Read Micah
6-7 & Revelation
12
To discover:
As you read consider the different
ways God’s love is expressed.
To ponder:
Micah
calls the people to plead their case against the LORD’s accusation, in the
hearing of the mountains as their witnesses. God asks the people how they think
he has burdened them, when it was him who redeemed them from slavery in Egypt,
who sent Moses and others to lead them, who ensured Balaam prophesied only
blessing, and miraculously enabled them to cross the Jordon to Gilgal. God’s
concern is that they know he acted righteously with them (6v1-5). Hosea then
pictures a wealthy Israelite (judging from his gifts) asking what he should
bring before the exalted (ie. greatest) God to atone for his sin. He wonders
about quality sacrifices, numerous offerings, even his firstborn. But Micah
replies that God has already shown what is good and required – to act justly,
love mercy and walk humbly with his God (1v6-8). We cannot atone for our own
sin, but God is ready to forgive through Christ all who display love for him in
this way. He desires these things far above any material gifts or outer
worship.
Micah now stands between God and Jerusalem .
He states God is calling the city. What he is calling them to is unclear (see
NIV footnote), but seems to that they take notice of him. Within this Micah
affirms that to fear God’s name is wisdom, highlighting the sort of obedient
response God is looking for. God asks if he should forget the people’s
ill-gotten wealth which has been gained through dishonesty in business. And in
asking whether they should be acquitted, he adds that the city’s rich men are
violent and the people liars, so he has begun to destroy them. What they seek
to store up, plant or prepare will therefore be lost when they are given over
to the sword. Because they have continued in the statutes (ways) of Omri and
Ahab, who acted with similar deception, they will be ruined and scorned
(6v9-16). We are to turn from the sins of the past, not repeat them.
Chapter 7 begins with Micah
lamenting his misery. He is like one coming to look for fruit from the vine (Israel )
at the beginning of the harvest only to find none. This language of beginning
seems to presume fruit will be found in the future. But he declares that in his
day the godly (ie. the fruit) have been swept away. Those who remain are
therefore those who seek to harm or entrap their brothers, being skilled in
evil. The ruler (king) and judges take bribes, dictating that they should
receive what will fit their desires and conspiring together to this end. The
best of these evil people harm like prickly hedges (brier), whereas the worst
do so like thorn hedges. And so the day the watchmen (prophets) watch for has
come – when they are to sound warning. It is a day when God visits in
judgement, bringing confusion – as would happen when Assyria
besieges the city. It’s a time when all will look out for themselves, so the
people are warned not to trust those closest to them, as a man’s enemies will
be from household. Yet, Micah can affirm. – he will wait hopefully for God as
his Saviour (7v1-7). Jesus’ coming bring just such divisions, and we are called
to wait patiently as Micah did (Matt 10v35-39).
Here Micah declares that the days
for building the walls of Jerusalem
and extending Judah ’s
boundaries will come. And the extending of boundaries will occur because people
will come from all over the known world, including from amongst Israel ’s
greatest enemies. The sense is that this will leave only those doing bad deeds
in the world, causing it to become desolate (7v11-13).
Micah continues calling God to
shepherd his people as his flock (or inheritance) which lives on its own in the
great pasture-land of Israel .
So God is asked to ensue their security (with his staff), and let them feed on
the best pastures (7v14). He responds by promising to show his people wonders
as when brought out of Egypt, and states that nations will see this deliverance
and be ashamed – presumably of mocking Israel as if she had no God, and of
worshipping false gods themselves. What
follows implies this will lead to repentance. The picture of the nations with
their hands on their mouths and deaf may imply them being so in awe of God’s
deliverance of his people that they cannot speak and are unaware of all else
going on around them. We’re told God will deprive them of power, causing them
to lick dust in humiliation like the snake in Eden ,
which occurred when the nations of Micah’s day were conquered by Babylon ,
and then Babylon by Medo-Persia.
The suggestion is that this would lead them to turn in trembling and fear to
God. No doubt this occurred as those from the nations saw God’s wonders in
freeing his people from their exile. But it continues as people throughout the
world witness Christians freed from their exile from Eden
through Christ, and then turn from their idols to God (7v15-17).
The book ends with Micah extolling
God’s supremacy in forgiving the sins of the remnant from amongst his people,
and being a God who doesn’t remain angry but delights to show mercy. And so
Micah declares how God will again have compassion, getting rid of his people’s
sin from his sight so that they no longer provoke his wrath and he can
therefore be true to his promise to Abraham and Jacob (7v18-20). This reminds
us that our share in Israel ’s
blessings is ultimately only because God first promised Abraham that through
his descendents the world would be blessed. This is why the return from exile
is so critical for us. It was his means of bringing Christ to birth, and
widening his salvation to the world.
Praying
it home:
Praise God for
being ready to forgive not just Israel
but those from the nations too. Pray home chapter 6v8.
Thinking
further:
Just ten days to go. You’re almost there!
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