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Micah – Prophet of Uncompromising Principles (2 of 4)

Focus Text: Micah 3.1-7

Times were not ordinary during Micah’s life. Sin had reached a point in the culture of Israel such that the patience of God had been exceeded. Now that is a frightening statement! Take a deep breath before reading the following words from Micah’s pen; to a believer, they are chilling words which cut the heart and tell of man’s most fearsome fate.

“And I said: ‘Hear now, O heads of Jacob, And you rulers of the house of Israel: Is it not for you to know justice? You who hate good and love evil; Who strip the skin from My people, And the flesh from their bones; Who also eat the flesh of My people, Flay their skin from them, Break their bones, And chop them in pieces Like meat for the pot, Like flesh in the caldron.’ Then they will cry to the LORD, But He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, Because they have been evil in their deeds. Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets Who make my people stray; Who chant ‘Peace’ While they chew with their teeth, But who prepare war against him Who puts nothing into their mouths: ‘Therefore you shall have night without vision, And you shall have darkness without divination; The sun shall go down on the prophets, And the day shall be dark for them. So the seers shall be ashamed, And the diviners abashed; Indeed they shall all cover their lips; For there is no answer from God.’” (Micah 3.1-7).

Can one read the previous paragraph without shuddering, without feeling a chill run down one’s spine? What makes it so awful are the words about God’s willingness to hear the cries of the people to whom Micah ministered. Concerning them, Micah was told to speak for God and say, “Then they will cry to the LORD, But He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time…” How could a man of such emotions and such concern as Micah speak such chilling words? The only answer is that he did so through a supreme desire to be pleasing to God in spite of what others did! Micah had uncompromising principles; principles that exceeded the strength of family, social, religious, and political connections!

Another dark part of the focus text is this: “Therefore you shall have night without vision, And you shall have darkness without divination; The sun shall go down on the prophets, And the day shall be dark for them. So the seers shall be ashamed, And the diviners abashed; Indeed they shall all cover their lips; For there is no answer from God.” For one who believes in God, there could be no worse fate than to be resigned to a time in which God will not speak! Remember that God was yet revealing His will for humanity; all truth was not known as it is today revealed in the Holy Scriptures yet a day of darkness was just over the horizon, a day in which the prophets would search for a word from God but none would be found! What could be more frightening than to know that a day was coming in which “…there is no answer from God”?

Micah’s character, his strength of conviction, is implied by his willingness to speak for God in times such as he lived! Like Noah of old, Micah preached to a rebellious and stiffnecked people. Micah, man of uncompromising principles!

Questions:

1. Read the focus text again. List the statements that reflect the sinful condition of the people.

2. From the focus text, why did Micah say the Lord would not hear the people’s cries?

3. From the focus text, what is revealed about the character of the false prophets who were contemporary with Micah?

4. What strength of character did it take for Micah to speak truth in a climate such as is portrayed in today’s focus text?

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