(10) It shall come to pass in that day.--The prophet now passes on to the purification of the Church from the defilements mentioned by Isaiah (Isaiah 2:3-10), with reference to the ultimate holiness which shall be established "in that day."

I will cut off thy horses.--The possession of horses was imperatively forbidden to the Jewish king (Deuteronomy 17:16), and Isaiah describes the land as at this time "full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots." As symbolising the power of man, these horses shall be cut off, and the reliance of the Church shall be on God alone. "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God" (Psalm 20:7).

Verses 10-15. - § 11. Messiah shall destroy all the instruments of war, and put down all idolatry, having taught his people to rely upon him alone. Verse 10. - In that day. When Messiah's kingdom is established. Micah depicts the interior perfection of the Church, as he had before explained its relation to external nations. Horses... chariots. The things most used in attack and defence, and forbidden by God as betraying distrust in his providence (comp. Deuteronomy 17:16; Isaiah 2:7; Zechariah 9:10). In the reign of the Prince of Peace all war shall cease (Isaiah 9:4-6).

5:7-15 The remnant of Israel, converted to Christ in the primitive times, were among many nations as the drops of dew, and were made instruments in calling a large increase of spiritual worshippers. But to those who neglected or opposed this salvation, they would, as lions, cause terror, their doctrine condemning them. The Lord also declares that he would cause not only the reformation of the Jews, but the purification of the Christian church. In like manner shall we be assured of victory in our personal conflicts, as we simply depend upon the Lord our salvation, worship him, and serve him with diligence.And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord,.... When the above things shall be accomplished, even in the Gospel day, made so by the rising of the sun of righteousness; the Gospel dispensation, the latter part of it:

that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots; which some take to be an apostrophe to literal Babylon, and to be fulfilled when Cyrus took possession of it; but rather it respects mystical Babylon, and the destruction of that by Christ; but it is best of all to interpret it of the church of Christ, all whose carnal confidences and dependences shall be cut off, and shall trust alone in Christ for salvation; particularly the Jews now converted, who have been used to put their trust in the flesh, and in such things as are here mentioned; but now shall be made to see the folly and vanity of such things, and shall renounce and disclaim them; see Hosea 14:3; or the sense is, there shall be no more war; horses and chariots shall be no more used in a hostile way; but there shall be perfect peace, all enemies being destroyed, which agrees with Micah 2:3 Zechariah 9:10. The Targum is,

"I will cut off the horses of the people from the midst of thee, and destroy their chariots?''