The Beloved Disciple's First Letter - Pt 1

 

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. (1 John 1:1–4 ESV).

 

Today we come back to the New Testament for Morning Devotionals with a look into First John. It was written around A.D. 85–100 from Ephesus to Christian communities in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) to counter early false teachings. The letter is technically anonymous, but early church tradition and matching language style link it to the Apostle John as an elderly eyewitness to Jesus. It was written from Ephesus, where John spent his later years overseeing regional churches, a network of house churches in Asia Minor facing division.

 

A group had recently broken away from the church, creating hostility, confusion, and doubt among the remaining believers. The breakaway group promoted early Gnosticism or proto-gnostic ideas, denying that Jesus came fully in the physical human flesh (the incarnation) and claiming special spiritual knowledge while minimizing sin. First John was written as a poetic sermon to reassure faithful believers, reaffirm the reality of Jesus' physical and divine nature, and call the church back to love and moral obedience. It has a particular contemporary application in our technological world that favors “knowledge” or proof beyond reproach.

 

As briefly mentioned above, while the Apostle John does not introduce himself as the author of this letter, there are many discernible syntactical and thematic similarities between the Gospel and the letters that bear John’s name. Some have denied common authorship based on what they call subtle doctrinal differences between the Gospel and the letters. However, a closer investigation reveals no substantial differences exist, although the letters sometimes apply the teachings of Jesus a little differently than John’s Gospel does. But that should be no surprise since the needs addressed by John’s Gospel are different than those addressed in his epistles.

 

This John, the son of Zebedee, was one of the most important leaders in the early church. Paul, for instance, recognizes him as one of the three pillars of the Jerusalem church (cf. Galatians 2:9). He is known to have planted several churches in and around the city of Ephesus. It is likely that his letters are addressed to these churches and were written sometime in the late first century, shortly before he was exiled to Patmos where he received a special revelation from Jesus Christ. Tradition has John eventually being freed from Patmos and returning to Ephesus, overseeing the churches there until his death during the time of the Emperor Trajan.

 

There is a tradition about John that says near the end of his life, when it was difficult for him to walk, he was carried into church meetings repeating the exhortation “love one another” over and over again. Basic Christian truths, such as our need to love one another, are emphasized repeatedly in this letter, and we do well to understand that all of us need to be reminded to love one another. Ask God to give you love for other Christians and do what you can to show this love. That is the heart of this letter and the need of our present churches!

 

Micah - Who is Like the Lord? - Pt 10

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old. (Micah 7:18–20 ESV).

 

As we come to the close of our look into Micah, I am reminded of the Heidelberg Catechism and the 56^th question and answer as it continues the catechism’s exposition of the Apostles’ Creed. In this section it focuses on the creedal statement that Christians believe in “the forgiveness of sins.” Interestingly, belief in divine forgiveness is confessed in the section of the creed that deals with the Holy Spirit. The writers of the Apostles’ Creed could have placed it under the creed’s section on the Father or the Son. After all, though we may petition any of the persons of the Trinity for forgiveness, Scripture directs us to make our requests for pardon primarily to the Father (cf. Matthew 6:9–13). Moreover, we are forgiven based on the work of the Son (cf. Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:13–14). Still, the Holy Spirit must quicken (regenerate) our hearts before we will acknowledge our need of forgiveness and seek God’s pardon in Christ (cf. John 3:5). So, in our subjective experience, the Holy Spirit makes the first move necessary for us to receive divine forgiveness. Thus, it is good and proper for the Apostles’ Creed to discuss forgiveness when setting forth the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

 

To help us understand divine forgiveness, the Heidelberg Catechism turns to today’s reading, wherein the prophet Micah marvels at the greatness of God’s pardon. It emphasizes the uniqueness of the Lord’s forgiveness, revealing that no other deity can offer the same kind of pardon that the one true God — the covenant Lord of Israel — offers to His people (v. 18). Considering the entire Bible, God’s forgiveness is incomparable because He forgives us in Christ Jesus without compromising His holy justice (cf. Romans 3:21–26). Only the God of Scripture is both just and Justifier. The other gods of this world, who are no gods at all but demons masquerading as gods (cf. Deuteronomy 32:17; 1 Corinthians 8:4–6; 10:20), compromise their self-proclaimed righteousness when they “forgive” because they do not demand true atonement for sin.

 

Micah shows us that God casts our sins into the depths of the sea when He forgives us. He puts them so far out of His sight that He never sees them again (v. 19). Of course, the Lord does not actually forget our sins. If we remember the sins committed against us, how can the omniscient Lord not recall our transgressions of His law? Micah only means that God no longer holds our sins against us when He forgives us. He never again counts them against our standing before Him.

 

Those whom God forgives are forgiven indeed. He does not actually forget what we have done, but He no longer holds our wickedness against us when we trust in Christ. Through the blood of Christ, He sees us as righteous and acceptable in His sight, and He will not take this status from us. We find it hard not to hold the sins of others against them, but the Lord readily and easily refuses to hold our sins against us if we are in Christ. That is the Good News! And there is no conjunction or exception placed after that declaration! Trust in Jesus! After all… who is like the Lord!

  

Micah - Who is Like the Lord? - Pt 9

 

“With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:6–8 ESV).

 

Today’s reading contains one of the most familiar and often used quotes from Micah’s prophecy.  These verses sit inside a dramatic "courtroom lawsuit" where God brings charges against the people of Israel and Judah for breaking their covenant. He begins with God calling the mountains and hills as a jury. God reminds the people of His past goodness—rescuing them from Egypt and guiding them through history. In response to God's charges, the people ask how they can appease God. They escalate their ritualistic offers out of desperation or sarcasm: starting with calves, moving to thousands of rams, rivers of oil, and finally even suggesting human child sacrifice ("shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression?"). Micah cuts through the panic of escalating religious rituals to state that God does not want empty compliance or extreme bribes. Instead, God requires a transformed everyday life. We would do well to look closely at each of these.

 

The prophet says we are to act justly. The Hebrew word is מִשְׁפָט (mishpat). It is the word most often used when Scripture speaks of the LORD’s own just character and of the standards by which human society is to be ordered. From the first books of Moses to the closing lines of Malachi, the word underscores that right order is rooted in the very being of God: “All His ways are justice” (Deuteronomy 32:4). We get a keen insight from Genesis which defines the action. Abraham’s children must “keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just” (Genesis 18:19). Justice is therefore covenantal, not optional. The prophets expose violations—oppressing the poor (Isaiah 10:1–2), perverting courts (Amos 5:12), abusing orphans and widows (Jeremiah 22:3). So, Micah distills the ethical demand: “to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Acting justly is living with total fairness, defending the vulnerable, and protecting the poor and voiceless in society rather than exploiting them.

 

Micah also says we are to love mercy. The Hebrew word is חֶ֕סֶד (hesed). This word saturates the Hebrew Scriptures as the hallmark of God’s covenantal character and the standard for covenantal response among His people. Frequently rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as “loving devotion,” it combines steadfast loyalty, mercy, kindness, and relational faithfulness. Of its approximately 247 occurrences, over half lie in the Psalms, yet it shapes every major section of the Old Testament, from the Torah to the Post-Exilic books. It means to show loyal love, steadfast commitment, and deep kindness that mirrors God's own covenant faithfulness to humanity.

 

Micah also says we are to walk humbly with our God. The Hebrew word is צנַע (tsana). It highlights an inner orientation of modesty, reserve, and lowliness before God and others. It portrays a quiet, self-effacing posture that neither courts attention nor seeks exaltation. Rather than mere external meekness, it expresses a heart disposition that acknowledges the Lord’s supremacy and one’s own dependent creatureliness. It is living without arrogance, recognizing one's identity as a dependent creature, and accepting life and grace as gifts from God.

 

This is the example of Jesus. It is how He lived and walked. Dare we be any different?

 

Micah - Who is Like the Lord? - Pt 8

 

Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men; they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod at its entrances; and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian when he comes into our land and treads within our border. (Micah 5:3–6 ESV).

 

Our reading today is actually the final prophecy concerning the coming of Jesus. We saw last week that the birth would take place in Bethlehem. We should begin with the original context of the prophecy in order to interpret the text fully. Remember that Micah prophesied during the second half of the eighth century and the first decade of the seventh century (ca. 750 BCE), a time of great moral decline in the history of Judah and Israel. The poor were oppressed and some priests were sexually promiscuous. Because of such debauchery, God sent Micah to prosecute the covenant, that is, to convict His people of their violations. During this period, the people were told that the covenant curses would fall on them, finally culminating in exile to Assyria and Babylon (cf. Leviticus 26:27–33; Micah 4:10). In fact, the Assyrian king Shalmaneser V (and his successor Sargon II) captured Samaria, ending the northern Kingdom of Israel. As a result the Assyrians deported tens of thousands of Israelites, resettling them in Halah, along the Habur River, and in the cities of the Medes. This gave rise to the biblical account of the "Ten Lost Tribes"

 

We should also remember that this was not the prophet’s final word. Though judgment would fall, Micah in today’s passage says a ruler born in Bethlehem will redeem a faithful remnant (vv. 2, 7). As we have already seen, Bethlehem is the city from which David came (cf. 1 Samuel 16:1–13), which informs us that Micah is talking about a Davidic king. The Messiah will come to lead the people out of exile and back to their land where they will be sheltered from their foes.

 

Jesus was born in Bethlehem while His people suffered under the hands of occupiers. Aside from being David’s birthplace, Bethlehem in Hebrew means “house of bread,” providing a fitting place for the Bread from heaven to become incarnate (cf. John 6:22–59). Micah’s prophesy of the king also speaks of Him having an origin “from old” and “from ancient days” (v. 2). This hints at His divinity, a truth more clearly revealed in the New Testament (cf. John 1:1–18).

 

Bethlehem was tiny and seemingly insignificant (v. 2). Yet, the Lord chose to reveal His glory and salvation in this village, not a mighty city (cf. Luke 2:1–20). Needless to say, this is a perfect image of Jesus’ character. God often fulfills His purposes through those things man has forsaken (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:18–31).

 

God’s often uses what the world deems insignificant or unlovely. Across the world, His kingdom is spread by ordinary people who will probably never be famous or remembered in the history books of men. Yet, those who know Christ are remembered by God and are the most significant people of all in His eyes, the only eyes that really matter. Each one of us, famous or not, can be used by the Lord in mighty ways.

 

Micah - Who is Like the Lord? - Pt 7

 

Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace. (Micah 5:1–5 ESV).

 

In 1865, the year the Civil War ended and President Lincoln was assassinated, themes of peace and quiet would probably have been welcome to Americans. In that year, the Rev. Phillips Brooks took a trip to Israel and saw Bethlehem and its surrounding fields on Christmas Eve, which eventually inspired him to write the Christmas hymn, O Little Town of Bethlehem. He had ridden on horseback through the fields around Bethlehem, and attended the Church of the Nativity on Christmas Eve. At that time, Brooks was rector of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. This hymn was probably inspired by this journey, but Brooks did not complete the hymn until 1868. That year, he commissioned a tune for it from his church organist so that it could be sung at the Sunday school service at his church for Christmas on December 27, 1868. It was originally written in five stanzas, but the fourth is usually omitted. The hymn focuses on the relative silence of the birth of Christ – Bethlehem was just a little town, and only a few people paid attention to the event. The heraldic chorus of angels is minimized in the lines:

 

“While mortals sleep, the angels keep

Their watch of wondering love.”

 

The final stanza is a prayer that Christ would come and transform our lives.

In contrast to some other Christmas hymns that emphasize the glory of God as seen in the grand chorus of angels, Brooks focuses on the quietness of Christ’s birth, and how little the larger world paid attention. The final stanza is a prayer that Christ would come and be present with us. This is the revelation that Micah is giving to Judah. It is their hope, yet to come, but guaranteed by the very word of God Himself!

 

It is our hope, already past and yet continuing to have the effect of our redemption and ultimate victory over every would be oppressor! Take hope today! Jesus is risen!

 

Micah - Who is Like the Lord? - Pt 6

 

In that day, declares the LORD, I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away and those whom I have afflicted; and the lame I will make the remnant, and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion from this time forth and forevermore. And you, O tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, the former dominion shall come, kingship for the daughter of Jerusalem. (Micah 4:6–8 ESV).

 

While the illustration of “A Dog Named Lucky” is unknown, it was first popularized by Johnny Carson in one of his segments as host of the Tonight Show. I’ve used it many times and find it an apt description of God’s great grace. The story goes that a person loses a pet and puts a lost-dog ad in the local newspaper. The description reads: “Lost dog. Brown fur, with large patches missing due to mange. Blind in one eye. Deaf. Lame leg from a recent traffic accident. Slightly arthritic. Goes by the name of ‘Lucky’" An observer reads the ad and wonders why anyone would call such a broken, battered, and suffering animal "Lucky". But the point of the story is that the dog isn't lucky because of his physical condition or circumstances—he is lucky because he has an owner who desperately loves him and wants him back, despite all his flaws. That is the picture of God promising to redeem His people in our reading today.

 

Our lives often encounter significant struggles. I am well aware of how difficult life can be. There is never a time when I am talking with someone in the setting of pastoral care and counseling that I am asked, “Don, please help me stay the way I am.” Some of the stories related to me are raw and gut-wrenching depicting getting run over and coming out with a broken leg! Others stories are just as painful, slowly simmering with job insecurity, fracturing of families, and loneliness. The constant, daily battle with addiction. The ever-present struggle with sin that so easily entangles us.

 

Micah proclaims hope in the midst of struggle. There will be struggles, but no matter how great the opposition, no matter how long the struggle, God will bring his people to wholeness and blessing. They will go into exile, but in the very place of their trial, there they will experience deliverance. There you will be rescued. There the Lord will redeem you from the hand of your enemies. The promise of God is his love and faithfulness both at the end of all things and here and now. In the struggle, there you will be rescued. In the pain, there the Lord will redeem you from the hand of your enemies.

 

Through the proclamation of the prophet Micah, God promises hope. It is a hope that comes from seeing a glimpse of that great and glorious day when Christ returns and the kingdom will come in its fullness. It is a hope that should set our hearts on fire in longing for the day of full redemption. But Micah also proclaims hope in the struggle. Hope here and now. Hope that not only our eternal destiny, but the whole of our lives are in the gracious hands of God. We are indeed “Lucky”!

 

Micah - Who is Like the Lord? - Pt 5

 

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,          and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. (Micah 4:1–4 ESV).

 

Often, Micah is considered to be a champion of the poor in the ancient covenant community. As a prosecutor of God's law, which demanded equal treatment under the law for Israelites in poverty (cf. Exodus 23:6), Micah undoubtedly advocated on behalf of the poor. However, we would be mistaken to believe the prophet stood only for the rights of poor people in Israel and Judah. In fact, he also demanded justice for those who had some means, condemning crooked leaders and the ungodly among the wealthy for driving women out of "their delightful houses" and stealing "rich" robes—the outer garments that were worn on top of the basic undergarments from people who were just minding their own business (cf. Micah 2:8–9). These are references to what would have been considered members of the middle class in the old covenant community. Thus, we see that God expects justice for all people; no one may illegitimately or illegally (defined by God's law) deprive others of what they have earned or inherited.

 

As we have seen, Micah foresaw destruction and exile for Israel and Judah because of their refusal to preserve justice (chapter 3). Yet in keeping with the words of Moses (cf. Deuteronomy 4:25–31), he prophesied blessing on the other side of exile. Today's passage pictures this as the exaltation of the mountain on which the temple of the Lord was built above all mountains on earth (v. 1). Micah is speaking a language his original hearers could easily understand. The people of the ancient Near East built temples on mountains. This was to illustrate the rule of a nation's god over the territory that a mountain dominated and depict the presence of this deity with the territory's people. Such construction also showed the god's triumph over the chaos in the region below the mountain. To exalt the mountain of the house of the Lord over all mountains would make it dominate the whole earth. In turn, this would mean that God would be recognized as the Lord of all creation and that He would be with people from all nations, having triumphed over the chaos of evil.

 

Therefore, we have a revelation of the coming of God's kingdom, which is the recognition of who He is and the reality of His blessed presence manifested everywhere in the world. This could happen only through a worldwide conversion to Yahweh, the covenant Lord of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Micah confirms this (vv. 2–5), wherein we read of the nations going up to serve the one true God and Creator of all.

 

The world will worship Yahweh, the one true Lord of all. That is the conclusion of the Bible in many places, including today's passage. Thus, we may eagerly look toward this day to arrive, and we must never think that any race, nation, or individual is so far gone as to be irredeemable. Death alone marks the point at which salvation is no longer possible.