Micah 7:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Is this not the ultimate moral abomination? The prophet’s words are thus profoundly illustrative, denouncing greed: 'The prince seeks, and the judge delivers soothing words.' However, can we fault those who urge peace amongst the divided only to lead them to their destruction? How would the beatitude, 'Blessed are the peacemakers' (Matthew 5:9), hold any truth? And what then is their reward? Yet, the honor due to the peacemakers remains intact. Conversely, a just judge articulates the divine law’s requirements, chastises the unrighteous, and consistently defends the afflicted. But when they 'utter words of peace' to lawbreakers without addressing their transgressions, they clearly oppose the will of the Lawgiver. Scripture also states that 'the mouth of the priest shall safeguard knowledge, and the law shall be sought from his mouth' (Malachi 2:7). Those who have grown accustomed to receiving gifts can no longer judge fairly nor boldly admonish lawbreakers; instead, they tend toward appeasement, often causing great suffering by their selfishness. The prophet analyzes this affliction, indicating that 'the desire of his soul is'; likely, he favors what is done immorally. How can he impose punishment on the wicked when he has previously condoned their actions? Thus, greed and the oppression of others are indeed lawless and deeply harmful. It is repugnant to desire shameful gains and to reach such folly as to disregard virtuous ethics and incorruptible judgment while favoring those inclined to lawlessness, sharing in their iniquities, and consequently participating in their sins (1 Timothy 5:22). Who with sound judgment could doubt that the one who yields to such grievous sins will inevitably face divine wrath and condemnation? And I will extinguish their favorable circumstances, like moths that come to devour. They shall comply with the rules, as one does in a day of vigilance. He threatened a dual punishment: 'And I will strike you and obliterate you in your sins. You will eat but not be satisfied. I will afflict you, and you shall not be rescued' – and continued, saying, 'You will plant but not harvest; you shall press oil but not anoint yourself with it; you shall drink wine but not be intoxicated' (Micah 6:13-15). This signifies that due to the barrenness of their fields, they will lack abundance and essential provisions, suffering from deprivation. Thus, He will destroy 'their good things' like a moth, referring to the enjoyments once abundant in happier days. They shall face calamities, extermination, and exile—slaughtered one by one and driven pitifully from their homes and cities. This is highlighted by the phrase 'go forth according to the rule in the day of watch.' This expression is challenging to interpret. I believe it can only be understood through a clear recounting of historical events, which I will attempt. In Judea, there lies a village known as Gaba (Slav. Gabaon), located on a hill, assigned to the tribe of Benjamin; it is referred to as a place of watch. It recalls the tale from the book of Judges (Judges 20:19), where a Levite, after his concubine was dishonored by the Benjamites in Gaba, dismembered her and sent the pieces to all tribes, revealing the Benjamites' crime. This act led the other tribes to declare war, resulting in immense casualties for both sides. The prophet Hosea also remembers this incident, stating: 'Astonishment in the house of God was established and troubled by the days of Holm' (Gabaon) (Hosea 9:8-9). He conveys that, because idolatry and false prophecy characterized the house of the Lord during that time, they were troubled as in the era of the Hill, that is, Gabaon. The hill of Gaba is also referred to as the guardians, which you will clearly see in the record of the third book of Kings. During the reign of Asa in Jerusalem and Baasha in Samaria, their ambitions clashed, leading them to arm themselves against each other. Baasha, king of Israel, advanced against Judah and fortified Ramah so that Asa could not move freely (3 Kings 15:17). When adversity struck Samaria, Baasha, pledging against their enemies, abandoned Ramah; Asa from Jerusalem then commanded to fortify the areas around Benjamin's hill and the guardhouses (3 Kings 15:22). This illustrates the term Gabaah, derived from the elevation of its hill, a suitable lookout place. Consequently, 'I will strike you and obliterate you in your sins' will occur not in any other manner but as it was during the days of vigilance. My actions will adhere strictly to the rules, without deviation, proceeding with vengeance. The prophetic pronouncement seems to return us to similar themes. Micah’s prophecy unfolded during the reign of Jehoiapham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Jehoiapham exemplified righteousness, while Ahab was notoriously vile and devoted to wickedness. In his reign, Phakeah, the son of Ramelin, king of Samaria, waged war against Judah with the support of Razan, king of Damascus. The Lord delivered him into the hands of the king of Syria, resulting in considerable captives taken and many perishing due to forsaking the Lord (2 Chronicles 28:5-6). Hence, it is essential to recognize that offenders against God will rapidly encounter a deficiency of all good and face a dire famine of divine graces, leading to mutual destruction. Christ does not grant His peace to those who do not love Him, particularly affecting the adversaries of truth, from whom the spiritual anointing is absent, leaving them in conflict, strife, and division. God states: 'For I have removed my peace from these people; they shall die a fierce death' (Jeremiah 16:4-5); for God only fortifies and unifies those who honor Him, enabling the flourishing of righteousness, respecting the weight of truth, and striving to suppress lawless thoughts while nurturing an awe for the beauty of truth.

With no ripe fruit to sustain us, I have attempted to gather the immature figs, referred to by the Jews as bechchchora, meaning the best of the figs: he laments that rather than finding bread corresponding to the severity of the famine, he has searched for mere sap and husks.” The devout have vanished from the land, and there is no righteous person among mankind. Everywhere there are schemes and falsehoods; innocent blood flows. Due to greed and lust, even familial bonds are disregarded. Not only do they perpetrate evil, but they also justify it, calling good what is clearly wrong. The rulers accept bribes, both from those who present them willingly and also demand them insistently from others. Judges mimic this behavior, passing lenient sentences on one another, justifying their own failings by pointing to those of others. Those in positions of authority, rather than proclaiming God’s decrees, enact their own desires. “And they have corrupted,” whether it pertains to the truth, the city, or the land, where it was previously stated that “a holy man has vanished from the earth.” Truly, among them, the very best turns out to be thorny and harmful to those who approach, and whom they deem righteous become like a choke in a hedge, presenting danger where help was anticipated.

The Seventy interpreters offer a different perspective; yet, they convey a similar essence: prophetic or apostolic utterance grieves for humanity because the seeds of doctrine have been sown in vain. The tardy harvester, instead of yielding a fruitful crop, will struggle to find only withered stalks and empty husks, unable to even locate small fruit in the vineyard. If indeed it is blessed to speak with the ears of attentive listeners, then it is woe to the teacher who faces unresponsive students; this lament harmonizes with the words of the prophet Jeremiah: “I have been of no use to anyone, and no one has been of any use to me.” Some suggest these sentiments echo the perspective of the Saviour, observing that amidst a multitude of believers, He can scarcely find actions worthy of the sacrifice of His blood, reflected in the words of Psalm twenty-nine: “What profit is there in My blood when I descend into corruption?” Others argue that the phrase “Woe is me, for I am made like one who gathers straw in the harvest field” is not fitting for Him who declared, “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest” and, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few.” Those who relate this to the Saviour affirm that it is no surprise He laments, given His weeping over Jerusalem and His tears for Lazarus. They further relate the gathering of dry ears in the harvest field to the end times, a period indeed referred to as the harvest; they suggest this prophecy may fulfill when, amid rampant unrighteousness, many shall lose faith, and the Son of Man returning shall find it scarce. In that day, it will seem as if, after the harvest, there is scarcely any straw left, or after the grape harvest, few dry berries among those who have maintained faith amid tribulation; these words are understood to be spoken from the perspective of Him who embraced humanity, supported by the expression of deep sorrow to the point of death.

In these final days, the faithful may vanish from the earth, either through persecution by the Antichrist or temptation engulfing them all. “And among men there is not one who corrects; all are tested in blood,” not in trivial errors but in grave transgressions. Neither social ties nor friendships restrain wrongdoing; every hand is lifted for malice, so that even one who refrains from action is guilty in heart. The rulers beg, and judges utter flattery, motivated by their own desires. Given this clarity and my caution towards the enmity of the powerful, I leave the interpretation to the reader, with the additional thought that “Gifts blind the eyes of even the wise”: judges spare lives that ought to face justice and condemn the innocent due to the corruption of bribery. To such individuals, the Lord issues a warning: “And I will ruin their prosperity” which they mistakenly deem beneficial. In truth, that which harms the giver and destroys the receiver cannot rightly be considered good. While God seeks to cleanse them from such evils and invite His word and light into their thoughts, He does so not as a threat but as an opportunity for grace. His intent is to reveal truth and, in the day when the saints and elect rise to new heights, to engage in discussions about celestial matters with utmost significance in their teachings and deeds.

Then, like a compassionate Father administering discipline with sorrow, he adds, "U lute, u lute, thy vengeance is come; now shall be their lamentations." At this time, the prophet indicates, friends will not aid one another, nor will kings concern themselves with their subjects, and wives will disregard their husbands. Each will focus solely on their own salvation, seeking a sanctuary from misfortune; sons will neglect to honor their fathers, daughters will overlook their mothers, and daughters-in-law will have no joy for their mothers-in-law. There will be a profound estrangement among them, apathy towards one another, and a scant regard for their own salvation. Such will be their plight.