TEXT [Commentary]

  D.   The Remnant Purified (5:7-15)

7 Then the remnant left in Israel[*]

will take their place among the nations.

They will be like dew sent by the LORD

or like rain falling on the grass,

which no one can hold back

and no one can restrain.

8 The remnant left in Israel

will take their place among the nations.

They will be like a lion among the animals of the forest,

like a strong young lion among flocks of sheep and goats,

pouncing and tearing as they go

with no rescuer in sight.

9 The people of Israel will stand up to their foes,

and all their enemies will be wiped out.

10 “In that day,” says the LORD,

“I will slaughter your horses

and destroy your chariots.

11 I will tear down your walls

and demolish your defenses.

12 I will put an end to all witchcraft,

and there will be no more fortune-tellers.

13 I will destroy all your idols and sacred pillars,

so you will never again worship the work of your own hands.

14 I will abolish your idol shrines with their Asherah poles

and destroy your pagan cities.

15 I will pour out my vengeance

on all the nations that refuse to obey me.”

NOTES

5:7 [6] the remnant. See note on 2:12.

dew. The dew (tal [TH2919, ZH3228]) is sometimes used figuratively as a symbol of divine blessing (e.g., Ps 133:3; Hos 14:5; Zech 8:12; cf. Alexander, Baker, and Waltke 1988:187). Andersen and Freedman (2000:485) equate the situation of the Hebrew remnant with the parched grass awaiting the moisture of the dew and rain. For them the figure of speech is an exhortation to the remnant to wait upon the Lord (cf. Isa 40:31). The more natural reading of the word-picture is that restoration of the place of Israel among the nations is sure, even irrepressible—just like the dew and the rain, which no one can hold back.

5:8 [7] like a lion. Reversal characterizes the day of the Lord. The picture of Israel as a flock of sheep, scattered, lame, and weak (4:6-7), gives way to a portrait depicting the Hebrew people as a raging bull and a roaring lion among the nations (4:13).

5:9 [8] Israel will stand up. The reversal of “that coming day” continues as Israel, once trampled by the nations (3:12), will trample their enemies with God’s help (4:13; 5:8).

5:12 [11] witchcraft. The word (keshep [TH3785, ZH4176]; “sorcery, magic arts”) involved the use of spells, incantations, charms, and amulets, and special rituals for the purpose of manipulating both natural and spiritual powers so as to influence circumstances, people, and the gods (NIDOTTE 2.735-736). Such practices were forbidden to the Hebrews by Mosaic law (Lev 19:26; Deut 18:9-14).

fortune-tellers. The word (‘anan [TH6049A, ZH6726]; “interpret signs, tell fortunes, conjure up spirits”) refers broadly to the practice of occultic arts (cf. Isa 57:3; Jer 27:9). Such practices were forbidden to the Hebrews by Mosaic law (Lev 19:26; Deut 18:9-14).

5:13 [12] idols. See the note for “carved images” in 1:7 above.

sacred pillars. The sacred pillars (matsebah [TH4676, ZH5167]) were freestanding stones associated with Canaanite fertility cult worship (NIDOTTE 3.135). The stones were stylized representations of the male deity (e.g., Baal, 2 Kgs 3:2) and libations or drink-offerings were poured over the stone as an act of worship (Alexander, Baker, and Waltke 1988:190). According to Mosaic law, the Hebrews were to destroy the sacred pillars they found in the land of Canaan when they entered (Exod 23:24; 34:13; Deut 7:5; 12:3), and they were prohibited from erecting such standing stones (Deut 16:22). Setting up of stone pillars as memorials to Yahweh (Gen 28:18; 35:14) or as witnesses to Yahweh’s acts in Israel’s history (Josh 4:20; 1 Sam 7:12), however, was sanctioned in the OT.

5:14 [13] Asherah poles. As the wife of El, Asherah was the “mother of the gods” in Canaanite mythology. Her symbol was the tree, represented by a wooden pole erected in the Canaanite fertility cult worship centers. Mosaic law commanded that the Hebrews destroy the sacred poles of the Canaanites (Deut 7:5; 12:3), and it prohibited them from fashioning and worshiping such objects (Deut 16:21). Failure to obey these injunctions led to the destruction and exile of the divided kingdoms of Israel (2 Kgs 17:16) and Judah (2 Kgs 21:7).

5:15 [14] vengeance. God’s vengeance (naqam [TH5359, ZH5934]) “is a consequence of his holiness (Jer 50:28-29); zeal (Isa 59:18), coupled with his wrath (Mic 5:14), is subordinate to his justice (Isa 63:1, 4)” (NIDOTTE 3.155). Vengeance is the punitive retribution of God usually set in the context of war or breach of covenant. The notion of vengeance is the prerogative of God because he is Creator, King, and Judge (cf. Deut 32:35; Rom 12:19; Heb 10:30). One of Yahweh’s titles is “the God of Vengeance” (el-neqamoth [TH410A/5360, ZH446/5935], Ps 94:1). God avenges his covenant (Lev 26:25), his enemies (Deut 32:41), the sins of the nations (Ps 149:7), his people (Isa 63:4), and his Temple (Jer 50:28).

COMMENTARY [Text]

The final section of Micah’s “Book of Visions” (4:1–5:15) comprises a salvation oracle (5:7-8), a prayer (5:9), and a concluding oracle of judgment (5:10-15). The oracle of salvation foretells the purification of the remnant of Israel and the expansion of Messiah’s kingdom among the nations. The oracle of judgment warns that God intends to destroy all the false hopes of Israel and the nations. The Book of Visions ends much like the preceding Book of Doom (1:2–3:12), with a pronouncement of God’s sentence of judgment against the accused (i.e., the Hebrew divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah; cf. 3:1-12; 5:10-15). The destructive power of God’s vengeance is extended to “all the nations that refuse to obey” him (5:15).

The prophet introduces a difficult and disturbing theological truth in his concluding oracle of judgment, namely the “vengeance” of Yahweh. When used of God, the word “vengeance” (naqam [TH5359, ZH5934], “avenge, take vengeance, revenge”) refers to divine retribution, or the demonstration of “God’s righteousness in compensating the wrong with right” (Elwell 1996:795). Divine vengeance relates to God’s sense of justice in restoring what is right and good. In fact, one of God’s titles is the “God of Vengeance,” and his vengeance is equated with his “glorious justice” (Ps 94:1). The “day of the LORD” is called “the day of vengeance” (NIV); it will be a day of both judgment and redemption for Israel and the nations (Isa 61:2; 63:4). God’s vengeance is directed against the nations for their sins against humanity, wanton militaristic imperialism, oppression, social injustice, and the rejection of what God has established as right and good according to his revealed word (Isa 47:3; Nah 1:2; cf. Amos 1:3–2:3). God’s vengeance is directed against his people Israel for breaking his covenant (Lev 26:15). This divine retribution against Israel “is usually disciplinary in nature and aims at the restoration of lawfulness and the covenant in order that Zion will turn into a ‘city of righteousness’ again (Isa 1:24-26)” (NIDOTTE 3.155).

The psalms of imprecation, by definition, are those psalms containing passages that seek the hurt of someone else by invoking curses or vengeful punishments against them as enemies (e.g., Pss 5, 12, 55, 137). True imprecation recognizes that vengeance belongs to God alone (Deut 32:35; Rom 12:19; Heb 10:30) and understands the theological principle of retribution that acknowledges God as the judge of sin in this life and the next (Pss 109:13; 137:9). “The imprecation, in its deepest intention, is a cry for the breakthrough of God’s kingdom in liberation and vengeance. Without God’s vengeance there is no justice (Ps 58:11) and no future (Deut 32:43; Ps 149:7-9)” (NIDOTTE 3.155; note the implications of this for the “disciple’s prayer” [Matt 6:10] that God’s “Kingdom come” and his “will be done on earth”).

God’s vengeance is related to his “jealousy” (qana’ or qanna’ [TH7065/7067, ZH7861/7862], “be jealous, envious, zealous”; cf. NIDOTTE 3.937-440), his zeal for his own reputation (Ezek 39:25) and his own glory (Isa 42:8). In a positive sense, God is “jealous” or passionate about his relationship with his people (Exod 34:14), and his love is so great for his chosen people that his jealousy is also their defense and hope of restoration (Ezek 36:5; Zech 1:14). In a negative sense, God’s “jealousy” means the fire of his anger will break out against those who break covenant relationship with him (Deut 4:23-24; 5:9). Most often God’s jealousy is related to the practice of idolatry because God is a jealous God who will not share the affection of his people with any other god (Exod 20:5; cf. 34:14). God reveals himself as a jealous God because he is the one true and living God, and as Creator and Redeemer, he has the exclusive right to the worship of his creatures (see further the discussion of God’s jealousy in the commentary for Zech 1:7-17).

Micah addressed a series of false securities from which the Hebrews needed to be purified, including military armaments and strategic defenses, occultic practices, and all forms of false religion (5:10-15). These false securities represent a lack of dependence upon God, and as potential idols, they are a threat to provoke God’s jealousy and unleash the fire of his judgment (Deut 29:20; 32:21; cf. Craigie 1985:43-44; G. V. Smith 2001:535-537). Simundson reminds us that Micah’s list of the false securities that God will purge from Israel has a very familiar and contemporary ring to it: “Idolatry is not simply a matter of setting up statues or using symbols borrowed from very different and incompatible religious traditions. To place one’s hope and ultimate security in any thing or person or idea that is less than God is to be guilty of idolatry” (Simundson 1996:576). John’s admonition to the Christian to “keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts” (1 John 5:21) takes on new significance in light of Micah’s preaching.