A monstrous substitution is taking place. The princes, called to stand at the head of the people, not only do not follow righteousness, but hate...
A monstrous substitution is taking place. The princes, called to stand at the head of the people, not only do not follow righteousness, but hate it. Their rule is full of injustices, and therefore the prophet likens their deeds to the ultimate evil of cannibalism. It is completely understandable that the Lord turns away from them.
But now we see that He also turns away from those whom He called to serve Him, from prophets who have perverted their calling. They have turned ministry into a profession, and now they are more concerned about income than about proclaiming righteousness. This means that they too have turned away from the Lord, and now He deprives them of the possibility of hearing Him. Now, when Zion and Jerusalem, called to reveal the Lord's presence in the world, are defiled and built with blood, and many of those called to keep faithfulness have usurped the holy thing, what are those to do who do not wish to take part in lawlessness?
Even while remaining a small minority in numbers, they must continue to keep faithfulness to the One who has the power to restore ruined and defiled holy places. It is important to keep the visible temple pure, but it is still more important to keep faithfulness to the One whose Name sanctifies the temple.
3 The prophet reproves oppressing princes, Mic 3:1-4.
And false prophets, Mic 3:5-7.
And threatens both, Mic 3:8-12.
3:1 Is it not for you - Ought not you to understand, and conform to, the just laws of your God. You princes, magistrates, and ruling officers, ought of all men to know and do right.
3:2 The good - Ye who hate not only to do good, but the good which is done, and those that do it. The evil - Chuse, and delight in, both evil works and evil workers. Who pluck it off - Ye who use the flock as cruelly as the shepherd, who instead of shearing the fleece, would pluck off the skin and flesh.
3:3 The flesh - Ye who devour the goods, and livelihood of your brethren. Break their bones - An allusion to wolves, bears, or lions, which devour the flesh, and break the bones of the defenceless lambs.
3:4 Then - When these miseries come upon them.
3:5 That bite - When they are furnished with gifts, and well fed.Prepare war - They do them all the mischief they can.
3:6 Night - Heavy calamities. A vision - You shall no more pretend to have a vision, or dare to foretell any thing.And the sun - The hand of God shall be against them, making their sorrows the more dreadful, as darkness by the sun going down at noon.
3:7 The seers - So called by the deceived people.Cover their lips - Mourners did thus, Eze 24:17, Eze 24:22. So these shall mourn and pine in their shame.No answer - Because the answer they had formerly, pretended to be from God, now appears not to have been from him.
3:8 Power - Courage, and vivacity. Of judgment - To discern times and seasons, right from wrong. Might - Resolution.
3:10 They - The heads and great ones enlarge, beautify, and fortify, the house in Zion, particularly the temple and the royal palace.Blood - With wealth, which they made themselves masters of by violence, taking away the life of the owners.
3:11 Lean - Pretend to trust in him.Among us - As our God and our shield.
3:12 For your sake - Because of your sins.The mountain - The mountain, on which the temple stood.This is that passage, which is quoted, Jer 26:18, which Hezekiah and his princes took well: yea, they repented and so the execution of it did not come in their days.