4. It has four parts: I. A denunciation of God’s judgments against the tribes of Judah and Israel, and of His grace towards the elect (Micah 1; 2). II. A prophecy concerning the punishment of the people, and of the erection of a better Kingdom (Micah 3:1-4:7). III. A denunciation of judgment against Jerusalem, and promise of the Kingdom of Christ (Micah 4:8-5:15). IV. A dispute of God with the Israelite people, and the consolation of believers (Micah 6; 7). A Synoptic Table of the book, and its Interpreters, Ancient, Reformed, Lutheran, Roman Catholic.
According to the argument of the prophecy, four times repeated in this Prophecy, four parts of the book also are not incommodiously established. First, concerning the judgments of God against the tribes of Judah and Israel (Micah 1; 2). Second, concerning the punishment of the people, and the erection of a better Kingdom (Micah 3:1-4:7). Third, concerning judgment against Jerusalem (Micah 4:8-5:15). Fourth, concerning the dispute of God with the people, and the consolation of believers (Micah 6; 7).
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I. An announcement of God’s judgments against the tribes of Judah and Israel, and also of grace towards the elect, Chapters 1; 2. See:
1. After the title (verse 1), and the acquiring of attention for himself and credit (verse 2), the proposition, that is, judgments denounced against Judah and Israel on account of defection (verses 3-5), even indeed of Israel separately (verses 6-9), and of Judah, against nine cities of which expressly He threatens grief, flight, and desolation (verses 10-16): chapter 1.
2. The causes of the judgment and chastisements of God, namely, vain thoughts, robberies, defrauding of brethren, on account of which subjugation and desolation are proclaimed against them (verses 1-5), contempt and coercion of Prophecy, the pulling of garments off of Prophets, abundance of divorces, the removal of reverence from children (verses 6-11): chapter 2:1-11.
3. A promise of grace, the regathering and exaltation of Israel, and the sending of Jehovah’s King, the Messiah (verses 12, 13): chapter 2:12, 13.
II. A prophecy concerning the punishment of the people and the erection of a better kingdom, Chapters 3:1-4:7. See:
1. Both the singular sins and punishment of the nobles (verses 1-4), and of the False Prophets (verses 5-7); and the common, of the Princes and people, the seducers and the seduced (verses 8-12): chapter 3.
2. The erection of the Kingdom of Christ, to be begun at Jerusalem, and to be advanced through the whole world, in which are distinctly promised the exaltation of the house of God, the gathering of the nations unto Christ, judgment to be executed by God reigning to procure the peace of the Church, and finally the regathering and edification of the Church (verses 1-7): chapter 4:1-7.
III. Denunciation of judgment against Jerusalem, and the promise of the Kingdom of Christ, Chapters 4:8-5:15. See:
1. An explanation for the affliction of Jerusalem, to be deprived of King and counselors (verses 8, 9): chapter 4:8, 9.
2. Liberation promised from Babylonian captivity (verse 10), the subjugation of neighboring nations (verses 11-13), and the siege of the city imposed by the Roman army on account of the smiting of the judge of Israel (Micah 5:1): chapters 4:10-5:1.
3. The Kingdom of Messiah, in which is described His nativity (verse 2), people (verses 3, 4), peace with respect to Assyria (verses 5, 6), the multiplication of the remnants of Israel, and its blessedness (verse 7), the oppression of its enemies (verse 8, 9), the repurification of the Church from confidence in men and idols (verses 10-14), and, finally, God’s judgment against the nations (verse 15): chapter 5:2-15.
IV. God’s dispute with the Israelite people, and the consolation of the faithful, Chapters 6; 7. See:
1. God’s complaint concerning injuries or His dispute with the people, wherein both God, with His blessings towards the people commemorated (verses 1-5), shows that He is pleased, not so much by sacrifices, as by judgment, charity, and humility (verses 6-8); and the voice of Jehovah, crying unto the city, after the seeing of His name, on account of grievous faults (verses 9-15), denounces desolation to His people (verse 16): chapter 6.
2. God’s lamentation concerning the impenitence and imminent destruction of the people (verses 1-6): chapter 7:1-6.
3. The consolation of the afflicted Church, which, testifying to its faith in God alone (verse 7), wards off the insult of its enemy (verses 8-10), and, receiving the gracious sentence of rebuilding from God (verses 11-13), promises itself the care of Christ the shepherd and their confusion of its enemies (verses 14-17). And God is glorified (verses 18-20): chapter 7:7-20.