It's Not About Breaking a Rule; It's About Restoring a Relationship (Micah 2:12-13)

We have been studying the ominous words of Micah to the northern kingdom of Samaria.

Let's review what they have done to warrant the prophet to speak out against them and admonish them unapologetically for their behavior. 

The transgression of Samaria is idolatry.  The people have erected temples where idols are worshipped. Why is this so abhorrent to God?  Because false gods lead to false worship and false worship leads to wrong action. And not just wrong in a morally abstract way; it is allowing the flesh full rein, to the point where the flesh decides what is right and wrong. 

How can broken determine brokenness?

How can evil fully assess the true nature of evil?

How can the lost read the moral road map and find a way home?

How can chaos conquer chaos? 

Idolatry is really placing gods on a pedestal that fully reflect what humanity thinks is the truth. The idols are lies and the value system they promote is as well.   

Micah goes on to accuse the wealthy of stealing from the poor and listening to false prophets.

Why not steal? Who cares about the poor? Who cares what people preach?  

Human nature is on full display when the human heart is untethered to God's value system. Paul gives us an unflattering laundry list of the flesh in all its wretched glory: 

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God (5:19-21). 

He also describes how people behave when a society has abandoned all pretense of following God, that will characterize the end times, but also repeats through history: 

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! (2 Tim. 3:1-5).

This is a brilliant description of idolatry. 

The society that results from the worship of the self is destructive and cruel.

But God is not standing there, wagging His finger because people have broken the rules.  He is standing there wanting us to repent, because the sin of worshipping the self ultimately breaks the relationship between His children and Himself. 

Think of the father of the prodigal son.  He could have lectured his son, upon the son's return, about all of the rules he broke and why each one was wrong.  Yes, there were consequences from the young man's sin (the older brother is the saddest casualty) but the father celebrated his son's return and repentance, because the relationship between them was restored.

Return.

Repentance. 

Restoration.  

That is why God had His prophets preach. 

Look what God says to His people after He has been very specific about their behavior and how it deeply offends Him: 

Someday, O Israel, I will gather you;
I will gather the remnant who are left.
I will bring you together again like sheep in a pen,
like a flock in its pasture.
Yes, your land will again
be filled with noisy crowds!
Your leader will break out
and lead you out of exile,
out through the gates of the enemy cities,
back to your own land.
Your king will lead you;
the Lord himself will guide you. (2:12-13)

God has Micah describe the people's sin, but then He has him speak about a day of coming home: 

Return, not exile.

Repentance, not rejection.  

Restoration, not rebuke. 

Relationship, not rules.

Why?  Because when you love God and I mean truly love Him, you want to obey Him.  You humble yourself and He raises you up and wraps that robe around you and puts sandals on your feet.

The self enslaves and leaves you ragged and empty. 

Thus, the words of the prophets.

Thus, the words of the Prophet to come who will undergird His words with a willingness to die a horrible death, all for our restoration.