Micah 7:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

These later clusters are hard for the harvesters to find, as they are well-hidden within the lush foliage and consist of only a few berries. Collecting them presents a challenge for those who follow the initial gatherers, diligently inspecting the vine branches. Thus, the prophet mourns the dwindling number of the just. It is undeniable that the Israelites suffer due to this lack of righteousness. God, in His compassion, is inclined to spare nations and cities and to forgive numerous transgressions, even if only five righteous individuals reside among them, despite the presence of many wicked. Indeed, God is merciful and, for the sake of even a few saints, withholds His wrath.

Historically, the phrase, ‘for the faithful have vanished from the land, and there is not one righteous among humanity,’ aligns with the words of the Lord in Jeremiah: ‘Search ... If you find a man who practices righteousness and justice, I will show him mercy’ (Jeremiah 5:1).”

They not only commit these wrongs but also justify them, calling evil good by exchanging names. Even rulers accept bribes and compel others to offer gifts. The judges emulate this behavior, rendering judgments that benefit themselves, ensuring a soft verdict amongst their wrongdoings, merely by pointing to each other’s failings. Those in positions of authority, well-versed in the law, proclaim their own will rather than the divine will. “And they confounded it,” or the truth, or the city or the land, as noted earlier, “A holy man has perished from the earth.” Indeed, the most esteemed among them proves to be like a painful thorn, wounding those who approach, and the one deemed righteous turns out to be a hindrance, bringing danger where help was expected.

While the Septuagint reflects these sentiments in a somewhat different manner, the essence remains clear: the prophetic words lament the state of humanity, as the seeds of teaching have been sown in vain, and the expected harvest yields only dry stalks and empty chaff with no fruits to find. If it is said that blessed is he who speaks to eager ears, then the teacher laments over the unresponsive student. This echoes the words of the prophet Jeremiah: “I have been of no use to anyone, and no one has been of any use to me” (Jeremiah 15:10). Some interpret this as a reference to the Savior, observing that amidst a multitude of believers, He scarcely finds acts worthy of His sacrifice, as stated in the twenty-ninth psalm: “What profit is there in My blood, when I go down” or descend “into corruption” (Psalm 29:10)? Others argue that the phrase “Woe is me, for I am become as one who gathers straw in the harvest field” is inappropriate for Him, who in the Gospel proclaimed: “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already quite white for harvest” (John 4:35) and elsewhere, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few” (Matthew 9:37).

Some who view this lament as reflective of the Savior argue it is understandable for Him to express sorrow, as He wept over Jerusalem and shed tears for the death of Lazarus (Luke 19:41; John 11:34-35). Moreover, they suggest the words regarding gathering dry ears in the harvest field refer to the end of the world, which is explicitly identified as the harvest; they posit that this prophecy will come to fruition as unrighteousness proliferates, leading to the cooling of many believers' faith. When the Son of Man returns to the earth, He will find little faith remaining (Luke 18:8). In those days, it will be as if after the harvest, there was hardly any straw left, or after the grape harvest, only dry berries remained among those who persevered in faith despite widespread calamity. Furthermore, these words speak from the perspective of Him who bore the burdens of humanity, as indicated by “Woe is me O soul,” which echoes “My soul is sorrowful unto death” (Matthew 26:38). The righteous have either vanished from the earth due to persecution by the Antichrist or find themselves ensnared by various temptations. “And among men there is not one that correcteth: all are tried in blood,” not in minor faults but in grievous sins involving bloodshed. Neither neighborhood, friendship, nor kinship will deter wrongdoing; all will act against righteousness, with those who would not harm another already guilty in their intent. The prince solicits, and the judge flatters, driven by the allure of greedy desires. Given the clarity of this situation, and cautious of the animosity of authorities, I shall leave the interpretation to the reader, adding only that “Gifts blind the eyes of even the wise” (Deuteronomy 16:18-19): judges spare those they ought to condemn and silence those worthy of life due to their wrongful acceptance of bribes.

To these individuals, the Lord warns, “And I will destroy their prosperity,” which they mistakenly believe to be beneficial, as what ruins the giver and destroys the receiver cannot be called good. The intent is to rid them of evil and allow the divine truth to enter their consciences, to consume all that is corrupt like a moth, leaving desolation in the wake of their wrongs and drawing them toward righteousness. This is not a prediction of catastrophe but rather an act of grace. He moves in the light of truth, at the time when saints and the elect of the church ascend to the heights and engage in heavenly discussions on lofty matters in the apex of their teachings and deeds.