Micah connects God's readiness to forgive the sins of His people, or rather of their remnant, with the mercy that belongs to God. This connection is not accidental, and it is easiest to explain it from the understanding of mercy already found in Hosea...
Micah connects God's readiness to forgive the sins of His people, or rather of their remnant, with the mercy that belongs to God. This connection is not accidental, and it is easiest to explain it from the understanding of mercy already found in Hosea, which later became part of the prophetic tradition as a whole. From Hosea's point of view, God's mercy was in essence the only hope for a people who, by repeatedly violating the Torah, had long ago lost any right to what they once had in accordance with the covenant made at Sinai.
All that remained was to hope that God would still not abandon His people and would do for them what He was obligated to do by no law and by no agreement. Yet such a possibility could open for the people only after repentance for the sins committed and a new turning that would restore the former relationship. But here there was one significant difficulty: many of the sins committed by the people had been committed quite consciously and voluntarily.
Of course, one could repent even of such a sin, but before Christ came into the world it was impossible to be cleansed from its consequences; no purification rituals or sacrifices helped here. In fact, the whole pre-exilic history of the Jewish people, ending in the Babylonian captivity, is visible proof of this truth. Of course, with the coming of Christ everything changed, but Micah naturally preached in a still pre-Christian world.
And yet God showed mercy to His people. It was impossible to free them completely from the consequences of the sins committed throughout the pre-exilic period; the exile was inevitable, and to avoid it the world would have had to be created anew. But it was possible to grow, in effect, a new people from that remnant of the faithful who kept their faithfulness even when it appeared to make no sense, because everything was over.
God acts in exactly this way, thereby revealing true mercy: in essence, He gives His people another historical life in place of the one that ended after Jerusalem was crushed by the Babylonian army. By all the laws of history, the Jewish people, after the Babylonian defeat, should have disappeared just as many other peoples who inhabited Palestine disappeared in the Babylonian crucible. And the fact that they exist to this day can be explained only by the mercy of God.
7 The total corruption of the people, Mic 7:1-6.
Those who fear God are to take courage, to be patient, to expect long trouble, Mic 7:7-13.
And to encourage themselves with God's promises, and faithfulness, and the future downfall of their enemies, Mic 7:14-20.
7:1 Woe is me - The land is brought in complaining, that whereas it was once well stored, now it hath few good in it.As the grape - gleanings - In Israel and Judah, which in bringing forth good men, should have been a fruitful vine full of clusters: just, compassionate and humble men, are as grapes after the vintage is gathered. Desired - But in vain.
7:3 Both hands - With all diligence. The great man - The great man at court, who can do what he will there. Uttereth - Is bold to speak plainly. Desire - His unjust, oppressive design. They - They all jointly promote violence and cruelty.
7:4 As a briar - Mischievous and hurtful. The day - The day in which they shall sound the alarm. Cometh - Surely, speedily, and unavoidably.Now - When that day is come.
7:7 Therefore - Since all sorts of men are so perfidious.Look - As one set in a watch - tower looks round about, and diligently observes all that stirs, so will the prophet; so did they who in Israel and Judah feared the Lord.
7:8 Rejoice not - The prophet personates the church. Let it be no matter of glorying to thee, that the day of calamity hath overtaken me.In darkness - When affliction, war, famine, and captivity cover me.A light - Shall support, comfort and deliver me.
7:9 Plead - Against mine enemy, now he pleads his own cause against me. His righteousness - The truth and riches of his promised salvation.
7:10 She - What nation or people soever. Shall behold - The people of God shall see their enemies laid low.
7:11 Thy walls - O Jerusalem. The decree - Of Artaxerxes, which forbad the re - building of the temple. Removed - Abolished.
7:12 In that day - After the return out of captivity.He - He who is of Jewish race. To thee - O Jerusalem.The fortified cities - In which many Jews were kept for servile works. To the river - To Euphrates. To sea - From the Caspian to the Persian and to the Midland sea. From mountain - That is, from all parts of their captivity, they shall return to their own country.
7:13 Not withstanding - These promises of restitution, which took not place 'till more than two hundred years after.
7:14 Feed - So Christ directs his officers. With thy rod - In allusion to the custom of shepherds who guided their sheep by a pastoral staff. In the wood - Protect and guide those that in their present captive state are solitary, compassed with dangers.Carmel - A fruitful place and well inhabited. In Bashan - A place of note for fruitfulness. Gilead - Equal with any of the other for plenty and safety.
7:16 Shall be deaf - They shall neither care to hear, nor to speak of it.
7:17 Lick the dust - In the most submissive, servile manner, testify their subjection. Holes - Their strong holds, and fastnesses.Because of thee - So that the name of Jews, shall be terrible to their enemies.