Micah
3 reminds me of my own reaction when I get mad. I am not a yeller,
and I know words spoken in anger can never be taken back. When I am
hurt, I shut down and shut up. I do not intentionally use it as a
weapon; it is a way to minimize the emotion while I process things.
I’m sure some people do not notice, while caring people like my
wife find the silence painful. The chapter begins ironically,
“Listen, you leaders of Jacob,
you rulers of Israel“. The
prophet is urging them to “embrace
justice” while noting that
they “hate good and love evil“.
Micah further describes the corruption of the political leaders as
cannibals feeding on the people, “you
who; who tear the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones…
like meat for the pan“. I’m
convinced that our founders envisioned citizen legislators to prevent
the formation of a ruling class. They were to create laws and then
go home to live under them. 1 Timothy 3 warns that leaders should,
“be above reproach…
self-controlled, respectable…
not a lover of money” or they
“may become conceited and fall
under the same judgment as the devil“.
Micah describes the outcome, “Then
they will cry out to the Lord, but He will not answer them… He will
hide His face from them because of the evil they have done“.
Many did not care.
Next
Micah discusses “the prophets
who lead my people astray“.
They became paid consultants that say anything you want to hear if
you pay them; and proclaim bad news for “anyone
who refuses to feed them“.
“Therefore… The sun will set
for the prophets… ashamed and… disgraced… there is no answer
from God“. Are you so
calloused that you do not notice God’s silence?
Micah
says, “But as for me, I am
filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord… to declare to Jacob
his transgression, to Israel his sin“.
He would continue to speak out. “Hear
this, you leaders… who despise justice and distort all that is
right… who build Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with
wickedness“. Corruption does
not debate, it silences opposition. He continues by pointing out
that all of the advisors are also on the take, they “judge
for a bribe… teach for a price, and… tell fortunes for money“.
They gave unwavering support for the administration, telling the
people, “No disaster will come
upon us“. Their goal was to
remind the people to listen to what they promise, rather than pay
attention to their unconscionable actions. The chapter closes with
Micah speaking boldly something the people thought was impossible,
“Because of you, Zion will be
plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the
temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets“.
The Psalmist pleaded in his time of despair, “O
God, do not remain silent; do
not turn a deaf ear, do
not stand aloof, O God” (Psalm
83:1). Friend, have you shut down? 1 Peter 2:12 reminds us how to
overcome evil, “Live such good
lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong,
they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits
us“. What do your actions say
about your God?