Erica's Bible Study and Journal

In this chapter, Micah admonishes the Jews to gather forces because their enemies would gather and lay siege to them. There would be times of calamity. However, God was still at work. Although Bethlehem was small, it was to become the birth place of the Messiah. From the time in which Micah was speaking until the time of His birth, God’s people would be given up by Him. Then the remnant would gather.

This Man (Jesus,of course)that was to come would be the source of peace between God and man, and His kingdom would be established. The eternal enemies of God would be destroyed eternally. The remnant of God’s people would again be scattered among all the nations of the world. Although scattered they would be victorious over their enemies.

God would, however, remove those things they placed their trust in. He would cut off their military might, their witchcraft, and their idolatry. Everything that stood between them and God would be removed and they would have to rely on Him. Those that refused to hear would feel the vengeance of God.

When we have hard times, we rely heavily on God.  But when things are good and everything is going our way, it is very easy to revert to trusting in our own ability.  We need God just as much during good times as we do during bad.  We just don’t realize.  He is the one who sustains all things.  How dare we forget that!

As I read this, I am thankful that God has never been content to abandon us to our sinful desires.  Instead He warns and calls us to repentance.  I am thankful that I am no longer liable to God to pay my own debts.  He had promised the Jews their Messiah, and He delivered.  All He asks of us is to look to Him for everything rather than ourselves and the deceptions of this world.

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God went on to show Micah what would come to pass in the last days of life as we know it. God’s kingdom will be established for eternity. People of many nations, not just the Jews, would come to worship Him and to commune with him.

In those days, God will teach us his ways and we will obey. All war will end and men will turn there weapons into tools for harvesting. There will no longer be any cause for fear. When that time comes, all things will be set aright. The weak will cease to be weak and the outcast will be gathered in.

Micah is then brought back to the matter at hand. God had to judge His people for their sin. They were experiencing labor pains so to speak. Something was about to burst forth, but they had to endure the pain first. They would be sent to Babylon, but in time, God would deliver them from their captors. Those around them would set their sights on destroying them, but they didn’t realize God was in charge. After their captivity, God would restore them to power.

We can learn from this that God works both pleasant and unpleasant circumstances out in a way that benefits His people and fulfills His plan.  He can’t be the God of love and not judge unrighteousness.  But even in His judgment He has made a way for restoration and hope.

That is not to say that every bad thing that comes into our lives is a part of God’s plan.  Often times we (I mean “I”) bring bad things on ourselves through our willfulness, disobedience, selfishness, and sin.  No matter what the cause is, we have a loving Father that is always waiting to have us turn to Him for answers and help.

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This chapter is directed towards the leaders of Israel. They held positions of great influence and, rather than practice justice and equity, they crushed their own people for their own benefit. A time was at hand where those leaders would cry out to God and He would not hear them. He would turn his face away from them and let them get what they had deserved.

The prophets led the people astray by saying everything was fine. They convinced the people that their sin was okay and no harm would come to them.  They were God’s chosen people and they believed that gave them license to do anything without repercussions.

Verse 5 is especially interesting to me in this chapter. One commentary I read says that the verse is describing a situation whereby those that gave to the prophets were given favorable reports by them. On the other hand, those that didn’t give the prophet anything were seen as enemies. Verse 11 seems to support that interpretation. However, when I read it, it seemed to me that they were injuring the people by their false reports. And God, who didn’t put words in their mouths, or rather hadn’t spoken to them, was treated as their enemy. It seems that could be true as well.

At any rate, God was going to enclose those false prophets in darkness at every turn and prevent them from having any visions. They would be revealed as what they were--liars--and there would be nothing they could say to dispute God.

Micah again calls for the attention of the leaders. The judges were motivated by bribes. The teachers and prophets were also for sale. Anything that resembled justice was perverted. But God was going to show true justice by turning all they loved to rubble.

As we watch our church leaders, we should be mindful of the messages they pass on to us by word and by action.  Do they lead people to Christ or to themselves?  Do they get their direction from God or from those he make the largest financial contributions?  Do they put God first no matter how imperfect they are or do they put the opinion of others first?

We should also look ourselves.  Do we speak the truth in love or do we say what sounds good?  Do we want to please God or do we want to please ourselves?

According to God there will always be those who intentionally lead people astray.  He also says there will always be those who only want to hear that their sin is not sin.  The only fix for this is to turn to God and His word as the source of truth. With His help, which He is always willing to give, we can rightly discern His will and govern ourselves accordingly.   

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The people of Samaria had removed God and His law from their lives. As a result, all they did was sin. They meditated on ways to do harm to others and to gain for themselves. They stole land and homes from the rightful owners through violence. As a consequence, God was devising evil against them so great they wouldn’t be able to avoid it. Those that saw it would marvel and mourn because everything they had acquired would be removed. They would be left destitute.

These people were accustomed to God’s prophets. However, they never listened and instead sought to silence them. Despite their efforts there was no way for them to limit or restrict God. And the evil that was prophesied against them was not God’s fault but was the result of their sinfulness. They were not content to take a man’s coat. They had to take the garment underneath as well. The ejected a woman, probably a widow, and her children from their home.

Since they refused to accept God’s prophets, God let them have their own prophets. These prophets professed to be led by the spirit, but were led by the wind and told them what they wanted to hear. God was going to judge them and when it was over he was going to gather the few that were left and restore His order.

If I tried to list all the similarities between this disobedient nation and our own, I wouldn’t have time to do anything else.  America is full of sin and people are always finding new ways to deny God and His ways.  All they want to do is gather more things for themselves and indulge their every desire. 

There are pastors who preach against this just as the prophets of old did to no avail.  Yet the pastors that only talk about money and how to be happy have people flocking to them.  There is no sin, no accountable, and there is nothing wrong with you according to them.  Which pastor do you listen to?

God IS a God of love as they profess, but He is also holy, righteous, and just.  He cannot and will not allow rebellion and a willful life of sin go unpunished.  That would not be justice.  We all have to choose.  Do we listen to God or do we listen to our own desires?  Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.  I encourage you to choose today!

Micah prophesied during the same period as Isaiah and Hosea however they were each assigned to different areas of the country. Isaiah was in Jerusalem and Hosea was in Israel while Micah was in Samaria. He called the people and the earth to listen to him. He warned them that the Lord was coming out of His holy place and was going to trample on the high places of idolatrous worship. The mountains and valleys would dissolve in His presence.

Micah knew they would ask what they had done wrong. His answer was to point to Samaria and Judah. They were the two hubs of idol worship that influenced the entire nation. Because of this they would become ruined. Their idols would be beaten to bits and their offerings to the idols would be destroyed.

Because of the coming judgment, Micah told them what his reaction would be. He was going to mourn, wail, and grieve as they should do. There destruction was eminent. However, he instructs them not to let the surrounding nations see their shame. They should mourn their sin, but they shouldn’t let their enemies see. Their enemies would enjoy seeing them put to shame.

I don’t believe Micah was advocating hypocrisy by telling them to hide their shame from their neighbors.  They were surrounded my hostile nations that would seize any opportunity to destroy them much like today.  He was advising them not to give them such opportunity. 

I think it also shows us that if we are knowingly living in sin as they were we need to grieve and mourn privately before God and seek his mercy and forgiveness.  It is sometimes appropriate to confess our sin to others, for instance if we have wronged them.  Otherwise we need to go to our heavenly Father because He loves us and wants to forgive us.  However, it is up to us to look for that forgiveness.

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