 Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil on their beds!
When the morning dawns, they perform it,
because it is in the power of their hand.
2 They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance. 3 Therefore thus says the Lord: behold, against this family I am devising disaster, from which you cannot remove your necks, and you shall not walk haughtily, for it will be a time of disaster. 4 In that day they shall take up a taunt song against you and moan bitterly, and say, “We are utterly ruined; he changes the portion of my people; how he removes it from me! To an apostate he allots our fields.” 5 Therefore you will have none to cast the line by lot in the assembly of the Lord. 6 “Do not preach”—thus they preach—“one should not preach of such things; disgrace will not overtake us.” 7 Should this be said, O house of Jacob? Has the Lord grown impatient? Are these his deeds? Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly? 8 But lately my people have risen up as an enemy; you strip the rich robe from those who pass by trustingly with no thought of war. 9 The women of my people you drive out from their delightful houses; from their young children you take away my splendor forever. 10 Arise and go, for this is no place to rest, because of uncleanness that destroys with a grievous destruction. 11 If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be the preacher for this people! 12 I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob; I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men. 13 He who opens the breach goes up before them; they break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king passes on before them, the Lord at their head. Meditation God’s grace invites you to experience God’s blessing through walking in God’s ways. The faithfulness of Jesus welcomes wandering sheep back into the fold of God. Obeying God’s direction empowers us to experience the fullness of the green pastures of His grace, for our good and His glory. The blessing of walking in God’s grace is the bedrock of this section. God asks through Micah, “Do not my words do good to those who walk uprightly?” (7) The focus of Micah’s indictment in this chapter are wealthy land owners who created a system that feeds covetousness without feeding the poor (1-2, using the blessing of God’s land for personal popularity and gain. The Lord will not tolerate the abuse of His blessings (3-5). The people push back on the prophet’s prosecution by presuming on the Lord’s kindness (6). Micah’s “theological counter attack” points out the obvious- When we reject God’s ways, we refuse to truly experience God’s blessings (7) and we welcome judgement (8-11). The faithfulness of God is the hope for an unfaithful people. God Himself promises to gather the poor sheep of His pasture and lead them as a Shepherd King (12-13). God fulfills this promise to protect the poor and provide access to the fullness of His promises through the person and work of Jesus, our faithful Shepherd King. God’s grace through Christ invites you to celebrate the blessing of walking in God’s ways! Richly Dwelling -Do you prioritize personal prosperity over a faithful response to God’s grace? Where? Why? -Jesus Christ was faithful on our behalf SO THAT we can be free to confess where we have been unfaithful, find forgiveness, and begin again in serving Him. Take time to confess your sin(s) of covetousness, prioritizing prosperity. God promises to forgive and to cleanse! So you can begin again. Thanks be to Jesus! Key Verse 12 I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob; I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men. READ THE WEEK'S LINKS HERE Comments are closed.
|