Micah 4:5

King James Version (KJV)

For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

Every one in the name of his god - This shall be the state of the Gentile world; but after the captivity, the Jews walked in the name of Jehovah alone; and acknowledge no other object of religious worship to the present day.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

For all people well walk, every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God - Hitherto unsteadfastness had been the very characteristic sin of Israel. It was, “constant only in its inconstancy,” ever “falling away like their forefathers, starting aside like a broken bow” Psalm 78:57. The pagan persevered in their worship, because it was evil or had evil in it, not checking but feeding their passions. Israel did not persevere in his, because it required him to deny himself things unlawful. “Hath a nation changed their gods which are yet no gods? But My people have changed their glow for that which doth not profit” Jeremiah 2:11. Henceforth, the prophet professeth for his people, the true Israel, that he will be as steadfast in good, as the pagan in evil; so our Lord sets forth “the children of this world in their generation” Luke 16:8, as an example of wisdom to the children of light.

Cyril: “They who are eager to go up into the mountain of the Lord, and wish to learn thoroughly His ways, promise a ready obedience, and receive in themselves the glories of the life in Christ, and undertake with their whole strength to be earnest in all holiness. ‹For let every one,‘ he saith, ‹in every country and city go the way himself chooseth, and pass his life, as to him seemeth good; but our care is Christ, and His laws we will make our straight path; we will walk along with Him; and that not for this life only, present or past, but yet more for what is beyond‘ 2 Timothy 2:11-12; Romans 8:17; Revelation 3:4. It is a faithful saying. For they who now suffer with Him, shall walk with Him forever, and with Him be glorified, and with Him reign. But they make Christ their care, who prefer nothing to His love, who cease from the vain distractions of the world, and seek rather righteousness and what is pleasing unto Him, and to excell in virtue. Such an one was the divine Paul; for he writeth, “I am crucified with Christ; and now no longer I live, but Christ liveth in me” Galatians 2:20; and again, “I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” 1 Corinthians 2:2.

To “walk” is so uniformly in Holy Scripture used of a person‘s moral or religious “ways”. p. 378, and above on Micah 2:11, p. 35. So again to walk with God, Genesis 5:22 or before God, Genesis 17:1 or contrary to God, Leviticus 26:21.) (as we say), that the prophet here too is doubtless speaking of the opposite religious ways of the pagan and of the future people of God. The “name” was often, in Hebrew, expressive of the character; and, in regard to God Himself, that Name which He vouchsafed to give to Himself, expressed His Self-existence, and, as a result, His Unchangeableness and His Faithfulness. The names, by which it was foretold that Christ should be called, express both His Deity and attributes; the human Name, which He bare and vouchsafes to bear yet, was significant of His office for us, Saviour Matthew 1:21.

To praise “the Name of the Lord” then, is to praise Him in that character or relation which He has revealed to us.: “He ‹walketh in the Name of the Lord,‘ who ordereth every act and motion worthily of the vocation wherewith he is called, and, “whether he eateth or drinketh, doth all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31” this promise hath its own reward; for it is “forever and ever.” They who “walk in the Name of the Lord,” shall “walk before Him in, the land of the living, forever and ever” Psalm 116:9. Such walk on, with quickened steps, lingering not, “in the Name of the Lord our God,” that is, doing all things in His Name, as His great Name requires, conformed to the holiness and all other qualities which His Name expresseth. “For ever and ever, literally forever and yet, or, more strictly still, for that which is hidden and yet,” which is the utmost thought of eternity we can come to. Time indeed has no relation to eternity; for time, being God‘s creature, is infinite. Still, practically to us, our nearest conception of eternity, is existence, on and on and on, an endless, unchanging, ever-prolonged future, lost in distance and hidden from us, and then, and yet, an ever-to-come yet, which shalt never come to an end. Well then may we not faint, as tho‘ it were long to toil or to do without this or that, since the part of our way which lies amid toils and weariness is so short, and will soon be at an end; what lies beyond, in joy, is infinite in infinite joy, ever full and still ever a yet to come.

The prophet says, “we will walk;”, “uniting himself in longing, hope, faith, to the sons of the New Testament, that is, Christians, as his brethren, re-born by the grace of the same Christ;”, “ministers of the Old, heirs of the New Testament, because they loved through that same faith whereby we love; believing in the Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection of Christ yet to be, as we believe in it, having been.”

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

The nations have not yet so submitted to the Prince of Peace, as to beat their swords into ploughshares, nor has war ceased. But very precious promises these are, relating to the gospel church, which will be more and more fulfilled, for He is faithful that has promised. There shall be a glorious church for God set up in the world, in the last days, in the days of the Messiah. Christ himself will build it upon a rock. The Gentiles worshipped their idol gods; but in the period spoken of, the people will cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and delight in doing his will. The word "halteth," describes those who walk not according to the Divine word. The collecting the captives from Babylon was an earnest of healing, purifying, and prospering the church; and the reign of Christ shall continue till succeeded by the everlasting kingdom of heaven. Let us stir up each other to attend the ordinances of God, that we may learn his holy ways, and walk in them, receiving the law from his hands, which, being written in our hearts by his Spirit, may show our interest in the Redeemer's righteousness.

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