I have returned! My family and I have just relocated to Tennessee from Idaho. We drove five days with two dogs and crossed five states. Whew. We are here safe and sound, awaiting for our stuff to arrive to our new house so we can enjoy unpacking billions of boxes (how did we get so much stuff?) and settling in. I am excited to rejoin you in our discussion of Micah.
Let's look at Micah 3:3-8:
This is what the Lord says:
“As for the prophets
who lead my people astray,
they proclaim ‘peace’
if they have something to eat,
but prepare to wage war against anyone
who refuses to feed them.
Therefore night will come over you, without visions,
and darkness, without divination.
The sun will set for the prophets,
and the day will go dark for them.
and the diviners disgraced.
They will all cover their faces
because there is no answer from God.”
But as for me, I am filled with power,
with the Spirit of the Lord,
and with justice and might,
to declare to Jacob his transgression,
to Israel his sin.
These are not only powerful words, but powerful accusations against those who should know better. Just as Jesus had kind words for the people, who He saw as sheep without a shepherd, He saw the leaders as rapacious wolves.
Why? They knew better--they had His Father's words and knew the Law.
The nation of Israel has stopped following God's truth, having been seduced to follow their own. Who failed them? First, their prophets.
Proverbs 29:18 diagnoses the problem facing the nation of Israel: "When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. / But whoever obeys the law is joyful."
Why "joyful"? God's words are meant to give us purpose, identity and hope.
Purpose: To partner with Him, to bring His light, love and joy to a world drowning in darkness, hatred and hopelessness.
Identity: We are His children. We are not accidents, just merely existing until life is over. Or orphans, wandering through this life trying to work it out on our own.
Hope: Life can be a bait and switch at times. Life promises you the sun, moon and stars and you find out that they are made of paper maché and are hanging by twine.
But notice what Solomon says that when people do not "accept divine guidance," they "run wild." Why? Their flesh, infiltrated with the Fall, leads them to accept lies as truth, because this "truth" justifies what they are already doing. The people have appropriated pagan values and live under the idea that this is the best way to live.
But God's law, which does not allow dehumanizing each other; protects the stranger in the land; provides for the poor and the widow; protects slaves; and teaches that dependence on Yahweh is based on His covenant relationship with His people. He honors His commitment to it even when the people fail to honor theirs.
How does God keep His people on the right path, reminding them of what He expects and how He sees the world? His prophets.
Jesus is the ultimate prophet, for His words are the fulfillment of every utterance the prophets spoke in the Hebrew scriptures. But until the "fulness of time" when He came to us, the people needed the prophets to keep close to what God revealed through each of them.
So, these prophets in Micah's day come under scrutiny, for their utterances are not honoring God but saying what the people want to hear. The people are satisfied and the prophets live well. Their prophetic utterances keep them living large, for they say, "Peace!" in complete contradiction to what God's prophets are saying that judgement is coming to Israel due to their spiritual adultery. These prophets deceive the people so that they can continue to live well. But woe unto anyone who fails to support their message, threatening their way of life.
Hey Micah, who do you think you are? We are doing well. Doesn't God honor His prophets with blessings? We are blessed. We prophesy, the people carry on, life goes on and no one is buying what you are selling about judgment this, and judgment that. But let us remind you, you upstart, that we have the people's ear, not you. If you cause any of them to turn away and listen to the likes of you, watch yourself, big boy. We will go to war and we know who will win. We have God on our side. How do we know? We live well, and all those doomy and gloomy things have not happened. There is nothing even on the horizon that supports your careless words.
If you know what's good for you, you will take your marbles and go home. This is not a suggestion.
But God will not be mocked. Because "His" prophets have deceived the people so they can profit from their words, God will allow the darkness to fall over them. The armies of the enemy will sweep over them as well as the people.
God would no longer speak through them.
He sought to inspire them.
But they conspired against Him.
God did not abandon these prophets.
They abandoned Him.
Micah asserts where his power comes from: Not the flesh, not the culture, not popularity amongst the people, but from God Himself. He accepts wherever that may lead, because God's truth is more important than anything else.
Jesus carried on the same prophetic tradition of holding fast to truth, despite consequences, when he confronted Pilate:
Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” (John 18:37)For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. (2 Tim. 4:2-4)
