Micah 2:7 O you that are named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings?… The leading circumstances which gave rise to these words was the degeneracy of God's ancient people, the Jews. This degeneracy was very prevalent in the days of Micah, both in the kingdom of Israel and that of Judah. Let it be remembered that the covenant engagements into which the Divine Being enters with man by no means preclude His hatred and condemnation of sin; neither do our covenant engagements with Him exempt us from the liability of falling into sin. Nothing that was said to them by God and His servants met their approbation. Everything was wrong, and, in their vitiated judgment, unlike what it had been. And, to make good their own case, they were presumptuous enough to charge the cause of all their woes upon God; but He nobly vindicated Himself, and tacitly condemned them in these words, "Do not My words," etc. The drift of the text, or the doctrine contained therein, is this, — that however painful and offensive God's Word may be to those who live in the love of sin, it is highly beneficial to those who walk uprightly; and that if it does not please and profit the soul, it is not owing to any defect in the Word, but to some defect in us. I. TO THE CHARACTER OF AN UPRIGHT MAN. The husbandman, in winnowing his grain for the market, divides one heap into two. The one he calls corn, the other chaff. And thus does the Bible deal with the human family: it divides the whole into two classes — and into two only, as to kind. The one it calls good, the other bad. But the husbandman, by putting his corn through another process or two, divides it into three or more portions, according to its quality. The best he calls saleable; the next best, hinderends; and the rest, hen corn. After the same way does the Bible divide the righteous into classes; and in the same way will they be disposed of at the last day. Nearly all the good men we read of in the Bible and elsewhere excelled in one or two branches of piety; but few excelled in all. Christ, however, did this. An upright man is one who strives to know as much of the will of God as he can, in order that he may live according to it. His main object is to live well and die happy. 1. He is a religious man. Not a mere professor of religion, not one whose opinions have undergone a change for the better, nor one whose morality is of a high and refined order; but a man whose heart and mind, principles and practices have been changed by Divine grace. 2. He is a considerate man — Sensible of the many evils with which he is surrounded, and the proneness of human nature to fall into them, he ponders well the path of his feet. He plans with his head what he executes with his hands. He thinks before he acts. "Thou God seest me" is indelibly engraven on his memory. That he may be found a wise and safe man at last he, at present, considers his ways in his heart (Haggai 1:15). 3. He is a conscientious man. Conscience is prompt in commanding, and he is as prompt in obeying. It speaks, and the upright, God-fearing man responds, "How, then, can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" 4. He is a consistent man. He is actuated by principle rather than passion. II. WE PURPOSE TO SHOW WHETHER SUCH A MAN IS BENEFITED BY THE WORD OF GOD. By the Word of God we understand the Bible. It contains the revelation of His will to and concerning man. And every man who can have the Bible is expected to understand and practise it so far as is essential to his salvation. To an upright man the Word of God proves — 1. An instructive Word. The Bible is professionally a book of instructions. Its instructions relate to the highest subjects — to soul matters and matters of eternity. And, apart from its teachings, we cannot gain the same instructions elsewhere. The upright man is quite alive to this; hence he prizes the Bible, and evinces a peculiar aptness for its teachings. By a prayerful perusal of its sacred pages he becomes possessed of much spiritual and Divine knowledge. And Bible light is the best of light. The knowledge that comes from God is the purest of knowledge. It makes us acquainted with God and His will — with man and his ways — with sin and its consequences — with redemption and its effects. These things are spiritual in their nature, and by the upright man are spiritually discerned. 2. It is a corrective Word. Not only are all men liable to err, but all men have erred; for, "to err is human." Hence all men need correction. But all are not willing to be corrected; Some, however, are, and among these may be ranked the upright. The corrective lessons of the Bible are received by him in the same spirit and with the same thankfulness, as what a traveller who has missed his way evinces when put right. It is in this light especially that God's "words do good to him that walketh uprightly." 3. It is a pacific Word. The midday sun does not bring its rays more gently to bear upon the virgin flower than are the soothing truths of God's Word brought to hear upon the good man's troubled spirit. The gentle rain is not more acceptable to the vegetation of spring than are God's promises to the tried Christian. The healing balm is not more alleviating to the wounded traveller than is God's Word to the expiring pilgrim.In conclusion, observe three things — 1. The Word of God is full of truth and goodness. Its sole object being to make men wise and happy. 2. That it may "not return unto God void, but accomplish that which He pleases, and prosper in the thing whereto He sends it," we must be upright. 3. All may become upright, and thereby enjoy all the blessings of the Bible. (J. Fawcit.) Parallel Verses KJV: O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? |
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