Micah - Who is Like the Lord? - Pt 4

 

Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who detest justice and make crooked all that is straight, who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity. Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on the LORD and say,    “Is not the LORD in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us.” Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height. (Micah 3:9–12 ESV).

 

Our reading today contains a fierce prophetic denunciation of Israel and Judah’s corrupt leaders, delivered by the prophet Micah during the eighth century BC. This passage highlights the danger of false security and systemic injustice. Micah indicts the rulers, judges, priests, and prophets who "abhor justice and pervert all equity". Justice is sold for bribes, instruction is given for a price, and oracles are chanted for money. Sadly, in the depth of their blatant violations of God's covenant, these leaders hypocritically leaned on the Lord, falsely boasting, "Is not the Lord among us? No disaster will come upon us." They presume that physical residence in Jerusalem or religious status guaranteed immunity from judgment.

 

What made it worse was the drift toward the false prophets. When Micah speaks to these leaders, he uses phrases like “despise justice” and “distort all that is right.” It sounds so much like our current world with its crazy priorities, the anger, accusations, with people who no longer have a conversation with any semblance of respect. Instead, they yell at each other with angry monologues and derogatory name-calling.  Mary and I have stopped watching any of the national news because the talking heads yell over the top of each other rather than listening and responding. Our politicians no longer answer questions but talk around the topic to avoid real solutions. Our society is competing pitting the “rights” of one group over another rather than working together for the common good. And those who claim to be ministers of the Gospel have either ignored them or affirmed them.  

 

It reminds me of the words of Isaiah 5:20: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”  They are not difficult to recognize. They speak of easy answers guaranteed to make you happy.  Politicians with easy answers.  Preachers who tell you everything is good and nobody is wrong.  Society says you are a victim. The self-help industry says take charge of your life and think happy thoughts. They build a false sense of security, which are no more than diluted versions of God completely void of the truth.  The sun is setting…

 

Micah comes with a serious call to change. The answer if only found in the grace of God (v. 12). However, since they will not repent, Jerusalem will be laid waste. It will not stand forever. Instead, "Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets." (v. 12).

 

Reformed teachers note that this verse is a pivotal turning point where the prophet shatters the nation's unearned confidence. Later in biblical history, the prophet Jeremiah references this exact declaration when warning a similarly unrepentant Jerusalem before the Babylonian exile (cf. Jeremiah 26:18–19). It serves as a permanent reminder that external religious privilege does not excuse systemic corruption or avert divine judgment.

 

We must hear this warning! We must use the tools God has given us to reengage with people in a grace-filled manner speaking truth into their hearts and minds!