin around his head. But "wrapped" is literally ’to bind around’ and is the word usually used for healing and restoration- which was to come about through death and resurrection.</p>


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<p>I went down- The same word used of his going down to Joppa, down into the ship, and further down into the very hold of the ship (see on <a href='B:390 1:3'>Jon 1:3</a>; <a href='B:390 1:5'>Jon 1:5</a>). He was brought down as low as could be, to be exalted in due time. This is indeed the path we shall all pass through; it’s a race to the bottom.</p><p><a href='B:230 55:23'>Psa 55:23</a> speaks of the wicked, those who had ‘broken the covenant’ which Jonah was so proud to be part of, being ‘brought down’ into “destruction”; and these very same two Hebrew words occur together in <a href='B:390 2:6'>Jon 2:6</a>. They also occur together in <a href='B:330 28:8'>Eze 28:8</a>, speaking of how the Gentile king of Tyre was to be ‘broughtdown’ to “the pit”. This would have been the sort of prophecy which nationalistic Jonah would have loved to hear; but now he recognized that he was essentially like a wicked Gentile, and had shared their condemnation- but been graciously saved from it. The preaching of Jonah is surely our example.</p><p>To the bottoms of the mountains; the earth barred me in forever: yet have You brought up my life from the pit, Yahweh my God- This clearly states that Jonah died and was only then swallowed by the fish; see on :1. And he went to the very bottom of the ocean, into the deepest ravine on the seabed, and had the impression of the permanence of death, barred in forever, alluding to <a href='B:220 17:16'>Job 17:16</a>. This was how low down he had to be brought, such was his pride, and such was the significance of the work Yahweh wished to do with him; see on <a href='B:390 1:3'>Jon 1:3</a>. "From the pit" is AV "from corruption", deepening the similarities with the Lord’s resurrection (<a href='B:230 16:10'>Psa 16:10</a>; <a href='B:510 2:27'>Act 2:27</a>; <a href='B:510 2:31'>Act 2:31</a>). <a href='B:230 71:20'>Psa 71:20</a> is also in view, where the Psalmist is brought out of "affliction" (s:w. :2), out of the pit to new life.</p>


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<p>When my soul ebbed away within me- Jonah recalled the feelings of death (<a href='B:230 42:6'>Psa 42:6</a>; <a href='B:230 73:26'>Psa 73:26</a>; <a href='B:230 142:3'>Psa 142:3</a>). The language is suggestive of how a person in the final minutes of palliative care ebbs back and forth until they cease breathing and the heart stops. It is the word used of the ebbing away of Judah’s life in the Babylonian invasion (<a href='B:310 2:12'>Lam 2:12</a>; <a href='B:310 2:19'>Lam 2:19</a>); again we see Jonah presented as representative of God’s people under condemnation. The way he describes those feelings make him a parade example of resurrection. Jonah’s life "ebbed away" inside the fish- and a very similar word is used about his experience as he sat under the gourd (<a href='B:390 4:8'>Jon 4:8</a>). In the fish, Jonah prayed that God would save his life, and was heard. But when he was made to feel the same again, he instead prayed God to take away his life. Perhaps this shows that even when we respond well to circumstances, those same circumstances may repeat in order to test us as to whether we will continue to make that right response.</p><p>I remembered Yahweh. My prayer came in to You, into Your holy temple- David also felt that his prayers came into God’s holy temple even before that temple was built (<a href='B:230 11:4'>Psa 11:4</a>; <a href='B:230 18:6'>Psa 18:6</a>). Jonah was brought to realize that the true temple presence of God was in Heaven and not in a stone building in Jerusalem. It is only desperation which leads us to these kinds of perceptions; that God is so real, that He is outside of organized religion. Israel too were afflicted as Jonah but the prayer of the faithful came into God (<a href='B:230 102:1'>Psa 102:1</a> s:w. <a href='B:390 2:2'>Jon 2:2</a> "affliction").</p>


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<p>Those who regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy- This is a profound truth; true grace ["mercy" is hesed] and salvation is only found in Yahweh the God of Israel. To forsake Him is to forsake our own access to mercy and grace. Jonah was surely reflecting upon how the sailors had begged their idols and gods for salvation, and not found it. Only Yahweh had provided such saving grace, both to them and to Jonah. This reflection was surely to motivate Jonah to now go and try to persuade the Ninevites of Yahweh’s grace. Jonah is constantly quoting from the Psalms, and here he may have in mind <a href='B:230 31:6'>Psa 31:6</a>: "I have hated them that regard lying vanities". But now Jonah doesn’t hate the idolaters personally, but rather perceives the tragedy of the fact that they are rejecting their own access to Yahweh’s grace. Yahweh is all about mercy, or grace; again, <a href='B:230 59:17'>Psa 59:17</a> "the God of my mercy" is in mind. But we preclude His grace if we trust in the lying vanities of this world.</p>


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<p>But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving, I will pay that which I have vowed- Jonah is repeating the words of the sailors (<a href='B:390 1:16'>Jon 1:16</a>), whom he has just been thinking about in :8. But he is also repeating the words of <a href='B:230 3:8'>Psa 3:8</a>; <a href='B:230 116:17-18'>Psa 116:17-18</a>. He comes to realize that those Gentile sailors had in their desperation come to the spirit of Yahweh’s inspired words, and to the very songs which were at the core of the Jewish religion. He came to realize that he could not from that location within a fish offer a sacrifice, and so all he could do was offer the sacrifice of praise. He was being taught that beyond ritual and organized religion, there is the real relationship with God in the Spirit. That praise is the essential sacrifice is recognized throughout the Bible (<a href='B:230 54:6'>Psa 54:6</a>; <a href='B:650 13:15'>Heb 13:15</a>); it was the essence of the new covenant (<a href='B:300 33:11'>Jer 33:11</a>), which Jonah was [like Israel in captivity] being prodded towards.</p><p>Presumably his vow was to be obedient to his commission of preaching to Nineveh. And yet despite the intensity of his sincerity whilst within the fish, we find that when it comes to it, he doesn’t perform the vow at all well in that he loses the spirit of grace. We too, one moment, can be awed by our experience of grace and desire to give our very souls in order to share that grace with others; but then the old pride, bitterness and prejudices so easily return.</p><p>There are a number of Old Testament examples of preaching the word after becoming aware of the depth of one’s own sins. Consider Jonah preaching the second time, with the marks in his body after three days in the whale, admitting his rebellion against Yahweh, pleading with them to respond to His word. Reflect how when his head was wrapped around with seaweed, at the bottom of the sea at the absolute end of mortal life, he made a vow to God, which he then fulfilled, presumably in going back to preach to Nineveh (<a href='B:390 2:9'>Jon 2:9</a>). His response to having confessed his sins and daring to believe in God’s forgiveness, turning again towards His temple even from underwater, was to resolve to preach to others if he was spared his life. And this he did, although as with so many of us, the pureness of his initial evangelical zeal soon flaked. Or consider Manasseh, <a href='B:140 33:16'>2Ch 33:16</a>; Jehoshaphat, <a href='B:140 19:3'>2Ch 19:3</a> cp. 18:31; 19:2; Josiah, <a href='B:140 34:29'>2Ch 34:29</a>; <a href='B:140 34:32'>2Ch 34:32</a>; Nebuchadnezzar, <a href='B:340 3:29'>Dan 3:29</a>; <a href='B:340 4:2'>Dan 4:2</a>...</p><p>Salvation belongs to Yahweh- ’Jesus’ in Hebrew is Yahoshua, the salvation of Yah. Jonah was brought to understand the essence of salvation in Jesus.</p>


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<p>Yahweh spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah on the dry land- Again we see God in harmony with nature and in personal communion with it. He created the vine for shelter, the tiny worm which ate it, the great fish, and the storm. And uses absolutely all things to reveal His grace. To be vomited out is the language used of Israel being vomited out of their land (<a href='B:30 18:25'>Lev 18:25</a>; <a href='B:30 18:28'>Lev 18:28</a>; <a href='B:30 20:22'>Lev 20:22</a>). Even in the moment of his salvation, Jonah was identified with sinful Israel in their condemnation, and was thereby the pattern for their salvation, and a clear prediction of the Lord’s saving experiences.</p><p>The ‘resurrected’ Jonah was a type of the Lord- and he was a ‘sign’ to the Ninevites presumably in that he still bore in his body the marks of a man who had been three days within a fish. It could be that the fish beached itself, and vomited Jonah out of its stomach in its death throes (this is how beached whales meet their end). In this case, the fish would have drawn the attention of the local population, as would have the man with bleached hair and strange skin who walked away from it. We too as witnesses of Christ will have something about us that is unintentionally striking in the eyes of those with whom we mix. There was no human chance that Jonah would be listened to when he came to preach judgment against Nineveh. Some guy standing on the edge of town, saying ‘You’re all gonna be destroyed’. People would have laughed, ignored him, or told him to shut up. But there was something about him that was gripping and arresting. He was living proof that the judgment of God is real, and that His mercy is just as real. Presumably Jonah must have said far more than “Nineveh is going to be destroyed”.</p><p>It is a worthwhile speculation that for Jonah to be a sign to the Ninevites by reason of being three days in the whale (<a href='B:470 12:38-40'>Mat 12:38-40</a>), he must have borne in his body the marks of his experience for all to see, as our Lord did. Being inside the fish for that period may have made his flesh change colour or bear some other physical mark so that he could be a sign to them of what had happened. Doubtless he recounted his story to them- so that they were encouraged by the fact of God’s love to the resurrected Jonah to repent and likewisethrow themselves on God’s mercy. In all this we see Jonah as a type of Christ. They would have looked upon that man as we look upon Jesus, to see the love of God manifested in him; they responded by repenting in sackcloth, casting off their materialism, and living in a way that showed their complete belief that "the judge stands before the door". What is our response to Jonah / Jesus?</p>


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<p>The word of Yahweh came to Jonah the second time saying- God’s patience is amazing. Jonah failed the first time and was given a second chance, but his failure was used to prepare him. Jonah has several parallels to Elijah, who likewise struggled with spiritual elitism and judgmentalism. He too was sent a second time with his commission to Israel (<a href='B:110 19:4'>1Ki 19:4</a>). Jonah quotes Elijah’s words in <a href='B:390 4:3'>Jon 4:3</a>. Perhaps the apostles likewise received a second commission to preach to the Gentiles after resisting that given to them just before the Lord’s ascension.</p><p>The boat was not far from land- for the sailors tried to row the boat to land. Jonah would have come ashore somewhere on the coasts of Israel. We are left to imagine him walking away up the beach from the dying fish, naked, disfigured by the acids of the fish’s belly, determined to pay his vows of sharing God’s grace with others, getting some clothes, gathering some money, and making his way on camel to Nineveh. In this he is our pattern. In the parable of the two sons, the Lord divides us into two groups- those who respond to a calling to ‘go’ by saying they will, but don’t go; and those who refuse to go but afterwards go. This is clearly an allusion to Jonah. But Jonah is thus made typical of each and every one of us.</p>


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<p>Arise, go to Nineveh- Earlier, Jonah had been told the same; but he ’arose’ and got a ship to Tarshish (<a href='B:390 1:2-3'>Jon 1:2-3</a>). He had been bidden by the captain to "arise" and relate with his God (<a href='B:390 1:6'>Jon 1:6</a>). Circumstances repeat in our lives in order to help us do correctly what we were asked to do by God the first time. See on :6.</p><p>That great city, and preach to it the message that I give you- The size of the city is mentioned because Jonah was intended to see the tragedy of so many people being lost. And the book of Jonah concludes with this same point (<a href='B:390 4:11'>Jon 4:11</a>). The tragedy of lost humanity ought to impress itself deeply upon us, as we see the lights of a city beneath us from an airplane, or as we see crowds streaming past us on a street. We wonder whether "the message" given was indeed simply limited to what is recorded in :4: "In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!". Perhaps there was also a call to repentance, which Jonah didn’t mention because he wanted to see Nineveh destroyed.</p>


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<p>So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of Yahweh- This time he was obedient, when previously he had been told to arise and go to Nineveh, and had arisen and went to Tarshish (<a href='B:390 1:2-3'>Jon 1:2-3</a>).</p><p>Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey across- The Old Testament reflects that God has a heart for all humanity- not just Israel. Nineveh was a great city to God, and it grieved Him that it might have to be destroyed (<a href='B:390 3:3'>Jon 3:3</a>)- He even was sensitive to the plight of the animals there. The sensitive heart of God becomes all the more sensitive to us, His chosen people. The archeological excavations have found an area of about 100 square kilometers all surrounded by a mighty wall. It was indeed a great city, comprised of three or four smaller towns (<a href='B:390 1:2'>Jon 1:2</a>). It was large enough to contain 120,000 young children (<a href='B:390 4:11'>Jon 4:11</a>), suggesting a city of over half a million, with a high population density.</p>


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<p>Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey- The record seems to stress his reluctance and disobedience. He only started preaching after he had walked for one day within the city, when it took three days to walk across the city; despite the high populationdensity discovered by archaeologists and required by the large figure given for children (see on <a href='B:390 4:11'>Jon 4:11</a>).</p>&nbsp;<p>And he cried out and said- He initially refused to “cry” the message of repentance to Nineveh; he wanted to be an incognito prophet. But an incognito prophet is a contradiction in terms, an oxymoron. So the Lord brought about a situation in which he desperately “cried” to God; and then told him to go and “cry” to Nineveh. The very same Hebrew words are used about his crying to God and his crying / proclamation to Nineveh (<a href='B:390 1:2'>Jon 1:2</a>; <a href='B:390 2:2'>Jon 2:2</a>; <a href='B:390 3:2'>Jon 3:2</a>; <a href='B:390 3:4'>Jon 3:4</a>). Jonah was forced by circumstance to share his relationship with God with the world around him which he despised. The Lord wants to use us as His candle, and He will arrange situations in life to enable this. The family at Bethany may have been an example of this. The Jews had commanded “that if any man knew where he was, he should shew it” (<a href='B:500 11:57'>Joh 11:57</a>). And “Jesus therefore… came to Bethany” (<a href='B:500 12:1'>Joh 12:1</a> RV). He purposefully attracted attention to His connection with the Bethany home. And so it was that “much people of the Jews learned that he was there”(<a href='B:500 12:9'>Joh 12:9</a>), and the context makes it clear that this was a source of witness to them (<a href='B:500 12:10-11'>Joh 12:10-11</a>). The Lord sought to expose their secret discipleship, to take the bucket off their candle. And He will do likewise with us. Jonah is of course the great example.</p><p>In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!- I suggested on :2 that Jonah may have purposefully omitted any call to repentance. He wanted the city to be destroyed. "Overthrown" recalls the triple emphasis using the same word that Sodom was "overthrown" (<a href='B:10 19:21'>Gen 19:21</a>; <a href='B:10 19:25'>Gen 19:25</a>; <a href='B:10 19:29'>Gen 19:29</a>). But Abraham had interceded that it might not be, and we are left to conclude from the record in Genesis 18 that if Abraham had had more spiritual vision, he could have asked God to spare the city for even the sake of one. And God would have heard. But Jonah is exactly the opposite; he didn’t intercede for the city, and instead wished its overthrow.</p><p>It took Jonah three days to walk through Nineveh (3:3). On the first day in the city, he told them that in 40 days God would destroy them; it follows that by the time he was in the middle of the city he was telling them that they had 37 days left. So too the Jews had between 37 and 40 years notice of the destruction of Jerusalem.</p>


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<p>The people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from their greatest even to their least- It is often commented that Nineveh was ultimately destroyed, and therefore their repentance was insincere. Perhaps so, but God was very sensitive to any repentance and respected it, even if the intensity of repentance was not continued. However, the Lord states clearly that there will be men of Nineveh who arise in judgment at the last day and are accepted into God’s Kingdom, along with the Queen of Sheba, whereas the Jews of the Lord’s day will be rejected (<a href='B:470 12:41'>Mat 12:41</a>). What knowledge did the Ninevites and the queen of Sheba have? The queen of Sheba had the knowledge of Yahweh’s moral requirements as taught in Solomon’s Proverbs. It’s unclear how much correct theology she was taught; and if correct theology is so critically important, we would expect to hear of Solomon teaching it to her, before reading that she shall arise at the last day and be saved. We don’t read of her going back to her country clutching scrolls of the law of Moses. Maybe she was illiterate. But we read of her awed at the moral appeal of Yahweh worship. Likewise the men of Nineveh heard only a brief message from Jonah- that Yahweh was going to destroy them. We would expect to read of Jonah eagerly expounding true theology to them and giving them scrolls of the writings of Moses and the prophets; but we don’t, and we get the impression he had no interest in sharing Israelite theology with Gentiles anyway. But those men, many of them illiterate and with no access to the written word of Yahweh, shall arise in salvation at the last day. It was the moral appeal of Yahweh and their sense of His claim upon them which made them responsible to His judgment and thereby capable of salvation seeing they accepted that claim. This sets the level of knowledge required for responsibility to judgment, and for salvation, far lower than where many have set it.</p>


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<p>The news reached the king of Nineveh and he arose from his throne- We noted on :2 that the word "arise" runs like a theme throughout the book of Jonah. Jonah had been told to "arise" in response to God’s word and had not done so (<a href='B:390 1:2-3'>Jon 1:2-3</a>). The king of Nineveh arose in response to that same Divine word. The ideais to present the Gentiles as more responsive to God’s word than even His own prophet, let alone His own people. And the book of Jonah was presumably written by Jonah; in his spiritual maturity, he reflects upon all this, and perceives, and narrates, the paucity of his own response.</p><p>Took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes- Sackcloth and ashes are Biblically associated with repentance. We wonder why the king did this. Why listen to some wandering Jewish preacher guy who just rocked up with a message of doom, which we can infer he didn’t preach very enthusiastically and with no specific call to repentance? The same question arises as to why John the Baptist, who "did no miracle", could get large numbers of Jews to repent. I suggest it was the personality and experience of the preacher which gave credibility to the message. It has been claimed there was an eclipse of the sun around this time, but that passes, and so it was the personality of Jonah, carefully developed by God, which led to Nineveh’s repentance. And so it is today; technique and carrots will not elicit real, lasting repentance. So much depends upon personal contact with a preacher who is a credible example; and Jonah, perhaps with bleached skin from his time inside the whale, was proof enough of the reality of Divine judgment as well as Divine grace.</p>


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<p>He made a proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor animal, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water- The sensitivity of God towards animals which the book of Jonah stresses was reflected in that of the king. The king took seriously the threat of total destruction; he realized that God had in view to destroy the entire city with all that was in it (see on <a href='B:390 4:11'>Jon 4:11</a>). And he therefore wished absolutely everyone and everything within the city, even animals, to reflect repentance. "Proclamation" is the same word translated "cry" in <a href='B:390 1:5'>Jon 1:5</a>, where the Gentile sailors ’cried’ to their gods and then ended up crying to Yahweh. The Gentile sailors and the Gentile Ninevites are clearly presented in parallel; Jonah ought to have learnt from the final repentance of the sailors that the Ninevites would likewise respond. His desire for them not to respond is therefore all the more obnoxious. The Hebrew for "decree" is literally ’taste’; it is the same word used for how nobody was to "taste" anything. The idea is that the king perceived or tasted the reality of judgment, and he ordered his people to have the same taste or perception. It could be that the city was saved because of the personal repentance of the king, and his preaching of that.</p>


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<p>But let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to God. Yes, let them turn each one from his evil way- There is a sense of mutuality and rapport built up between the preacher and the hearer in all successful preaching. Jonah “cried” to Nineveh (<a href='B:390 1:2'>Jon 1:2</a>; <a href='B:390 3:2'>Jon 3:2</a>; <a href='B:390 3:4'>Jon 3:4</a>) and they “cried” to God in response to his ‘crying’ to them- the same Hebrew words are used (<a href='B:390 3:5'>Jon 3:5</a>; <a href='B:390 3:8'>Jon 3:8</a>). As Jonah cried to God from the belly of the fish, so the Ninevites were inspired- presumably by what he related to them of his own life- to cry mightily to God for undeserved deliverance.</p><p>The language here is exactly that of Jeremiah in appealing for Judah to turn from their evil ways and cry to God in repentance in order to avert the planned destruction by Babylon (<a href='B:300 25:5'>Jer 25:5</a>; <a href='B:300 36:3'>Jer 36:3</a>; <a href='B:300 36:7'>Jer 36:7</a>). Again, Gentile repentance is being held up in contrast to Jewish disobedience. This is quite a theme in Jonah. One function of the book of Jonah is to appeal for God’s people to repent, to take an example from the Ninevites. And this is how the Lord uses the book, in appealing for the Israel of His day to repent and avert the planned destruction of AD70. Perhaps Jonah was prophesying after some judgments upon Israel or Judah which the Assyrians were aware of; they perceived the similarities between themselves and God’s judged people, and repented. This would have been in line with God’s intentions regarding judging His people; that the Gentiles would see it and fear Him because of it. See on :9.</p><p>And from the violence that is in his hands- Violence was what Nineveh was ultimately destroyed for (<a href='B:410 2:11-12'>Nah 2:11-12</a>; <a href='B:410 3:1'>Nah 3:1</a>). It was a characteristic of Assyria, as the prophets often mention. They were asked to repent of their lead personal characteristic which they were proud of. To repent of that which has become our own very self definition is so hard; but this is the radical call of God’s word</p>


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<p>Who knows- God may change His intended judgments; He frames or plans judgment, but may change from that plan (<a href='B:300 18:11'>Jer 18:11</a>). But we can in no way presume upon this, it is only of His grace; the same phrase is used in this context in <a href='B:100 12:22'>2Sa 12:22</a>; <a href='B:360 2:14'>Joe 2:14</a>.</p><p>Whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger- God does change. It is as simple as that. He is only unchanging in that His grace to the sons of Jacob remains a permanent feature of His character (<a href='B:460 3:6'>Mal 3:6</a>). A God this open and this sensitive to even change His own stated, published intentions was the God known to Moses, who got Him to change His plan of destroying Israel as a nation. But this is the God unknown to all legalistic religion.</p><p>So that we might not perish?- This is the word used of Israel’s perishing under Divine judgment for their sins (<a href='B:50 4:26'>Deu 4:26</a> and often). I suggested on :8 that Nineveh may have learnt from the perishing of Israel and therefore repented. It is the same word used of the perishing of the Gentile sailors which was averted because of their repentance and turning to Yahweh (<a href='B:390 1:6'>Jon 1:6</a>; <a href='B:390 1:14'>Jon 1:14</a>). Perhaps some of the sailors were Assyrians and had sent word back to Nineveh. The vine likewise perished (<a href='B:390 4:10'>Jon 4:10</a> s:w:), and the point was that God made to perish that which He had long laboured for, and that perishing was for Jonah’s sake. And He did not want to make Nineveh perish because of Jonah’s nationalism and elitism.</p>


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<p>God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which He said He would do to them, and He didn’t do it- Their turning led to God’s turning. This is how sensitive He is to human repentance, even if He knows that as in the case of some at Nineveh, it will not last long.</p><p>How was it that one unknown man could turn up in a huge city and make all of them believe that judgment was really coming, and they really must repent? Why ever listen to this one man? He must surely have told them the story of his own disobedience, experience of judgment, and gracious salvation. There was something about him that proved to that city that this had really happened; that there was and is a God of judgment above. Perhaps the “sign” of the prophet Jonah was in that 3 days in the fish had bleached his hair, made him thin, making him look arrestingly different. Whatever it was, his antitypical experience of fellowship with the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus was enough to arrest a whole city in its tracks. Again, the more real, the more credible.</p><p><a href='B:470 12:41'>Mat 12:41</a> says that "The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation", Israel of the first century. We must read in an ellipsis, ‘[the people of] this generation’. For individuals and not entire generations will be judged. ’Standing up’ is possibly an allusion to the resurrection of the responsible at the last day, but more likely the figure is of a judge arising in judgment to state the verdict; which in this case, is condemnation. The Lord in <a href='B:470 12:27'>Mat 12:27</a> had spoken of how the children of the Jews would judge those Jews in the last day. The Lord clearly seems to envisage the judgment process as having a public dimension to it. The fact one person was spiritually responsive, given a similar or harder set of circumstances than what another has had who did not respond, will therefore as it were be the judgment of the person who didn’t respond. It clearly won’t be merely an awards ceremony nor a yes / no decision, but rather will context and precedent from others be taken into account. ‘If&nbsp;they&nbsp;responded and&nbsp;you&nbsp;did not, given similar circumstances, then&nbsp;they&nbsp;will condemn&nbsp;you’- that seems to be the Lord’s reasoning.</p><p>He says that the Ninevites repented "At the preaching of Jonah; and, behold, one greater than Jonah is here!":&nbsp;This effectively is a noun, referring to "the preaching" as in the message of Jonah, and yet also Jonah was himself the preaching or the message. And that was why he was so credible as a preacher. What he preached was judgment to come, and the Ninevites repented on hearing it. The Lord was teaching not only judgment to come, but was making specific the call to repentance implicit within that message, and urging peopleto accept God’s grace. Hence those who heard Him were even more guilty before the Ninevites. Jonah’s preaching occurred&nbsp;after&nbsp;he had been three days within the whale; after the Lord had been three days in the earth, He too would preach mightily, through the ministry of those ’in Him’ who were effectively His representatives and appealed on His behalf. But He reasons as if that appeal was already being made- as if in essence He had already passed through the cross and resurrection. This is not the only time He reasons in this way; in proclaiming Himself Lord, the serpent lifted up on the pole, the One who had already "overcome the world", He reasoned as if the successful outcome of His death had already occurred. Such was His faith that He would come forth triumphant.</p><p>Their repentance according to <a href='B:470 12:41'>Mat 12:41</a> was so sincere that it lasted a lifetime; for at the last day, they shall arise in judgment over the Jews of the first century and condemn them. Some of the Ninevites will be in God’s Kingdom and accepted at the day of judgment.</p>


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<p>But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry- Jonah wanted to see Nineveh’s destruction. The ’grace’ side of God, His desire for human repentance and salvation, just wasn’t reflected in Jonah. He focused on God’s anger with sin and sinners, and overlooked the rest. The book of Jonah was written by Jonah to state his repentance of legalism, elitism, racism and lack of grace. It’s a profound warning that conservatism is not right of itself, and can lead to serious moral failure. It’s simply not the case that conservatism is likely, as a rule of thumb, to be closer to God than liberalism. That has been the deeply wrong assumption of so many people. The Lord warned that conservatism is part of our human nature, and His teaching is radically progressive and anti-conservative (see on <a href='B:490 5:39'>Luk 5:39</a>). It was God’s right to be angry with sin and Nineveh; it was not for Jonah to be angry just because they had repented. The Lord perceived this feature of human nature when He commented that His goodness leads some to have an evil eye, a bitter outlook because He has saved (see on <a href='B:470 20:15'>Mat 20:15</a>). Jonah had invested so much of himself in the message of judgment that he preached; when he realized God was changing from that path, he felt the whole narrative of his own life had been upset. God can change; this is clearly taught throughout the Bible. His passion for human salvation makes Him open ended in many ways. But for some, that is too much. Divine history has to be foretold in advance according to their particular interpretation of it. And when things don’t work out for them, because either their understanding was faulty or God worked differently because of factoring in human repentance or potential to repent, they lose their faith or drift away from God. Jonah speaks to them.</p><p>Nineveh repented; thousands repented, and there must have been a party of joy in Heaven! But on earth, God’s preacher, Jonah- didn’t share Heaven’s joy. He was angry. He didn’t walk in step with the spirit. He didn’t reflect Heaven’s joy on earth. The Lord said: "Is your eye evil [i:e. are you clouded by a mean spirited feeling], because I am good?". We are all prone to this; to respond to God’s grace by being evil-eyed, by our worldview, our "eye", becoming narrower and clouded because of the extravagance of His grace. By these comments I do not in any way underestimate the sadness and urgency of resolving divisions in the body of Christ; but we must remember that all true Christians who are in the one body preach, by that token, the same true Gospel. Their baptisms are valid-&nbsp; so, we can rejoice. For who, after all, is Paul or Apollos, or Steve Z or Steve A, or Andy A or Andy Z, or any of us, but ministers. The essence is Christ.</p>


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<p>He prayed to Yahweh and said, Please, Yahweh, wasn’t this what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore I hurried to flee away to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and You relent of doing harm- See on <a href='B:360 2:14'>Joe 2:14</a>. This remonstration with God isn’t recorded from God’s standpoint in the record of Jonah 1. But the book of Jonah is Jonah’s confession of sin and repentance. So he now records what he said. And he does so in exactly the terms in which God revealed His character and Name to Moses in Exodus 32. Jonah is effectively saying that he can’t stand who God really is. He wanted, like so many religious people, to focus on a few aspects of God [in this case, God’s anger with sin and judgment of it] and build the narrative of his understanding of God upon them; without wanting to see the far wider picture of who God is. In Jonah’s case, his wilful ignoring of God’s gracious side was tantamount to not knowing the God whom he knew only in theory; for the gracious side of God dominates. And Jonah’s amazing salvation from death, even his experience of resurrection, ought to have been enough to help him see that side. But here we see how hard it is to understand grace and believe it. Even death and resurrection, salvation by utter grace, wasn’t enough to persuade Jonah of it. Others are likewise dragged through hell and high water, as Jonah was literally, and still don’t get it. Judgmentalism and elitism dies a hard death, and many never get there. For to accept God’s grace means an admission that they were wrong.</p><p>Jonah didn’t share Heaven’s joy. He was angry. He didn’t walk in step with the spirit. It is apparent from the lesson of the gourd, and God’s final approval of Nineveh’s repentance, that His motive in asking Jonah to preach judgment to come upon Nineveh was because God wanted their repentance. Jonah’s initial response had been to refuse to preach, because He feared God’s grace might incorporate them too. We need to probe the motives for our reticence in not preaching as we might. It’s too easy to excuse it as our personal shyness. Can there not be a sense in us too that we actually don’t want our potential audiences to share in God’s grace, even though we may not express this to ourselves directly? And another lesson arises for our preaching. It was God’s intention, surely, that an upfront confrontation of Nineveh with their sins and the reality of God’s coming judgment if proclaimed with love in the heart and a sense of our own unworthiness would bring about their conversion. We must ask whether we have perceived this in our approach to preaching.</p>


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<p>Therefore now Yahweh, take, I beg You, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live- This is a quotation of Elijah’s words in <a href='B:110 19:4'>1Ki 19:4</a>. As noted on <a href='B:390 3:1'>Jon 3:1</a>, there are similarities between Jonah and Elijah; who likewise struggled with spiritual elitism and judgmentalism. His whole life was centred around his sense that he was right and others wrong; and that judgment would come upon the ’others’. To have the whole narrative of his life and psychology wrecked by God’s grace... was too much for him. He saw no point in being alive, despite the fact that he of all people had been preserved alive and resurrected. We too were raised with the Lord Jesus in baptism; our lives are worth it, they are for the Lord’s sake and the sake of His grace, rather than to prove ourselves always right and others wrong.</p>


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<p>Yahweh said, Is it right for you to be angry?- Perhaps the emphasis is on the word "you". Jonah was a sinner. God alone had the right to be angry with the sins of Nineveh, and by being angry that others could be saved, Jonah was playing God. And not even playing God very well, for he was ignoring the gracious side of God which is so fundamental to Him. All who struggle with anger issues need to read Jonah this way; are you right to be angry? Even if anger is justified, it is not always for you to express that anger. Anger, Divine wrath, is in the end His and not ours. For He is the judge; we are the sinners, saved by grace like Jonah and responding to that grace by showing it to others.</p>


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<p>Then Jonah went out of the city- Jonah was hoping the city would be destroyed, and so rather than remain there begging them to repent for 40 days, he simplyuttered the doom and left. Perhaps he was aware of prophecies that the Assyrians would destroy Judah and God’s people go into captivity there. And perhaps that was why he wanted to see Nineveh destroyed. But by thinking that way, he was accepting that God’s prophetic word could change according to human action, in this case, his not persuading Nineveh to repent. And yet again, in a beautiful way, he was brought to realize that if God’s intentions can indeed change, then he should allow Nineveh the chance of repentance to change the otherwise inevitable prophetic outcome.</p><p>And sat on the east side of the city, and there made himself a shelter- This is the same word used of the booths made by Israel at the time of the feast of tabernacles. Perhaps it was that time of year, and Jonah legalistically tried to keep the feast. But he was keeping it in Gentile territory. And so his legalism was used by God to teach him that relationship with Him was perfectly possible outside eretz Israel. But the word for "shelter" is also used in Isaiah as a double symbol- of Israel in their condemnation (<a href='B:290 1:8'>Isa 1:8</a>) and of God’s final giving of shelter to all nations upon Zion (<a href='B:290 4:6'>Isa 4:6</a>). And by being condemnatory of Gentiles, Jonah was living out the symbolism of a condemned Judah. For if we condemn, we shall be condemned (<a href='B:470 7:1'>Mat 7:1</a>). So God seeks to convert Jonah to see the better symbolism, and live that out. He creates for Jonah a better shelter, to give him shade from the heat, and this is described in the very language of <a href='B:290 4:6'>Isa 4:6</a>: "There will be a pavilion for a shade in the daytime from the heat, and for a refuge and for a shelter from storm and from rain". God is ever seeking to convert legalists and hyper conservatives like Jonah, when their judgmentalism and total lack of love would make many of us just give up with them. We note the Lord’s similar efforts towards the scribes and Pharisees, which actually paid off in that after His ascension, many of them were baptized.</p><p>And sat under it in the shade- As noted above, the shade of the booth was clearly alluding to <a href='B:290 4:6'>Isa 4:6</a>, the salvation given by Yahweh in Zion. Jonah experienced it not in Zion but in a Gentile land. But that didn’t make him recalculate his position. He himself enjoyed the shade of God’s grace, but was unwilling to see Gentiles share it. His story would have been a powerful message to the early Jewish Christians who initially struggled with accepting Gentiles into the hope of Israel.</p><p>Until he might see what would become of the city- Jonah left the city because he believed and hoped that it would be destroyed. He is presented as being diametrically opposed to the will of God. Indeed, seeing Jonah wrote the book of Jonah, he presents himself this way, because the book is his confession. Let us note that in this case it was religious conservatism which led to his being so totally out of step with God, just as it was the libertinism of the Corinthian believers which led them to the same final position.</p>


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<p>Yahweh God prepared- "Prepared" is a major theme in Jonah. God prepared a huge fish (<a href='B:390 1:17'>Jon 1:17</a>), the vine, a tiny worm (:7) and an east wind (:8). The impression is clearly given that God was at work in things and ways great and small in order to bring about the repentance of both Jonah and the Ninevites.</p><p>A vine, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. So Jonah was very glad because of the vine- We would likely have turned away in disgust from someone as self-righteous and unloving as Jonah. But God saw the man’s discomfort and showed him grace. The vine or gourd was a special creation, although perhaps an exaggerated form of a quick growing shrub known in the area, as the big fish likewise was a special creation but an exaggerated form of a whale or shark. The impression given is that God magnifies the natural in such a way as to demonstrate His power and preference to use the natural and well known.</p>


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<p>But God prepared a worm at dawn the next day, and it chewed on the vine so that it withered- Jonah was being taught that God can give grace and take it away in a moment if we don’t appreciate it. From mighty fish to tiny worms, God is at work. For "prepared" see on :6.</p><p>This incident was to make Jonah understand how God valued Nineveh. God had made each of the Ninevites to “grow” (4:10,11), just as He had made the gourd grow (4:6). Jonah was so grateful for the gourd; he valued it. And this was to show him God’s value of Nineveh. Yet Jonah was angry with the worm, who had made the gourd perish. The perishing of Nineveh (<a href='B:390 3:9'>Jon 3:9</a>) and the perishing of the gourd (4:10) are clearly parallel. He was being led to realize who he really was- a worm, who unthinkingly had sought to fell and cause to perish a wonderful and beautiful part of God’s creation. Jonah’s anger that Nineveh had been preserved is set against his anger that the gourd had perished. He was being shown that he was not in step with God’s thinking / Spirit here. If Nineveh had perished, God would have been angry and sad and depressed, just as Jonah felt on the perishing of thegourd. This was the whole purpose of the gourd incident, and it is the purpose of many incidents in our lives- to show us how God feels. Jonah was angry that Nineveh had been preserved, when instead he should have been angry if it had perished. His anger, his feelings, were not in step with God’s. And the gourd incident beautifully brought this out to him.</p>


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<p>It happened that when the sun arose, God prepared- For "prepared" see on :6.</p><p>A hot east wind- A sign of Divine judgment, as this was what was sent upon the Egyptians. Jonah was sitting on the east of the city and so it came directly upon him.</p><p>And the sun beat on Jonah’s head- Being smitten by the sun was to be understood as Divine judgment, and preservation from this is a sign of being God’s people (the same Hebrew phrase is used in <a href='B:230 121:6'>Psa 121:6</a>; <a href='B:290 49:10'>Isa 49:10</a>). Jonah had set himself up in his booth to observe the hoped for judgment upon Nineveh. But in fact they were to be spared judgment, and instead, judgment was aimed at Jonah, even though God in His grace had been willing to spare Jonah from it through creating the vine. The whole narrative of Jonah’s thinking and self-understanding was being overturned. Sinful Gentiles had repented and were being saved; and instead Divine judgment was headed for him for his self-righteous elitism.</p><p>So that he fainted- Jonah “fainted” as a result of the gourd perishing, just as he “fainted” [s:w:] when he refused to preach to Nineveh initially (<a href='B:390 2:7'>Jon 2:7</a>). Circumstances so often repeat in the lives of God’s people, and this is in order to seek to teach us something. It seems that Jonah only preached on the outskirts of Nineveh and then gave up; for it was only word of his message that reached the King (<a href='B:390 3:3-4'>Jon 3:3-4</a>). Jonah couldn’t maintain the intensity; he wilted as the gourd did. He couldn’t maintain a sense of God’s grace, of His tremendous desire to save, and his motivation waned. And so, circumstances repeated. His half hearted preaching was tantamount to his refusal to preach; and he fainted as a result of each of these things.</p><p>And requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live- See on <a href='B:390 1:4'>Jon 1:4</a>. These are the very words of the self-righteous Elijah, who wished to die because he considered himself to be the only faithful believer in Israel, ignoring the at least 7000 whom God stated were faithful. Elijah said this after the contest on Carmel, after which Ahab apparently repented. Perhaps it was Ahab’s repentance which made Elijah wish to die; he wished judgment upon Ahab. And Jonah didn’t learn the lesson. I argued on Jonah 2 that Jonah had already died and been resurrected by grace. He really ought to have learnt grace; but instead he just wants to die again. He considered the new life he had been given to be worthless, unless he could in that life see judgment upon sinners. We too can be saved from so great a death, preserved by grace, and yet still not let that grace become the narrative of our lives, but instead return to legalism, anger and self-righteous condemnation of others. The story of Jonah is indeed an incisive challenge to us in our age, where anger and condemnation of others is so much part of daily experience.</p>


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<p>God said to Jonah, Is it right for you to be angry about the vine? He said, I am right to be angry, even to death- As noted on :8, Jonah ought to have learnt from his own salvation by grace that all bitterness and wrath was to have no part in his life from then on. But he didn’t. Again we must put the emphasis upon "you"- is it right for you to be angry, when wrath and judgment belongs to God alone? Jonah was angry that God had taken away the vine, just as he was angry that Nineveh wasn’t being judged. Yet the gift of the vine to shelter him in his anger was purely by God’s grace. He was angry that grace had been withdrawn from him, just as he was angry that judgment had been withdrawn from Nineveh. He assumed that he had a right to God’s grace, whereas Nineveh didn’t. He was being powerfully tested in these things, just as we are. "Is it right…?" translates a Hebrew word which really carries the idea of ’Are you doing / creating good?’. Anger of Jonah’s kind is uncreative. No good will come of it. Whilst anger is part of our human makeup, it needs to be controlled. The expression of God’s anger is always ultimately creative, His judgments bring others to know Him, His Name is glorified:. whereas the anger displayed by Jonah was not going to do or create anything good or right. It was purely selfish, and he admits that he is angry unto death- so angry, that he wanted to die, and throw away the gift of saved life which He had earlier been given when resurrected out of the fish.</p>


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<p>Yahweh said, You have been concerned for the vine, for which you have not laboured, neither made it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night- If Jonah didn’t want God’s grace withdrawn from him nor the vine, then he had to understand that God also didn’t want to withdraw His grace from Nineveh. And God had far more invested in Nineveh than Jonah had in the vine. He had laboured for Nineveh and its people; proof enough that this world isn’t just wound up by God and left ticking on a clockwork mechanism. Everything, especially human life, is a result of His outgoing giving out of His power and energy. God had made the people of Nineveh grow... this is how close God is to Gentiles. And let us not think that people are unimportant to God, or not noticed by Him if they don’t know the Gospel. He expends conscious effort for all growth, especially human growth. People matter to Him, even if we cannot fathom why many die without never hearing the Gospel; perhaps He foreknew they would not accept it, and so not calling them to hear it was an act of grace. For those who hear it and reject it shall be raised to condemnation. Whatever the reason, we must accept that God is love, and reveals Himself here as having made each animal and human to grow; to destroy them with mass destruction was clearly not what He wanted to do. Instead, He had "pity" (AV), or "was concerned" for Nineveh even more than Jonah was for the vine (:11). And so we should be for all people; John Thomas was quite wrong to claim that we should "not care a rush" for those who differ from us in their religious understandings.</p><p>The vine ’perished’ as Nineveh were going to perish and as the Gentile sailors had almost perished (see on <a href='B:390 3:9'>Jon 3:9</a>). The point was that God made to perish that which He had long laboured for, and that perishing was for Jonah’s sake. And He did not want to make Nineveh perish because of Jonah’s nationalism and elitism.</p><p>Can one person on a speck of a planet in a speck of a solar system in a mediocre clump of a galaxy really make a difference to the creator of that universe? Just one of the billions who have lived on this planet since Adam? As David looked to the heavens, he felt what surely we all have: “What is man, that You are mindful of him…?”. Almighty God created a bush to give Jonah shade from the sun; and created a tiny worm to take it away, to teach Jonah something. We matter to God. Our lives and experiences and the things in our lives are important to Him, down to the micro level [a worm, in Jonah’s case]. And we should reflect this in the way we treat others- all men. God reminded Jonah that He had laboured and ‘made to grow’ the people of Nineveh, just as He had consciously&nbsp; expended energy on the growth of the gourd. People should matter to us; their lives, their feelings, their eternal destiny. I am not preaching some kind of humanism. Rather, appealing for us to reflect the same senseless, illogical, caring and saving spirit of our Lord and our Creator.</p>


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<p>Shouldn’t I be concerned for Nineveh, that great city- The greatness of the city was the basis for His feeling of compassion, His desire that they would not perish [although they were worthy of it] and come to repentance. This enables us to read <a href='B:390 1:2'>Jon 1:2</a> in a somewhat different light: “Go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against”. When God described Nineveh as a “great city”, the very fact of its size elicited a desire to spare it. And of course we meet the same phrase in Revelation (<a href='B:730 18:21'>Rev 18:21</a>), where a condemned Babylon is described as a “great city”. This was not God gleefully preparing to destroy a huge city. He surely had Nineveh in mind when He inspired those words. This was, and will be, a God whose very heart is touched by the tragedy of sinners having to be punished, and who is open to a change of purpose if they will repent. Thus the latter day appeal to “Come out of her!”, whether we understand ‘Babylon’ as false religion, the Moslem world, the world of sinners or whoever, is rooted in God’s spirit of passionate love towards Nineveh. As Jonah “cried” against Nineveh, so God ‘cries’ against Babylon (<a href='B:730 18:2'>Rev 18:2</a>). We who make that appeal in these last days should be reflecting here on earth the mind of God in Heaven not merely pronouncing doom and gloom against ‘Babylon’, but warning them of God’s stated intentions towards them with a heart that bleeds for them and seeks their repentance. The heart of God Almighty responded in harmony to the hearts of the Ninevites- brought out by the repeated word play in <a href='B:390 3:8-10'>Jon 3:8-10</a>, whereby the ‘turning’ of Nineveh in repentance is reflected in how God ‘turns’ and repents of what He had said He would do to them.</p><p>In which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who can’t discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?- As noted on :10, all life on this earth is a result of God’s conscious, active involvement and labour. And this includes animal life; and so the tragedy of destroying the city would involve the loss of the animal life too. What was in God’s mind therefore was a cataclysm the size of that which hit Sodom; it would have been on a huge scale, if 120,000&nbsp; children and all the animals would have been destroyed. Keil and Delitsczh quote ancient sources which claim that a child was considered to only be able to certainly differentiate between right and left at seven years old. 120,000 under seven would mean a population of over half a million, with high population density. The total desolation of the Nineveh area was clearly in His mind; and therefore His sensitivity to human repentance is the more evident, in that He changed that plan.</p><p>In all true spiritual endeavour and genuine spiritual progress, there seems almost inevitably to be a process of two steps backward and three forward. Consider the pattern of Jonah’s life:</p><p>-&nbsp;&nbsp; Encounters the presence of God</p><p>-&nbsp;&nbsp; Flees from his preaching responsibility; faints</p><p>-&nbsp;&nbsp; Saved by God’s grace</p><p>-&nbsp;&nbsp; Repents and obeys the call to preach</p><p>-&nbsp;&nbsp; Loses his intensity</p><p>-&nbsp;&nbsp; God shows Jonah how He feels about Nineveh</p><p>-&nbsp;&nbsp; Jonah faints</p><p>-&nbsp;&nbsp; Repents and obeys the call to preach by writing up his poem and writing the book of Jonah.</p><p>Within the course of a few hours, we can go through the essence of this process, learning again the lesson of Jonah and the gourd. We are encountering the presence and call of God to minister every hour; for the need of the world around us is the call.</p><p><strong>Jonah and Nahum</strong></p><p>Nahum also prophesied against Nineveh. When we read his words, it would appear that there was no chance for Nineveh. And yet presumably there was always a chance for them, just as there was at Jonah’s time some years previously. But it seems to me that the essential message of Nahum was that of Jonah. They could have repented, even then. Not surprisingly, we find many allusions by Nahum back to Jonah:&nbsp;</p><p><table border="1"><tr><td></p><p>Nahum</td><td>Jonah [re. Nineveh]</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>God is slow to anger (1:3)</td><td>4:2 [same Hebrew words]- and therefore He saved Nineveh.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>“Who can abide in the fierceness ofHis anger?” (1:6)</td><td>God turns away from “the fierceness of His anger” [s:w:] against Nineveh (3:9)- Nineveh had survived God’s fierce anger by repenting, and so they could even in Nahum’s time. The Hebrew word translated “abide” in <a href='B:410 1:6'>Nah 1:6</a> is that used in Jonah to describe how the King of Assyria “arose” (3:6) in repentance. The answer to the question: “Who can abide / arise in the [presence of] the fierceness of His anger?” is: ‘The King of Assyria if he repents’.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The wickedness of Nineveh “came up” before God’s face (2:1)</td><td>The same words are used about Nineveh (1:2).</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>God was “against” Nineveh (2:13)</td><td>Same word in 1:2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Judged for “wickedness” (3:19)</td><td>Same word in 1:2; 3:8</td><td></td></tr></table><p>It becomes apparent that the Ninevites of Nahum’s day are being directed back to the repentance of their city at the time of Jonah; but clearly they are also being invited to share in Jonah’s personal repentance. &nbsp;</p><p><table border="1"><tr><td></p><p>Nahum</td><td>Jonah [re. Jonah]</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>God has His way in the storm (1:3)</td><td>Jonah’s experience in the storm</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>God rebukes the sea (1:4)</td><td>As God stilled the storm which Jonah was in</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Who can stand before God? (1:5)</td><td>Jonah had to be ‘stood up’ [s:w:]&nbsp; from his hiding in the ship when fleeing from God’s presence (1:15)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Lord is a stronghold “in the day of trouble” (1:7) to those who trust Him.</td><td>Jonah cried to God in his “affliction” [s:w. “trouble” ] (2:2)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>An “overrunning flood” will overtake Nineveh (1:8)</td><td>“The floods…passed over [s:w. “overrunning”] Jonah (2:2); but Jonah repented and was saved. Note how the connections between <a href='B:410 1:7-8'>Nah 1:7-8</a> and <a href='B:390 2:2'>Jon 2:2</a> are in close proximity- surely an allusion is intended here.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Affliction (1:9)</td><td>Affliction [s:w:] (2:2)</td><td></td></tr></table><p>From this it becomes apparent that Jonah is seen by God as in essentially the same position as the Ninevites. This was why his appeal to them was so strong. For he had been in just their position, in essence, yet had repented. The fact Nahum makes all these allusions to Jonah’s personal repentance indicates that they well knew the story of Jonah; and his repentance had inspired that of the audience he preached to. In these we see a very real pattern for ourselves; it is our identity with our audience, as repentant sinners ourselves, which will elicit their response.</p><p>Nahum’s message was not only a warning of judgment to come upon Nineveh. It was an appeal to Israel, that unless they repented, they would likewise perish. The appeal to Judah to “perform thy vows” (<a href='B:410 1:15'>Nah 1:15</a>) is couched in the very same words as Jonah used in <a href='B:390 2:9'>Jon 2:9</a>: “I will pay [s:w. perform] that which I have vowed”. Judah were being asked to be like Jonah, and not despise Nineveh, but rather appeal to her to repent.</p>


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<p>The word of Yahweh that came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem- We note that although Micah was based in Judah, his work was also in appealing to Samaria, the ten tribes, as well as the two tribe kingdom of Judah whose capital was Jerusalem. Micah’s words were perhaps addressed specifically to the leadership and priests in the cities of Samaria and Jerusalem, although all the people were also addressed (:2).</p>


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<p>Hear, you peoples, all of you- As noted on :1, Micah was appealing to both Israel and Judah. Hence "all" the earth / eretz / land was addressed. Perhaps there was a tendency for Judah to assume that all words of Divine condemnation were for others rather than themselves; and we all have that tendency:&nbsp; Several of the prophets appeal to both Israel and Judah; potentially, if both nations had repented, they could have reunited as one nation under God and the dominion of God’s Kingdom established over them both.</p><p>Listen, O earth, and all that is therein- The Hebrew terms for&nbsp; "hear", usually meaning ’be obedient’, and "listen", meaning literally to hear or pay attention, are often used together in the Hebrew Bible. The idea is that if we really hear, we will be obedient to what we hear. And this is our problem; the language of the Bible can drift over us, without us paying attention. And so the two terms are used together- to really hear God’s word is to be obedient to it.</p><p>And let the Lord Yahweh be witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple- The imagery of the court room continues in :3. God is both the witness, and the judge. Just as the Lord Jesus is later presented as both the judge and also the advocate, on our side and successfully pleading our case, hopeless as it is. There is no essential contradiction; the imagery here gives us an insight into the thinking of God Himself. "From" is not a reflection of the original; the idea is that God in His heavenly temple, of which the Jerusalem temple was but a reflection, had entered into judgment with His people and was giving evidence</p>


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<p>For behold, Yahweh comes forth out of His place, and will come down and tread on the high places of the earth- God would come forth from the Heavenly temple and trample the "high places" where His people worshipped idols (:5). This probably has primary reference to the Angel going forth from the temple to slay the Assyrians in Hezekiah’s time. See on <a href='B:230 78:60'>Psa 78:60</a>. Micah’s appeal for repentance was heard at Hezekiah’s time (<a href='B:300 26:18-19'>Jer 26:18-19</a>), and so God came forth in judgment upon the enemies of His people rather than upon Judah, as would otherwise have happened as Micah here foresees. This is an example of where God’s stated purposes can be changed by human repentance. And yet the prophetic word comes true, but in a different form and time. Yahweh in His Angel did come out of His temple; but to judge Assyria and not Judah as originally intended.</p><p>There are a whole set of allusions to Saul and Jonathan’s death in Micah 1, 2, where they are connected with a spiritually collapsed Israel:</p><p><table border="1"><tr><td></p><p>Micah 1, 2</td><td>Saul and Jonathan</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>High places (1:3)</td><td>Slain at the site of their high places (<a href='B:100 1:19'>2Sa 1:19</a>; <a href='B:100 1:25'>2Sa 1:25</a>). These high places are consistently associated with idolatry and at best semi-spirituality.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"A wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls" (1:8) for apostate Israel</td><td>David’s lament over Jonathan and Saul</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"They covet fields, and take them away... they oppress a man" (<a href='B:400 2:2'>Mic 2:2</a>)</td><td>Saul was guilty of this.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"Lament with a lamentation of lamentations" for the pathos of it all (<a href='B:400 2:4'>Mic 2:4</a> AVmg:)</td><td>David’s lament over Jonathan and Saul</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"Your shame naked" (1:11)</td><td>Stripped naked by the Philistines, with Saul’s body&nbsp; paraded naked on the wall of Bethshan.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"It is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem" (1:9)</td><td>The Philistines took the Israelite cities at this time (<a href='B:90 31:7'>1Sa 31:7</a>), presumably including Jerusalem, which David had to recapture.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"Declare ye it not at Gath" (1:10) - regarding Israel’s judgment for sin</td><td>This is a direct quote from <a href='B:100 1:20'>2Sa 1:20</a>.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>“The glory of Israel hides in the cave of Adullam” (1:15 NEB)</td><td>Saul</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"She is grievously sick of her wounds" (1:9 AVmg:)</td><td>How Saul and Jonathan died (<a href='B:90 31:1-2'>1Sa 31:1-2</a> AVmg:).</td><td></td></tr></table>&nbsp;<p>David’s lament over Saul and Jonathan was that of God and Micah over Israel. There is therefore the possible hint that Jonathan’s personal spirituality was not what it might have been at this time. The grief of Micah for Israel was that of David for Jonathan: "I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls" (<a href='B:400 1:8'>Mic 1:8</a>). The extent of David’s grief is another indication of his love for Jonathan; and this is a prophecy of Christ’s love for us:&nbsp;The spirit of Christ was in Micah.</p>


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<p>The mountains melt under him- The language of <a href='B:230 97:5'>Psa 97:5</a>; <a href='B:230 97:7'>Psa 97:7</a> about the judgment upon idolaters.</p><p>And the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire- The language of condemnation of the wicked (<a href='B:230 68:2'>Psa 68:2</a>). We note that on the cross, the Lord’s heart was also like melted wax (<a href='B:230 22:14'>Psa 22:14</a>). Although He never personally sinned, through the crucifixion process He endured the condemnation of sinners; those He condemns will therefore be given a judgment which He has Himself experienced although innocent. No human judge can do this. His judgment will therefore be ultimately just. And yet we also see how even sin doesn’t put us in a position which He cannot appreciate.</p><p>Like waters that are poured down a steep place- Waters and rivers often represent Gentile powers. They would gush into the land in judgment, poured out by God, rather like the bowls of judgment are poured out upon eretz Israel in Revelation.</p>


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<p>All this is because of the disobedience of Jacob, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the disobedience of Jacob? Isn’t it Samaria?- There are many hints in the Genesis record that the historical Jacob and his family were all too involved with idols as well as Yahweh. <a href='B:10 31:36'>Gen 31:36</a> uses the precise Hebrew words as here: "Jacob answered Laban, What is my trespass [s:w."disobedience"]? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued after me?". The context is that Jacob’s wife Rachel had stolen her father’s idols, and Jacob was in denial of this. The disobedience of Jacob and the sins of the Jacob family, "Israel", was not only idolatry, but specifically the denial that they practiced it. Soon afterwards, Jacob urged the family of Israel to repentance and they buried their idols beneath a tree. And this was the ongoing sin of Israel at Micah’s time- idolatry, and the denial of it. The disobedience of Jacob was at the idol shrine of Samaria, where the ten tribes worshipped their idols in the name of Yahweh, claiming that their ancestor Jacob had done the same; Hosea comments often about this. See on <a href='B:350 7:1'>Hos 7:1</a>; <a href='B:350 8:5-6'>Hos 8:5-6</a>; <a href='B:350 10:5'>Hos 10:5</a>; <a href='B:350 10:7'>Hos 10:7</a>; <a href='B:350 13:16'>Hos 13:16</a>.</p><p>And what are the high places of Judah?Aren’t they Jerusalem?- Just as the ten tribes worshipped their idols in the name of Yahweh worship, so the Jerusalem temple was used. Ezekiel was shown men worshipping idols right within the temple. And this is our tendency; not to totally deny Yahweh and fall into atheism, but to worship our idols in the name of serving God. Our passion for a career, nice house, car and vacations becomes justified as Yahweh worship when it is just the same idolatry which the people around us shamelessly practice.</p>


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<p>Therefore I will make Samaria like a rubble heap of the field, like places for planting vineyards; and I will pour down its stones into the valley, and I will uncover its foundations- It was normal for victorious invaders to destroy the religious symbols of those they vanquished, and this was to happen to Samaria. And yet in wrath God always remembers mercy; the desolate site would become a place where vineyards could be planted. This is the very picture of God’s restored Kingdom upon earth (<a href='B:290 65:21'>Isa 65:21</a>; <a href='B:370 9:14'>Amo 9:14</a>). God’s anger is unlike human anger. It is to clear the ground for His restorative work, albeit with another generation and even nation.</p>


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<p>All her idols will be beaten to pieces, and all her temple gifts will be burned with fire, and all her images will be destroyed; for as the hire of a prostitute has she obtained them, and to the hire of a prostitute shall they return- The condemnation of Jerusalem and her temple cult is more extreme than that of Samaria. Those who prided themselves that they were worshipping Yahweh correctly, in the temple rather than at Jeroboam’s idolatrous calf shrines, were actually worse than those they felt superior to. And this is the danger of legalism to this day. As noted on :6, it was usual for victorious invaders to destroy the religious symbols of those they vanquished, and this was to happen to Jerusalem. It was only the reformation led by Isaiah’s school of the prophets, which surely included Micah, aided by Hezekiah, which stopped this prophecy coming true at that time. The idols were "temple gifts"; they were justified as having been devoted to Yahweh. See on :5. Micah uses the same language as Hosea, in seeing Jerusalem as a prostitute who was paid for her services with idols which she treasured.</p>


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<p>For this I will lament and wail; I will go stripped and naked- This was the judgment of prostitutes, and Micah has just likened Jerusalem to a prostitute in :7. He doesn’t merely condemn, but feels himself into the shoes of those whose behaviour is so abhorrent. No wonder therefore that his appeal was successful in Hezekiah’s time (<a href='B:300 26:18-19'>Jer 26:18-19</a>).</p><p>I will howl like the jackals, and moan like the daughters of owls- The Hebrew specifically refers to female jackals and female owls. The females only howl like this when their very own young are taken from them. This was how Micah felt as he predicted the destruction of God’s people; for in :16 he will speak of how they would lose their beloved offspring. It would be a very personal loss to Micah. Their diminishing was his diminishing, and in this he powerfully reflected the feelings of God. These terrible judgments were not therefore uttered in anger, and unlike Jonah, they were uttered with every appeal for the hearers to repent and to thereby change the otherwise inevitable.</p>


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<p>For her wounds are incurable; and it has come even to Judah- The incurable wound was healed by their repentance (<a href='B:300 26:18-19'>Jer 26:18-19</a>). This is the paradox of grace. God is really willing to change His stated purpose, as He did regarding Israel at the time of Moses, and for Nineveh- because He so respects the repentance of even a remnant, and their intercession.</p><p>It reaches to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem- As noted on :8 and :10, Micah’s personal identity with his target audience is impressive, and the root of his success. Hence he speaks of "my people". We see here too the unity of spirit between God and His prophet, His man on earth. These words about "my people" could be God speaking, or Micah. Micah was one in spirit with God in his feelings about God’s people. The process of inspiration would have worked through this.</p>


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<p>Don’t tell it in Gath- See on :3. Micah mourned for God’s people as righteous David did for sinful Saul, whom he so loved despite all the wickedness that man did to him.</p><p>Don’t weep at all. At Beth Ophrah I have rolled myself in the dust- Rolling naked (:7) in the dust… this was the extent ofMicah’s passion for the repentance of his audience. The success of his appeal (<a href='B:300 26:18-19'>Jer 26:18-19</a>) was because of his personal appeal and identity with his target audience. And this is the lesson for every preacher. "Beth Ophrah" is literally ’house of dust’, this was what that idol shrine would become; and Micah rolls himself in the dust in order to show his extreme identity with those facing such impending judgment. He didn’t shrug and not care for those who refused to listen; his heart bled for them because of his urgent and desperate sense of identity with them. This shines through all of Micah’s appeals. The prophets believed their message, to the point that it overcame them with grief that men wouldn’t heed them. Is this how we feel at the rejection of our message? Is our testimony to Jesus really in the spirit of these prophets…? Can we identify with Micah when he lamented and wailed, going stripped and naked, because of the import of what he was prophesying, and human rejection of it? Depending which translation we choose, it appears that Micah now lists 10 towns around Jerusalem which are to be judged. This may be in order to suggest that Judah is effectively no better than the ten tribe kingdom and will suffer their judgment.</p>


text:
<p>Pass on, inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame- As noted on :7 and :8, the judgment for a prostitute. "Shaphir" means ’beautiful woman’, another connection with prostitution. They would flee the invaders, or be taken captive by them, in naked shame. Yet Micah also went naked and shamed because he so identified with them (:8). The towns of Judah listed here were presumably centers of idolatry. If we follow the LXX here, the identity of the next towns is no longer an issue: "The inhabitant of Sennaar, fairly inhabiting her cities, came not forth to mourn for the house next to her: she shall receive of you the stroke of grief". This would be in contrast to how Micah did mourn for those next to him.</p><p>The inhabitant of Zaanan won’t come out- "Zaanan" could be a form of "Zion". They would not be able to flee to Beth Ezel, possibly Azal near Jerusalem (<a href='B:450 14:5'>Zec 14:5</a>). Zion would be surrounded by her enemies and there would be no place to escape to, as all the surrounding villages would have been captured. There is a similar idea in :12, where another village near Jerusalem is mentioned.</p><p>When you hear the wailing of Beth Ezel, you will know there is no protection there- Beth Ezel is "house of joining", perhaps a reference to the brothels associated with idol worship.</p>


text:
<p>For the inhabitant of Maroth waits anxiously hoping for good- The villages around Jerusalem were to be overrun by the Assyrians as they closed in on Jerusalem. The problem was that the Jews had been worshipping idols in the name of Yahweh worship (see on :5), and they thought that therefore Yahweh would protect them; they ’anxiously hoped’, s:w. "pray" in <a href='B:450 8:22'>Zec 8:22</a>; but the response was to be "evil" rather than the "good" they asked for. Both "good" and "evil" come from Him, not Satan.</p><p>But evil has come down from Yahweh to the gate of Jerusalem- Clear evidence that evil in the sense of disaster comes from God and not from any supernatural being called Satan. Micah felt that the "evil" was already at the gate of Jerusalem, about to enter. The picture is of the enemies at the gates of Jerusalem, surrounding the city. This is what happened when Sennacherib invaded, but Micah’s appeal was heard, a remnant repented, led by Isaiah and his school of the prophets, which included Micah, whose prophecies have much in common with Isaiah (Micah 4 = Isaiah 2). And so the situation was averted, although the towns around Jerusalem did indeed fall to the Assyrians at that time.</p>


text:
<p>Harness the chariot to the swift steed, inhabitant of Lachish- The idea could be that Lachish should prepare to flee. But the rest of the verse speaks as if there was particular sin found there. I suggest therefore that the idea is that the Assyrians had a camp at Lachish from which they would begin their assault on Jerusalem, and this is exactly what is stated in <a href='B:290 36:2'>Isa 36:2</a>. Yet that invasion was sent by God, at His command; see on :4.</p><p>She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; for the transgressions of Israel were found in you- As explained on :5, the transgression of Israel / Jacob was idolatry and refusing to accept their sin. The daughter of Zion refers specifically to the temple mount, which had become a place of idol worship in the name of Yahweh (:5). Some of the idols they worshipped came from the Assyrians who were now going to attack and destroy them. "The beginning of sin" can mean "the great sin".</p>


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<p>Therefore you will give a parting gift to Moresheth Gath- Micah was from Moresheth (:1), he perhaps calls it "Gath" to suggest it was Philistine in spirit. Again, he is stressing that the judgment he is announcing affects him personally, "my people" (:9), and even his own home village. This continues the theme of Micah’s complete identification with the audience he was preaching to</p><p>The houses of Achzib will be a deceitful thing to the kings of Israel- There is a word play here, as "deceitful" is the same word as "Achzib". The word is used of the false prophets in <a href='B:400 2:11'>Mic 2:11</a>, so perhaps these houses were the centers of the false prophets who had assured the people that they were serving Yahweh through their idolatry and He would therefore protect them from the invaders; see on :12.</p>


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<p>I will yet hand you over to your enemy, inhabitant of Mareshah- Again the emphasis is upon the fact that God would do this, He would pour out the waters of the invaders upon His own people.</p><p>The leader who is the glory of Israel will come to hide in the Adullam cave- As noted on :3, Micah was lamenting for his people as David did for Saul. They gloried in their king just as Israel initially did in Saul, but he would come to hide himself in the Adullam cave just as Saul did. But again there is hope implied; for at that cave, David gave Saul the opportunity for repentance. And this is always the hint throughout Micah, and it seems some took it. The leader whom Israel glorified was presumably a king of Judah before Hezekiah; but the judgment of Jerusalem didn’t then come, because Micah’s message was responded to. The book of Micah has three discernible sections, possibly corresponding to the prophecies he uttered in the reign of the three kings mention in :1. These words may have therefore had Jotham or Ahaz in view.</p>


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<p>Shave your heads, and cut off your hair for the children of your delight. Enlarge your baldness like the vulture; for they have gone into captivity from you!- I noted on :8 that Micah wept as if he had lost his children. He was totally identified with those who were so sinful, who were under certain judgment, but whom he hoped to save by bringing them to repentance. In no way did he practice guilt by association and mental separation from those who were under judgment. Instead, on God’s behalf, he identified with them in order to try to win them to repentance. And this was supremely what God did through the work and death of His Son, who was "son of man" as much as any man was. A woman did not shave her head in grief for lost children; this was the punishment of a prostitute, and this is the theme of this section. Israel had prostituted themselves to other gods (:7). Judah was to cut off her hair in shame and grief (<a href='B:290 3:24'>Isa 3:24</a>; <a href='B:300 7:29'>Jer 7:29</a>), and yet they would do so themselves.</p><p>Micah Chapter 2</p>


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<p>Woe to those who devise iniquity- The same phrase used in <a href='B:230 36:4'>Psa 36:4</a> of Saul who has been set up as the prototype of a condemned Israel at Micah’s time (see on <a href='B:400 1:3'>Mic 1:3</a>). It is the same phrase used of the Jerusalem leadership who brought idols into the temple (<a href='B:330 11:2'>Eze 11:2</a>). This was ongoing in Micah’s time (<a href='B:400 1:5'>Mic 1:5</a>), but judgment didn’t come for it because Micah’s appeal succeeded, thanks to his passionate identity with the people he was appealing to, and to the effects of the school of the prophets to which he belonged.</p><p>And work evil on their beds!- "Evil" was to come upon Jerusalem (<a href='B:400 1:12'>Mic 1:12</a>), but the people had themselves worked or created that evil.</p><p>When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand- We have here one of many Biblical examples of where thought gives direct rise to action. The state of our mind, our spirit, is therefore critically important. They ’did’ ["practiced"] evil; and that phrase is the consistent refrain of the record of the kings, that they "did evil in the sight of Yahweh". But that doing of evil was conscious, and the result of their thoughts as they lay at night upon their beds.</p>


text:
<p>They covet fields, and seize them; and houses, and take them away: and they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage- As noted on :1, the thought gives rise to the action. They coveted fields in their hearts, and then in the morning, they actually seized them. We think of Ahab’s coveting Naboth’s vineyard. The perpetrators of these things were the ruling classes. Land inheritances were from God, and the Mosaic law defended inheritances, seeing the land was God’s and He had divided it as He wished. To simply grab property from another was therefore to as it were steal from God. To "oppress" others by legalistic games to their own advantage would lead to the Assyrians’oppressing’ them; the same word is used about this in <a href='B:290 52:4'>Isa 52:4</a>. If Judah stopped oppressing their brethren, they would not be oppressed by their enemies (<a href='B:300 7:6'>Jer 7:6</a>; <a href='B:300 21:12'>Jer 21:12</a>; <a href='B:300 50:33'>Jer 50:33</a>). Not oppressing our brethren is a major theme of the law and the prophets. And it has wide application to our lives today. The collateral damage caused is brought out here- by seizing the house of a man, the oppressor was hurting the man’s house in the sense of his family. The collateral damage of unpleasant behaviour against individuals is often ignored or discounted. But God notices.</p>


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<p>Therefore thus says Yahweh: Behold, I am planning against these people a disaster- This is the same word for "evil"; the evil of the oppressors (:1) would lead to the evil of the invasions (<a href='B:400 1:12'>Mic 1:12</a>). God plans judgment, and states it as if it will surely happen, as He did with Nineveh in Jonah’s time. But in the gap between statement and fulfilment, there is the opportunity for repentance, and God is so sensitive to that, that He will change His stated word of judgment. The evil planned need not happen if there is repentance (the same words are used in <a href='B:300 18:11'>Jer 18:11</a>).</p><p>From which you will not remove your necks, neither will you walk proudly; for it is an evil time- The idea is that the invaders would impose a yoke upon God’s people, implying captivity and bondage. And yet they could remove their necks from it eventually, for it was God’s purpose that the captives would return. But the generation that first experienced it would not. The intention was to bring down their proud necks; pride as always was the essential problem.</p>


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<p>In that day they will take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, saying, ‘We are utterly ruined! My people’s possession is divided up. Indeed he takes it from me and assigns our fields to traitors!’- Again we see that the judgments to come were really of their own device. They had taken others’ possessions, and so now the fields they had stolen (:2) would be taken by the invaders. Who would take up the parable "against you"? They themselves. They were to lament themselves, and recognize that their fields had been taken away and given to the immoral. Micah ahead of time had lamented (<a href='B:400 1:8'>Mic 1:8</a>). He felt himself into the condemnation of his people, although he himself was innocent. Just as the Lord did to supremacy on the cross. It was this identity and empathy with the objects of the wrath he was pronouncing which made Micah so effective, and it is the reason why the cross of the human Christ must be central to our appeal to men; for He there is what elicits response.</p>


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<p>Therefore you will have no one who divides the land by lot in the assembly of Yahweh- It was at these land courts that the poor were deceived out of their property and inheritances, as criticized in :2. And yet it was done in the name of Yahweh; those illegal courts were presented as being an "assembly of Yahweh" just as idol worship was claimed as Yahweh worship. Or it could be that we are to associate :5 with :6; and this verse is the threat of the Jewish leaders to Micah, that they would arrange that he would lose his inheritance.</p>


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<p>Don’t preach!, they preach, Don’t preach about these things. Disgrace won’t overtake us- As noted on <a href='B:400 1:5'>Mic 1:5</a>, Judah worshipped other gods in the name of Yahweh worship, and the false prophets of both Israel and Judah assured them that therefore Yahweh would protect them from the Assyrians; they expected good to come from Him in the time of their need (see on <a href='B:400 1:12'>Mic 1:12</a>). The word for "preach" is literally ’to drip’, which was the metaphor for prophecy in <a href='B:50 32:2'>Deu 32:2</a>. They ’preached’ or ’dripped’ that Micah was not to ’drip’ or preach. They were claiming Divine inspiration in forbidding Micah to preach. Amos had the same. Anyone who feels the need to stop another preaching is really revealing their own agenda. These false prophets claimed to have had Divine revelation that Micah should stop teaching, and that they had a message that the people would not be overtaken by disgrace as Micah claimed. Truly false teachers say what people want to hear. Isaiah, contemporary with Micah, had prophesied that they would indeed suffer "disgrace" (s:w. <a href='B:290 30:3'>Isa 30:3</a>; <a href='B:290 45:16'>Isa 45:16</a>). Micah taught the same. In Semitic worldviews, shame was worse than death. It was again their pride which led them to reject intuitively any message that they would be humbled, and it is the same root cause for human rejection of the Christian message.</p>


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<p>Shall it be said, O house of Jacob: Is the Spirit of Yahweh restrained?- Micah spoke by the Spirit of Yahweh, and to tell him not to speak those words (:6) was therefore an attempt to restrain the Spirit. They could not restrain God’s Spirit by simply stating that the inspired word of God was not inspired. People make the same mistake today.</p><p>Are these His doings? Don’t My words do good to him who walks blamelessly?- The power of God’s word is such that those who are spiritual, who ’walk blamelessly’, are strengthened further by them. His words "do good"; perhaps the false prophets were saying that Micah’s prophetic word were ’not good’ for the people, just as was claimed against Jeremiah.</p>


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<p>But lately My people have risen up as an enemy- God’s people became His enemy in that they were on the side of God’s enemies; and He would be an enemy to their enemies (<a href='B:20 23:22'>Exo 23:22</a> s:w:). Perhaps this was reflected in Micah’s personal experience, just as God’s painful relationship with Israel was reflected in that of Hosea with his faithless wife Gomer. For Micah will use the same word for "enemy" in speaking of how his own close family members, perhaps even his own wife, had become his "enemy" (<a href='B:400 7:6'>Mic 7:6</a>; <a href='B:400 7:8'>Mic 7:8</a>; <a href='B:400 7:10'>Mic 7:10</a>). We will note on :11 that the problem was not simply with the minority who were the leaders; but the entire people were polluting the land by eagerly listening to false prophets.</p><p>You strip the robe and clothing from those who pass by- As noted on <a href='B:350 7:1'>Hos 7:1</a>, the priests were even robbing those who passed along the roads.</p><p>Confidently assuming that they aren’t in danger- As noted on :6, the false prophets claimed that Yahweh would protect His people from the Assyrians because they were worshipping Him when they worshipped the idols. The ten tribe kingdom did the same with their calf worship.</p>


text:
<p>You drive the women of My people out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away My blessing forever- This continues the complaint in :2, that houses and the Divine blessing of land inheritance were being taken away from people by wealth-hungry leaders.</p>


text:
<p>Arise, and depart! For this is not your resting place, because of your uncleanness that destroys, even with a grievous destruction- There has been a strong theme in this chapter of inheritances being given by God but then taken away by corrupt men. This seems to continue here; the land would spew out those who corrupted it (<a href='B:30 18:28'>Lev 18:28</a>; <a href='B:30 20:22'>Lev 20:22</a>). The people are being asked to recognize this, and themselves depart. It could not be their permanent resting place because they were destroying it by their own uncleanness. They would be dealt with just as the Canaanites had been.</p>


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<p>If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood lies: I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink; he would be the prophet of this people- The false prophets spoke under the influence of alcohol / spirit drink, and yet claimed to be inspired by God’s Spirit. The same contrast between the two types of spirit is made by Paul in <a href='B:560 5:18'>Eph 5:18</a>; perhaps he got the idea from here. And yet the people loved to listen to them and accepted them as Divine prophets. The judgment therefore shifts from the religious leaders to the people, who gave them power and eagerly accepted the false prophets. God would surely not have destroyed the whole land and people for the sake of a few individuals who were falsely claiming to be prophets; the problem was that people had itching ears, and the nature of how they were and what they wanted inspired the false prophets to teach them what they wanted to hear. See on <a href='B:400 3:5'>Mic 3:5</a>.</p>


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<p>I will surely assemble, Jacob, all of you; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the midst of their pasture; they will swarm with people- As so often, the prophecies of condemnation lead immediately onwards to those of God’s restorative purpose. His judgments were not threatened nor executed in the kind of anger which men have. Rather did God always use those judgments towards His further purpose of salvation for a repentant remnant. and it sees He envisaged that remnant including both Israel and Judah. Their repentance would lead them to realize that all the personal barriers between them were as nothing; reconcilliation with God empowers reconcilliation between those reconciled with Him. The experience of repentance and forgiveness involves the humility which is required for reconcilliation between persons. This is why the prophets (Ezekiel and Zechariah particularly) often present the restoration to God as the time of unity between the remnants of Judah and Israel.</p>


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<p>He who opens the breach goes up before them. They break through and pass the gate, and go out. And their king passes on before them, with Yahweh at their head- This sounds like the final desperate exit from Jerusalem by Zedekiah many years later. But this could have happened soon after the prophecy was first given. It didn’t, because Micah’s appeal met some response. God’s plan was therefore changed, but His word still came finally true, just as it did in Jonah’s prophecy of Nineveh’s destruction. It was averted by repentance, but the prophetic word was reinterpreted and rescheduled in fulfilment. But even in that shameful exile, Yahweh would as it were be leading the exiles, at their head.</p><p>But the Hebrew can be translated quite comfortably in a way which would rather speak of the return of the exiles, again with Yahweh at their head; and this would fit the context of :12. The same lesson is taught here as in the cherubim visions of Ezekiel; Yahweh in all His glory went with the exiles out of Jerusalem into captivity, and would return with their children to a restored Zion. It was not that God turned away in disgust from His sinful people. He worked with them to both punish and restore, and this is an abiding feature of His work with His people.</p>


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<p>I said, Please listen- Often the prophets break off from predicting coming condemnation to plead personally with their hearers to repent [this explains some of the strange shifts of pronouns in the prophets]. Chapter 2 is a message of judgment from God against Israel. And now Micah pleads personally with them.</p><p>You heads of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel: Isn’t it for you to know justice?- "Heads" translates the same word used in the preceding verse, <a href='B:400 2:13'>Mic 2:13</a>, where we noted that Yahweh was the head of His people, both in exile and restoration. The leadership were supposed to be working on God’s behalf, leading the people with Him and for Him. They didn’t "know" justice in the sense of actively engaging with it; "know" means effectively to have relationship with. By not knowing justice they hated it (:9).</p>


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<p>You who hate the good, and love the evil; who tear off their skin, and their flesh from off their bones- This is the language of wolves tearing their prey. The shepherds of Israel were in fact wolves.</p>


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<p>Who also eat the flesh of My people, and flay their skin from off them, and break their bones, and chop them in pieces for the pot, and as flesh within the cauldron- It is a lion who breaks the bones of its prey. The leaders of Israel had acted as the Assyrian lions would do to God’s people.</p>


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<p>Then they will cry to Yahweh, but He will not answer them. Yes, He will hide His face from them at that time, because they made their deeds evil- "Evil" is the term used so often of the evil to be brought upon God’s people by their invaders. But the people had themselves done "evil" to themselves. Their judgment was appropriate to their sin.</p>


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<p>Thus says Yahweh concerning the prophets who lead My people astray; for those who proclaim, Peace! to those who feed them- "Peace" often refers to peace with God. The priests of the calf shrines of Israel and of the idol shrines within the Jerusalem temple (<a href='B:400 1:5'>Mic 1:5</a>) assured the people that they enjoyed peace with God, and would not suffer from the Assyrians. This is the same kind of fake "peace and safety" cry of the last days (<a href='B:590 5:3'>1Th 5:3</a>). They said this to those who paid them, who fed them. They were career religionists. As noted on <a href='B:400 2:11'>Mic 2:11</a>, it was for this reason that the common people were as guilty as their spiritual leaders; for they wanted to hear the message which their leaders taught them, and even paid for it. It’s simply not the case that God would punish the mass of innocent people for the sins of their religious leaders. The masses get the leadership they essentially want, in that the leaders know they must say what the masses want. That principle has been historically true, regardless of whether democracy was practiced or not. And so at this point in Israel’s history, the leaders spoke what they knew the masses wanted to hear. And so the masses, although they were abused by their leadership, still stood responsible before God. See on :7.</p><p>And whoever doesn’t provide for their mouths, they prepare war against him- The singular "him" may refer specifically to Micah. Those who didn’t pay the false prophets to teach what they wanted to hear, had war prepared or sanctified against them. This is the language of jihad, of holy war- but waged by the false prophets upon the faithful minority. They religiously justified persecuting those who didn’t support them, appealing to a very quasi spirituality. See on <a href='B:400 4:3'>Mic 4:3</a>.</p>


text:
<p>Therefore night is over you, with no vision, and it is dark to you, that you may not divine; and the sun will go down on the prophets, and the day will be black over them- The prophets in view are the false prophets of :5. It is the same idea as <a href='B:330 13:23'>Eze 13:23</a>: "Therefore you shall no more see false visions, nor practise fortune telling. I will deliver My people out of your hand". This verse is not saying that from then on, there would be no more prophets inspired by Yahweh. For there were prophets after Micah, and he himself goes on to insist that he is inspired (:8). The false prophets would have no further vision because the night of destruction would come upon them, rather than the light of God’s Kingdom which they claimed was about to dawn due to the people’s supposed faithfulness to the idol shrines, which they claimed were a form of devotion to Yahweh. This was the very message of <a href='B:370 5:18'>Amo 5:18</a>; <a href='B:370 5:20'>Amo 5:20</a> - the false prophets proclaimed the coming of a glorious day of Yahweh, but that day would be night and not light to them. The inversion of light to darkness suggests a de-creation, an undoing of creation, which is the very way that God envisages the destruction of His people and land.</p>


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<p>The seers shall be disappointed, and the diviners confounded. Yes, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer from God- In their last moments, they would realize that there was no answer from God. God going silent is the ultimate sign of condemnation, as experienced by Saul. "Confounded" is the word Isaiah uses of how Judah would be "confounded" when their idols were destroyed and revealed as impotent (<a href='B:290 1:29'>Isa 1:29</a>). "Disappointed and confounded" is the Hebrew phrase used about the ordinary people of Judah in <a href='B:300 15:9'>Jer 15:9</a>. As noted on :5, the masses were also not innocent, for it was their desires which led to the leaders teaching as they did.</p>


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<p>But as for me, I am full of power by the Spirit of Yahweh, and of judgment, and of might, to declare to Jacob his disobedience, and to Israel his sin- Micah insists that he is inspired by God’s Spirit, whereas the false prophets were not. The references to Jacob and Israel may refer to Judah and the ten tribes. Both had sinned, and Judah were not to assume that they were more righteous. Micah personally was to be the declaration to Israel; see on <a href='B:400 6:8'>Mic 6:8</a>.</p><p>The reality of God’s anger, His hurt, His jealousy, means that God isn’t indifferent to sin. And neither should we be, increasingly surrounded by it as we are, with sin presented to us as the norm of human existence. We may feel or express disapproval at sin; but God’s reaction is something which language can’t convey. It results in the broken heart of God. This is the message of the prophets: that we must end our indifference, quite literally, for God’s sake. Sadly, many readers of the prophets seem to feel that these men are merely droning on, one prophet, one chapter, seems so much like the next. Yet read sensitively, and in a good translation, the words of the prophets expose us to a relentless shattering of indifference. Their words are onslaughts against cherished assumptions, patterns of living, challenging our endless evasions of issues, calling faith and behaviour to account. They are the very voice of God passionately imploring us to turn more fully to Him. Their task was “to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin”; just as Isaiah did, who probably led the school of prophets which Micah belonged to(<a href='B:400 3:8'>Mic 3:8</a> = <a href='B:290 58:1'>Isa 58:1</a>).</p>


text:
<p>Please listen to this, you heads of the house of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel, who hate justice, and pervert all right judgment- They didn’t "know" justice in the sense of actively engaging with it; "know" means effectively to have relationship with (:1). By not knowing justice they hated it. They of course would have denied this; but God sees the implication of our actions and states them for what they really are. The words for "justice" and "right judgment" are typically associated with the characteristics of God Himself (<a href='B:50 32:4'>Deu 32:4</a>). The leaders are called the ’leaders’ of His people (:1) just as God is described with the same term in <a href='B:400 2:13'>Mic 2:13</a>. They were to manifest God, to reflect His characteristics to others.</p>


text:
<p>They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity- The great houses of Jerusalem were built on the basis of the fraud and theft they had committed, as detailed in :11 and also mentioned in <a href='B:300 22:13'>Jer 22:13</a>; <a href='B:330 22:27'>Eze 22:27</a>; and the records of Jerusalem’s desolation stress the destruction of the great houses. Instead of building up Zion, they were in effect reducing her to rubble (:12).</p>


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<p>Her leaders judge for bribes- Micah’s contemporary Isaiah had also bemoaned this (<a href='B:290 1:23'>Isa 1:23</a>); it was a flagrant disobedience to the Law (<a href='B:20 23:8'>Exo 23:8</a>; <a href='B:50 16:19'>Deu 16:19</a>).</p><p>And her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money- As explained on :5, the fact the people paid for their teaching meant that the teachers taught what those paying them wanted to hear. And so the guilt of the nation was shared by the entire society; it wasn’t just the false teachers and priests who were responsible, but those who paid them to tell them what they wanted to here. The "fortune" they prophesied was that a wonderful Messianic kingdom would come soon, rather than destruction. Hence as explained on :6, the day of Yahweh which was coming would be night and not light for them, as in <a href='B:370 5:18'>Amo 5:18</a>; <a href='B:370 5:20'>Amo 5:20</a>.</p><p>Yet they lean on Yahweh and say, Isn’t Yahweh in the midst of us? No disaster will come on us- The context of :12 suggests this is specifically concerning the false teachers of Judah. They assumed Yahweh was in their midst, and therefore they were invincible, because they had the Jerusalem temple and didn’t worship in the calf shrines of the ten tribes. They felt that having the temple in their territory and using it was their automatic justification (<a href='B:290 48:2'>Isa 48:2</a>; <a href='B:300 7:4'>Jer 7:4</a>; <a href='B:300 7:8-11'>Jer 7:8-11</a>). And the departure of the cherubim in Ezekiel 1 would suggest that the shekinah glory was still seen in the temple until the captivity. And yet they had built idol shrines within the Jerusalem temple (<a href='B:400 1:5'>Mic 1:5</a>; Ezekiel 8). This is the problem with organized religion and religious symbols; simply being involved with them can lead to the false assumption that therefore Yahweh is with us, in our midst, and we must be on the right path.</p><p>"Lean" is a word often used by Micah’s contemporary prophet Isaiah. Judah leaned or trusted upon their enemies rather than Yahweh (<a href='B:290 10:20'>Isa 10:20</a>), upon Egypt (<a href='B:290 31:1'>Isa 31:1</a>), upon their own deceit (<a href='B:290 30:12'>Isa 30:12</a>). And yet they also claimed to trust in Yahweh. This is not contradictory, but rather absolutely true to life; that effectively we can trust in human strength, whilst genuinely claiming to trust Yahweh. Rabshakeh mocks Judah for this, saying that they trusted or leaned upon Egypt, and yet also upon their God Yahweh (<a href='B:290 36:6'>Isa 36:6</a>; <a href='B:290 37:10'>Isa 37:10</a>). Trust in Yahweh can only be total; anything less than total trust is not trust.</p><p>Yahweh was only "in the midst" of His people in the restored, Messianic Kingdom (s:w. <a href='B:360 2:27'>Joe 2:27</a>; <a href='B:430 3:15'>Zep 3:15</a>; <a href='B:430 3:17'>Zep 3:17</a>). But they assumed they had Him with them, when in fact their uncleanness precluded His real presence in their midst</p>


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<p>Therefore Zion for your sake will be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem will become heaps of rubble, and the mountain of the temple like the high places of a forest-&nbsp; We can wrongly get the impression that the prophets droned on and were never really responded to. But Micah was different. These prophecies of his did elicit repentance. These words could have come true in his time, when the Assyrians invaded Judah; but they didn’t, because there was sufficient repentance of a minority (<a href='B:300 26:18-19'>Jer 26:18-19</a>), to the point that Jeremiah cites this as an appeal for the Judah of his day to repent. These words came only partially true in the Babylonian context. The Babylonian invasion left part of the temple still standing and even functional, although mount Zion was desolate (<a href='B:310 5:18'>Lam 5:18</a>), but the foundations weren’t plowed, although there were heaps of rubble (<a href='B:160 2:17'>Neh 2:17</a>; <a href='B:160 4:2'>Neh 4:2</a>). The only time Zion’s foundations were plowed was by the Romans in AD70. And so we see how prophecy is conditional, just as in 40 days, Nineveh would have been destroyed. But the Ninevites repented, and it didn’t happen. But the prophetic word does come finally true, even if it is reapplied and rescheduled. And so these words of Micah did come true in AD70.</p>


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<p>But in the latter days, it will happen that the mountain of Yahweh’s temple will be established on the top of the mountains, and it will be exalted above the hills; and nations will stream to it- Micah was contemporary with Isaiah, and these words are largely repeated in <a href='B:290 2:2-4'>Isa 2:2-4</a>. Micah also prophesied before Isaiah (<a href='B:400 1:1'>Mic 1:1</a>), so it could be that Isaiah is quoting Micah. The "But..." suggests that after mount Zion is plowed as a field (<a href='B:400 3:12'>Mic 3:12</a>), at some future point, it will be revived into the restored mount and temple of the Messianic kingdom which could have come about at the restoration. This didn’t happen, and so we look to the latter day desolation of Zion, perhaps with the total destruction of the area to pave the way for an "abomination of desolation" to be built there, followed by the Lord’s return to immediately replace that with the mountain of His house, exalted above all other kingdoms, great ["mountains"] and small ["hills"]; or we may prefer to interpret the mountains as the seven mountains upon which latter day Babylon sits, perhaps seven surrounding nations or power blocs, or seven kings (<a href='B:730 17:9-11'>Rev 17:9-11</a>). But the theme of social justice is never absent from Micah. He has spoken of how the "houses" of the wealthy in Zion were those "taken away" from others (<a href='B:400 2:2'>Mic 2:2</a>), and "taken away" is the same word here translated "exalted". All that petty grabbing of houses will be totally subsumed within the huge and eternal reality of the exaltation of Yahweh’s house. The nations will stream or flow unto God’s house / kingdom, whereas previously they streamed together to Babylon (s:w. <a href='B:300 51:44'>Jer 51:44</a>). The word is used in <a href='B:300 31:12'>Jer 31:12</a> of how those who accept the new covenant will flow to Zion in order to receive Yahweh’s goodness as well as literal food. So we can assume that these people who flow to Zion are those converted to the Lord Jesus at His return. This is confirmed in :2.</p>


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<p>Many nations will go and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths. For out of Zion will go forth the law, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem- This connects with the previous theme of Micah 3, that Judah had despised Yahweh’s law and acted unjustly directly contrary to it. But such would be their restoration, that from the disgraced Zion would go out Yahweh’s law to all nations. The Divine vision was that when Judah returned from exile, the Gentile nations of their dispersion would come with them, just as many Egyptians came up with Israel out of Egypt. But this didn’t happen at the restoration, and instead the Jews were heavily influenced by the Gentiles’ religions and intermarried with them rather than being a light to them. And most of God’s people didn’t even return to Zion but chose to remain in their dispersion. As noted on <a href='B:400 3:12'>Mic 3:12</a>, Divine prophecy can be reapplied andreinterpreted, but often only in essence rather than to the letter. And so we can see these words as having an ultimate fulfilment, but we would be unwise to insist upon a strictly literal exact fulfilment for them.</p><p>The ultimate fulfilment, as explained on :1, will be when repentant people flow to Zion to accept the new covenant. And this will involve learning God’s ways, as expressed in the word and law which comes from Zion. That law doesn’t have to be the law of Moses; it will be the law of the new covenant. The "law" , torah, is a form of the verb just used, "to teach"; the idea is simply ’His teaching’, and not specifically the Pentateuch or Decalogue.</p>


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<p>And He will judge between many peoples- <a href='B:230 72:4'>Psa 72:4</a> uses this phrase to predict that Messiah would judge the poor and needy of the peoples. Again, Micah has social justice in view, seeing he has been condemning Israel’s judges for failing in this; the idea is that they ought to have lived the kingdom life right now, as we should. But they didn’t. <a href='B:360 3:2'>Joe 3:2</a> uses the phrase concerning how the Lord will judge the peoples for how they have treated His people Israel. And again, it is the abuse of the weak and downtrodden which will be the eternal issue.</p><p>And will decide concerning strong nations afar off- "Decide" is literally ’rebuke’, and Micah’s contemporary prophet Isaiah explains that the rebuke of the returned Lord Jesus will concern how they treat the poor and downtrodden (<a href='B:290 11:3-4'>Isa 11:3-4</a>); and that passage also says that He will rebuke not from what He sees before His eyes. As Micah puts it, He will be able to do this "afar off". We get the impression that at the Lord’s return, the nations will not be forced into spirituality; they will still have their conflicts and tendencies to sin and abuse, and the Lord’s word will address these issues. There will therefore be a process of time from His return to the final spiritual subjugation of the planet. Whether that period will be a literal 1000 years is a question I discuss in the commentary on Revelation 20, but a process of time is certainly implied. For it is not God’s way to force anyone to accept His ways.</p><p>They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks- This will be a conscious reversal of the aggressive spirit of militarism into which the nations around Israel will have sunk in the immediate lead up to the Lord’s return (<a href='B:360 3:10'>Joe 3:10</a>). The destruction of all military hardware is spoken of again in <a href='B:350 2:18'>Hos 2:18</a>; <a href='B:450 9:10'>Zec 9:10</a>.</p><p>Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war any more- The "war" of the context in <a href='B:400 3:5'>Mic 3:5</a> is aggression against others who don’t agree with us and who stand up to unGodly behaviour. "Learn" is literally to goad, perhaps alluding to the destruction of all prodding spears; there will be no more provocation of conflict on whatever level.</p>


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<p>But they will sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and no one will make them afraid: for the mouth of Yahweh of Armies has spoken- Sitting under ones own vine and fig tree is a picture of not being afraid, which is the context of :3; and the idiom is used like this in <a href='B:110 4:25'>1Ki 4:25</a>, meaning ’to dwell safely’. In the later day program, this may be the time of <a href='B:330 38:11'>Eze 38:11</a> (see note there) when Israel are re-established as God’s Kingdom at the Lord’s return, and then experience an unsuccessful invasion led by Gog. <a href='B:450 3:10'>Zec 3:10</a> says that the restored people of God will invite Gentiles to sit with them under their vine and fig tree; so the picture is not merely of peace and safety, but of peace with God in covenant with Him. We may legitimately interpret the vine and fig tree of God’s people as Messiah, the true vine (John 15).</p><p>Micah made this prophecy at a time when Assyria were offering their subject peoples to live under their own vine and fig tree (<a href='B:120 18:31-32'>2Ki 18:31-32</a>), and likely Rabshakeh was alluding to Micah’s words, claiming that the real Kingdom experience was available there and then, if only they accepted Assyrian domination. And so the promises of the Kingdom are replicated in the false claims of materialism today, and perhaps will be specifically claimed by the latter day antiChrist, a fake Christ offering a fake Kingdom of God.</p>


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<p>Indeed all the nations may walk in the name of their gods; but we will walk in the name of Yahweh our God for ever and ever- See on <a href='B:290 19:18'>Isa 19:18</a>. The idea may be that there will no coercion of the nations in the Messianic Kingdom; but rather the example of God’s people walking in the Name of their God will convert the nations. And this principle is seen today; no true convert is one by coercion or high powered argument, but rather by the example of God’s people. As noted on :4, the idea is that the restored people of God will invite others to come sit with them under their vine and fig tree (<a href='B:450 3:10'>Zec 3:10</a>). But that will be by invitation and freewill response, and not coercion.</p>


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<p>In that day, says Yahweh, I will assemble that which is lame, and I will gather that which is driven away- This is all very much the language of limping Jacob being gathered home after his exile in Padan Aram. But in him we must see all of us. The results of sin and trusting in human strength will still be evident, but Jacob will still be regathered. In the primary context, those "driven away" would refer to those who went into captivity in Babylon and Assyria now returning and becoming the "strong nation" (:7) at the centre of God’s revived Kingdom on earth. But that didn’t work out, because most didn’t want to return, and those who did didn’t respond spiritually. And yet the prophecy will come true therefore in the last days; although this requires a later day ’driving away’ of Jewish people from their land, perhaps spoken of in <a href='B:290 27:13'>Isa 27:13</a> where the same word is used of the driven out ones in Egypt and Assyria. However, the Hebrew for "driven away" is that used of how God’s people would be driven away from God by false teachers (<a href='B:50 4:19'>Deu 4:19</a>; <a href='B:50 13:5'>Deu 13:5</a>; <a href='B:50 13:10'>Deu 13:10</a>). And this may be the sense in which the prophecy comes true in the last days. For Micah has previously warned about the damage of the false prophets. <a href='B:50 30:1'>Deu 30:1</a>; <a href='B:50 30:4'>Deu 30:4</a>; <a href='B:50 30:17'>Deu 30:17</a> plays on the idea- Israel would be driven away from God, and so God would drive them away into captivity.</p><p>And that which I have afflicted- This is literally, ’done evil to’. It is proof enough that both good and ’evil’ in the sense of calamity come from God. There is no space left for the existence of a personal, supernatural ’Satan’ figure as the source of such ’evil’. The same word is used of evil in a moral sense in <a href='B:400 3:4'>Mic 3:4</a>; <a href='B:290 1:16'>Isa 1:16</a>; Judah had done "evil" and so would receive "evil" from their invaders.</p>


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<p>And I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation: and Yahweh will reign over them on Mount Zion from then on, even forever- The allusion to Jacob continues; he limped after his exile, as a result of trusting in his own strength (<a href='B:10 32:31'>Gen 32:31</a>). His return from exile is seen as representative of the exiles returning, which would be the time when God’s Kingdom would be re-established under a Messianic figure and king. But the exiles who returned under Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah failed to become "a strong nation". Andso the prophecy has been reapplied and rescheduled to our last days. "The remnant" who repent and ’return’ from their being ’driven away’ from God (see on :6) will become the "strong nation" at the heart of God’s restored Kingdom on earth. "Strong nation" is the very term used in the promises to Abraham about his seed (<a href='B:10 18:18'>Gen 18:18</a>; <a href='B:50 26:5'>Deu 26:5</a>). But "nation" is goy, typically used of Gentile nations. This is the paradox- that the seed of Abraham would also comprise Gentiles. This ought to have left all Jewish national pride and elitism stillborn had they thought about it.</p>


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<p>You, tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it will come- The Kingdom will come to the temple mount when Yahweh in the person of His Son returns to establish His Kingdom based there. "Hill" is ophel, the name of part of Jerusalem, and a word also translated "tower". "The daughter of Zion" usually refers to the faithful remnant. It was Yahweh’s hill, but also their hill. The tower or mound of Zion was the "tower of the flock", although a different word is used for "tower", migdal. Hezekiah and Jotham, in whose reigns Micah prophesied (<a href='B:400 1:1'>Mic 1:1</a>), had built towers in Jerusalem (<a href='B:140 32:5'>2Ch 32:5</a> s:w:), and Jotham had particularly built in Ophel (<a href='B:140 27:3'>2Ch 27:3</a>). There was a "great tower" in Ophel (<a href='B:160 3:26-27'>Neh 3:26-27</a>) which was rebuilt at the time of the restoration. But this was not to be the full restoration of God’s Kingdom on earth. The great towers recently built in Micah’s time were not the real thing; a far greater "tower" was to be built in the Messianic kingdom. But "tower" effectively means ’city’; towers were built as the place of final refuge within a city and came to be iconic symbols of the city (<a href='B:10 11:4-5'>Gen 11:4-5</a>; <a href='B:70 8:9'>Jdg 8:9</a>; <a href='B:70 9:47'>Jdg 9:47</a>; <a href='B:70 9:49'>Jdg 9:49</a>; <a href='B:70 9:51'>Jdg 9:51</a>; <a href='B:330 26:4'>Eze 26:4</a>). In the parable of Isaiah 5, a prophecy contemporary with Micah, Yahweh says He had built a tower in the midst of His vineyard (<a href='B:290 5:2'>Isa 5:2</a>). "The flock" in view is that of restored, repentant Israel (<a href='B:400 2:12'>Mic 2:12</a>), and there will be a tower built as shepherds built towers to watch their flocks. Yahweh’s hill and tower of Zion was to be the place of safety, the hill, tower and Kingdom of His people, the regathered flock of Jacob (<a href='B:400 2:12'>Mic 2:12</a>), parallel with "the daughter of Zion".</p><p>Another possibility is that Edar, "flock", refers to a village near Bethlehem where there was a shepherd’s watchtower, perhaps used by David as a shepherd in that area. This would then prepare us for the forthcoming announcement in <a href='B:400 5:2'>Mic 5:2</a> that the Messianic king was to come from Bethlehem.</p><p>Yes, the former kingdom will return, the kingdom will come to the daughter of Jerusalem- The former kingdom returning speaks of the restoration of God’s Kingdom on earth as it once was (<a href='B:330 21:25-27'>Eze 21:25-27</a>). This restoration could have happened after the 70 years exile in Babylon, but it didn’t happen as God intended. And so the prophecies have been reapplied and rescheduled to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.</p>


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<p>Now why do you cry out aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pains have taken hold of you as of a woman in travail?- The crying aloud was in labour pains; and the "daughter of Zion" of Micah’s day was corrupt. She would not bring forth a king, for her king was to be taken away from her into captivity and death (<a href='B:300 52:9'>Jer 52:9</a>). <a href='B:310 4:20'>Lam 4:20</a> could imply that they believed that even in captivity they would still live under Zedekiah their king; but this was not to be. His counsellors would be proven wrong and perish. "Is there no king…?" effectively means ’he has been taken away’; the same literary device is found in <a href='B:300 49:7'>Jer 49:7</a> "Is wisdom no more in Teman?". The wisdom of Teman had been taken away. All this has reference to the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem. But Micah prophesied in the time of Hezekiah, and this same figure of Zion in travail is used by him at the time of the Assyrian invasion (<a href='B:290 37:3'>Isa 37:3</a>). The labour pains at that time were to have issued forth in the rebirth of the nation, and perhaps in the ’birth’ or coming of a Messianic king for the revived kingdom. But that didn’t happen, although by grace, Zion was saved from her pains by the destruction of the Assyrian army by an Angel.</p>


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<p>Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail- This is perhaps alluded to by Hezekiah in <a href='B:290 37:3'>Isa 37:3</a>; when the Assyrians surrounded the city, the remnant were in travail, but failed to bring forth the Messianic king and kingdom as a result of that travail. And so the pangs, as it were, came upon them again during the Babylonian invasion.</p><p>For now you will go forth out of the city- In surrender tot heir enemies (<a href='B:120 14:12'>2Ki 14:12</a>; <a href='B:290 36:16'>Isa 36:16</a>). This could have happened at the time of the Assyrian invasion, but the response of a minority to Micah’s message meant that it didn’t. But it was to come true in the later Babylonian invasion.</p><p>And will dwell in the field, and will come even to Babylon. There you will be delivered- The idea was that through the experience of captivity in Babylon, dwelling in the fields in temporary camps (<a href='B:330 3:15'>Eze 3:15</a>) and then taken to Babylon, a righteous remnant would be brought forth out of all the suffering there, which would return to Zion and re-establish God’s Kingdom on earth. Micah’s words are to be connected with those of <a href='B:290 39:6'>Isa 39:6</a>, where the punishment for the remnant not then being brought forth was that they would go to Babylon.</p><p>There Yahweh will redeem you from the hand of your enemies- Judah in exile were not redeemed from their enemies because most of them didn’t want that redemption, and preferred to remain there. This prophecy will therefore have its final fulfilment in the last days, when again there will be travail in Jerusalem which will kill many (<a href='B:470 24:8'>Mat 24:8</a>; <a href='B:590 5:3'>1Th 5:3</a>), but will result in the birth of a righteous remnant and the establishment of God’s Kingdom upon earth and final, ultimate redemption.</p>


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<p>Now many nations have assembled against you, that say, Let her be raped, and let our eye gloat over Zion- The "now" may suggest that this prophecy was given when Jerusalem was surrounded by the Assyrians and their mercenaries drawn from the surrounding nations. There was however the response of a remnant to the preaching of Micah, and therefore the seemingly inevitable capture of Jerusalem was averted by the Angelic destruction of the Assyrian army; see on :10 For now you will go forth out of the city. "Raped" or "defiled" suggests that the rape of a virgin is in view. Isaiah’s recent prophecy that a virgin would bring forth the Messianic king at this time (<a href='B:290 7:14'>Isa 7:14</a>) was not to be fulfilled; she was to be raped. But Micah’s ministry was partially successful; the response to his message was enough to stop the rape, but the virgin did not bring forth as she could have done; see on <a href='B:400 5:1'>Mic 5:1</a>. And so she was finally raped to death in the later Babylonian invasion, as Jeremiah laments in Lamentations. And in <a href='B:400 7:10'>Mic 7:10</a> Micah appears to have perceived this.</p>


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<p>But they don’t know the thoughts of Yahweh, neither do they understand His counsel- The "they" could refer to the invading armies, who are the subject of the second half of the verse. But perhaps the referent of the "they" and "them" in the two parts of this verse are different. Those who don’t know Yahweh’s thoughts are Judah in <a href='B:290 55:8'>Isa 55:8</a>. They didn’t perceive the possibilities of the Messianic king and kingdom at that time (<a href='B:520 11:33'>Rom 11:33</a>).</p><p>For He has assembled them like the sheaves to the threshing floor- As noted on :11, this could have application to the time when the Assyrians were assembled around Jerusalem. Their destruction could have been the threshing floor judgment spoken of in other prophets as heralding the re-establishment of God’s Kingdom upon earth. But Hezekiah let the baton drop. Although the repentance of a remnant averted the destruction of the city (see on <a href='B:400 3:12'>Mic 3:12</a>), the great potential then possible for the more powerful establishment of God’s Kingdom didn’t come true.</p>


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<p>Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion; for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs brass; and you will beat in pieces many peoples: and I will devote their gain to Yahweh, and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth- As noted on :12, this may speak of the potential possible for Judah after the destruction of the Assyrians outside the gates of Jerusalem. But the righteous remnant, the daughter of Zion with Hezekiah and the prophets within Jerusalem, didn’t go forth and capitalize upon it as planned. Instead Hezekiah became proud and short-termist, and instead of threshing his enemies he accepted their gifts and devoted them to himself rather than to Yahweh. And likewise the Babylonian invaders could have been threshed, if the ministry of the later prophets at that time had been responded to (<a href='B:290 41:15-16'>Isa 41:15-16</a>; <a href='B:300 51:33'>Jer 51:33</a>). And so all these potentials must come true in the latter day fulfilment, when a remnant repent and accept Jesus as Messiah. The Jews in Micah’s time were glad that the immediate problem had been solved; the Assyrians lay dead outside Jerusalem. But they didn’t heed Micah’s call to go forth and thresh them and lead to the establishment of a Messianic Kingdom.</p>


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<p>Now you shall gather yourself in troops, daughter of troops. He has laid siege against us- The present tenses of <a href='B:400 4:10-12'>Mic 4:10-12</a> suggest that Micah was giving this prophecy whilst Jerusalem was surrounded by the Assyrian armies. And here too- "Now... he has laid siege...". Micah’s encouragement to gather troops was because he believed that God could give Judah the victory and they could then go out of Zion and thresh their enemies as the preceding verse required (<a href='B:400 4:13'>Mic 4:13</a>).</p><p>They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek- Micah foresaw that the Assyrians were to capture Jerusalem and abuse her "judge", Hezekiah. But thanks to his preaching, a remnant repented, and so this didn’t happen then (see on <a href='B:400 4:11'>Mic 4:11</a>); but the potential of establishing a Messianic kingdom didn’t come about. And so the prophecy was reapplied to the Lord Jesus, the true king of Zion, who was to be smitten with a rod in the cheek (<a href='B:470 27:30'>Mat 27:30</a>). This was clearly in view, hence "judge" and not "king" is used.</p>


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<p>But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come forth to Me that is to be the ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old- As noted on :1 and <a href='B:400 4:10-12'>Mic 4:10-12</a>, Micah was speaking of possibilities at his time. A ruler could have come forth who would have saved Israel and established a Messianic kingdom at that time. Not the Lord Jesus, but a ruler from Bethlehem, i:e. in the Davidic line. Clearly a pre-existent Divine being was not in view. That ruler didn’t then emerge, the potential wasn’t fulfilled, and so indeed it was reapplied to the Lord Jesus Christ. But there is no evidence here for the incorrect idea of His personal pre-existence. Bethlehem is mentioned to signal the fact that this individual would be in the Davidic line, and the Lord Jesus also was, on account of His mother Mary being in the direct Davidic line (<a href='B:490 1:31-35'>Luk 1:31-35</a>). The very fact He was the descendant of David puts paid to all fantasies that He personally pre-existed from beforeall time and somehow came down literally from Heaven to earth, like some Divine comet. His fulfilment of the Davidic seed is reflected in the statement that His "goings forth are from of old". He was the seed of Abraham, of David, of Jacob, and of Eve- the one promised in all those promises of a great, Messianic saviour seed / descendant. Hence the plural: "goings forth". His origins (NAB, NIV, RSV) were in all those ancestors. This plural is a&nbsp; problem for any attempt to interpret this as meaning that He was eternally existent. And He had origins [plural]; He was not uncreate, eternally pre-existent. He had origins, a concept inappropriate for a Divine being, seeing God is uncreate. And this ruler will accept Yahweh as "his God" (:4). The Trinitarian understanding of the Lord Jesus can’t cope with this; the Trinity is a wrong turning in theological thought and needs to be abandoned.</p><p>The "ruler" was to come forth to "Me", God. This makes no sense if the Lord Jesus had existed eternally with God. The language is very similar to that of <a href='B:300 30:21'>Jer 30:21</a>, where the same word for "ruler" is used: "Their prince shall be of themselves, and their ruler shall proceed from their midst; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach to Me: for who is he who has had boldness to approach to Me? says Yahweh". This was the Messianic ruler which could have arisen at the restoration; and he could have arisen even in Micah’s time as the Saviour of Judah from Assyria. None of these potentials worked out, and so the prophecy will come to its fulfilment in the final salvation of Israel by the Lord Jesus.</p><p>From everlasting- "From everlasting" doesn’t have to mean that the ruler existed before time. He had "goings forth", or origins; that very fact means that He was not eternally existent, seeing He had a beginning. The idea of olahm here can simply be "from a long time ago", and other translations bear this out: "whose origins are in the distant past" (NET), "Whose origin is from of old, from ancient times" (NAB); "whose origins are from of old, from ancient times" (NIV); "whose origin is from of old, from ancient days" (RSV); "whose going out has been purposed from time past, from the eternal days" (BBE); "whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days" (ESV). Other examples of where "from olahm" doesn’t mean ’from infinite eternity’ but rather ’from a long time ago, but within human history’ include <a href='B:10 6:4'>Gen 6:4</a>; <a href='B:50 32:7'>Deu 32:7</a>; <a href='B:60 24:2'>Jos 24:2</a>; <a href='B:90 27:8'>1Sa 27:8</a>; <a href='B:90 27:12'>1Sa 27:12</a>; <a href='B:220 22:15'>Job 22:15</a>; <a href='B:240 22:8'>Pro 22:8</a>; <a href='B:290 58:12'>Isa 58:12</a>; <a href='B:290 63:9'>Isa 63:9</a>; <a href='B:290 63:11'>Isa 63:11</a>; <a href='B:300 5:15'>Jer 5:15</a>; <a href='B:460 3:4'>Mal 3:4</a>. Most significantly, the Hebrew phrase here translated "from everlasting" is that used by Micah to mean "the days of old" (<a href='B:400 7:14'>Mic 7:14</a>), referring to days earlier in Israel’s history.</p>


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<p>Therefore He will abandon them until the time that she who is in labor gives birth- As noted on <a href='B:400 4:9-10'>Mic 4:9-10</a>, Micah prophesied in the time of Hezekiah, and this same figure of Zion in travail is used by him at the time of the Assyrian invasion (<a href='B:290 37:3'>Isa 37:3</a>). The labour pains at that time were to have issued forth in the rebirth of the nation, and perhaps in the ’birth’ or coming of a Messianic king for the revived kingdom. But that didn’t happen, although by grace, Zion was saved from her pains by the destruction of the Assyrian army by an Angel. <a href='B:290 26:17-18'>Isa 26:17-18</a> speaks of this: "Like as a woman with child who draws near the time of her delivery and is in pain and cries out in her pangs; so we have been before You, Yahweh. We have been with child, we have been in pain, we gave birth, it seems, only to wind. We have not worked any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen". And so the Divine intention was that she would "bring forth" to spiritual maturity in captivity (<a href='B:400 4:10'>Mic 4:10</a>). But until that time, God would "abandon" them. And yet that possibility also didn’t really come to fruit. And so the prophecies of the virgin daughter of Zion bringing forth were reapplied to the birth of the Lord Jesus, the individual who epitomized the true Israel as God intended (<a href='B:290 7:14'>Isa 7:14</a>; <a href='B:290 9:6'>Isa 9:6</a>). Remember that Isaiah was contemporary with Micah. This imagery would have been well understood between them. We marvel at how God tries so hard with people, and yet allows their freewill to be genuine; and yet His prophetic intentions will always come ultimately true.</p><p>Then the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel- At the intended restoration, Judah and Israel would be united. The "He" in view is the Messiah figure of :2. This figure could then have emerged from Bethlehem, but didn’t. The potential wasn’t used. The restoration is always presented as a time when Judah and Israel would together return, not just physically from captivity but in repentance to God. But this is yet to happen; they didn’t repent, and so the intended possible prophetic path didn’t happen and had to be deferred in fulfilment.</p>


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<p>He shall stand- Literally, stand up, perhaps a reference to the Messiah’s resurrection, or exaltation.</p><p>And shall shepherd in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God: and they will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth- The Messiah figure of :2 was to shepherd the reunited people of God (:3). "They will live" recalls the restoration prophecy of Ezekiel 36, the revival of the dry bones of God’s people in exile. But this prophecy didn’t then come true as they refused to spiritually revive; it was deferred to a far greater fulfilment, in the literal resurrection of Israel from their graves at the Lord’s second coming, when He will be great to the ends of the earth.</p>


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<p>He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land- A Messianic leader born in Bethlehem could have saved Judah in Micah’s time. But that didn’t happen. And so these words will have a latter day application. Micah 5 speaks of how “the Assyrian” will be in conflict with the Lord Jesus, the one born in Bethlehem who will become “great unto the ends of the earth” at His return to earth when His brethren ‘return’ to Him (<a href='B:400 5:1-4'>Mic 5:1-4</a>). The establishment of the Kingdom on earth and repentance of Israel will occur “when the Assyrian shall come into our land” and the Lord Jesus saves them from the invasion.</p><p>And when he marches through our fortresses- This latter day Assyrian will “tread down our palaces”. This is likely an intensive plural for the great palace of Israel, the temple. The Lord Jesus uses this language in predicting that Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until “the times of the Gentiles” are fulfilled (<a href='B:490 21:24'>Luk 21:24</a>). These times of Gentile treading down of Jerusalem likely refer to the 1260 days / three and a half years of the final tribulation. The treading down of Jerusalem will therefore be by “the Assyrian”, and capturing Jerusalem is the great goal of militant Islam. This is the treading down of God’s people to be done by the little horn of <a href='B:340 8:10'>Dan 8:10</a>. The little horn is therefore “the Assyrian”; and a charismatic leader of the Islamists would fit the job description exactly.</p><p>Then we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight senior leaders of men- Seven, even eight could be read as three, even four in Amos 1, 2. That is, a complete fullness of shepherds. The Messiah has just been called a shepherd in :4; perhaps the idea is that this latter day Messiah, the Lord Jesus, will have incorporated within Him many other shepherds. This would then refer to the believers and repentant Israel, who are "in" Christ. For we are to king-priests reigning over the earth at the Lord’s return (<a href='B:730 5:10'>Rev 5:10</a>). Or it may be that the Lord’s Messianic administration has seven leaders. "Senior leaders of men" is literally "poured out [as offerings] Adams"; appropriate to those who have given their lives to Christ.</p><p>&nbsp;As in the prototype with Sennacherib, the destruction of Gog at the second coming will be by Angelic means under the command of Christ. The enigmatic <a href='B:400 5:5'>Mic 5:5</a> maybe refers primarily to Hezekiah’s influence of Angelic forces in leading to the destruction of the Assyrian invader. This would point forward to Christ’s use of the Angels to destroy Gog: "This man (Hezekiah/ Jesus) shall be the peace, when the Assyrian (Gog) shall come into our land... then shall we raise against him seven shepherds (an Angelic title in <a href='B:230 80:1'>Psa 80:1</a> and <a href='B:290 63:9-11'>Isa 63:9-11</a>; cp. the seven eye-Angels of Zechariah and Revelation), and eight princes of men"- another Angelic reference, seeing that "the prince of Persia" in Daniel was an Angel. Maybe this implies that the Angels will use other nations as a means of defeating Gog. Perhaps it is to the seven Angel-spirits of Revelation and Zechariah that Micah refers: "When the Assyrian shall come into our land. . . shall we raise against him (in warfare, the Hebrew implies- cp. <a href='B:380 1:1'>Oba 1:1</a>) seven shepherds, and eight princes of men" (<a href='B:400 5:5'>Mic 5:5</a>). The only beings to fight the Assyrians were the Angels who slew them, seeing that the Jews scarcely fired an arrow in anger at them. Both "shepherd" and "prince" are Angelic titles&nbsp; (see <a href='B:230 80:1'>Psa 80:1</a>; <a href='B:290 63:9-11'>Isa 63:9-11</a> and <a href='B:60 5:14'>Jos 5:14</a>; <a href='B:340 10:13'>Dan 10:13</a>; <a href='B:340 12:1'>Dan 12:1</a> respectively). The Angels could be "princes of men" as those in Daniel were both princes of Heaven and also of human nations, e. g. Persia.</p>


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<p>They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its gates. He will deliver us from the Assyrian, when he invades our land, and when he marches within our border- The deliverance from the Assyrian invader within the land borders of Israel will result also in dominating the land of Assyria. This never happened historically, although it had been potentially possible. But it will happen in a moment at the Lord’s return. "Marches" is literally ’to tread’; see on :5 And when he marches through our fortresses. Micah opened his prophecy by saying that Yahweh through the invaders would tread down Israel (s:w. <a href='B:400 1:3'>Mic 1:3</a>). But now in His grace He will rescue Israel from that judgment through Messiah.</p>


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<p>The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples, like dew from Yahweh, like showers on the grass- The dropping of dew was understood as the teaching of doctrine (<a href='B:50 32:2'>Deu 32:2</a>). The repentant remnant were to go out and teach the Gentile world. This is consciously alluding to the then-famous Messianic prophecy of <a href='B:230 72:6'>Psa 72:6</a>: “He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth”. The blessings Messiah brings are to be articulated through the witness of those in Him. Those who have lived in Him will then shine as the brightness of the firmament (<a href='B:340 12:3'>Dan 12:3</a>). But the description of the Lord’s face shining as the sun draws on this; as if to say that our shining in the future Kingdom will be because we were and are in Him. We will shine forth then (<a href='B:470 13:43'>Mat 13:43</a>), as the Sun of righteousness Himself.</p><p>That don’t wait for man, nor wait for the sons of men- The idea may be that men must respond to the teaching and offer of salvation quickly, or else they will miss it, and it will be gone for ever. See on :15.</p>


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<p>The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is no one to deliver- The preceding verse :7 has spoken of the remnant teaching the nations, but that teaching would be as the dew which appears only briefly. If that teaching will be rejected, then judgment will follow immediately. And the once downtrodden remnant are described in the very language used of their invaders- young lions and a mature lion. This therefore means that the invaders will be treated by Israel as they treated Israel- unless they repent. This is exactly the outline picture of the book of Revelation; the seals of judgment upon Israel are the basis of the bowls of judgment then poured out upon those who judge Israel in the last days. The tearing into pieces by Israel will then bring about the destruction of the image of Daniel 2 into little pieces. Repentant Israel "in Christ" will be as the little stone which falls in judgment.</p>


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<p>Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries- Jeremiah quotes this phrase exactly in <a href='B:310 2:17'>Lam 2:17</a>, lamenting what Babylon had done to Judah and the temple. Now that was to be finally reversed. This is the same theme as in Revelation, as noted on :8. The repentant remnant will judge their abusers as they dealt with God’s people.</p><p>And let all of your enemies be cut off- This could be Micah’s statement of approval uponthe prophecy in :8 that finally, the repentant remnant of Jacob would destroy their enemies, after having first given them the opportunity to repent (see on :7). The phrase quotes what is repeatedly said about all David’s enemies being cut off (<a href='B:90 20:15'>1Sa 20:15</a>; <a href='B:100 7:9'>2Sa 7:9</a>; <a href='B:130 17:8'>1Ch 17:8</a>). Those enemies referred not only to Saul but to the nations around David; and it is the neighbours of Israel who are the continual focus of latter day prophecies.</p>


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<p>It will happen in that day, says Yahweh, That I will cut off your horses out of the midst of you, and will destroy your chariots- Horses and chariots from Egypt were what Judah in Micah’s time had trusted in. However there is a purposeful ambiguity in :10-15; these words could refer to the pagan invaders, the "nations" of :15 (see note there), and yet also to the Jews of Micah’s time. They were acting like the Gentiles, and so would meet an identical judgment. All military technology which had seemed so invincible will be rendered useless; and we note an increasing dependence upon technological defence and deterrents in the Middle East situation.</p>


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<p>I will cut off the cities of your land, and will tear down all your strongholds- Again, as noted on :10, this could apply equally to Israel as well as to their enemies. It is a theme of the prophets that all human defences shall collapse (as <a href='B:290 2:15'>Isa 2:15</a>), and we are to live daily life in that awareness too.</p>


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<p>I will destroy witchcraft from your hand; and you shall have no soothsayers- There was recourse to these things in Micah’s time as the situation got more desperate before the Assyrian advance (also noted in <a href='B:290 2:6'>Isa 2:6</a>; <a href='B:290 47:12'>Isa 47:12</a>), although the historical record doesn’t mention it. The "soothsayers" may refer to the false prophets whom he has criticized in Micah 2. If Israel had been obedient to the commands about these things in <a href='B:50 18:10'>Deu 18:10</a>, there would have been no need for their day of judgment to have as it were made them obedient in these matters. And so we are left with a powerful logic- we either accept God’s ways now, or the condemnation process will lead us to accept them all too late. Hence John the Baptist offered his audience either fire now, or the fire of damnation at the last day.</p>


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<p>I will cut off your engraved images and your pillars out of your midst; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands- The essence of idolatry is to worship or trust our own works. And we can do this without any images or pillars in a literal sense. The invaders of those times liked to destroy the images of the gods of those they had vanquished, and God says that He will do this, through working with the invaders. But as noted on :12, if Israel had cut them off themselves, they wouldn’t have needed a day of condemnation through which it would be achieved. Pillars were acceptable when they merely marked a place of Yahweh’s appearance or worship (<a href='B:10 31:13'>Gen 31:13</a>; <a href='B:10 31:45'>Gen 31:45</a>), but as with nehushtan, the bronze serpent, those pillars became turned into idols (<a href='B:110 14:23'>1Ki 14:23</a>). The attraction was that they mixed Yahweh worship with the paganism of the flesh; and this is our abiding temptation. For Yahweh demands our all, and not worship of the gods of this world in the name of worshipping Him.</p>


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<p>I will uproot your Asherim out of your midst; and I will destroy your cities- The Asherim were what the Canaanites worshipped, and Israel had been specifically told to uproot their groves (<a href='B:20 34:13'>Exo 34:13</a>; <a href='B:50 7:5'>Deu 7:5</a>). If they had done that, as explained on :12, they wouldn’t have required the day of judgment to do it. We see too that if we allow weakness in one area, the problem is that it morphs and multiplies over time into things which will lead us totally away from God. Their "cities" are paralleled with their Asherim, the tree groves in the countryside. They likely considered that what they did in some lonely spot was somehow different to their normal city life; but all of life is to be sanctified to God, and so this mentality is directly attacked here- and we too need to take heed.</p>


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<p>I will execute vengeance in anger, and wrath on the nations that didn’t listen- The idea may be that the "vengeance" is upon Israel, but the surrounding nations will likewise share in it; see on :10. But they will have been given the chance to "listen" (see on :7), and are only judged after they refuse the final appeal by the repentant remnant.</p>


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<p>Listen now to what Yahweh says: Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear what you have to say- As often in the prophets, the analogy of a courtroom meeting is used. God invites His people to answer the case He makes against them through Micah. The case is to be made very public- shouted wide and loud enough for the mountains to hear it. Or pleading before the mountains could be a reference to the fact that the "high places" were literally on the uplands. It is the spirit of Gideon’s father, "let Baal plead" for himself, and Elijah asking Israel to witness a legal standoff between Yahweh and the false gods.</p>


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<p>Hear, you mountains, Yahweh’s controversy- Remember that Isaiah was contemporary with Micah (<a href='B:400 1:1'>Mic 1:1</a>); and Isaiah likewise invites God’s people to reason or enter into judgment together with God (<a href='B:290 1:18'>Isa 1:18</a>). The whole idea of course begs the obvious conclusion from the start- God is right, and He will be proven right. Any thought of entering into judgment with God should of itself provoke our immediate capitulation and casting of ourselves upon His grace.</p><p>And you enduring foundations of the earth- The LXX suggests "the valleys". But the allusion may be to the myth that the eretz / land of promise was upheld by foundations (<a href='B:10 49:26'>Gen 49:26</a>; <a href='B:50 33:15'>Deu 33:15</a>). As with the usage of the language of demons, God in His word does at times go along with wrong understandings, and reasons for a moment as if they are correct, in order to engage with people in their own terms of reference and understanding.</p><p>For Yahweh has a controversy with His people, and He will contend with Israel- This continues the courtroom analogy. God is taking out a case against His people. And He is also the judge of all the earth, although He invites them to be the judges. He humbles Himself to simply present the evidence of His case. Man stands self-condemned before God, and the quicker we personally realize that, the better. The judgment of the last day is for those who have not condemned themselves in this life; see on <a href='B:530 11:31-32'>1Co 11:31-32</a>. God is moving toward us too in judgment, and the only thing to do is to repent and totally capitulate; see on <a href='B:490 14:31'>Luk 14:31</a>.</p>


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<p>My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you?- Some time later, in Ezekiel’s time, the people complained that they were suffering unjustly for the sins of their ancestors. This sense that God was somehow unfair was around in Micah’s time. Hence the usage of the courtroom analogy. To answer before God is an awesome idea; to reply to Him, the God of all grace, against the accusation that He has treated us unreasonably is a terrifying idea. As noted above, Yahweh is presented not as the judge but as the complainant, and we are left to judge. By implication, they were claiming God had sinned against man (<a href='B:300 2:5'>Jer 2:5</a>) and burdened them with commandments (<a href='B:290 43:23'>Isa 43:23</a>); and in those passages, God in the dock asks Israel to give evidence. Romans uses the same idea, of God in the dock accused by men. And we are left as the judges to immediately conclude that this is deeply wrong. God did not burden His people with legal requirements, because even in the period of the old covenant, He often states that He asks not for ritualistic obedience but for humble, faithful hearts. See on :6.</p><p>The truth was that Israel had burdened / wearied God by their insincere rituals (s:w. <a href='B:290 1:14'>Isa 1:14</a>; <a href='B:290 7:3'>Isa 7:3</a>). Their attitudes implied that they considered that relationship with Him was a burden and wearisome (<a href='B:460 1:13'>Mal 1:13</a>). But this was a false accusation; God has not wearied man, but the other way around.</p><p>Answer me!- "Answer me!" is literally, testify, provide evidence (<a href='B:40 35:30'>Num 35:30</a>). And the most hardened atheist and cynic cannot do so when actually in court with God. The bravado of words said over the coffee tables and tapped on social media will soon collapse.</p>


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<p>For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam- This is cited as the parade example of the fact God loves His people and has poured grace upon them. With us too, the fact we were called out of this world, God intervening in our lives to engage us with the Gospel’s call, is really a parade example of His grace. This means we should never accuse God of being unfair. His grace in calling us is enough. Historically, God’s bringing up of His people from Egypt was all of Divine grace. The phrase is used of Abraham being brought up from Egypt after his deceit regarding his wife, which would usually have resulted in death (<a href='B:10 13:1'>Gen 13:1</a>); Joseph’s family were likewise brought up out of Egypt after having been released by the grace of Joseph-Jesus (<a href='B:10 45:25'>Gen 45:25</a>). And the bringing up of the nation from Egypt when they were still worshipping the idols of Egypt waslikewise of pure grace. The redemption of Israel from the house of bondage is the very phrase used in <a href='B:50 7:8'>Deu 7:8</a>, as the exemplification of the simple fact that "Yahweh loved you" and kept His side of the covenant when Israel broke it. Because of this redemption from bondage, Israel were to be obedient to the covenant (<a href='B:50 15:15'>Deu 15:15</a>; <a href='B:50 24:18'>Deu 24:18</a>). And not to complain that such a duty was in any sense an unreasonable burden.</p>


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<p>My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh- This again is an example of grace which should answer any complaint that God has been unreasonable or harsh toward Israel. Israel at Balaam’s time were still worshipping the idols of Egypt which they had taken with them out of Egypt. They were weak. But God’s answer to Balak was to inspire Balaam to reveal how God imputed righteousness to Israel. He had not seen any iniquity in them, and beheld them in their encampments as beautiful and without spot (<a href='B:40 23:21'>Num 23:21</a>; <a href='B:40 24:5-6'>Num 24:5-6</a>). They passed from Shittim to Gilgal, from the wilderness journey over the Jordan into the promised land, by absolute grace. Righteousness was imputed to them, as Paul would later put it in Romans. Here again was grace; and yet it was done as a ’righteous act’, which again is a big theme with Paul. God counts the sinful as sinless without infringing morality, ethics nor righteousness; because He held in mind the future work of His son.</p>


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<p>How shall I come before Yahweh, and bow myself before the exalted God?- The high or "exalted" God is a phrase used only twice elsewhere. God was made high or exalted by His justice / righteousness, which was revealed above all in His redemption of His faithless people from Egypt (<a href='B:230 68:18'>Psa 68:18</a>; <a href='B:230 71:19'>Psa 71:19</a>).</p><p>Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?- This is one of the many Old Testament hints that the Mosaic sacrifices of themselves couldn’t reconcile sinful Israel with God. It is an answer to the complaint that God had burdened Israel with the law (see on :3). The reference to calves is an allusion to the calf worship of the ten tribes, which was presented as a form of Yahweh worship.</p>


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<p>Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?-&nbsp; This again is an answer to the complaint that God had burdened Israel with the law (see on :3). Micah comes to the point where he would fain make sacrifice for Israel, even to the point of offering his firstborn son, so strongly did he take upon himself the sins of his people; he felt their sins as the sins of his very soul. But he tells Israel that even this will be no good; they must repent themselves. In all this, Micah came close to the spirit of the Father and Son. For the Father would give His firstborn for their sin. And the Lord Jesus likewise totally identified with the sins of Israel and all God’s people, whilst being personally innocent. "Disobedience" is the same word used in the contemporary prophecy of <a href='B:290 53:5'>Isa 53:5</a>; <a href='B:290 53:8'>Isa 53:8</a> of how the suffering Messiah would bear Israel’s transgression or disobedience, as God’s firstborn dying for their sin. In :4, allusion was made to how God redeemed Israel from Egypt- through the blood of the lamb representing the firstborns. Micah may be implying that he and indeed no man could offer his firstborn for Israel’s sin; but God could, and all man can do is to humbly respond as explained in :8. Perhaps he is making the same point by way of allusion to <a href='B:230 132:11'>Psa 132:11</a>, where Messiah is called the fruit of David’s body; and Micah is saying that the fruit of his body, therefore, would not suffice.</p>


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<p>He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you- Instead of sacrifice and legalistic obedience (:7), this was what God required. In this sense, it was just untrue that the law of Moses was a burden upon Israel (see on :3). The implication is that God had already ’shown’ His people what was required of them. The same word is used of how Micah himself was to show or "declare" God’s requirements to Israel(<a href='B:400 3:8'>Mic 3:8</a>). Perhaps the idea was that Micah himself was the declaration of what God required of His people at that time. The voice of Yahweh which called to the city in :9 was that of Micah personally. As noted throughout this commentary, Micah was the declaration of God to Israel and yet he also totally identified with sinful Israel. This was the basis of his appeal to them; and in these things he pointed forward to the Lord Jesus, of human nature and yet Divine character. The parallel in Isaiah is when again God enters the courtroom with His people: "Learn to do well, seek justice, relieve the oppressed judge the fatherless, plead for the widow" (<a href='B:290 1:17'>Isa 1:17</a>). "Seek" is the same word here translated "require".</p><p>But to act justly- This is the same phrase as in <a href='B:10 18:19'>Gen 18:19</a>; this was to be the lead characteristic of all the true seed of Abraham. And that is true of us to this day. <a href='B:290 56:1'>Isa 56:1</a> urges Israel to do this, so that the Kingdom’s re-establishment might be hastened. But there was not a man who did this in the lead up to Judah’s destruction (<a href='B:300 5:1'>Jer 5:1</a>; <a href='B:300 7:5'>Jer 7:5</a>). Had Judah done this, the Babylonian destruction would not have come (<a href='B:300 22:3'>Jer 22:3</a>; <a href='B:300 22:15'>Jer 22:15</a>), and a Messianic kingdom could have come, when Messiah would "act justly" (<a href='B:300 23:5'>Jer 23:5</a>; <a href='B:300 33:15'>Jer 33:15</a>). The people were being asked to act like Him in this life. And Micah, at the time of the Assyrian invasion, is saying the same; and it seems some did respond, and the planned destruction at the hands of Sennacherib didn’t happen. But finally, Judah was destroyed, and that is described as God acting justly (<a href='B:330 5:8'>Eze 5:8</a>). As noted earlier, the judgment process brings about what men ought to have done by their freewill decisions in this life. To "act justly" was to act in a way that no other nation did (<a href='B:330 11:12'>Eze 11:12</a>; <a href='B:330 11:20'>Eze 11:20</a>). True justice is the unique possibility of the true people of God. To "act justly" is the lead characteristic of the righteous (<a href='B:330 18:5'>Eze 18:5</a>; <a href='B:330 18:8-9'>Eze 18:8-9</a>; <a href='B:330 18:17'>Eze 18:17</a>; <a href='B:330 18:19'>Eze 18:19</a>; <a href='B:330 18:21'>Eze 18:21</a>; <a href='B:330 18:27'>Eze 18:27</a>; <a href='B:330 33:16'>Eze 33:16</a>; <a href='B:330 33:19'>Eze 33:19</a> and often in the prophets); and that is true of us God’s people to this day. It is the behaviour of those in the new covenant (<a href='B:330 36:27'>Eze 36:27</a>; <a href='B:330 37:24'>Eze 37:24</a>). Micah concludes, as one who has done justly, in appealing for God to do justly for him (<a href='B:400 7:9'>Mic 7:9</a>); and that justice is done on the basis of imputed righteousness.</p><p>To love mercy- This love of mercy, a love of being merciful, is the characteristic of God toward those in the new covenant (<a href='B:300 31:3'>Jer 31:3</a>). And it is for us, as it was for Israel then, to reflect our experience of this in our attitudes to those who need our mercy.</p><p>And to walk humbly with your God?- Walking humbly is the essence of it all. The humility which comes from realizing our sins will empower us too to "love mercy" and be just. The only other occurrence of the Hebrew word here translated "humbly" is in <a href='B:240 11:2'>Pro 11:2</a>: "With the humble is wisdom". And it is this wisdom which is spoken of now in :9.</p><p>It is tempting to see a parallel between these three things [justice, mercy and walking humbly with God] and <a href='B:470 23:23'>Mat 23:23</a>, which also says that instead of legalistic obedience, God wanted "justice, mercy and faith". "Humility" here is therefore understood by the Lord Jesus as "faith". And the two are indeed connected; for to walk in humility is to walk in faith, for without humility there can be no true faith. One spiritual attribute strengthens and enables another.</p>


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<p>Yahweh’s voice calls to the city, and wisdom sees your name- The way of wisdom was to see in all the appeals to "the city", presumably Jerusalem, the articulation of God’s Name / character as declared in <a href='B:20 34:5-7'>Exo 34:5-7</a>. It was the wisdom which comes from the humility of :8 (<a href='B:240 11:2'>Pro 11:2</a>). And there is another allusion to Proverbs, in that wisdom’s "voice calls" to the city in <a href='B:240 8:1-4'>Pro 8:1-4</a>. The ’voice that calls’ is ultimately that of Messiah and His herald, appealing for Israel’s repentance (<a href='B:290 40:3'>Isa 40:3</a>; <a href='B:290 40:6'>Isa 40:6</a>; <a href='B:290 58:1'>Isa 58:1</a>). And yet the same ’voice that calls’ was the voice that called forth the invaders to come and judge Jerusalem (<a href='B:330 9:1'>Eze 9:1</a>).</p><p>Listen to the rod, and He who appointed it- The Assyrians were the rod of God’s anger against His people, appointed by Him (<a href='B:290 10:5'>Isa 10:5</a>); the appeal was to have the wisdom of humility (<a href='B:240 11:2'>Pro 11:2</a>) to perceive that it was God acting behind them.</p>


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<p>Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short ephah that is accursed?- "Are there yet…?" suggests the people should have repented by this stage. They needed to urgently give away the results of their fraud, and no longer use false weights. The fact Micah’s message resulted in the Assyrian invasion being turned back by God means that at least some responded to his desperate, urgent appeal. "Accursed" is perhaps better "which provokes indignation" (s:w. <a href='B:450 1:12'>Zec 1:12</a>). God’s utter indignation was against the quiet, subtle dishonesty of those who made the ephah weigh to the slight advantage of the wicked. I say "slight" because anything too obviously dishonest wouldn’t have been credible. Here again we have a major message from a minor prophet. This kind of thing kindles God’s deepest ire.</p>


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<p>Shall I be pure with dishonest scales, and with a bag of deceitful weights?- As noted on :10, this kind of thing provoked God’s deepest fury, as it does today. The connection with the contemporary words of Isaiah is to <a href='B:290 1:16'>Isa 1:16</a> "Make you clean [s:w."pure"], put away the evil of your doings". Micah is saying that response to Isaiah’s opening call to repentance isn’t going to be possible if they continue with their deceitful weights. But more than that, Micah stands as representative of Judah: "Shall I be pure...". Perhaps it was his willing representation of Judah which alone led to the aversion of judgment upon Jerusalem at Sennacherib’s time.</p>


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<p>Her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their speech- The rich leaders and the ordinary inhabitants are paralleled; Judah was not to be judged simply because of the sin of the minority who were wealthy. The ordinary people were guilty in essence of the same sins. And speaking lies and deceitfully is paralleled with "violence". This is typical of the prophets- to juxtapose apparently minor, quiet sins with major ones; for it is the quiet, subtle sins which are such abomination to God. See on :10. Lying and deceit are likewise mentioned by Isaiah as major reasons for Judah’s judgment (<a href='B:290 32:7'>Isa 32:7</a>; <a href='B:290 59:3'>Isa 59:3</a>; <a href='B:290 59:13'>Isa 59:13</a>). It was the false prophets who spoke lies and deceit (<a href='B:300 29:23'>Jer 29:23</a>; <a href='B:450 13:3'>Zec 13:3</a>), but they spoke to a people who did the same.</p>


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<p>Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound. I have made you desolate because of your sins- This paradox is also used by the contemporary Isaiah; the wound was incurable, the people and nation had to die. And yet they could still repent and be healed. See on <a href='B:400 1:9'>Mic 1:9</a>. This was the urgency of Micah’s appeal; that an incurable illness could be cured. They had already been made desolate, the word of desolation had been spoken, in fulfilment of <a href='B:30 26:32'>Lev 26:32</a>; but in the gapbetween the pronunciation of judgment and the fulfilment of it, repentance was possible. This was the urgency and intensity of Micah’s appeal.</p>


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<p>You shall eat, but not be satisfied- This continues the allusions to the curses for breaking covenant with God (<a href='B:30 26:26'>Lev 26:26</a>). Being never satisfied is the curse of the condemned (<a href='B:230 59:15'>Psa 59:15</a>; <a href='B:240 27:20'>Pro 27:20</a>; <a href='B:250 1:8'>Ecc 1:8</a>; <a href='B:250 4:8'>Ecc 4:8</a>). Yet the wicked experience this in this life; sin never satisfies them. And this will be their final experience at the last day. Whereas the righteous can live satisfied lives, looking back in satisfaction at God’s grace, at lives well lived. The life of endlessly seeking satisfaction without finding it is therefore living out our own condemnation.</p><p>Your humiliation will be in your midst- They ought to have humbled themselves (:8), but if they refused, then they would be humbled through the process of condemnation. The humbling of flesh before God must be achieved; either now, or in condemnation.</p><p>You will store up, but not save; and that which you save I will give up to the sword- This is so true of our present society. The culture of individualism, breakup of family and the care families have historically provided in old age, fear of the unknown, the need for funds to survive after we stop working... this has all led to a mentality of storing up. They saved up ["that which you save"], but in another sense they didn’t ["but not save"]; because the ultimate end was decreed.</p>


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<p>You will sow, but won’t reap- The Lord likened His preachers to men reaping a harvest. He speaks of how they fulfilled the proverb that one sows and another reaps (<a href='B:500 4:37-38'>Joh 4:37-38</a>). Yet this ‘proverb’ has no direct Biblical source. What we do find in the Old Testament is the repeated idea that if someone sows but another reaps, this is a sign that they are suffering God’s judgment for their sins (<a href='B:50 20:6'>Deu 20:6</a>; <a href='B:50 28:30'>Deu 28:30</a>; <a href='B:220 31:8'>Job 31:8</a>; <a href='B:400 6:15'>Mic 6:15</a>). But the Lord turns around the ‘proverb’ concerning Israel’s condemnation; He makes it apply to the way that the preacher / reaper who doesn’t sow is the one who harvests others in converting them to Him. Surely His implication was that His preacher-reapers were those who had known condemnation for their sins, but on that basis were His humbled harvesters in the mission field.</p><p>You will tread the olives, but won’t anoint yourself with oil; and crush grapes, but won’t drink the wine- This again continues the references to the curses for disobedience to the covenant (<a href='B:50 28:39'>Deu 28:39</a>). Dissatisfaction was the curse, and yet living a materialistic life is itself the life of dissatisfaction. Such people live out their own condemnation. Perhaps Micah was predicting that the destruction was to come within months from when he was speaking; they had trodden their grapes and sown their crops, but the invasion would come before the harvest or before the grape juice had fermented. Micah was therefore speaking very close to the intended Assyrian destruction of Jerusalem. The fact the Lord destroyed the Assyrian armies is therefore a testament to the effectiveness of Micah’s appeal for repentance; or perhaps to the power of his own intense mediation for Judah.</p><p>The LXX adds: "And the ordinances of my people shall vanish away", looking forward to how :16 describes a set of ordinances or commands for idol worship which were established by Israel’s kings and followed by many in Judah.</p>


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<p>For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab. You live by their commands, that I may make you a ruin, and her inhabitants a hissing- Judah prided themselves on not following the sins of the ten tribe kingdom, but in reality, they did. The laws and commands of Omri were kept rather than those of Yahweh. Ahab and Omri had therefore issued specific commandments regarding idol worship, perhaps presented as part of Yahweh worship; and the people religiously kept them. Again we see that the fatal temptation is to justify sin in the name of righteousness, and in essence this is our problem too.</p><p>And you will bear the reproach of my people- LXX "the reproach of the nations". This would be in line with frequent predictions that the nations would "hiss" at condemned Judah and reproach her (<a href='B:330 34:29'>Eze 34:29</a>; <a href='B:330 36:6'>Eze 36:6</a>; <a href='B:330 36:15'>Eze 36:15</a> etc:).</p>


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<p>Misery is mine! Indeed, I am like one who gathers the summer fruits, as gleanings of the vineyard: There is no cluster of grapes to eat Having just said that Israel would sow and not reap (<a href='B:400 6:15'>Mic 6:15</a>), Micah feels as if summer has come, and he has gone to gather the harvest, but there is hardly any. Just the equivalent of left over gleaning quality harvest. This may imply that the harvest had been done by someone else; perhaps he envisages himself as picking up the pieces of a tiny repentant remnant after it. Although there was no cluster of grapes, there were a few odd grapes here and there, the kind of thing left behind for gleaning by the poor. Or perhaps this speaks of the tiny remnant who did respond to Micah’s message, just a grape here and there; and that was enough for God to change His plans of destroying Jerusalem by the Assyrians.</p>&nbsp;<p>The voice of the prophets didn’t go entirely unheeded. A tiny minority responded. Isaiah had his school of disciples, referred to in Isaiah 8. The books of the prophets were presumably written up (under inspiration) by their disciples, and the biographical sections added by them. So the very existence of the books of the prophets itself indicates they had some converts who hung on and valued their every word. And yet despite this, the prophets felt lonely men, despite the converts they made- Jeremiah “sat alone” (<a href='B:300 15:17'>Jer 15:17</a>). Not only was their perspective on human sinfulness so very different to that of their audience. They preached a message which was counter-cultural and attacked the very bases of the assumptions which lay at the core of individual and social life in Israel. They appeared to back Israel’s enemies. Their message was therefore rejected by the vast majority.</p><p>My soul desires to eat the early fig- But the lack of wider response was indeed a "misery" to Micah, just as human indifference to our message should not be met by our indifference to that fact. He really wanted their repentance. His desire for the early fig was a desire to see at least some spiritual fruit in Israel, and is alluded to in <a href='B:470 21:19'>Mat 21:19</a>; Micah’s character looked forward to the passion of the Lord Jesus in desiring spiritual fruit, however immature, like an early fig, but at least something.</p><p>This leads to the reflection that Micah 7 is a prophecy shot through with Messianic allusion. <a href='B:400 7:4'>Mic 7:4</a> is alluded to in <a href='B:470 7:16'>Mat 7:16</a>. The Lord openly quoted <a href='B:400 7:6'>Mic 7:6</a> concerning himself and His men in <a href='B:470 10:35-36'>Mat 10:35-36</a>. There are many references to the Lord’s betrayal and arrest: "They all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net" (7:2 = <a href='B:500 8:59'>Joh 8:59</a>; <a href='B:500 10:31'>Joh 10:31</a>; <a href='B:500 10:39'>Joh 10:39</a>; <a href='B:500 11:8'>Joh 11:8</a>). "The prince (Herod) asketh (for a sign, <a href='B:490 23:8'>Luk 23:8</a>), the judge (Pilate) asketh for a reward; and the great man (Caiaphas he High Priest) he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up" (<a href='B:400 7:3'>Mic 7:3</a>), i:e. hatch their plot together. Because of this, "the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh" (<a href='B:400 7:4'>Mic 7:4</a> = <a href='B:490 19:44'>Luk 19:44</a>). See on :5.</p>


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<p>The Godly man has perished out of the land- Isaiah uses the same word for "perish" to lament the same situation, where "the righteous perish and none lays it to heart" (<a href='B:290 57:1'>Isa 57:1</a>). Although it seemed that generally there were no good men left in the land, Micah like Elijah was overlooking the critical importance of the remnant of whom he has just spoken in :1, a grape here and there. But as noted on :1, the reference may here look forward specifically to the Lord Jesus the Messiah, "the Godly man".</p><p>And there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; every man hunts his brother with a net- The spiritual situation at the time of Hezekiah was very low indeed. An individual like Hezekiah with the help of a small minority might impose reforms and appear to redirect the majority toward Godliness, but often the real spiritual level amongst the congregation is very low indeed. It is not the leadership which are specifically criticized here; "every man" was at war with his brother. And our attitude to our brother is chosen as the litmus indicator of how "upright" we are. To hunt with the net implies they considered their brothers small game, small animals who couldbe caught with a net for their own gain.</p>


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<p>Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently- Evil had become a focus and obsession for them. This is the nature of sin; the apparently little things of falsifying weights led to a way of life focused upon it, with both hands (Heb:).</p><p>The ruler and judge ask for a bribe; and the powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul- As noted on :1, this spirit came to its full term in the way the Jews condemned the innocent Lord Jesus. We note that even amidst the reforms of Hezekiah, the judiciary and leadership were utterly corrupt. Genuine spirituality was always in a minority; but that minority was significant enough in God’s eyes for the Assyrian army to be slain and Jerusalem saved from the intended destruction. Or, as I have suggested earlier, it was the single intercession of Micah and others which was acceptable to Him, just as likely God would have saved Sodom for the sake of one man, or even just Abraham’s intercession, had Abraham had the spiritual vision to perceive that.</p><p>Thus they conspire together- There was a feedback between the sinful desires of the powerful, and the openness of the judges to bribes. The one encouraged the other, until society slipped into a headlong rush into sin. We earlier noted on Micah 2 that the desires of the people likewise led the false prophets to prophesy what the people wanted to hear. An upward spiral of spirituality in any group of people is so much harder to initiate and sustain, but it is possible; for the body of Christ makes increase of itself in love.</p>


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<p>The best of them is like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge- Even amongst sinners, God seems to grade them. There are better and worse sinners. This reflects His extreme sensitivity to sin and careful calculation of the meaning of every sin.</p><p>The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion- The watchman were the prophets; "the day" they had predicted of Yahweh’s judgment "has come" in Micah’s time. The word is used of Micah personally in :7, and we can imagine that he had the school of prophets centered around Isaiah in view (<a href='B:290 8:18'>Isa 8:18</a>). And yet by grace, the day of Jerusalem’s destruction was averted, thanks to Micah’s ministry. What was "now" was still changed. "Confusion" is only used elsewhere in the contemporary <a href='B:290 22:5'>Isa 22:5</a>, where it is the time when Zion’s walls should be broken down. That was effectively "now", but was changed. It did indeed come about in the Babylonian invasion, but that was a rescheduled fulfilment of the words of Isaiah and Micah.</p>


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<p>Don’t trust in a neighbour. Don’t put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your mouth!- As noted earlier in this chapter, those who were truly with the Lord were just a grape here and there on a harvested tree. Being part of such a tiny minority was a lonely experience. Micah implies that this minority were liable to betrayal by their family members, and perhaps he had had the same experience with his own wife (<a href='B:50 13:6'>Deu 13:6</a>) and relatives. Again we see that the judiciary and ruling classes even under Hezekiah were not only morally corrupt but abusive towards the righteous remnant. This is something not immediately apparent in the historical records.</p><p>The application to the Lord Jesus is clear. "Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide (reference to Judas- <a href='B:230 55:13'>Psa 55:13</a>): keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom". This begins a reference to Samson’s experience with Delilah. "I will look unto the Lord (Samson first used the Yahweh Name when he cried in his final suffering)... my God will hear me (cp."Hear me this once")... rejoice not against me, O mine enemy (the Philistines mocking Samson): when I fall, I shall arise (Heb. elsewhere used about the resurrection); when I sit in darkness (Samson sitting in blindness in the prison), the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him (Samson’s thoughts, surely), until he plead my cause ("Remember me")... will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. Then she that is mine enemy (Delilah, symbol of the Philistines to Samson) shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me (as Delilah did?), Where is Yahweh thy God? mine eyes shall behold her (is this Samson imagining the judgment, with restored eyesight?)". If these connections are valid- and it is hard to deny this- then Samson died full of vision of the resurrection, judgment and the final manifestation of his forgiveness which he would then receive. Paul likewise has plenty of these references in his final writings in 2 Timothy 4. One question remains: why are there these Samson references in a prophecy of the Lord’s betrayal? Surely Samson was a type of Christ. It could be that the Lord Jesus was being warned, prophetically, of how a particular woman could be his undoing, as she was Samson’s. The way the Messianic Proverbs warn the Son of God against a particular woman lend weight to this. Or it could be that in the same way as Delilah betrayed Samson, so Judas was to betray Jesus, and He would go through the same gamut of emotions. This would be why this prophecy of His betrayal is described in terms of Delilah’s betrayal of Samson</p>


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<p>For the son dishonours the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house- These words are alluded to in the Olivet prophecy. The situation in Jerusalem in Micah’s time on the eve of the Assyrian invasion was to be that in the Jerusalem of both AD70 and the last days. And we wonder whether Micah’s own family had experienced this situation, with Micah divided even from his own wife (:5). We know that he was married, for he speaks of his firstborn son in <a href='B:400 6:7'>Mic 6:7</a>.</p>


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<p>But as for me, I will look to Yahweh- "Look" is the same word as "watch[man]" in :4. Micah is saying that despite the overall lack of response to his message, even amongst his own family, he will focus on his prophetic ministry as a watchman.</p><p>I will wait for the God of my salvation- Judah at that time had forgotten the God of their salvation (s:w. <a href='B:290 17:10'>Isa 17:10</a>), but Micah had not, and on this basis it seems God was prepared to accept him standing for Judah.</p><p>My God will hear me- Micah expresses faith that God would hear him, strengthening the suggestion made that the averting of the Assyrian destruction of Jerusalem was due to his personal intercession.</p>


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<p>Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, Yahweh will be a light to me- I have suggested on :7 and elsewhere that Micah personally was counted as God’s people, and his intercession on that basis was accepted, resulting in the salvation of Jerusalem at his time from the otherwise inevitable Assyrian judgment. And so "my enemy" refers to Israel’s enemy, Assyria. Micah expected the fall of Judah and the threatened darkness of judgment descending, but believed that just as he would be saved out of it, so would Judah. It was the Judah and Jerusalem specifically of Micah’s day who were to "fall" under Divine judgment (<a href='B:290 8:15'>Isa 8:15</a>; <a href='B:290 30:25'>Isa 30:25</a>). Indeed, they were to fall and not rise again (<a href='B:290 24:20'>Isa 24:20</a>). But Micah was confident that he would fall with Judah and rise again, and God accepted this and therefore Judah did rise again. We see foretold the power of the Lord’s rising again in resurrection, through which all identified with and in Him would thereby be justified. And yet finally Judah refused to make this identification, and so they did fall, as stated so often (<a href='B:330 5:12'>Eze 5:12</a>; <a href='B:330 6:4'>Eze 6:4</a> etc:).</p><p>The "darkness" was that of Divine judgment (<a href='B:290 5:30'>Isa 5:30</a>; <a href='B:290 59:9'>Isa 59:9</a>; <a href='B:310 3:2'>Lam 3:2</a>; <a href='B:360 2:2'>Joe 2:2</a>; <a href='B:370 5:18'>Amo 5:18</a>), because Judah themselves had preferred darkness to the light of God’s ways (<a href='B:290 5:20'>Isa 5:20</a>; <a href='B:330 8:12'>Eze 8:12</a>). It was through the work of Messiah that those who sat in darkness would see light (<a href='B:290 9:2'>Isa 9:2</a>; <a href='B:290 58:10'>Isa 58:10</a>; <a href='B:290 60:2'>Isa 60:2</a>), and Micah surely alludes to these words [remember Isaiah was contemporary with him]. Whilst not claiming to be Messiah, he interceded for Judah in the spirit of Messiah, and so his personal darkness [on account of association with God’s condemned people] was turned to light, and he was accepted as the representative of God’s people. The hope of Israel was to finally come out of the darkness of judgment (<a href='B:290 29:18'>Isa 29:18</a>; <a href='B:290 42:7'>Isa 42:7</a>; <a href='B:290 49:9'>Isa 49:9</a>), and Micah represented the people.</p>


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<p>I will bear the indignation of Yahweh, because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my case, and executes judgment for me. He will bring me forth to the light. I will see His righteousness- As explained on :8, Micah was Judah’s representative. He was innocent, but he totally identified with their sin. In the metaphor of God having opened a court case against Israel, Micah as it were now stands up in court and gives his witness, and God both pleads his case as his advocate, and is also the judge. And on this basis, Micah and the people he represented were brought to light out of the darkness of Divine judgment (see on 8); and therefore the Assyrian army was slain by God in righteousness, so that Jerusalem did not fall as was otherwise inevitable. In all this we see a foretaste of how God would allow the salvation of His people through the work of the supremely representative and sinless Lord Jesus, who like Micah, totally identified with our sin and consequent condemnation. Therefore Micah as a sinner, by identification with Judah, could confidently ask for Yahweh to plead his case and give the judgment of acceptance, turning the darkness of condemnation into the light of salvation (see on :8).</p><p>&nbsp;There are an interesting set of allusions to David’s sin with Bathsheba in Micah 7, almost leading us to wonder whether Micah too had a femme fatale in his life- whom he speaks of in <a href='B:400 7:10'>Mic 7:10</a> as “she that is mine enemy…shame shall cover her”. He says that “I have sinned against the Lord” (<a href='B:400 7:9'>Mic 7:9</a>), using the very same words as David does in <a href='B:100 12:13'>2Sa 12:13</a>; and he marvels how God ‘passes by’ transgression (<a href='B:400 7:18'>Mic 7:18</a>), using the very same Hebrew word as is found in <a href='B:100 12:13'>2Sa 12:13</a> to describe how God “put away” David’s sin. And there are many references throughout Micah 7 to David’s Psalms of penitence. Could it be that David’s sin and repentance served as a personal inspiration to Micah, as well as being held up as the inspiration to all God’s people to repent and experience the sure mercies which David did?&nbsp;Micah saw David’s sin as the epitome of Israel’s, and his salvation by grace as their pattern.</p>


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<p>Then my enemy will see it, and shame will cover her who said to me, where is Yahweh your God?- I have suggested above that Micah is totally identified with God’s people, and their enemy was his. But we also saw hints in :5 and :6 that Micah’s own wife betrayed him. Perhaps this is why he speaks of Assyria as a woman, when Assyria is elsewhere personified by Micah as a male (<a href='B:400 5:6'>Mic 5:6</a>). "Where is... God?" was the attitude of the faithless in Judah (<a href='B:460 2:17'>Mal 2:17</a>). And yet this was the attitude of Judah’s enemies (<a href='B:360 2:17'>Joe 2:17</a>), as exemplified in the blasphemous claims of Rabshakeh and Sennacherib in Micah’s time outside the walls of Jerusalem.</p><p>Then my enemy will see me and will cover herself with shame. Now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets- To tread down in the streets was what Assyria was to do to Jerusalem (<a href='B:290 10:6'>Isa 10:6</a> s:w:; <a href='B:290 5:5'>Isa 5:5</a>; <a href='B:290 28:18'>Isa 28:18</a>; <a href='B:340 8:13'>Dan 8:13</a>). Micah imagined that this would happen to his wife, who like Job’s wife had mocked his faith in God. But we can also apply this to the Assyrians themselves, who would be judged as they had intended to judge Zion by the repentant remnant (s:w. <a href='B:450 10:5'>Zec 10:5</a>).</p>


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<p>A day to build your walls! In that day, He will extend your boundary- Micah envisaged that Isaiah’s contemporary prophecies about the rebuilding ofJerusalem’s walls and the extension of Judah’s boundaries was to happen in his lifetime (<a href='B:290 54:2'>Isa 54:2</a>; <a href='B:290 60:10'>Isa 60:10</a>). He as it were had a vision of that day coming, and shouts out the message in joy. All this could have happened after the destruction of the Assyrian army outside Jerusalem, but Hezekiah and others were satisfied just by God’s immediate deliverance in this life, and shrugged off the great potentials possible. And that is true for many believers today.</p>


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<p>In that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and mountain to mountain- After the Angelic destruction of the Assyrians, representatives did indeed come to Hezekiah from such places. But he was lifted up in pride and was drawn down to their level, rather than using this as the springboard for establishing a Messianic kingdom over the surrounding peoples. The reference to the territory from the Nile to the Euphrates recalls the promises to Abraham. The entire eretz promised to Abraham could have flowed to Jerusalem and received teaching, leading to them being incorporated into Yahweh’s dominion or kingdom. This looks forward to the prediction in :16,17 that finally some of the invaders would repent and come to Zion in acceptance of Yahweh and His Son.</p>


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<p>Yet the land will be desolate because of those who dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings- Micah appears to have foreseen, or had revealed to him, that Judah would not ultimately make good. Despite the power of his intercession and the response of a remnant to his message, the baton would be dropped by Hezekiah. The land would still be desolated, using the language of the curses for breaking covenant with Yahweh (s:w. <a href='B:30 26:33'>Lev 26:33</a>). Isaiah’s many threats of a desolated land would still come true in the end (<a href='B:290 1:7'>Isa 1:7</a>; <a href='B:290 6:11'>Isa 6:11</a>; <a href='B:290 17:9'>Isa 17:9</a> etc:). However we could understand that the land was indeed desolated at Micah’s time by the Assyrians and only Jerusalem remained unconquered.</p>


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<p>Shepherd Your people with Your staff, the flock of Your heritage, who dwell by themselves in a forest, in the midst of fertile pasture land; let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old- And yet Micah returns to the great prophetic theme, after recognizing Judah’s sin and ultimate punishment (:13). The scattered remnant of the flock, wandering in forests [whereas sheep don’t usually live in forests] would be shepherded by Yahweh and herded together into a good pasture land, that of eretz Israel. And that would be a re-establishment of God’s Kingdom ["as in the days of old"]. Ezekiel 34 speaks of Yahweh as Israel’s shepherd at this time in terms which are applied to the Lord Jesus in John 10. Yahweh’s shepherding will be through the Lord Jesus.</p>


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<p>As in the days of your coming forth out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvellous things- I suggest that the "marvels" are not so much the miracles of the plagues, but the "marvellous things" done at Sinai when God entered into covenant with Israel after they had left Egypt (<a href='B:20 34:10'>Exo 34:10</a> s:w:), and when they crossed Jordan into Canaan (<a href='B:60 3:5'>Jos 3:5</a> s:w:). Yahweh will do the same when He enters into a new covenant with the redeemed, regathered, repentant remnant. In <a href='B:400 6:4'>Mic 6:4</a>, God reasoned that His bringing Israel forth out of Egypt was a parade example of His grace and desire to save. The marvel will preeminently be His grace in finally saving Israel. In the short term, the destruction of the Assyrians who had surrounded Jerusalem was a foretaste of these "marvellous things", and indeed that phrase is used of how God could save Jerusalem from besieging armies (<a href='B:300 21:2'>Jer 21:2</a>).</p>


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<p>The nations will see and be ashamed of all their might- This is a consistent theme of the prophets; that the nations will be ashamed of all trust in human strength. And we should learn that lesson now, surrounded as we are by so many temptations to trust human strength.</p><p>They will lay their hand on their mouth. Their ears will be deaf- Shame and laying the hand on the mouth all suggest repentance (<a href='B:220 21:5'>Job 21:5</a>; <a href='B:220 40:4'>Job 40:4</a>), which we have stated specifically in :17. A remnant of the invaders will apparently repent in the last days, as noted on :12. GNB "and cover their ears" would be another sign of capitulationand recognition of sin.</p>


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<p>They will lick the dust like a serpent- This is the language of <a href='B:230 72:9'>Psa 72:9</a> and <a href='B:290 49:23'>Isa 49:23</a> about God’s enemies bowing before Him when they do this. Their humiliation leads to their repentance. God’s hand in human life seeks to humble us, but in order that we may come to Him, and not for its own sake.</p><p>Like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to Yahweh our God, and will be afraid because of You- As noted above and on :12 and :16, even a remnant of Israel’s enemies will come to "fear Yahweh", to become His servants. They will recognize that all human might or ’strongholds’ ["dens"] is of no account; for in the lead up to this situation in the last days, human strength and military technology will be seen as of supreme meaning.</p>


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<p>Who is a God like You- No god or idol of any conceivable religion has the grace and forgiveness of the one true God.</p><p>Who pardons iniquity- This is the Hebrew phrase usually translated ’to bear iniquity’ (<a href='B:20 28:38'>Exo 28:38</a>; <a href='B:20 28:43'>Exo 28:43</a> etc:). God forgives iniquity by as it were bearing or carrying it, as if taking the guilt Himself. For ’to bear iniquity’ also means ’to take guilt for iniquity’ (<a href='B:330 44:10'>Eze 44:10</a>; <a href='B:330 44:12'>Eze 44:12</a> etc:). This was done by Micah, as noted throughout Micah 6, 7. But God did this supremely in the work of His Son, who bore the iniquity of Israel so that God might thereby pardon it.</p><p>And passes over- The language of God’s Passover deliverance of Israel on account of the blood of the lamb, representative of Jesus (<a href='B:20 12:23'>Exo 12:23</a>), continuing the allusion to those events which began in :15.</p><p>The disobedience of the remnant of His heritage?- Not every Israelite or Jew will be saved. Micah’s marvel is at God’s forgiveness of the repentant remnant. "The remnant of His heritage" is the phrase used in <a href='B:120 21:14'>2Ki 21:14</a> of those who would go into captivity. Micah seems to have foreseen this, and yet looked ahead to their repentance and eternal restoration.</p><p>He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because He delights in loving kindness- God’s grace and love only have depth and meaning because He also does feel great anger at sin. But within His personality, the pole of loving kindness eventually comes out as His dominant feature; His mercy triumphs over His necessary judgment. Quite simply, God loves being merciful and gracious, and asks that we have the same attitude (<a href='B:300 9:24'>Jer 9:24</a>; <a href='B:350 6:6'>Hos 6:6</a>).</p>


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<p>He will again have compassion on us- The salvation of Israel from Egypt was by grace, as they left Egypt with the idols of Egypt and tabernacles of their gods. As noted on <a href='B:400 6:4'>Mic 6:4</a>, God’s saving of Israel from Egypt was by grace alone, and "He will again" show that grace. This was the compassion which was to be shown when the remnant were regathered from captivity (<a href='B:50 30:3'>Deu 30:3</a>). It was tragic that the returning exiles were indifferent to this. The same amazing, saving grace is available to all now who wish to quit this world and enter the new covenant which the exiles then spurned.</p><p>He will tread our iniquities under foot- As noted on :10, it was Judah and specifically Jerusalem who were to be trodden under foot for their sins. But Jerusalem was saved by grace in Micah’s time as a result of his intercession and identity with them, the just for the unjust. This looked forward to the far greater future salvation. God will make a difference between the sinners and their sins. Their sins rather than they personally would be trodden under foot, and thus the sinners themselves would be saved. And we are to maintain this same clear differentiation in our dealings with people, between sin and sinner.</p><p>&nbsp;And you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea- This was the punishment of the Egyptians, and we have noted the Passover allusions on :15 and :18. The destruction of Israel’s enemies (cp. the Egyptians) is paralleled with the destruction of Israel’s sins. The allusion is also to <a href='B:50 9:21'>Deu 9:21</a>, where Moses "cast your sin, the calf which you had made" into the water. As noted above, their sin is differentiated from the persons. The sin was to be totally and permanently destroyed. It is only those who identify with their sins who will likewise be personally cast into the depths in condemnation (<a href='B:490 17:2'>Luk 17:2</a>). Like Paul in Romans 7, we are to recognize our sins, but not identify ourselves with them. And then the sins are dealt with by God, so permanently that they could be searched for and never found (<a href='B:300 50:20'>Jer 50:20</a>), and we as persons are saved.</p>


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<p>You will give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old- "Mercy and truth" is a reference to the promises to the fathers; and it is here defined specifically as the total forgiveness of sin (:19). The same interpretation of the blessing embedded in the promises is found in <a href='B:510 3:25-26'>Act 3:25-26</a>. This is the final word of Micah’s prophecy; this is the essence of God’s purpose- the blessing of forgiveness by grace. The ultimate truth is of God’s saving mercy towards His people.</p>


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<p>A divine word about Nineveh- Literally, "doom". The idea may be that the previous word against Nineveh through Jonah had not come about because of their repentance, but now, 150 years later, the word was to come true. For they had not maintained that peak of repentance.</p><p>The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite- Layard, Nineveh and its Remains Vol. 1 p. 233, was certain that he had discovered the village of Elkosh near Nineveh. There is no definite evidence that it is the name of anywhere in Palestine. Jonah was buried in Mosul / Nineveh, implying he returned there after his repentance at the end of the book of Jonah and perhaps spent the rest of his days ministering to the converts there, some of whom we know from the Lord’s words shall rise in judgment to eternal life. It may be that Nahum continued Jonah’s work, despairing as the believing community there turned away over time. Or perhaps he was one of the captives taken there during one of the waves of Assyrian invasions. Nahum says little about Judah and when he rarely addresses them, he speaks as if from a distance. Aramaisms have been detected in his Hebrew at <a href='B:410 2:4'>Nah 2:4</a>; <a href='B:410 2:8'>Nah 2:8</a>; <a href='B:410 2:13'>Nah 2:13</a>. And the term taphsar in <a href='B:410 3:17'>Nah 3:17</a> is an Assyrian word. Nahum writes as if he was familiar with Nineveh, as would his audience be. If indeed he was prophesying in Palestine, we would wonder at exactly why all the detail was given to his first hearers, about a distant city they didn’t know. I note on <a href='B:410 1:13'>Nah 1:13</a> and often that Nahum may well have been prophesying at the time that the Assyrians attacked Judah and Jerusalem, having been taken into captivity himself by the Assyrians from the ten tribe kingdom some years before.</p><p>In this case, we can marvel at his bravery in uttering this prophecy. It would have been unpopular with the Ninevites and seen as blasphemous of their gods and culture. And the Jews with Nahum would not have been inclined to believe him; because they lived there, and the destruction of Nineveh and Assyria by invaders would mean the loss of all they had, and an end of their world. Our message likewise is going to be unpopular with secular society, as well as with worldly Christian believers. For our world is likewise about to collapse around us.</p>


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<p>Yahweh is a jealous God and avenges- God had promised vengeance on the Assyrians in <a href='B:360 2:18'>Joe 2:18</a>. Although they were the rod in His hand and used by Him (Isaiah 10), they had overstepped their commission, both in what they did to the ten tribes and to the land of Judah during Sennacherib’s invasion.</p><p>Yahweh avenges and is full of wrath. Yahweh takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He maintains wrath against His enemies- This language is used of God’s people as well as the Gentile invaders. He "maintains" or keeps His wrath ifpeople&nbsp; are impenitent (<a href='B:300 3:5'>Jer 3:5</a>; <a href='B:300 3:12'>Jer 3:12</a>; <a href='B:400 7:18'>Mic 7:18</a>). There may therefore be a hint that if Nineveh repented as they had at Jonah’s time, even this detailed prophecy of judgment need not come about. There is a gap between His statement of judgment and His execution of it; in that gap, His wrath is kept, but it need not be executed if we repent. And that is the intensity of the moment both we and this world stand within.</p>


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<p>Yahweh is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means leave the guilty unpunished- This is an appeal to the basic characteristics of God which are part of His essential Name (<a href='B:20 34:6-7'>Exo 34:6-7</a>). The slowness to anger refers to the gap commented upon on :2.</p><p>Yahweh has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet- This is the language of theophany. As the cherubim would come upon His people in judgment, as Ezekiel’s visions visualize, so they would upon Assyria. We see here what is to be a theme in Nahum; that the same Divine judgments upon His people were to come upon those who judged them. We see this in the structure of Revelation; the seals of judgment upon Israel are related to the bowls of wrath upon those who judge them.</p>


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<p>He rebukes the sea- The language of the Red Sea. The implication may be that the judgment of Assyria, the drying up of her waters, which represent Gentiles, was to issue forth in the return of the Israelites exiled in Assyria- people like Nahum. This was always the Divine intention- that both the ten tribes and Judah would return from captivity and re-establish His Kingdom upon earth in the form of Israel. But this didn’t happen; the exiles for the most part preferred to remain amongst the Gentiles, and didn’t repent. The same term is used in <a href='B:470 8:26'>Mat 8:26</a> for the Lord’s rebuking of the sea. This doesn’t make Him "God" in a Trinitarian sense, it means that He manifested God, just as Moses likewise rebuked the Red Sea, on God’s behalf, without being God Himself in person.</p><p>And makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan languishes, and Carmel; and the flower of Lebanon languishes- "The sea" would refer to Assyria, and "the rivers" to the peoples and mercenary armies which were part of the Assyrian empire. The idea may be that this was to happen because they had made Bashan and Carmel to languish; or the picture could be of Bashan and Carmel in time of drought, and this is applied to Assyria. Such a reference to a situation in the land of Israel could imply that although Nahum’s message was given in Assyria (see on :1), it was also published in Israel and Judah. They were to know that the Assyrian empire was going to dry up, just like Carmel in time of drought.</p>


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<p>The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at His presence, yes, the world, and all who dwell in it- This is the language of the exodus from Egypt. God works according to the same hallmark, stamped upon all His actions and judgments over history. The nations ["mountains"] of the eretz promised to Abraham had trembled before the cruel Assyrians; but now they were to quake before God. The Assyrians were a fake Kingdom of God, offering their kingdom as if it were the actual Kingdom of God (<a href='B:290 36:16'>Isa 36:16</a> cp. <a href='B:400 4:4'>Mic 4:4</a>). And so God was to establish His Kingdom at the time of Assyria’s judgment. This was the intended path for the development of God’s purpose at that time; then, the repentant exiles of Israel and Judah would return to re-establish God’s Kingdom. But they didn’t repent, and so this scenario didn’t come true. But it will ultimately, in the judgment of the latter day Assyria, repentance of the Jewish remnant, and the return of the Lord Jesus to establish God’s Kingdom on earth. Then God’s "presence" will literally be on earth. The very same language is used of the quaking of the mountains after Gog is destroyed at the Lord’s second coming (<a href='B:330 38:20'>Eze 38:20</a>).</p>


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<p>Who can stand before His indignation?- The words of <a href='B:230 130:3'>Psa 130:3</a> about the inability of sinners to stand before God’s wrath. God counted the Assyrians as sinners and responsible to His judgment. And yet the average Assyrian didn’t have a detailed knowledge of Him. The knowledge which makes responsible to judgment is therefore very basic. There are those who will respond to that same basic knowledge in humility and repentance, as Nineveh did at the time of Jonah. And this will be their eternal salvation, as the Lord Himself said of the men of Nineveh. The amount of theological knowledge required for responsibility to God is therefore apparently very low.</p><p>Who can endure the fierceness of His anger?- Although Nahum was prophesying to the Assyria of his day, not every detail came true in his time. Yet his words will have their ultimate fulfilment in the destruction of the latter day Assyria, and so these words in this verse are used in other latter day prophecies (<a href='B:360 2:11'>Joe 2:11</a>; <a href='B:460 3:2'>Mal 3:2</a>; <a href='B:730 6:17'>Rev 6:17</a>).</p><p>His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken apart by Him- This is the language of <a href='B:300 7:20'>Jer 7:20</a> about God’s wrath with Judah. What Assyria had done to God’s people was to be done to them; see on :3.</p>


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<p>Yahweh is good- All this talk of judgment to come must be&nbsp; understood beneath the simple principle that Yahweh is good; He is not unjust, and He goes on now to say that all His true people will be saved out of judgment.</p><p>A stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who take refuge in Him- This was perhaps comfort to the Jews in Nineveh, or the faithful remnant of those who had responded to Jonah previously, who were hearing Nahum’s message; see on :1. God knew them and is promising to preserve them from the judgment to come upon Nineveh. Assyria would seek for a stronghold in the time of their condemnation and not find one (s:w. <a href='B:410 3:11'>Nah 3:11</a>); because Yahweh alone was the stronghold in the day of judgment.</p>


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<p>But with an overflowing flood- Floods or waters refer to invading armies, but the allusion is also to how Assyria would be destroyed as the world of Noah’s day was. And that implied the survival of a remnant. In these judgments there is always the hint of hope for those who wanted to go God’s way. "There is perhaps a special allusion to the mode of Nineveh’s capture by the Medo-Babylonian army-namely, through a flood in the river, which broke down the wall twenty furlongs". But the language of "flood" is surely figurative, for <a href='B:430 2:13'>Zep 2:13</a> says that Nineveh would be made as dry as the wilderness</p><p>He will make a full end of His adversaries, and will pursue His enemies into darkness- The Hebrew implies "make an utter end of the place thereof" (AV). But Nineveh still ’stands’ in the form of the city of Mosul. This may be an example of where Nahum’s prophecy didn’t have exact fulfilment; but it will have in the total destruction of the latter day Assyrian.</p><p>But to die with no trace is a figure for judgment and need not be taken literally (<a href='B:230 37:36'>Psa 37:36</a>; <a href='B:340 2:35'>Dan 2:35</a>). It resembles the termination of many Assyrian inscriptions which record the defeat of a hostile chieftain: "And no one has seen any trace of him since". Again, what Assyria had done to God’s people was to be done to them; see on :3.</p>


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<p>What do you plot against Yahweh? He will make a full end- To plot against Yahweh is evidently futile. <a href='B:300 49:30'>Jer 49:30</a> cp. 50:45 develop the point, that Babylon had plotted against God’s people to destroy them, but God plotted / plannedBabylon’s total destruction. Attitudes to God’s people are attitudes to Him; how we treat them is how God will treat us. This is a theme enshrined in the New Testament, and should majorly control our whole attitude to all within covenant relationship with them. They are in our lives and we in theirs, in order to have an arena in which to work out the principles of love, tolerance and correct judgment.</p><p>Affliction won’t rise up the second time- Assyria in its then present form would not again afflict Judah. But Judah did suffer "affliction" many times again. Here we have another example of where the planned destruction of Nineveh could have been the ending of all Judah’s suffering, leading to the return of the repentant exiles and the establishment of God’s Kingdom in Israel. But this didn’t happen as the exiles didn’t repent. And Judah suffered affliction many more times. The fulfilment of these words has therefore been reapplied and rescheduled to the last days, when indeed Judah will never be afflicted again. "Affliction" is the word used of Jacob’s final and never to be repeated time of trouble in the last days (<a href='B:10 35:3'>Gen 35:3</a>; <a href='B:340 12:1'>Dan 12:1</a>). But the word is also used of the affliction caused by the Assyrian invasion of Judah in Hezekiah’s time (<a href='B:290 37:3'>Isa 37:3</a> and often in Isaiah). This could have been the final affliction which was never to be repeated. But Hezekiah let the baton drop, the repentance of the people was but symbolic, and they lost the kingdom vision. And so these words can only have their total fulfilment in the last days.</p>


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<p>For while they are entangled in thorns- The idea may be that they would be burnt like thorns, the curse of sin (<a href='B:100 23:6-7'>2Sa 23:6-7</a>).</p><p>And intoxicated with their drink, they will be consumed utterly like dry stubble- "Their drunken revelries are perhaps alluded to, during which the foe (according to Diodorus Siculus, 2) broke into their city, and Sardanapalus burned his palace; though the main and ultimate destruction of Nineveh referred to by Nahum was long subsequent to that under Sardanapalus". The LXX offers: "Because to its foundation it shall be dried up", alluding to the way Nineveh was captured as explained on :8.</p>


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<p>There is one gone forth out of you, who devises evil against Yahweh, who counsels wickedness- This seems very relevant to the wicked devices of Sennacherib and Rabshakeh against Yahweh, counselling the Jerusalem Jews to accept the Assyrian offer of a kingdom like that promised by Yahweh, each man sitting under his own fig tree. Their campaign was specifically "against Yahweh" in that they compared Him with the other deities whose supposed power they had overcome; hence "What do you imagine against the Lord?" (<a href='B:120 19:22-23'>2Ki 19:22-23</a>). The latter day fulfilment will be in Gog, the leader of latter day Assyria, whose invasion of the land is described in the same language as that of Assyria. He too will "devise evil" against God’s people; the very same Hebrew phrase is translated "think an evil thought" in <a href='B:330 38:10'>Eze 38:10</a>. And yet the same phrase is several times used of how God devises evil against Israel’s enemies as well as against His people (<a href='B:300 18:11'>Jer 18:11</a>; <a href='B:300 26:3'>Jer 26:3</a>). The devising of evil by Assyria was in a sense God’s devising of evil; He works out His purpose through the thoughts and intents of human hearts. His activity on human hearts is thus intertwined with the thoughts which human beings themselves have; confirming them but never forcing them to act as robots programmed by Him against their will.</p>


text:
<p>Thus says Yahweh: Though they be in full strength- Heb. ’at peace’. These words can apply to both Assyria and Judah in their self confidence. Assyria invaded Judah at the pinnacle of their power and confidence.</p><p>And likewise many- We recall Hezekiah’s words to the people as the Assyrians approached in <a href='B:140 32:7'>2Ch 32:7</a>: "Be not afraid... for all the multitude that is with him".</p><p>Even so they will be cut down- Heb. ’shaved’, as Assyria did to God’s people (<a href='B:290 7:20'>Isa 7:20</a>), so it was to be done to them; see on :3.</p><p>And he shall pass away- "They shall be cut down, when He (Yahweh) shall pass through," destroying by one Angelic stroke the Assyrian host, just as the Angel had passed through Egypt and done likewise.</p><p>Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more- Elsewhere spoken to Judah if they were repentant (<a href='B:290 40:1-2'>Isa 40:1-2</a>; <a href='B:290 52:1-2'>Isa 52:1-2</a>). It’s difficult to tell whether Assyria or Judah are being addressed; the point being that both were threatened with the same Divine judgment, and both could have repented and averted it. Nineveh had earlier done this at Jonah’s time, and the implication of all these details of judgment is that they could do so again.</p>


text:
<p>Now will I break his yoke from off you, and will burst your bonds apart- Surely a reference to the Assyrian’s yoke upon Judah (<a href='B:120 18:14'>2Ki 18:14</a>; <a href='B:290 10:27'>Isa 10:27</a>). The implication of "Now..." is that Nahum may have been contemporary with the Sennacherib invasion of Judah at Hezekiah’s time, having himself been one of those taken captive to Assyria from the ten tribes some years before. Some kind of Messianic kingdom could have been established then, but Hezekiah didn’t follow through on his potential, and the exiles didn’t repent. The intended scenario was that Nineveh would be destroyed and the exiles return in repentance; but that didn’t quite happen as it potentially could have done, although the prophetic word will ultimately come true in the last days.</p>


text:
<p>Yahweh has commanded concerning you: No more descendants will bear your name- The idea is that his&nbsp; dynasty would become extinct, which is what happened when Sennacherib was slain by his sons at Hezekiah’s time, and they fled away from Assyria (<a href='B:290 37:38'>Isa 37:38</a>).</p><p>Out of the house of your gods will I cut off the engraved image and the molten image- The Medes are recorded as delighting in destroying the idols of Nineveh. As the Assyrians had "cut off" the idols of other nations, so theirs were treated (<a href='B:120 19:18'>2Ki 19:18</a>). An engraving at Khorsabad shows a man cutting an idol to pieces. The Assyrian palaces of the kings were thought to be sacred, and thus the king’s house was also the house of their gods; Layard mentions this repeatedly. "Cut off" is then used about the Assyrians’ fate (:15). Those who worship idols are like unto them. The idols were to be cut off when the Assyrians were cut off; they were one and the same. And that is true for all forms of idolatry and idolators today. See on <a href='B:410 2:6'>Nah 2:6</a>.</p><p>I will make your grave- The Hebrew implies "’I will make it ["the house of your gods", Nisroch] your grave". And this truly happened: "As he (Sennacherib) was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god... Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword" (<a href='B:290 37:38'>Isa 37:38</a>).</p><p>For you are vile- The word is also translated "light"; as if weighed in the balances and found wanting (<a href='B:340 5:27'>Dan 5:27</a>).</p>


text:
<p>Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace!- The picture is of a herald speeding towards Judah with good news. It could be that Nahum had himself in mind, in that I suggested on :1 that his prophecy of Assyria’s destruction was given to him in Assyria, but the scroll or message was sent back to Judah. The good news was the destruction of the seemingly invincible Assyrians, and by implication, the re-establishment of God’s Kingdom in Israel under a Messianic figure. These words are quoted in <a href='B:520 10:15'>Rom 10:15</a> about the Lord Jesus. A Messiah figure, the prophetic word made flesh, could then have come to Judah. But the exiles didn’t repent and Hezekiah turned away from the things of God’s Kingdom. And so the prophecy was reapplied and rescheduled to the Lord Jesus as Messiah.</p><p>Keep your feasts, Judah! Perform your vows, for the wicked one will no more pass through you. He is utterly cut off- This could be an appeal to Judah to return to relationship with God because of the great spiritual potentials which would be enabled by the destruction of the Assyrians. Or the reference may simply be to the way that now Judah [which had been mostly occupied by the Assyrian army] could now keep the feasts again because they had free access to the Jerusalem temple. "Pass through you" is the very term used of the Assyrian invasion in Hezekiah’s time (<a href='B:290 8:8'>Isa 8:8</a>; <a href='B:290 26:20'>Isa 26:20</a>; <a href='B:290 28:15'>Isa 28:15</a>; <a href='B:290 28:18-19'>Isa 28:18-19</a>). "Cut off" is the terms used for the destruction of the Assyrians at that time (<a href='B:290 11:13'>Isa 11:13</a>; But although the Assyrian army was destroyed in Hezekiah’s time, it was not true that the wicked would never again pass through Judah. This prophecy therefore has its final fulfilment in the last days. Nineveh did not fall when the Assyrian army was destroyed at Jerusalem; and yet that is the implication of Nahum. Hezekiah instead wanted to consort with the Babylonians and there was no repentance amongst the exiles; and so the prophecy must be fulfilled in the last days.</p><p>These words are similar to <a href='B:290 52:7'>Isa 52:7</a>, referring to a similar deliverance from Babylon. The exiles in Assyria didn’t want to return, and yet the appeal is made some years later to those in Babylon. And again, the same potential was possible- the re-establishment of God’s Kingdom on earth in the form of Israel. But all these potentials came to nothing, and so the words are quoted in <a href='B:520 10:15'>Rom 10:15</a> with a subtle change of pronoun: “How beautiful are the feet of him that preaches the Gospel” becomes “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach”. We are the Lord Jesus to this world, because we are brethren in Him. The theme of Romans is the Gospel, and in this context Paul makes the point that because both Jew and Gentile are saved by the Gospel, therefore we should preach to both Jew and Gentile (<a href='B:520 10:9-18'>Rom 10:9-18</a>). In this context, Paul quotes from <a href='B:290 52:7'>Isa 52:7</a> and <a href='B:410 1:15'>Nah 1:15</a>, both concerning preaching to Israel: "How shall they hear without a preacher? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them (cp. ’he’ in the originals- our preaching is a manifestation of the Lord) that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings". The Nahum passage is in the context of preaching to Israel the good news of their ultimate freedom from the Assyrian invasion which was then imminent. We are in a strikingly parallel situation in these last days. <a href='B:520 10:16'>Rom 10:16</a> then goes on to quote <a href='B:290 53:1'>Isa 53:1</a>, which again refers to the preaching of the Gospel to Israel, and applies it to our preaching.</p>


text:
<p>He who dashes in pieces has come up against you. Keep the fortress! Watch the way! Strengthen your muscles! Fortify your power mightily!- The prophets continually decry all human strength, and so this is said not so much in sarcasm, but because God wants Nineveh to trust in its strength so that it would in due course repent upon seeing how worthless is any human strength. See on <a href='B:410 3:14'>Nah 3:14</a>.</p><p>But we could read this as following on from <a href='B:410 1:15'>Nah 1:15</a>, where a messenger comes to Judah with Nahum’s message that Assyria is to be destroyed. If indeed this was at the time of the Assyrian encirclement of Jerusalem, then <a href='B:410 2:1'>Nah 2:1</a> may be addressed to Zion, encouraging them to keep and not surrender the fortress of Zion, and to strengthen themselves in God.</p>


text:
<p>For Yahweh restores the pride of Jacob, as the pride of Israel; for the destroyers have destroyed them, and ruined their vine branches- Clearly the destruction of Nineveh was intended to coincide with the restoration of Jacob, and the shooting forth of his vine branches with fruit upon them. This didn’t happen as it could have done in Nahum’s time. Jacob didn’t bring forth fruit, and his glory was not restored. The restoration of God’s Kingdom in Israel was deferred and rescheduled to the last days, when the latter day Assyrian will be destroyed and the repentant Jewish remnant bring forth spiritual fruit. The pride or excellency of Jacob refers to the land promised to Jacob and the patriarchs (s:w. <a href='B:230 47:4'>Psa 47:4</a>; <a href='B:370 6:8'>Amo 6:8</a>).</p>


text:
<p>The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are dressed in scarlet, the chariots flash with steel in the day of his preparation, and the pine spears are brandished- The Assyrians were noted for their red shields and scarlet military uniforms. Now, that red colour was to be due to their own blood.</p><p>The destruction of Nineveh by chariots with flaming fire (2:3-5) suggests that the Medes were but representatives of the Cherubim chariots with Angels made as a flame of fire (<a href='B:230 104:4'>Psa 104:4</a>); thus the "worthies" of 2:5 are the Angels, and the work controlled overall by the "Lord of Hosts" (<a href='B:410 3:5'>Nah 3:5</a>)- of Angels. There are several other examples of human armies being described in Angelic language. Our worst enemies are under Angelic control. The Angel who destroyed the Assyrians outside the walls of Jerusalem in Hezekiah’s time was to then go to Nineveh and destroy their capital city. But as noted above, this didn’t fully happen as intended because the people of God didn’t bring forth spiritual fruit (see on :2).</p>


text:
<p>The chariots rage in the streets, they rush back and forth in the broad highways. Their appearance is like torches, they run like lightning- As noted on :3, this is the language of the Angel cherubim; we note the similarity of language with the cherubim visions of Ezekiel ("appearance", "like torches", ’running’, "like lightning"). The Angel who destroyed the Assyrians outside the walls of Jerusalem in Hezekiah’s time was to then go to Nineveh and destroy their capital city. But as noted above, this didn’t fully happen as intended because the people of God didn’t bring forth spiritual fruit (see on :2).</p>


text:
<p>He summons his picked troops. They stumble on their way. They dash to protect its wall, and the protective shield is put in place- Missile shields and other such defensive technology is what the nations trust in today as well. Again the message is that the highest human might and technology, the "picked troops", are unable to defend against God’s judgment. These troops did not stumble on their way when they were sent against Judah by God (s:w. <a href='B:290 5:27'>Isa 5:27</a>), but now they would stumble. The lesson is that God elevates and brings down, and the greatest of men in secular terms are only given their power and glory for a time, to achieve God’s wider plan. See on <a href='B:410 3:13'>Nah 3:13</a>.</p>


text:
<p>The gates of the rivers are opened- Various commentators give historical accounts of the fall of Nineveh to the Medes which involve the river being used to overthrow the city, as happened with Babylon. The simple point is that their defences were seemingly unbreachable, but they were breached very easily. And this is a lesson for all who trust in human defences and insurances.</p><p>And the palace is dissolved- Some claim that the king of Nineveh burnt the palace over himself. Seeing the palace was also the house of his gods (see on <a href='B:410 1:14'>Nah 1:14</a>), this was a significant recognition that his entire religious and spiritual life had been a failure. He died with his gods, becoming like that which he worshipped.</p>


text:
<p>It is decreed: she is uncovered, she is carried away; and her handmaids moan as with the voice of doves, beating on their breasts- The reference may be to the queen of Nineveh (AV "Huzzab"), after her husband had committed suicide in the invasion (see on :6). They were the lion and lioness in the den of :11. But this woman clearly stands as symbolic of the city, which is presented as a prostitute in <a href='B:410 3:4'>Nah 3:4</a>. The woman who once lived in solitary confinement with her maids was now stripped naked and led away with her maids bemoaning her.</p>


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<p>Like water from a burst dam the people rush away from Nineveh. Stop! Stop! they cry, but no one looks back- This recalls Mosul, modern Nineveh, under siege in 2017 and the jihadists trying to stop the inhabitants fleeing. The flight of "waters" from Nineveh may suggests these were people from the various nations who had been exiled there; for waters often represent Gentile peoples in the Bible. This verse may be the equivalent of the call for God’s people to flee out of Babylon, and like Lot fleeing Sodom, not to look back. Again, the Divine intention was that His exiled people repent and return to the land, now that Assyria was suddenly destroyed. But this didn’t quite happen; because they didn’t repent, just as it didn’t quite happen as potentially possible when Babylon fell. The final fulfilment must be in the last days. See on <a href='B:410 3:7'>Nah 3:7</a>:par</p>


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<p>Take the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold, for there is no end of the booty- This again, as suggested on :8, may be a call not simply to the Medes to pillage Nineveh, but to God’s people to treat her as Egypt. They were to take her gold and jewels as Israel had done from Egypt on Passover night, and make their way back to the promised land. Nahum 1 is full of language allusive to the Red Sea and the work of God at the fall of Egypt. As Egypt’s chariots were destroyed there, so were Nineveh’s to be (:13). They were to grasp the parallels and leave, taking with them the spoil of Egypt.</p><p>The glory of all goodly jewels- AV "the glory [of] the pleasant furniture", perhaps a reference to artifacts of Yahweh worship carried away from Judah.</p>


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<p>She is empty, void, and waste. The heart melts, the knees knock together, their bodies and faces have grown pale- The allusion is to how Assyria had emptied and spoiled (:9) the land of Judah (s:w. <a href='B:290 24:3'>Isa 24:3</a>). Faces turned pale, melting hearts and knocking knees is the very language used of what Assyria did to Judah. What Assyria had done to Judah was now being done to her. We see this in the structure of Revelation; the seals of judgment upon Israel are related to the bowls of wrath upon those who judge them.</p>


text:
<p>Where is the den of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked, the lion’s cubs, and no one made them afraid?- Lions were the iconic symbol of Assyria, and Nineveh was their den. The reference to lion and lioness may refer to the king and queen of Nineveh, mentioned in :7. "Where is..." Nineveh would suggest that it was to no longer exist. But it did, and still does in the form of Mosul. This may be an example of where Nahum’s prophecy didn’t have exact fulfilment; but it will have in the total destruction of the latter day Assyrian. See on <a href='B:410 1:8'>Nah 1:8</a>.</p>


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<p>The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his caves with the kill, and his dens with prey- The exiles such as Nahum had been taken to Nineveh; "dens" is how their exile is described (<a href='B:290 42:22'>Isa 42:22</a> s:w:). The "prey" was the spoil taken from places like Judah (<a href='B:290 17:14'>Isa 17:14</a>; <a href='B:290 24:3'>Isa 24:3</a>). But it was a restored Judah who were to be the lion who took prey (<a href='B:10 49:9'>Gen 49:9</a> s:w:). Just as Assyria claimed that their kingdom was as the Kingdom of God (<a href='B:290 36:16'>Isa 36:16</a> cp. <a href='B:400 4:4'>Mic 4:4</a>), so they acted as the lion of Judah. They were an anti-Kingdom of God and their king as an anti-Christ, a pseudo Messiah.</p>


text:
<p>Behold, I am against you, says Yahweh of Armies, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions; and I will cut off your prey from the earth- The destruction of her chariots is another connection with the destruction of the Egyptians; see on :9. Burning chariots was what a faithful Israel were to do to their enemies (<a href='B:60 11:6'>Jos 11:6</a>); again the implication was that Nineveh’s destruction was to coincide with the repentance of Israel.</p><p>And the voice of your envoys will no longer be heard- This is surely a specific reference to the loud voice of Rabshakeh, the envoy of Sennacherib, outside the walls of Jerusalem in Hezekiah’s time. The word for "envoys", malak, is perhaps used about him in <a href='B:290 30:4'>Isa 30:4</a>, and certainly in <a href='B:290 37:9'>Isa 37:9</a>; <a href='B:290 37:14'>Isa 37:14</a>. But <a href='B:290 37:36'>Isa 37:36</a> then says that Yahweh’s malak, His Angel / envoy, went out and slew the Assyrian army. Again we see the potential for the fulfilment of the prophecy at Hezekiah’s time; but there was only a partial fulfilment because Judah did not repent as required, the repentant exiles didn’t return, and so the major fulfilment has been delayed until the last days.</p>


text:
<p>Woe to the city of blood! It is all full of lies and robbery- no end to the prey!- This language is repeatedly used about Jerusalem (<a href='B:300 26:15'>Jer 26:15</a>; <a href='B:330 7:23'>Eze 7:23</a>; <a href='B:330 9:9'>Eze 9:9</a>; <a href='B:330 22:2-3'>Eze 22:2-3</a>; <a href='B:330 24:6'>Eze 24:6</a>; <a href='B:330 24:9'>Eze 24:9</a>). Nineveh’s destruction for shedding blood, lying and stealing was to serve as a warning to Jerusalem. They were no better than their Gentile enemies. Situations we encounter in our lives are in order to help us see what will happen to us unless we too repent and change. See on :4.</p>


text:
<p>The noise of the whip, the noise of the rattling of wheels, prancing horses, and bounding chariots- The reality of the Medes destroying Nineveh is portrayed here in great and vivid detail. The very noise of the horse whips is mentioned, and the rattling of the chariot wheels on cobblestones. The focus upon these minor details, just as in movies today, was to highlight the reality. But all this could have been avoided had Nineveh repented, as they did in Jonah’s time.</p>


text:
<p>The horseman mounting, and the flashing sword, the glittering spear, and a multitude of slain, and a great heap of corpses, and there is no end of the bodies. They stumble on their bodies- Often, Angels are described in terms of the men, empires or armies they control- the frequent descriptions of human armies in language which refers to Angels too provides proof of this (e. g. <a href='B:290 66:15'>Isa 66:15</a>; <a href='B:330 26:7'>Eze 26:7</a>; <a href='B:330 26:10'>Eze 26:10</a>; <a href='B:360 2:5'>Joe 2:5</a>; <a href='B:410 2:3-4'>Nah 2:3-4</a>; <a href='B:410 2:13'>Nah 2:13</a>). <a href='B:410 3:3'>Nah 3:3</a> speaks of how the Assyrians will come with the noise of wheels, as pransing horses, jumping chariots, and “the flashing sword”. This is all cherubim-Angel language (<a href='B:10 3:24'>Gen 3:24</a>). The Angels behind those nations and armies were manifested through them, and this there is the use of such similar language. In the same way, the description of the beasts are relevant to the nations they represent, and also to the Angels which control them. <a href='B:730 9:11'>Rev 9:11</a> provides another example. I have suggested that Nahum wrote at the time of Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah in the reign of Hezekiah. That invasion was destroyed by just one Angel, and the idea is that the entire Angel cherubim would move on from there to destroy Nineveh itself. This didn’t completely happen as planned, because the repentance of God’s people was required. But there was indeed a partial fulfilment, looking forward to that of the last days.</p>


text:
<p>Because of the multitude of the prostitution of the alluring prostitute, the mistress of witchcraft, who sells nations through her prostitution, and families through her witchcraft- As explained on <a href='B:410 2:7'>Nah 2:7</a>, Nineveh was personified as her queen, Huzzab. Assyria appeared externally attractive to nations like Judah, offering them a fake kingdom of God if they gave in to her (<a href='B:290 36:16'>Isa 36:16</a> cp. <a href='B:400 4:4'>Mic 4:4</a>). But again, as noted on :1, Jerusalem was also likened to a prostitute, as was Babylon. Jerusalem was to learn that she was no better than Nineveh, and to be warned by Nineveh’s destruction; realizing that at the time of Sennacherib’s invasion, she had been saved by grace alone at the very last moment.</p>


text:
<p>Behold, I am against you, says Yahweh of Armies, and I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame- This is again similar language to the judgment threatened upon God’s people (<a href='B:300 13:26'>Jer 13:26</a>). See on :4. The nakedness of the queen of Nineveh as she was led into captivity (see on <a href='B:400 2:7'>Mic 2:7</a>) was to represent the exposing of Nineveh and the Assyrians. The plural "kingdoms" may refer to the combined forces of the Medes and Babylonians. Once inside Nineveh, the shame of her behaviour was revealed to all.</p>


text:
<p>I will throw abominable filth on you, and make you vile, and will set you a spectacle- The punishment for a prostitute. Assyria would be revealed for who she really was. "Abominable filth" is a term always (27 times) elsewhere used of idols (<a href='B:50 29:17'>Deu 29:17</a> etc:). She was to be treated as an idol, because those who make idols are like unto them (<a href='B:230 115:8'>Psa 115:8</a>). All the idols of our world shall come to an eternal end, often a tragic end; and so shall we, if we worship them and trust in them.</p>


text:
<p>It will happen that all those who look at you will flee from you, and say, ‘Nineveh is laid waste! Who will mourn for her?’ Where will I seek comforters for you?- To die with no mourners was the worst death for a Middle Eastern person of those times. As noted on <a href='B:410 2:8'>Nah 2:8</a>, we may be intended to understand here a call to flee from Nineveh; for ultimately, everyone would flee from her. Again, the Divine intention was that His exiled people repent and return to the land, now that Assyria was suddenly destroyed. But this didn’t quite happen; because they didn’t repent, just as it didn’t quite happen as potentially possible when Babylon fell. The final fulfilment must be in the last days.</p>


text:
<p>Are you better than No-Amon, who was situated among the rivers, who had the waters around her; whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was of the sea?- The allusion is to the previous dramatic victory of Sargon over No-Amon in Egypt; "the sea" would refer to the Nile. This city, like Nineveh, trusted in rivers and moats for her defence. But the Assyrians overcame this, and Nineveh’s similar defences would likewise be destroyed. What Nineveh / Assyria had done to others would be done to them. They too were not invincible.</p>


text:
<p>Cush and Egypt were her infinite strength. Put and Libya were her helpers- "Infinite strength" is of course only from a human perspective. We have here another example of how God understands how humans see things, and uses their language in appealing to them; the usage of "demon" language in the New Testament is another example. Assyria had conquered No-Amon, even though that city was confident that Egypt and other nations were "her infinite strength". Judah too was trusting in Egypt at the time of Hezekiah, when Nahum was prophesying. Again, Judah was to learn from the destruction of others who vainly hoped in Egypt. The only source of "infinite strength" is God; they treated human strength, Egypt, as God. "Helpers" is ezrah, and ’Hezekiah’ is a compound of this word- ’Yah is my helper’. Nahum’s words were an encouragement of Judah to trust in Yahweh’s help alone, as all human help had been already demonstrated to be worth nothing.</p>


text:
<p>Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity. Her young children also were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets, and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her senior leaders were bound in chains- This language is all used about what was to come upon Israel and Judah (<a href='B:290 51:20'>Isa 51:20</a>). As Assyria had done to them, so they would do to God’s people, unless they stopped trusting in Egypt. The simple principle is that what we do to others is done to us; not just because God likes poetic justice for the sake of it, but in order to help us realize how they felt, and thereby to come to repentance before God and unity and empathy with those we have sinned against.</p>


text:
<p>You also will be drunken. You will go into hiding. You also will seek a stronghold because of the enemy- The fortified palaces of the king of Nineveh were also the houses of his gods; and they provided no refuge when Nineveh was taken. It was a sad end- realizing that the entire spiritual narrative of their lives had been false. They would seek a place of refuge and hiding and not find it; their own teaching / narrative / worldview which they had given to others would itself make them drunk, unable to cope with the reality that they were being condemned and all their belief systems were unable to save them. This is the tragic picture of the condemned.</p>


text:
<p>All your fortresses will be like fig trees with the first-ripe figs: if they are shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater- Again, all human strength will be revealed as very fragile- a lesson for us all for all time. But first ripe figs is the image used to portray spiritual fruit upon God’s people (<a href='B:300 24:2'>Jer 24:2</a>; <a href='B:350 9:10'>Hos 9:10</a>). Once again, there is the idea that the destruction of Nineveh would coincide with spiritual fruit upon God’s people. This didn’t exactly happen, and although Nineveh was indeed destroyed, the intended potentially possible scenario didn’t happen; but it will, in the destruction of the latter day Assyrian and true repentance of Israel.</p>


text:
<p>Behold, your troops in your midst are like women. The gates of your land are set wide open to your enemies. The fire has devoured your bars- Elite soldiers and strong gates were the apparently invincible defences of Nineveh; again the message is that the highest human might and technology, the "picked troops" of <a href='B:400 2:5'>Mic 2:5</a>, are unable to defend against God’s judgment. We need to learn the lesson: all that seems a solid, invincible guarantee of our future will not save us. Only God in His Son, Yahoshua-Jesus, can save.</p>


text:
<p>Draw water for the siege. Strengthen your fortresses- The prophets continually decry all human strength, and so this is said not so much in sarcasm, but because God wants Nineveh to trust in its strength so that it would in due course repent upon seeing how worthless is any human strength. See on <a href='B:410 2:1'>Nah 2:1</a>.</p><p>Go into the clay, and tread the mortar. Make the brick kiln strong- To produce bricks to repair the breaches made in their apparently invincible defences.</p>


text:
<p>There the fire will devour you- The fire of their brick kilns, making bricks to repair the breaches in their walls, would devour them. When the Medes took Nineveh, their king apparently burnt his palace over himself. He was devoured by the fire of his own trust in human strength.</p><p>The sword will cut you off. It will devour you like the grasshopper. You have multiplied like grasshoppers, bred like the locust- There had been a population explosion in Nineveh, and some historians include overpopulation as a reason for Assyria’s decline. But numbers of human strength would not save them.</p>


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<p>You have increased your merchants more than the stars of the skies- It was the seed of Abraham who ultimately were to be more numerous that the stars of the skies. It was specifically Assyria’s actions against that seed which made them so accountable to judgment.</p><p>The grasshopper strips, and flees away- The language of Joel 1 concerning the waves of Assyrian incursions into Judah. What they had done to Judah was to be done to them. As noted on :10, this was not just because God likes poetic justice for the sake of it, but in order to help them realize how they felt, and thereby to come to repentance before God and unity and empathy with those they had sinned against.</p>


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<p>Your guards are like the locusts, and your officials like the swarms of locusts, which settle on the walls on a cold day, but when the sun appears, they flee away, and their place is not known where they are- The distinctly Assyrian word taphsar used here is one of many reasons to think that Nahum lived in Assyria and prophesied from there; see on <a href='B:410 1:1'>Nah 1:1</a>. The "guards" would have been from subjugated peoples, who would flee Nineveh. As noted on :8 and <a href='B:410 2:8'>Nah 2:8</a>, we may be intended to understand here a call to flee from Nineveh; for ultimately, everyone would flee from her. Again, the Divine intention was that His exiled people repent and return to the land, now that Assyria was suddenly destroyed. But this didn’t quite happen; because they didn’t repent, just as it didn’t quite happen as potentially possible when Babylon fell. The final fulfilment must be in the last days.</p>


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<p>Your shepherds slumber, king of Assyria. Your nobles lie down, your people are scattered on the mountains, and there is no one to gather them- Again, this is the language of Ezekiel 34 about the exiles of God’s people, scattered on the mountains without a shepherd. Assyria was to experience what God’s people such as Nahum had experienced. But as suggested on :17, this was not merely poetic justice; there was the inbuilt intention that as in Jonah’s time, Nineveh might yet repent.</p>


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<p>There is no healing for your wound, for your injury is fatal. All who hear the report of you clap their hands over you; for whohasn’t felt your endless cruelty?- The suggestion may be that this time, unlike in Jonah’s time, Nineveh would not repent. There therefore would be no healing. Those who heard the report or news would rejoice; and I suggested on <a href='B:410 1:1'>Nah 1:1</a> that Nahum’s prophecy was first given in Nineveh but was published also in Judah. There was to be joy in Judah on hearing this news; the endless cruelty was to end. "Endless" was how it felt; but it would end. This is another example of God’s ability to use human language, even of it is technically incorrect (as in the language of demon possession in the Gospels). He knows how we feel and perceive things, and wishes to reach out to us in those feelings.</p>


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<p>The oracle which Habakkuk the prophet saw- According to :5,6, the Babylonians would be raised up and would invade Judah in the lifetime of Habakkuk’s audience. This would suggest that Habakkuk lived some time before the first Babylonian invasions of Judah, perhaps in the time of Manasseh or Jehoiakim.</p>


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<p>Yahweh, how long will I cry, and You will not hear? I cry out to you Violence!- The impression we get is of Habakkuk constantly pointing things out to God- as if He were unaware! Jehoiakim’s reign (see on :1) was full of such violence (<a href='B:300 22:3'>Jer 22:3</a>; <a href='B:300 22:3-17'>Jer 22:3-17</a>). Habakkuk may be complaining about the violence threatened at the hands of the Babylonians. But he may be complaining that he has cried out to God about all the violence ongoing within Judah, and yet there has been no Divine intervention in the form of the sending of a Divine Saviour, Yah’s salvation.</p><p>And will You not save?- This is the Hebrew idea of ‘Jesus’. By the end of the book, Habakkuk is rejoicing in the God of his “salvation” (<a href='B:420 3:18'>Hab 3:18</a>)- the same word. We see therefore in this intriguing dialogue how a man begins with many questions about the justice of God, both in His actions within the community of believers and in the Gentile world… and how through the humbling struggle with God over these issues, he comes to realize that God is indeed his very own saviour God, even though there is no fruit on the vines, the promised blessings of the covenant aren’t realized in his life; yet for sure, God shall be His salvation ultimately in the Kingdom. And in a related way, we could say that through this path of struggle with injustice, Habakkuk finally comes to ‘Jesus’, to realizing that God does in fact save.</p>


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<p>Why do You show me iniquity, and look at perversity?- Habakkuk uses the same words to complain of what the Babylonians do (:13). The idea seems to be that he finds it unjust that sinful people are punished by equally sinful people. The injustices within Israel which Habakkuk complains of are those of the reign of Jehoiakim, who was punished by the predicted Babylonian invasion (<a href='B:300 22:3'>Jer 22:3</a>; <a href='B:300 22:13-17'>Jer 22:13-17</a>). Habakkuk was therefore contemporary with Jeremiah, and his struggle with God is similar to the way Jeremiah reasons (e.g. <a href='B:300 12:1'>Jer 12:1</a>; <a href='B:300 20:8'>Jer 20:8</a>).</p><p>The complaint that God sees iniquity and perversity in Israel is perhaps an allusion to the way that God earlier did not behold these things in Israel (<a href='B:40 23:21'>Num 23:21</a>). Habakkuk was doing what many try to do- proving God wrong from His own book, accusing Him of moral inconsistency etc. Yet the prophets contemporary with Habakkuk had repeatedly and clearly explained that judgment was to come on Judah at the hand of the Babylonians- for very good reason. And Habakkuk, despite surely being aware of that, seeks to wriggle out of it by complaining that the Babylonians were no better, and just asking God to ‘sort it out’ somehow in a way that meant Judah would not be destroyed.</p><p>God’s oscillations of feelings, the sharp opposition between judgment and mercy, were felt equally by the prophets, who were breathing in God’s spirit. Consider all the oppositions and paradoxes which there were in the prophetic experience:</p><p>-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Speaking for God against Israel, when they themselves were members ofIsrael</p><p>-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Appearing to be on the side of their own peoples’ enemies</p><p>-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Holding an understanding of Israel’s God that was contradictory to Israel’s own understanding of their God</p><p>-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Understanding why judgment should come, and yet like Habakkuk crying out with the question “Why?” (<a href='B:420 1:2-4'>Hab 1:2-4</a>). After twice approaching God with this question, and each time being given fresh insights into the awful nature of the judgment to come as a response, Habakkuk ends up with a trembling body and lips that ‘quivered at the sound’… and yet, at the very same time, feels that he still “will rejoice in the Lord” (<a href='B:420 3:16'>Hab 3:16</a>; <a href='B:420 3:18'>Hab 3:18</a>). What a torn man he was.</p><p>For destruction and violence are before me. There is strife, and contention rises up- He was mentally exhausted at all the insights he had been given into the perversity of God’s people, and yet also exhausted at the breadth of evil and destruction which he was being shown as the judgment for it.</p>


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<p>Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth; for the wicked surround the righteous, therefore justice is perverted- The reference to "the law" suggests Habakkuk is complaining at the wickedness he was beholding within God’s people. Because the wicked within Judah surrounded the righteous, therefore Judah was to be surrounded by the wicked Babylonians. All Divine judgments are really reflections of prior human behaviour. Out of all the terrible sins in Habakkuk’s time (probably that of Manasseh, see on :1), typical of the prophets, Habakkuk focuses on lack of justice. The Hebrew terms for "justice" and "righteousness" are the same; to do justice is the essence of righteousness.</p>


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<p>Look among the nations, watch, and wonder marvellously- This is God’s response to Habakkuk’s psychological exhaustion noted above. God is open to dialogue with man. God’s response to that injustice and sin in Judah would be to raise up the Chaldeans. We could infer that at Habakkuk’s time, they were still being prepared; hence he is bidden look and watch "among the nations", for out of them, the Chaldeans / Babylonians would be raised up (:6). Whatever historico-social reasons there were for the Babylonians coming to dominance, they were controlled by God’s hand in human history. He specifically developed that group of people to be the judges of His sinful people.</p><p>For I am working a work in your days, which you will not believe though it is told you- These words are quoted in the New Testament about Israel’s disbelief in the Lord’s resurrection or ‘raising up’. Yet that isn’t the context here- rather is it of the raising up of the Babylonians as judges of God’s people. Words are sometimes quoted without attention to context; and that is hard for Western minds to accept, obsessed as they are with seeing logical connections in context, so called ‘intertextuality’. Context is not therefore ‘king’, the main key to correct interpretation, as is claimed by many who set out to explain ‘How to interpret the Bible’.</p><p>Paul appropriates the words ofHab 1:5 LXX to his work of preaching: “I work a work in your days, which ye will in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you”. And so when we read of the men Barnabas and Saul being sent out on the work of the first missionary journey, we are to see an allusion back to <a href='B:420 1:5'>Hab 1:5</a> (<a href='B:510 13:2'>Act 13:2</a>; <a href='B:510 14:26'>Act 14:26</a>). And yet this passage goes on to say that the work would not be believed. Yet hoping against hope, they embarked on the missionary journey. Cyprus didn’t respond, initially- as they had expected. But soon their positive spirit was rewarded, and converts were made, against all odds. The raising up of the Babylonians was as it were grabbed hold of in the New Testament and presented as somehow similar to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, through which God’s sinful people would likewise be judged.</p>


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<p>For, behold, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling places that are not theirs- As explained on :5, the bitterness of the Chaldeans was raised up by God in order to be the ideally appropriate judges of His sinful people. Their whole psychological makeup was controlled by God, developing them to be the tool in His hand to judge Judah. But these words are used of the raising up of the Lord Jesus. Just as the Jews didn’t believe that their sin would be judged by the raising up of the Chaldeans, so they were to later disbelieve in the raising up of God’s Son in resurrection in order to bring judgment upon them.</p>


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<p>They are feared and dreaded- The Hebrew idea is that they elicited dread or fear. And yet the same word is used throughout Deuteronomy of how an obedient Israel would not fear their enemies or invaders.</p><p>Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves- The GNB may be correct in offering "in their pride they are a law to themselves". They were not under Divine law in terms of the Mosaic law; and yet they were still judged for their actions in so far as they were responsible for their actions. This would suggest that the level of knowledge which makes men responsible to God is far lower than some might think; although the question of responsibility leading to resurrection and future judgment is maybe another question.</p>


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<p>Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves- These words are alluded to be Jeremiah when the Chaldeans had indeed arisen as a nation and were about to attack Jerusalem (<a href='B:300 5:6'>Jer 5:6</a>). The many allusions and quotations from Habakkuk made by Jeremiah are a way of saying that Habakkuk’s words had come true. Wolves hunt at night and so in the evening when they begin hunting they are hungry and at their most aggressive. But the same term is used of how Judah’s leadership were the same (<a href='B:430 3:3'>Zep 3:3</a>). Again, Divine judgment is appropriate to the sin. They would be made to feel how others felt when they had abused them.</p><p>Their horsemen press proudly on. Yes, their horsemen come from afar, they fly as an eagle that hastens to devour- This is the promised judgment of <a href='B:50 28:49'>Deu 28:49</a> for an Israel who had broken covenant with their God.</p>


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<p>All of them come for violence- "Violence" alludes to Habakkuk’s complaint that Judah was full of violence (:3). The eretz was full of such violence in Noah’s time, resulting in the flood (<a href='B:10 6:11'>Gen 6:11</a>; <a href='B:10 6:13'>Gen 6:13</a> s:w:). And so the injustice and secret sins of Judah (:4) were counted by God as actual violence (s:w. <a href='B:420 2:8'>Hab 2:8</a>; <a href='B:420 2:17'>Hab 2:17</a>; <a href='B:430 1:9'>Zep 1:9</a>), and were punished by violence. We need to think through the implications of our positions and actions; for just as God counts secret hatred as murder, so Judah’s injustice against their brethren was counted as actual violence.</p><p>Their hordes face the desert- The pack of wolves were about to set off into the desert towards Judah. The implication surely was that Judah just about had time to repent and avert this. An alternative translation is as AV "they shall be as the east wind"; which is how the Babylonian invasion is described in <a href='B:300 18:17'>Jer 18:17</a>; <a href='B:330 17:10'>Eze 17:10</a>; <a href='B:330 19:12'>Eze 19:12</a>, coming in across the desert from the east.</p><p>He gathers prisoners like sand- The seed of Abraham were as the sand; but they would be gathered and taken into captivity.</p>


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<p>Yes, he scoffs at kings, and princes are a derision to him- Judah trusted in their kings, assuming that having Davidic kings reigning on God’s behalf would be enough to save them, whereas the ten tribe kingdom only had usurpers as their kings. But being God’s people and having a leadership sanctioned by Him were not, and are not, enough for salvation. That would not avert Divine judgment.</p><p>He laughs at every stronghold, for he builds up an earthen siege ramp, and takes it- All human strength and military technology is no way to salvation. Whatever human strength we may trust in is as nothing before God’s judgment.</p>


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<p>Then he sweeps by like the wind, and goes on further. He is indeed guilty; his strength is his god- The Babylonians were given the power to judge Judah, but as AV they would "offend, imputing this his power unto his god". There are times when we are indeed used by God; but that is so sign that we are personally acceptable with Him. And we can go beyond that, and assume that the abilities we were given are not from God but rather from our own strength, which we then glory in. Babylon was actually intended to show mercy to the Jews, but their pride in their own strength meant that they didn’t: "I was wroth with My people... and given them into thine hand; thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke. And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever; so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it" (<a href='B:290 47:5-7'>Isa 47:5-7</a>).</p>


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<p>Aren’t You from everlasting, Yahweh my God, my Holy One? We also will not die! Yahweh, you have appointed him for judgment. You, Rock, have established him to punish- Habakkuk responds by arguing that "we", the righteous remnant, ought not to die; for Nebuchadnezzar would do all this evil in the name of "his god" (:11), whereas Habakkuk and the faithful believed in the one true God as "my God". And he struggles with how such an evil nation, attributing their success to their god (:11), could be used by Him. How is this reflective of the holiness of God? Habakkuk develops these complaints in the next verses. But the answer seems to be that Judah had indeed sinned grievously, and so this judgment would really come; but Babylon would themselves not go unpunished for their attitudes and actions. Habakkuk recognized Judah were sinful, and complains of it at the start of this chapter; but he like us didn’t realize how awful sin is, and the judgment which must come if we are not repentant.</p>


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<p>You who have purer eyes than to see evil, and who cannot look on perversity- There can be no sinful beings in heaven, seeing that God is “of purer eyes than to behold evil” (<a href='B:420 1:13'>Hab 1:13</a>). In similar vein, <a href='B:230 5:4-5'>Psa 5:4-5</a> explains: “Neither shall evil dwell with you. The foolish shall not stand” in God’s heavenly dwelling place. The idea of there being rebellion against God in heaven by sinful angels quite contradicts the impression given by these passages. But the allusion may also be to how God had imputed righteousness to Israel and did not look upon their evil (<a href='B:40 23:21'>Num 23:21</a>). This of course looks forward to the basis of our salvation by grace in Christ, as Paul develops in Romans 1-8. But status alone will not save us from judgment; we must live out that status in reality.</p><p>Why do You tolerate those who deal treacherously, and keep silent when the wicked swallows up the man who is more righteous than he- Habakkuk believed God’s threat of judgment at the hands of the Babylonians would happen, but he considers sinful Judah more righteous than the very sinful Babylonians. As noted above, Habakkuk failed to realize the seriousness of sin- any sin. He is the one who has just been complaining at the wickedness of Judah; and God is making him see the real implication of it. Or maybe he has in view the idea that the righteous remnant too would be swallowed up by the threatened invasion, and like Abraham pleading for Sodom, was therefore pleading that the judgment on the majority would therefore not come. See on <a href='B:420 2:4'>Hab 2:4</a>.</p><p>But although the Babylonians would "deal treacherously", so had Israel (s:w. <a href='B:230 78:57'>Psa 78:57</a>), and so specifically had Judah (<a href='B:300 3:8'>Jer 3:8</a>; <a href='B:300 3:20'>Jer 3:20</a>; <a href='B:300 5:11'>Jer 5:11</a> s:w:); and God had ’tolerated’ them for so long. Habakkuk’s objections were stated in hot blood and in a moment of emotion, but thinking them through would lead to the conclusion that the enormity of God’s tolerance to Israel’s sin had not been appreciated by him as it ought to have been. Indeed the idea of being treacherous is an allusion to Jacob, as confirmed in <a href='B:290 48:8'>Isa 48:8</a>. If God had tolerated them so long, there was no basis for his objection that God tolerated and used the Babylonians. "Tolerate" is the same word as "look" in :3. Habakkuk beheld or tolerated sin in Judah; why should not God also use or ’look to’ a sinful nation like Babylon?</p>


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<p>And make men like the fish of the sea, like the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?- Habakkuk objects that the Babylonians would treat men like animals, and the Jews did have a ruler over them- God. But this was how Judah had behaved to each other. They too did not perceive the meaning of persons, and had acted as if they had no ruler over them.</p>


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<p>He takes up all of them with the hook; he catches them in his net, and gathers them in his dragnet. Therefore he rejoices and is glad- The idea is that Babylon would drag off his net of fish to captivity in Babylon, rejoicing over them. "All of them" suggests that the various fish represented the nations of men; and Habakkuk objected to Judah being treated like any other Gentile nation. But the truth was that they had acted like the Gentiles, and even worse. The whole record is teaching the seriousness of sin, and how even a faithful prophet might not perceive that as he ought. See on <a href='B:420 2:5'>Hab 2:5</a>.</p>


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<p>Therefore he sacrifices to his net, and burns incense to his dragnet, because by them his life is luxurious, and his food is good- Habakkuk was irritated by the way that he knew the Babylonians would think their success against Judah was due to their idols (:11) and military strategies. Habakkuk speaks in the present tense as if he saw Nebuchadnezzar before him. But actually he was living at a time when the Babylonians had yet to ’arise’ (:6). Habakkuk believed in the prophetic word and saw it as already fulfilling; just as we are to view the promises of the life eternal as so certain of fulfilment that they are already fulfilled in a sense.</p>


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<p>Will he therefore continually empty his net, and kill the nations without mercy?- <a href='B:290 47:5-7'>Isa 47:5-7</a> criticizes Babylon for not showing mercy to Judah when they were intended to. Habakkuk had seen a prophecy of the Babylonian invasion, and perhaps he saw more than what is here recorded; perhaps he saw Nebuchadnezzar sacrificing to his idols and rejoicing in the luxuries he would take from Judah (:16). But he had not seen any vision of Babylon’s judgment. It appeared to go on "continually".</p>


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<p>I will stand at my watch, and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out- As a watchman goes to an elevated place to watch, so Habakkuk was eagerly looking out for God’s response to his complaints. Perhaps he means that the next time the prophetic word comes to him, he will look carefully for answers. He sensed he would be reproved (:1 AV “What I shall answer when I am reproved”); but he was eagerly looking out for the answer. So often, complaints about the apparent injustice or inactivity of God are posed as questions but those ‘questions’ are effectively statements of discontent [‘Why does God allow suffering??!!’], and judgment upon God. There is no serious looking for an answer. But Habakkuk asks and is confident an answer will come, although he fully expects that answer to rebuke him. The rebuke however doesn’t come. God is not mad with man because we have questions. And He will respond to our sincere questioning of His behaviour, if it is made in the right spirit.</p><p>To know what He will say to me, and what answer I will get concerning my complaint- As noted on chapter 1, Habakkuk’s objections were gut reactions, and the answers are found within the objections. So the answer was really already there. But the original could be translated to the effect: "And what reproof I will receive". Habakkuk senses that God will reprove him, that his complaints are out of step with God’s way. And yet we see here the degree of intimacy possible between God and man.</p>


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<p>Yahweh answered me, Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who reads it may run- "May run" could be an idiom for response to God’s word (as in <a href='B:340 12:4'>Dan 12:4</a>). All prophecy, including Habakkuk, has its final fulfilment in the last days. There are a number of hints that there will be a progressive growth in Biblical understanding amongst the latter day faithful. In the spirit of Daniel, Habakkuk was told that the full understanding of his vision concerning the latter day judgment of Babylon was "yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie", and at that time the one who reads and understands it will "run"- using the same idiom as in <a href='B:340 12:4'>Dan 12:4</a> concerning the latter day believers ’running’ in response to their understanding of God’s word (<a href='B:420 2:2-3'>Hab 2:2-3</a>). The Olivet prophecy repeatedly talks about ’seeing’ or (Gk:) understanding things and then acting upon this knowledge. The English translation somewhat masks this. Thus <a href='B:470 24:15'>Mat 24:15</a> "Whoso readeth" uses a Greek word which really means to recognize, distinguish- and he who recognizes, understands, let him "understand" or, better, meditate. Or again, "When ye shall see (Greek, to know, perceive) the abomination that maketh desolate..." (<a href='B:470 24:15'>Mat 24:15</a>).</p><p>But the literal meaning was that those who believed this prophecy would flee away and thus escape the Babylonian invasion; or flee out of Babylon because it was to fall. But that would only be perceived by those who lived well in the future (:3), because at the time, the Babylonians were yet to arise as a power (<a href='B:420 1:5-6'>Hab 1:5-6</a>).</p>


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<p>For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it speeds toward the end- The time of the establishment of the Kingdom on earth. Similar language is used in Daniel. Habakkuk had asked whether Babylon would continue abusing for ever (<a href='B:420 1:17'>Hab 1:17</a>). Apparently he had not seen any vision of her destruction. But he is comforted that in the future, his concerns of ethics, justice, theology and morality would all be finally resolved in the establishment of God’s Kingdom.</p><p>And won’t prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it; because it will surely come. It won’t delay- Quoted in the NT about the return of Christ (<a href='B:650 10:37'>Heb 10:37</a>). The answer to all Habakkuk’s concerns about injustice will finally be at the Lord’s return; see on :6. We wonder if these assurances were given because Habakkuk was doubting the reality of the visions he had seen. At the time, the Babylonians were yet to arise as a power (<a href='B:420 1:5-6'>Hab 1:5-6</a>). Only at the "end" would the while picture concerning Babylon become clear.</p>


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<p>Behold, his soul is puffed up- The individual in view is either a personification of Babylon, or its king Nebuchadnezzar. The following verses clearly speak of Babylon’s judgment. Typical of the prophetic perspective, Habakkuk sees the reason for his fall as being essentially because of his pride- when so many other issues could have been raised, such as idolatry and the murder of God’s people. This is what makes the prophets so relevant to us; for pride is the weakness which affects us all. And that is at the root of all other sin. "Puffed up" is a term only used elsewhere about the presumption of condemned Israel trying to enter the land when they had been barred from it (<a href='B:40 14:44'>Num 14:44</a>). As so often, a parallel is drawn between the sins of the worst Gentiles and those of Israel, both historically and at the time of the prophet.</p><p>It is not upright in him- Babylon was "puffed up", lifted up in pride; but this was not being lifted up "upright" before God. Pride is the depths, and humility is exaltation. Such is the radical inversion of values in God’s way compared to man’s way.</p><p>But the justified one will live due to his faith- Will live eternally, according to how this verse is interpreted in the New Testament. <a href='B:650 10:38'>Heb 10:38</a> quotes it in this way; andnote that the preceding <a href='B:650 10:37'>Heb 10:37</a> is quoting the preceding verse here, <a href='B:420 2:3'>Hab 2:3</a>. Eternal life will be given at the Lord’s coming on the basis of faith. As noted on 2:6, the real answer to Habakkuk’s questions is that they will all have their resolution in the coming of God’s Kingdom on earth. "The justified one" may immediately refer to Habakkuk and the faithful remnant, about whom Habakkuk had expressed concern in <a href='B:420 1:13'>Hab 1:13</a>. God’s answer was that although they might indeed perish in the Babylonian invasion, they would be justified by their faith in Habakkuk’s prophecies and live eternally. Again we wonder if "his faith" is a hint that Habakkuk and the faithful were struggling to believe the prophecies he was giving.</p><p>Paul’s quotation from <a href='B:420 2:4'>Hab 2:4</a> is in the context of human pride: “Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith”. Paul is interpreting this verse as talking about faith in righteousness being imputed to us, which leads to us being just or justified before God. The practical result of this is humility- for we realize through this process that we have absolutely nothing to be “puffed up” about. Our uprightness isn’t because of our own works but because of God’s righteousness being imputed to us by grace through faith.</p>


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<p>Yes, moreover, wine is treacherous- This may speak of Nebuchadnezzar, or as a personification of Babylon. His treachery was Habakkuk’s complaint in <a href='B:420 1:13'>Hab 1:13</a>. God now uses Habakkuk’s word choice, showing that He indeed knows that Babylon will be treacherous, and their leader will be identified with the wine he drinks, so that as wine is treacherous, so will he be. The Bible often demonstrates that God likes to use our words back to us, just as in building rapport in conversation it is helpful to repeat back to our conversation partner words and phrases which they have used. And God likewise is in dialogue with man.</p><p>Again we note that God’s people had also been "treacherous" (<a href='B:460 2:10-11'>Mal 2:10-11</a>; <a href='B:460 2:14'>Mal 2:14</a>; <a href='B:460 2:16'>Mal 2:16</a> etc:). They would be deceived by the Babylonians, just as they had deceived others in their lives and had been deceitful toward God.</p><p>A proud man who doesn’t stay at home- He would go out from his homeland to conquer others.</p><p>Who enlarges his desire as Sheol, and he is like death, and can’t be satisfied- The way of the flesh is insatiable. Flesh cannot be satisfied. The wealthy man wants another billion, the owner of multiple homes or vehicles wants yet another. And thereby the parallel the grave and death, which likewise are never satisfied. The end of this unsatisfied life is the grave. By contrast, God’s way is presented as satisfying the believer, in this life and eternally (s:w. <a href='B:50 14:29'>Deu 14:29</a> and often). Not being satisfied was one of the curses upon Israel for breaking covenant (<a href='B:30 26:26'>Lev 26:26</a> s:w:). Again we see a parallel between the judgment of the Babylonians and that upon Israel. This was one aspect of God’s answer to Habakkuk’s issues- that Israel were no better than the Babylonians. This was the answer to his objection that Israel were being treated like all the other Gentile fish in the sea of nations (<a href='B:420 1:15'>Hab 1:15</a>).</p><p>But gathers to himself all nations, and heaps to himself all peoples- The idea may be that he gathers "all nations" [around Israel] into confederacy with him, and heaps together people from all the nations as captives. But it was God who would gather all nations to Babylon, so that He might destroy them (<a href='B:290 13:4'>Isa 13:4</a>).</p>


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<p>Won’t all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say- Isaiah likewise predicts a taunt song being sung over Babylon by those she had once abused(Isaiah 14). Those nations who sung it would include Judah- or that was the intention. But when Babylon fell, the Divine intention was that the repentant exiles would flee Babylon and return to Judah, rebuilding and restoring God’s Kingdom there. But they didn’t repent, and instead became prosperous under the Medes and Persians, as the book of Esther witnesses. But finally this will come true in the fall of the latter day Babylon and repentance of the remnant of Judah. The prophecy was therefore rescheduled and reapplied, but will still come true in its essence.</p><p>’Woe to him- Five woes are now pronounced upon Babylon, in that the word “woe” occurs five times, although in fact seven woeful things are mentioned in this chapter. The idea of seven woes coming upon Babylon is of course the message of Revelation, where such woes are presented as having their fulfilment at the time of the Lord’s return. The answer to Habakkuk’s questions about justice not being done is therefore that the Lord shall return, and woes shall be poured out upon the wicked. This is why these woes are interspersed with language appropriate to the Kingdom of God upon earth (:3 and 14 especially). On a far more extended scale, this is the broad approach taken in the book of Revelation too- woes upon Babylon interspersed with brief Kingdom visions.</p><p>Who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion!- The criticism of Babylon is framed in language elsewhere used by the prophets about Judah. This was the answer to Habakkuk’s objection that Israel were being treated like all the other Gentile fish in the sea of nations (<a href='B:420 1:15'>Hab 1:15</a>).</p><p>How long?’- This is the typical cry of the faithful, and this is perhaps Habakkuk’s interjection. For these chapters show him in dialogue with God.</p>


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<p>Won’t your debtors rise up suddenly- Initially fulfilled in the sudden overthrow of Babylon by Cyrus.</p><p>And wake up those who now make you tremble, and you will be their victim?- &nbsp;The GNB offers: "But before you know it, you that have conquered others will be in debt yourselves and be forced to pay interest. Enemies will come and make you tremble. They will plunder you!". I noted on :6 that the intended Divine program for Babylon didn’t exactly come about at this time, although it will in the last days, when the horns of the beast shall hate the whore of Babylon and destroy her (<a href='B:730 17:16'>Rev 17:16</a>).</p>


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<p>Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you, because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all who dwell in it- Babylon’s responsibility before God was for what they had done to "many nations", but in particular to "the land" of Israel and "the city" of Jerusalem. "The remnant of the peoples" is of course intended to suggest the remnant of the exiles, who were to repent and plunder Babylon. But instead, they didn’t repent and the majority preferred to remain there and prosper under the Medes and Persians, as the book of Esther explains. The language here is very much that of <a href='B:290 14:12-14'>Isa 14:12-14</a> about Babylon; and that passage has a clear application to the latter day judgment of Babylon at the Lord’s return. Only then will all the angst about justice be answered.</p>


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<p>Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!- Daniel records how Babylon / Nebuchadnezzar wished his house / family dynasty to be eternal; hence he made an image of gold in defiance of the image of Daniel 2, in which his house was to give way to other dynasties. He believed that "the nest" of Babylon was untouchable by "evil". Even though he had made "evil [s:w:] gain" for himself and his family dynasty ["house"]. "Gets an evil gain" is the same Hebrew word translated "to covet". The word means both to covet and to actually grab gain for oneself, reflecting how in God’s judgment the thought is as the act. The Lord of course developed this idea powerfully in the Sermon on the Mount.</p>


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<p>You have devised shame to your house, by cutting off many peoples, and have sinned against your soul- Instead of making his dynasty ["house"] wealthy and eternal (:9), by trying to do so, Nebuchadnezzar was thereby shaming them to eternal destruction. He cut off many peoples in order to remove all opposition and establish his house or family line. But by doing so, he sinned against himself, destroying himself and his family.</p>


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<p>For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the woodwork will answer it- Buildings were made of two or three courses of stone followed by one of timber. Thiswas how Solomon’s palace was built (<a href='B:110 6:36'>1Ki 6:36</a>). &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sinscommitted in private we tend to accept as irrelevant to us; yet <a href='B:420 2:11-12'>Hab 2:11-12</a> says that “the stone shall cry out of the wall” because of wickedplans hatched within the walls of that room. The innermost plans of Nebuchadnezzar for his dynasty (see on :9,10) were known by God. Rather than focus upon his idolatry and mass murders, the prophetic perspective instead zooms in upon his internal thoughts. For it is inwards thoughts which are of the essence, and which are the source of our actions.</p>


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<p>Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity!- The town in view is surely Babylon. But these words are those of <a href='B:400 3:10'>Mic 3:10</a> about the leaders of Judah: "They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity". Micah is quoting Habakkuk’s words about Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar about Judah. Micah learnt the lesson that this prophecy was trying to teach Habakkuk- that contrary to what he thought (see on <a href='B:420 1:15'>Hab 1:15</a>), Judah were as bad as Babylon. Whilst Habakkuk begins in chapter 1 by bemoaning the sins of his people, he had to learn that it’s not enough to just think ’Well yes we are all sinners’, but lament the apparently far greater sin of the Gentile world. He had to see that God’s people were no better, because sin is serious. Even ’little sins’ performed in secret. And this is the abiding challenge to us as the body of Christ today.</p>


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<p>Behold, isn’t it of Yahweh of Armies that the peoples labour for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?- The GNB again is helpful in interpreting the sense: "The nations you conquered wore themselves out in useless labor, and all they have built goes up in flames. The LORD Almighty has done this". Babylon was to be burnt, and all the sacrifices in building it thereby rendered futile. However, the Divine intention to burn Babylon, the judgment for a whore (<a href='B:300 51:30'>Jer 51:30</a>; <a href='B:300 51:58'>Jer 51:58</a>), didn’t really come true when the Medes conquered Babylon. As noted on :6 and :7, the Divine intention didn’t come totally true at that time, because the Jewish remnant didn’t repent and generally didn’t want to restore God’s Kingdom in Judah. And so the prophecy will come true in the last days, when "Babylon" shall be burnt with fire (<a href='B:730 18:8'>Rev 18:8</a>).</p>


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<p>For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh- That glory is defined in <a href='B:20 34:4-6'>Exo 34:4-6</a> as the characteristics of the Yahweh Name. When Babylon was burnt with fire (:13), then the eretz would be filled with the knowledge of Yahweh. Knowledge is used here in the Hebraic sense, not of academic knowledge, but of relationship with Him, on the basis of who He really is, His glory. But as noted on :6, this didn’t come about when the Medes conquered Babylon. They didn’t destroy it with fire, the Jewish remnant didn’t repent, and the eretz didn’t come into relationship with Yahweh. This shall happen in the last days. See on :20.</p><p>As the waters cover the sea- We surely are to read in an ellipsis here; ‘sea’ must stand for ‘the sea bed’. For the waters are the sea, and do not therefore cover it. The idea would therefore be that the knowledge of God will be both deep and widespread. The contrast is with Habakkuk’s questions against God in chapter 1. Goddoesn’t specifically answer them, apart from to say that He will indeed judge wickedness because He is intensely aware of what goes on in the world. His broader answer is that true knowledge / comprehension of Him, and of His awesome glory, will one day be both deep and universal. And it will involve a realization of His utter glory, rather than trying to shoot holes in His positions by the kind of petty questioning recorded in chapter 1.</p>


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<p>Woe to him who gives his neighbour drink, pouring your inflaming wine until they are drunk, so that you may gaze at their naked bodies!- Latter day Babylon in Revelation is likewise condemned for making her neighbouring nations drunk with her teachings. We note that the focus is upon the Middle East- the neighbours of Babylon and Judah. And supremely in view is the way that Babylon had made Judah drunk with the wine of her idolatry. But as noted on :16, to drink from a cup of wine is also a symbol of Divine judgment. They were drinking judgment to themselves by partaking. And the end result of accepting Babylon’s "wine" was to lay in the naked shame of death, uncovered before all.</p>


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<p>You are filled with shame, and not glory. You will also drink, and be exposed!- Note the present tenses. Babylon had yet to arise (<a href='B:420 1:5-6'>Hab 1:5-6</a>), but the future of Babylon is so certain, according to God’s prophetic word, that what is yet future is spoken of as a present reality. The same is true of promises of the life eternal in John’s Gospel. Being exposed and shamed is the language of a woman, especially a prostitute. It is the basis for the condemnation of the whore Babylon in Revelation 17, 18. Then, all too late, Babylon will be exposed for what it is. It is the wisdom of God’s people to perceive that now.</p><p>The cup of Yahweh’s right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory- To be given a cup of the Lord is a double symbol; we either drink blessing or condemnation to ourselves. For the cup of the Lord is either “the cup of blessing” or of condemnation. This is why the breaking of bread meeting focuses our attention on the only two possible outcomes of our lives. The fact there is no third way inspires us to choose wholeheartedly for Him.</p>


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<p>For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of the animals, which made them afraid; because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to every city and to those who dwell in them- God kept a careful note of all Babylon did to His land. Every animal destroyed was noted, and even every animal which was terrified and made to bolt by the Babylonian traumas was likewise noted by God; and how much more the human suffering. This again answers Habakkuk’s objection that God appears indifferent to human suffering. There will indeed come a day of reckoning- but not immediately. This again is typical of the prophetic perspective; to focus upon the apparently minor [making animals bolt] in order to reveal the depth of God’s appreciation of the more evidently apparent abuses. And all this was in response to Habakkuk’s complaint that God appeared unaware of human suffering. See on <a href='B:420 3:11'>Hab 3:11</a>.</p>


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<p>What value does the engraved image have, that its maker has engraved it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he who fashions its form trusts in it, to make mute idols?- The ultimate significance of Babylon’s fall was and shall be the declaration that all idols are powerless. We note the tendency of the former of the idol to trust in it- when he of all people ought to have realized that the idol was of his own human device. But this perversity is seen in us all. The woman who labours all her lifetime developing her business is then inclined to trust in its profits as her ultimate salvation; the man who builds his own house is tempted to make that house his idol. But again, the language of Habakkuk about the Babylonians is later applied to God’s people. The phrase "teacher of lies" is applied to the false prophets of Judah in <a href='B:290 9:15'>Isa 9:15</a>. Likewise the phrase "maker of... images" is applied to the Jews in <a href='B:290 44:9-10'>Isa 44:9-10</a>. Isaiah learnt the lesson that this prophecy was trying to teach Habakkuk- that contrary to what he thought (see on <a href='B:420 1:15'>Hab 1:15</a>), Judah were as bad as Babylon. See on :12.</p>


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<p>Woe to him who says to the wood, ‘Awake!’ or to the mute stone, ‘Arise!’ Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in its midst- This woe upon Babylon was equally true for the people of Judah. The same language is used of their false prophets and idolatry; see on :12,18</p>


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<p>But Yahweh is in His holy temple- This continues the answer to Habakkuk’s complaints of chapter 1, that God appears distant from the sin and suffering on this earth. But His apparent silence doesn’t mean that He is not watching nor judging; He is in his heavenly temple. And in awe of that, the earth should be silent before Him, rather than arguing back with Him as Habakkuk had done.</p><p>Let all the earth be silent before Him!- The same Hebrew word is used in calling for silence because of God’s presence (<a href='B:430 1:7'>Zep 1:7</a> “be silent at the presence of Yahweh”) and because He has arisen up in active outreach in the earth (<a href='B:450 2:13'>Zec 2:13</a> “Be silent all flesh before Yahweh; for He is raised up out of His hold habitation”). Although God appeared to be inactive in response to the injustices Habakkuk so struggled with, His presence is indeed active. And men should be silent before Him rather than make petty complaint about His injustice. The invitation to "all the earth" to be respectful of Yahweh is part of God’s intention that the fall of Babylon would coincide with the repentance of Judah and the spread of relationship with Him to the entire eretz. This didn’t happen at the time, but will come true in the latter day fulfilment; see on :14.</p>


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<p>A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet, set to victorious music- We could infer from this that Habakkuk was a Levite involved in the temple worship songs. The preceding verse has spoken of Yahweh being in His temple and the earth being silent before Him (<a href='B:420 2:20'>Hab 2:20</a>). But Habakkuk now breaks that silence; maybe another reflection of his being out of step with God.</p>


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<p>Yahweh, I have heard of Your fame. I stand in awe of Your deeds, Yahweh- This could be Habakkuk responding to God’s statements in chapter 2 of what He would do in judging Babylon. In faith, he speaks as if these future actions have already been done, and he praises God for them. But it could be that Habakkuk is still not totally persuaded by the answers given in chapter 2. He concludes in :17,18 that although the blessings he looked for immediately hadn’t come, yet he still rejoiced in God by faith. But he reflects here that although he cannot understand God’s current and prophesied future actions (as he explains in chapter 1), and he is not totally persuaded by God’s responses in chapter 2; yet he takes comfort from the hand of God in history. He realizes that God has worked justly in the past and saved His people from Gentile oppression at the Red Sea, and so He would surely do so again. The Messianic Psalms 22, 69 represent the Lord Jesus on the cross being in some crisis as to why God was not immediately saving Him, but taking comfort in His historical actions. Habakkuk is doing likewise, as should we.</p><p>Renew your work in the midst of the years. In the midst of the years make it known- GNB: "Now do again in our times the great deeds you used to do". But the idea of renewing or reviving "in the midst of the years" may mean that Habakkuk didn’t want to have to wait until the "end" appointed to see the destruction of Babylon (<a href='B:420 2:3'>Hab 2:3</a>). Knowing that God is open to dialogue, he asks if God can revive His work in the midst of the appointed years, i:e. at his own time. The element of renewal or revival would be in God openly acting as He had done historically, at the Red Sea and the conquest of Canaan- which is the content of the next verses. See on :6.</p><p>The LXX renders: "Thou shalt be known between the two living creatures, thou shalt be acknowledged when the years draw nigh; thou shalt be manifested when the time is come". This would be broadly saying the same as just suggested- that God’s glory would again be visible between the Cherubim, once "the time" of the end of <a href='B:420 2:3'>Hab 2:3</a> has come, and God is "acknowledged" by repentant Judah and the nations around her.</p><p>In wrath, You remember mercy- God’s wrath differs from human wrath in that God is outside of time as we know it. He sees what shall be, and in no way does He lash out due to provocation. His wrath, as expressed in His judgments, always have mercy factored in. Habakkuk recognizes now that Judah have indeed sinned and deserve God’s wrath, but he asks that God "remember mercy" and perhaps ameliorate the planned Babylonian judgments, or limit their extent, intervening to save Judah "in the midst of the [appointed number of] years".</p>


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<p>God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and His praise filled the earth- The idea is that despite Habakkuk’s reservations about God’s judgments, as expressed in chapter 1, he takes comfort inGod’s historical activity to save His sinful people. And he believes that therefore God can do the same for them, despite the threatened Babylonian judgments. GNB "God is coming again from Edom" suggests that there will be a revival of what God had historically done; as stated in :2. As His glory was revealed and the earth was filled with His praise, so it was the Divine intention that the judgment of Babylon would involve the repentance of Judah, God’s glory being revealed and the eretz, the peoples of the land promised to Abraham, coming to praise Yahweh. But Judah didn’t repent, and the judgment of Babylon didn’t involve these things. But the prophetic scenario will in essence be fulfilled at the time of the destruction of latter day Babylon. Israel at the time of the exodus and wilderness journeys were weak, and still took with them the idols of Egypt. God’s praise didn’t fill the earth at that time, although it was intended to. But this was the future which Habakkuk now envisaged and prayed for; a delivery from Babylon after the pattern of the deliverance from Egypt, but this time with God’s people repentant and the surrounding nations praising Him.</p>


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<p>His splendour is like the sunrise. Rays shine from His hand, where His power is hidden- This fits in with the picture of Christ’s return in <a href='B:460 4:2'>Mal 4:2</a>. This will be the time for the fulfilment of the prophecy of Babylon’s fall in fullness. This is the language of the lightning flashings of the cherubim alluded to in the LXX of :2 (see note there). Habakkuk is envisaging or praying for the open manifestation of God as it was previously. This was however not granted at his time; but he takes comfort that it has been in the past, and that although things with God haven’t turned out immediately as he expected, yet he would trust in Him (:18,19), confident that His saving pattern in history would ultimately continue. In this we see the value of reading Biblical history. Whatever our short term struggles with God about His present and future actions, His past history points forward to "the sunrise" of a new age ultimately. His power in this sense is "hidden" and yet still there.</p>


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<p>Plague went before Him, and pestilence followed His feet- As Egypt had been judged by plagues and this had been the path to Israel’s release from them, so Habakkuk foresees that the fall of Babylon will involve plagues upon her which will lead to Judah’s release from them. <a href='B:300 50:13'>Jer 50:13</a>; <a href='B:730 18:8'>Rev 18:8</a> likewise see Babylon suffering "plagues". But the fall of Babylon and her "plagues" at the hands of the Medes didn’t lead to the captives returning- because they didn’t repent, preferred to stay there and didn’t flee Babylon. But this will come true in the overthrow of the latter day Babylon (<a href='B:730 18:8'>Rev 18:8</a>). Historical Babylon wasn’t smitten by "plagues" as Egypt was.</p>


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<p>He stood, and shook the earth. He looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled. The age-old hills collapsed- Habakkuk was aware that Babylon would have the eretz promised to Abraham under their control. But God had stood up and shaken the entire area when Israel left Egypt, and he saw this happening when they were released from Babylon. Hills and mountains represent peoples and kingdoms. But again as often noted, this didn’t happen quite on the scale planned; because actually Judah didn’t want to leave Babylon nor repent as required. But it will happen in the fall of the latter day Babylon. The original for "Tremble" is also translated ’to be released / unloosed’ (<a href='B:230 105:20'>Psa 105:20</a>; <a href='B:230 146:7'>Psa 146:7</a>; <a href='B:290 58:6'>Isa 58:6</a>). All the nations subject to the Babylonian empire, including Judah, were to be liberated and used that liberty to turn to Yahweh. But they didn’t. They preferred bondage to the Medes and Persians.</p><p>His ways are eternal- The idea may be that there is a style and hallmark to God’s actions which is eternal. As He had acted at the time of the exodus, so He would to redeem Judah from Babylon (see on :2).</p>


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<p>I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction. The dwellings of the land of Midian trembled- Cush, the same word translated "Ethiopia", was the border of the Babylonian empire, later taken over by the Persians (<a href='B:290 11:11'>Isa 11:11</a>; <a href='B:190 3:9'>Est 3:9</a>). And it was Cush which was one of the areas, along with Egypt, that the Jews were to seek help from against Babylon, rather than trusting in Yahweh (<a href='B:290 20:5'>Isa 20:5</a>). Habakkuk sees Cush as falling along with Babylon. And at that time, the exiles in Cush were to return to Zion (<a href='B:430 3:10'>Zep 3:10</a>; <a href='B:290 11:11'>Isa 11:11</a>). But again, this didn’t quite happen as had been potentially possible. The great regathering of a repentant remnant will happen at the fall of latter day Babylon. And this will lead to the people of Cush and Midian also turning to Yahweh (<a href='B:290 60:6'>Isa 60:6</a>), as had been His intention at the fall of historical Babylon. In this sense we could read ’trembling’ as ’trembling in respect’.</p>


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<p>Was Yahweh displeased with the rivers? Was Your anger against the rivers, or Your wrath against the sea, that You rode on Your horses, on Your chariots of salvation?- Perhaps we are to draw a distinction between mountains / hills, representing nations collectively; and rivers / waters, symbolizing individual people. Habakkuk began praying, but ends up having a vision within that prayer. And he finds himself saying things in that prayer under inspiration which are God’s perspective on his questions of Habakkuk 1 about the fairness of God and the problem of suffering. In this verse we learn that God was not angry against the individual Egyptians; but there was suffering amongst them as God as it were rode forth in His Angelic, cherubic horses and chariots to redeem His people from Pharaoh’s horses and chariots. This response is reframing the question of God’s fairness and the problem of suffering- in saying that all these things must be seen within the context of His purpose of redeeming His chosen people.</p>


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<p>You removed the sheath from Your bow, You called for many arrows. Selah- The ISV seems to best capture the nuances of the original: "Your bow was exposed, and your arrows targeted by command". The NET says the arrows were ’commissioned’. In the context of answering Habakkuk’s complaints about the problem of suffering and evil, the idea may be that God’s arrows are not sent out at random. They are commissioned to hit specific targets. Hence "Selah", a pause for reflection. If apparently random people perish, we can perhaps assume that God knows that had they lived further, they would have refused His message. See on :14.</p><p>You split the earth with rivers- A quotation from <a href='B:230 74:15'>Psa 74:15</a>. The drying up of the Red Sea seems to have involved huge earthquakes and topographical changes throughout the eretz promised to Abraham- perhaps a way of softening up the tribes of Canaan for conquest. But Israel didn’t make use of that potential.</p>


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<p>The mountains saw You, and were afraid. The storm of waters passed by, the deep sea roared and lifted up its hands on high- For "Waters", see on <a href='B:730 16:5'>Rev 16:5</a>. Mountains may represent nations and empires, and the seas the individual peoples. Before God and His people at the exodus, they were fearful and lifted up their hands- perhaps in surrender, or to God in prayer and submission. This happened no matter how loudly they roared or appeared powerful. And so the historical actions of God at the exodus were to assure Habakkuk that the visions he had seen of the Chaldeans judging Israel would also have their resolution, this storm of water would also ’pass by’.</p>


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<p>The sun and moon stood still in the sky at the light of Your arrows as they went, at the shining of Your glittering spear- This may not necessarily be a reference to the incident at Gibeon in Joshua’s time. The context is definitely about the exodus from Egypt rather than the conquest, developing the idea that the fall of Egypt was the release of Israel, just as the fall of Babylon was intended to enable the release of the exiles. The idea may be that God took especial notice of the flight of His arrows; sun and moon stood still as they flew. This again is in answer to the opening dialogue between God and Habakkuk, where Habakkuk expresses his concern with the problem of suffering and evil. God here reveals Himself as carefully targeting every arrow (see on :9), and as it were stopping the sun and moon for the arrows to pass; this was and is the extent of His passionate awareness of the result of His judgments. It’s not as if He indiscriminately drops a nuclear bomb upon a nation, and is indifferent to the fall out of suffering and the collateral damage to people and animals. As explained on <a href='B:420 2:17'>Hab 2:17</a>, He was intimately aware of every animal that suffered and bolted for fear because of the actions of the Babylonian military; and how much more was and is He aware of the effects of His judgments upon people, especially His chosen people.</p>


text:
<p>You marched through the land in wrath. You threshed the nations in anger- The past tenses could be prophetic perfects, i:e. speaking of that which is yet future in the past tense, so certain is it of fulfilment. As just explained on :11, God is not indiscriminately judging people and making them suffer for no reason. The imagery of threshing speaks of judgment; Armageddon is the threshing place. Those who are judged will be responsible to that judgment; God’s anger and wrath will have been provoked by how those people had treated His people. He is angry with abusers of His people. Judgment will come, as it has done from God historically.</p>


text:
<p>You went forth for the salvation of Your people- As explained on :12, this part of the prayer merges into prophecy, so certain of fulfilment that it is expressed in the ’prophetic perfect’, as if it has already happened. Again we have the problem of suffering addressed; the threshing of nations in :12 was part of God’s going forth to save His people. The fall of Babylon, like the fall of Pharaoh’s Egypt, was in order for God’s people to exit to salvation. Tragically, they for the most part chose not to do this when Babylon fell historically, and so the prophecies have been rescheduled and reapplied.</p><p>For the salvation of Your anointed- The idea could be that all God’s people are anointed, in that they were chosen for special rulership (<a href='B:540 1:21'>2Co 1:21</a>). This would have been great comfort to the exiles reading or hearing these prophecies in Babylon; they were chosen for something special, to rule the nations, when Israel were the head and not the tail. But the ideas behind "salvation" and "anointed" suggest in Greek ’Jesus Christ’. When historical Babylon fell to the Medes, the prophetic scenarios didn’t come very accurately true; because Judah didn’t repent and didn’t really want to quit Babylon. And so these prophecies were reapplied to salvation from a wider Babylon, in and through Jesus Christ.</p><p>You crushed the head of the land of wickedness. You stripped them head to foot. Selah- Crushing the rosh of the wicked could refer to the latter day conquest of a similar rosh by the Lord Jesus at His return, as spoken of in <a href='B:330 38:2-4'>Eze 38:2-4</a>. The reference would be to a standoff between the Lord Jesus as the seed of the woman, and the antiChrist personal leader of "the land of wickedness", latter day Babylon. Crushing the head recalls the struggle of <a href='B:10 3:15'>Gen 3:15</a>, in which the seed of the woman emerges finally triumphant in the last day.</p><p>The ’stripping from head to foot’ may simple mean ’crushed both from the head down and from the foot upwards’. Or if read as it stands, it would refer to the sign of conquest- stripping the slain.</p>


text:
<p>You pierced the heads of his warriors with their own spears- "Spears" is literally ’rods’. The word is used in <a href='B:290 10:24'>Isa 10:24</a> of how Judah were to be beaten with the rod of Assyria which was the rod of Egypt. And that would continue the many allusions here to the exodus. The rodwould be grabbed from the hands of the abusers and used to slay their leaders. "Spears" or rods is the same word translated "arrows" in :9, where we are assured that God’s arrows go to the right target and do not cause indiscriminate damage. Now we learn that the arrows or rods used by God are actually the arrows or rods used by the abusers of Israel, with which they abused them just like the Egyptians beating them with rods. Those arrows or rods used to abuse Israel are grabbed from their hands and used against those who have been using them. This is far from the indiscriminate fear of the ’problem of evil’ with which this prophecy opens, and which is constantly addressed throughout it.</p><p>They came as a whirlwind to scatter me, gloating as if to devour the wretched in secret- Those slain in the judgments had come as whirlwind to scatter God and His people, thinking they could abuse "the poor" (AV) without facing any justice for doing so ("in secret"). Coming as a whirlwind to scatter is the language of Divine judgment; these people had played God, assuming they had some Divine right to act as they wanted against the very vulnerable, and not face judgment for it because they were somehow playing God. This speaks of many abuse scenarios, but particularly of the abuse of the weak by jihadist Islamists of the last days. This is how they will treat God’s people, and they will be judged for it. Habakkuk’s opening fears that abusers would somehow get away with it are here resoundingly answered.</p>


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<p>You trampled the sea with your horses, churning mighty waters- The waters represent individual peoples. God’s riding forth to save His people inevitably churned the waters; Gentiles were affected. Israel’s salvation out of Egypt required the fall of Egypt, their potential salvation from Babylon required the fall of Babylon; Lot’s salvation from Sodom required the fall of Sodom (<a href='B:680 2:6-9'>2Pe 2:6-9</a>), just as Noah’s required the destruction of the world around him (<a href='B:680 2:5'>2Pe 2:5</a>; <a href='B:680 2:9'>2Pe 2:9</a>; <a href='B:670 3:20-21'>1Pe 3:20-21</a>). The picture is clear- out of the judgment of the Gentiles there emerges God’s redeemed, saved people who would otherwise have been overcome by those Gentiles. In Judah’s context, they would only go to Babylon for their sins; but God would destroy Babylon so that spiritually and physically they might emerge free, to restore God’s kingdom. It’s a tragedy that they didn’t do this; but the potential will finally be realized in the fall of latter day Babylon.</p>


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<p>I heard, and my body trembled- What began as a prayer ended up in a Divine revelation. Whilst we don’t receive prophetic revelations in the way Habakkuk did, it’s true for us that intense personal prayer often leads to spiritual realizations and God opening our eyes to truths. Habakkuk believed what he had understood so deeply that his body trembled. Such trembling was to be the effect upon Judah when God’s judgments came (<a href='B:290 5:25'>Isa 5:25</a>; <a href='B:290 13:13'>Isa 13:13</a>; <a href='B:290 14:16'>Isa 14:16</a>; <a href='B:290 32:11'>Isa 32:11</a>). Habakkuk identified so strongly with his sinful people that he took all this deeply into himself, and felt as they would, although he had the personal hope of resurrection to blessing (:17). In this he looks ahead to the Lord Jesus, representative of sinful man, internalizing the judgment for our sins so deeply that He carried them for us, to rise again in triumphant resurrection.</p><p>My lips quivered at the sound- "The sound" may be that of God’s word pronouncing judgment; or the sound of the invaders which he had heard. His lips quivered rather than his ears because he had to speak this forth to others. What a challenge to us, to speak forth God’s word of judgment and salvation with lips quivering at the reality of it all.</p><p>Rottenness enters into my bones, and I tremble in my place, because I must wait quietly for the day of trouble- This is an intimation that he must die and wait quietly in the grave [another evidence against heaven going] until the day of Jacob’s final trouble which would herald the Lord’s return, the resurrection and establishment of God’sKingdom in Israel (<a href='B:340 12:1-4'>Dan 12:1-4</a>).</p><p>For the coming up of the people who invade us- This coming up could be the general arising of the Babylonians which was yet future to Habakkuk’s time (<a href='B:420 1:5-6'>Hab 1:5-6</a>), or their coming up upon Judah. Although Habakkuk would not personally experience it, he had to "wait quietly" in the grave, he still felt that he would be amongst those invaded ["invade us"] and suffer with them. This contrasts with Hezekiah who was delighted that judgment wouldn’t come in his day, and got on and enjoyed himself.</p>


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<p>For though the fig tree doesn’t flourish, nor fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive fails, the fields yield no food; the flocks are cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls- The promised covenant blessings aren’t going to be experienced by Habakkuk in this life, and yet he accepts that finally he personally will be saved (:18) and rejoices in this. See on 1:2 Will You not save? His opening objections in chapter 1 to the way God is operating, and his struggle with the problem of suffering, are all now revealed as being a desire to have blessing right now. This is a natural human desire, reflected in the "How long?" question of all the faithful.</p>


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<p>Yet I will rejoice in Yahweh. I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!- See on 1:2 Will You not save?. As noted on :17, Habakkuk had expected to see the covenant blessings of a Messianic Kingdom come in his lifetime. But he had been told like Daniel that he must quietly wait in the grave (:16), and Judah must be abused by Babylon before emerging from that abuse as a people ready for God’s Kingdom blessing. Habakkuk concludes by focusing upon his personal salvation, which he rejoices in. This perhaps is the answer to the problem of suffering articulated in chapter 1. Like Habakkuk we may not find the ideal explanation, and yet even without that intellectual satisfaction, we can still rejoice in our personal salvation.</p>


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<p>Yahweh, the Lord, is my strength. He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and enables me to go in high places- Despite being still intellectually dissatisfied over the answers to the problem of evil with which he began in chapter 1, Habakkuk concludes full of joy at the prospect of being like a deer, able to climb any mountain in God’s strength. This is not spiritual selfishness, focusing upon ourselves and disregarding the wider suffering of others. As noted on "invade us" in :16, this was not how he was. But although the wider questions remain, these should not diminish our personal faith in salvation. That is the crescendo of this prayer which was turned into a temple song.</p><p>For the musical director, on my stringed instruments- As noted on :1, Habakkuk was apparently a Levite and he wanted his personal prayer to be sung by others. He knew that his questions about the problem of evil and suffering were those of every man. And he wished to share with others the simple, joyful truth of his personal salvation.</p>


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<p>The word of Yahweh which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah- The detail is perhaps given because the "Hezekiah" could be king Hezekiah, although the generations would have been quite short. In this case, Hezekiah would have been a relative of king Josiah, in whose reign he was prophesying. Putting the listed names together here we have "Yahweh is strength He has spoken, He is great but blackness has come (to His people) because He has hidden His face". The fact Hezekiah had a son with the ’Yah’ Name in it might indicate that he did not totally lose faith in his last 15 years.</p><p>In the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah- ‘Top down’ leadership was never very effective in Israel; repeatedly there is evidence that the reforms of Judah’s good kings had little effect upon the people. They practiced idolatry at the very same time as the reforms took place, and publicly returned to it as soon as the King was dead. Zephaniah’s prophecy is full of exposure of Judah’s sins- which were going on at the very time of Josiah’s apparently sweeping reforms. The way that “all” in Asia turned away, after all Paul’s work there, is proof enough that one good leader, no matter how charismatic and sincere (as Paul was) will not necessarily develop a faithful community. God has always worked with individuals through direct personal relationship</p>


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<p>I will utterly sweep away everything off of the surface of the earth, says Yahweh- "The earth" here is not the eretz but the literal ground or soil. The total destruction of everything on "the surface of the earth" at the time of the flood is in view. But "sweep" is the word translated "gather" in <a href='B:10 6:21'>Gen 6:21</a> concerning the gathering of animals, people and food into the ark to avoid that destruction. As always with the threats of judgment, there is the hint that a remnant would survive- if they responded.</p>


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<p>I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the idols along with the wicked. I will cut off man from the surface of the earth, says Yahweh- A cataclysm similar in nature to the flood is in view; see on :18. Such total destruction of even birds and animals from the "earth", the ground / soil, recalls the language of the flood. But something of this nature never happened; I suggest that God formulated the plan, but relented because of the intercession of the righteous remnant; or perhaps simply from pity for His own creation. We note that "man" and "idols" are mentioned as being swept away along with absolutely everything else. Perhaps the idea is that we get a picture of the huge collateral damage caused by human idolatry. This is the nature of sin- that it has such collateral damage to others, far beyond a man quietly bowing before an idol in a "high place" in some remote rural spot.</p>


text:
<p>I will stretch out My hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place: the name of the idolatrous and pagan priests- Zephaniah prophesied during the time of Josiah, who later in his reign tried to extinguish Baal worship. But there was a "remnant" of Baal still in the temple, from where Zephaniah was prophesying ("this place"). Judgment was to come on all because of this; so whether Zephaniah prophesied before or after Josiah’s reforms is irrelevant. Those reforms didn’t in fact extinguish Baal worship, not even from the Jerusalem temple (see on :1). "All" were to be judged for the sake of a remnant of Baal worship remaining in the temple, and pagan priests being allowed to operate there. Presumably these were priests of Yahweh who taught that Baal worship was an acceptable form of Yahweh worship; see on :5. Such attempt to do our own thing in the name of serving God has always been the toughest temptation for us all. It was not that the majority ("all the inhabitants") were punished for the sin of a minority. That majority empowered and enabled that minority, just as a population often get the leadership or teachers they themselves really want in their hearts; quite regardless of whether any system of democracy is used or not.</p><p>The AV and some other versions offer: "the name of the Chemarims with the priests", literally the black ones, perhaps a group of priests who wore dark clothing rather than the white clothing of the Levitical priests.</p>


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<p>Those who worship the army of the sky on the housetop- Clearly Josiah’s reforms were not as they appeared. The housetops of Jerusalem were full of worshippers of the stars, and this was tolerated within society. Hence the condemnation of "all" Jerusalem society in :4.</p><p>Those who worship and swear by Yahweh and also swear by Malcam- As noted on :4, the priests were advocating the worship of Baal in the name of Yahweh worship. It is this dualism which is the abiding temptation of every believer of all ages. <a href='B:120 23:10'>2Ki 23:10</a> records Josiah’s reforms specifically targeting Molech worship. But clearly the population wriggled around this by saying that their worship of Molech was in fact Yahweh worship; even though the Mosaic law mentioned the sin of offering children to Molech more than any other idol is mentioned (<a href='B:30 18:21'>Lev 18:21</a>; <a href='B:30 20:2-5'>Lev 20:2-5</a>). Such wriggling around plain Divine teaching is unfortunately something we are all adept at. "Molech" is formed from the same consonants in melech, "king"; hence the LXX speaks of those that "swear by the Lord, and them that swear by their king". They had two kings. But the Lord Jesus observed that no man can serve two masters. We cannot have two kings.</p>


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<p>Those who have turned back from following Yahweh, and those who haven’t sought Yahweh nor inquired after Him-&nbsp;This was God’s perspective. As explained on :4 and :5, the people had not formally rejected Yahweh. But their claim to worship other gods in His Name was seen by Him as turning their backs on Him. <a href='B:330 8:16'>Eze 8:16</a> describes men within the temple having their backs toward the sanctuary as they worshipped the sun. They had turned their backs on Him, but claimed they had not. This is all helpful challenge to ourselves in our self-examination. To seek an inquire after Yahweh is to worship Him; but worship doesn’t mean we know it all. We are searching and seeking Him closer, and this is understood by Him as worship.</p>


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<p>Be silent at the presence of the Lord Yahweh, for the day of Yahweh is at hand- The silence called for may be an appeal for repentance; a call to respect Him and no other king or god. Such times of literal silence in meditation, without distraction, will also elicit our repentance.</p><p>For Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated Hisguests- The sacrifice in view was the total burning of Jerusalem. The guests had been prepared; be they Babylonians, Assyrians or whoever. As noted on :3, God had framed a cataclysm against His people and Jerusalem in particular. It never happened on the scale planned, because of the repentance of a remnant and perhaps simply His pity. All manner of possible futures are prepared by God, but may never happen because He is so open to change in His great respect of human freewill decisions.</p>


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<p>It will happen in the day of Yahweh’s sacrifice that I will punish the princes, the king’s sons- The ruling dynasty would come to an end. These words seem particularly relevant to Zedekiah and his sons at the time of the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem. But "the king" in Zephaniah’s context was Josiah who also had sons who were princes. This intended judgment was rescheduled and reapplied (see also on :4) because of the repentance of a remnant, perhaps in response to Zephaniah’s ministry. Again we see the openness of God to human repentance, His supreme sensitivity to man.</p><p>And all those who are clothed with foreign clothing- We noted on :4 that the Chemarim wore back clothing and served as priests; but likely many of the Levitical priests were serving both as priests to Yahweh as well as to other gods, especially Moloch and Baal. It was this dualism which so angered God.</p>


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<p>In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit- The priests may particularly be in view, whose master was Yahweh and whose house, the temple, they had defiled by their idolatry. The leaping over the threshold was an imitation of the Philistine custom of not treading on the threshold, after&nbsp; the head and hands of Dagon were cut off on the threshold before the ark of Yahweh (<a href='B:90 5:5'>1Sa 5:5</a>). The idea is that the temple of Yahweh had been effectively turned into that of pagan gods- despite Josiah’s apparent reforms. This whole message is a stern warning against mere tokenism in repentance and reform, and challenges to the core all our self-examination and the results thereof. These priests were filling Yahweh’s house with the rewards of their violence and deceit. Typical of the prophets, Zephaniah focuses upon the apparently negligible (the personal gains arising from deceit) rather than what we might consider the more obvious issues of offering children to Moloch.</p>


text:
<p>In that day, says Yahweh, there will be the noise of a cry from the fish gate- This was on the northern entry to Jerusalem, the point which the northern invaders (Babylon, Assyria) would reach first.</p><p>A wailing from the second quarter- A reference to the ’second city’, "the city of David", original Jerusalem, being "the first". The second city was highly fortified, but there would be wailing from that too; for human defence cannot in any way stave off Divine judgment.</p><p>And a great crashing from the hills- The hills which famously surrounded Jerusalem.</p>


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<p>Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan are undone!- ’Canaanite’ and ’trader’ are related words in Hebrew. Maktesh was the market quarter; there appears to be a play on words between maktesh, ’crushed to powder’, and makdosh, a holy place. No longer was Jerusalem holy; it had already been crushed to powder in judgment. The prophets consistently criticize the Jews for deceitful business practices; we have just read of how deceit had lead to material gains which were stashed in the temple storerooms (:9). It was appropriate therefore to focus upon the destruction of the market quarter.</p><p>All those who were loaded with silver are cut off- Their wealth, acquired by deceit of their brethren (:9), burdened them down so that they were unable to flee.</p>


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<p>It will happen at that time that I will search Jerusalem with candles- The Lord may have had this statement in view when He spoke of how the Father searches as a woman searches with candles to find the lost (<a href='B:490 15:8'>Luk 15:8</a>). As with all the messages of judgment, there is the implication that the remnant are being searched for. The candle is used to represent the human conscience inPro 20:27. The purpose of the judgments was to elicit self-examination. Jeremiah perhaps alludes to this prophecy by urging the exiles to search themselves and repent (<a href='B:310 3:40'>Lam 3:40</a> s:w:).</p><p>&nbsp;And I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs- The same figure is used in <a href='B:300 48:11'>Jer 48:11</a> to describe those who had not experienced captivity in foreign lands, likened to wine being poured out into different vessels so that it doesn’t become settled on its dregs. Yet again we see that exile was intended not only as judgment for its own sake, but to stir up the people to repentance and spiritual improvement.</p><p>Who say in their heart, Yahweh will not do good, neither will He do evil- The state of the human mind, our self talk, is of critical importance to God. There was the idea that God was somehow distant, unresponsive to good or evil, and never going to openly act. They were not atheists, but God was felt to be so distant that He would not act. This problem of thinking that God exists but is inactive and unresponsive... is an abiding temptation for all God’s people of whatever generation.</p>


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<p>Their wealth will become a spoil, and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won’t inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but won’t drink their wine- This is clear allusion to the curses for breaking the covenant in Leviticus 26. To live unsatisfied lives, never enjoying the work or wealth acquired, is the great curse of those who live after the flesh. The threat that "the men who are [present] tense settled..." (:12) and the reference to the king’s sons (:8) would imply that the threatened judgment was imminent. Those who had planted vineyards would not be there next harvest season. This situation was averted, it seems, by the repentance of a remnant in response to Zephaniah’s ministry- and that of other prophets contemporary with him.</p>


