Micah 7:9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me… Transfer this language from the lips of the Church to the lips of the individual Christian, and consider it as an indication of a spirit which needs to be more largely cultivated. I. DETERMINATION TO BE CULTURED UNDER TRIAL. "I will bear, etc...against Him." Two kinds of indignation spoken of in Scripture. Of one it is said, "Who can stand before His indignation?" Of the other the Church says, "I will bear it." The one, fiery wrath of an offended King; the other, chastening displeasure of a loving Father. The one, hot anger, which utterly consumes; the other, loving correction, which melts, refines, and purifies. While before one none can stand, before the other, that we may be partakers of His holiness, God yearns that we may bow. When the Christian sees chastening displeasure issuing from a Father's wounded love, he says, "I will bear the indignation of the Lord." But something more. "Because I have sinned." I will bear it, because it is less than I deserve; because I know who sends it, and the object He has in view. Illustrate Shimei's conduct, and David's treatment of him (2 Samuel 16:5-14). Recollect that God's indignation may fall on us through others, or may come direct from Him. II. LIMIT OF ENDURANCE TO BE PROPOSED. "Until He plead my cause, and execute judgment for me." In the trials which the Church had schooled herself to bear, there had been much of harshness, injustice, and wrong. God permits others to afflict us, whose purpose may be different to His own. Though the wrath of man is hateful, God makes it subservient to His wise purposes, and restrains its exercise. In every case of this kind, we should distinguish between man's purpose and God's purpose, or patience is beyond our reach. Illustrate Joseph in Egypt; and Israel in Egypt. If then, besides looking at man's purpose, we will train ourselves to look at God's purpose, and also for God's limit, we shall be able to appropriate the language of the text, and so follow the example of Christ, who, under trial, committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously. III. EXPRESSION OF CONFIDENCE TO BE MAINTAINED. He will bring me forth...light...righteousness." Observe the meaning of the language. Obviously figurative: sorrow, trouble, desolation (whether the temporal or spiritual) continually spoken of as "darkness," and the reverse as "light." But, when the proper season comes, God fulfils His promise to make darkness light before His servants, by turning doubt into confidence, affliction into prosperity, sorrow into joy; and He brings them forth into the light by removing their burdens, making clear their way, vindicating them from false charges, and revealing, at least in some measure, the reason and benefit of their grief. (W. D. J. Straton, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. |
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