Commentary on Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah and Nahum John Calvin (continued)
MINOR PROPHETS
I will not contend; that is, that Jerusalem is here called the tower of the flock on account of its devastation, as it was reduced as it were into a cottage. As to the main import of the passage, there is no ambiguity; for the Prophet here strengthens the minds of the godly: they were not to regard the length of time, nor to allow their thoughts, to be occupied with their present calamity, but to feel assured, that what God had promised was in his power, that he could, as it were, raise the dead, and thus restore the kingdom of David, which had been destroyed.
Do then, he says, firmly hope. --- Why? because come to thee, come to thee shall the former kingdom 206 Here the breaking off of the sentence is to be noticed, when the Prophet speaks of the ancient kingdom and dignity. It is not indeed to be doubted, but that the people of God had become objects of mockery, and that hypocrites and heathens thought that what David had testified respecting the perpetuity of his kingdom was a mere delusion.
thy kingdom,' he said, `shall continue as long as the sun and the moon,' (Psalm 72) but soon after the death of Solomon, a small portion only was reserved for his posterity, and at length the kingdom itself and its dignity disappeared. This is the reason that the Prophet now says, that the former kingdom would come. Come, he says, to thee, daughter of Zion, come shall the former kingdom There is indeed no doubt, but that by the former kingdom he understands its most flourishing condition, recorded in Scripture, under David and Solomon.
The kingdom, he says, to the daughter of Jerusalem shall come He expressly mentions the daughter of Jerusalem, because the kingdom of Israel had obscured the glory of the true kingdom. Hence the Prophet testifies here that God was not unmindful of his promise, and that he would restore to Jerusalem the dignity which it had lost, and unite the whole people into one body, that they might be no more divided, but that one king would rule over the whole race of Abraham. But this was not fulfilled, we are certain, at the coming of Christ, in a manner visible to men: we must therefore bear in mind what Micah has previously taught, --- that this kingdom is spiritual; for he did not ascribe to Christ a golden scepter, but a doctrine, ``Come, and let us ascend unto the mount of Jehovah, and he will teach us of his ways; and then he added,'' From Zion shall go forth a law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. This, then, ought ever to be remembered, --- that God has not rendered
Jerusalem glorious in the sight of men, as it was formerly, nor has he enriched it with influence and wealth and earthly power; but he has yet restored the sovereign authority; for he has not only subjected to himself the ten tribes which had formerly revolted, but also the whole world. Let us go on ---
Micah 4:9-10
9. Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor or the temple, or both, are meant; for these were considered the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, the fortress of the Jewish people.''---Adam Clarke. What especially confirms this view is, that the two clauses are in apposition, the latter is explanatory of the former. --- Ed.
206Calvin observes the order of the original, which is not done in our version. The whole verse may be thus rendered, — And thou tower of the flock, The fortress of the daughter of Zion! To thee it shall return; Yea, come shall the former dominion, The kingdom to the daughter of Jerusalem. The verb {,{אתהwhich I render ``return,'' means mostly, to come, to come near, to approach, to happen. ---
Ed.