Scripture Reading: Micah 6; Micah 7
In chapter five Micah reaches the high peak of his prophecy concerning Christ. Then in chapters six and seven, which we will cover in this message, he descends to a much lower plain. His prophecy in chapter five is great, but his prophecy in chapters six and seven is not great but is very much according to the human concept.
Micah 6 is a record of Jehovah’s contending with Israel. Because contending is a matter of fighting by speaking, it is not pleasant for anyone involved.
In His contending with Israel, Jehovah took Israel’s history, from the time of the exodus, as a base (vv. 1-5). Verse 2b declares that Jehovah has a contention with His people and that He will dispute with Israel. Then He asks them to remember what He did for them in bringing them out of Egypt. “For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, / And from the slave house I redeemed you; / And I sent before you Moses, / Aaron, and Miriam. / O My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab counseled, / And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, / From Shittim to Gilgal, / That you may know the righteous acts of Jehovah” (vv. 4-5).
Verses 6 through 8 reveal that Jehovah aspired after Israel’s genuine worship and sincere service. Israel had been busy in the worship of God for centuries, but their worship was not genuine. Much of what they offered was not offered to God but either to themselves or to their idols. Thus, in verse 6 the prophet asks with what he should come before Jehovah, saying, “Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, / With one-year-old calves?” In verse 7 he asks if Jehovah would be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oil, and then he says, “Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, / The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” God would never require anyone to offer their children as a sacrifice, but the people of Israel actually did this in order to fulfill the requirements of their idols. Only idol worshippers would make sacrifices of their children. Here Jehovah was contending with Israel concerning their idol worship and their offering sacrifices to idols. For this reason, in verse 8 Micah prophesies, saying, “He has declared to you, O man, what is good; / And what does Jehovah require of you, / But that you would execute justice and love lovingkindness / And walk humbly with your God?”
In verses 9 through 16 we have the stating of the cause and the effect. The cause is Israel’s sins, and the effect is Jehovah’s punishment.
Chapter seven speaks of the prophet Micah’s observation and expectation. His observation involved a close study and examination of the condition and situation of God’s people. His expectation was related to his attempt to find something with which he could encourage himself. Much of what he says in this chapter is an expression of his natural sentiment.
First, the prophet observed the condition and situation of God’s chosen people and became fully discouraged (vv. 1-6). In his discouragement he said, “Woe is me! For I am like a gathering of summer fruit / And like a gleaning of the vintage; / There is no cluster to eat, / Nor first-ripe fig, which my soul desires. / The godly man has perished from the land, / And there is none upright among men; / They all lie in wait for bloodshed; / They each hunt their brother with a net” (vv. 1-2).
In Micah’s observation of discouragement there is a lesson for us today. From Micah’s experience we should learn not to look at ourselves. If we look at ourselves just a little, we will be discouraged.
In verses 7 through 20 we have the prophet’s expectation of encouragement. Actually, this was a matter of self-comforting. Micah wrote the things found in these verses in order to comfort himself. Thus, they were Micah’s self-comforting.
After observing the poor situation of the people of Israel, the prophet took the lead to look for Jehovah and wait for God (vv. 7-10). Although the condition and situation of God’s people caused Micah to be discouraged, he could still say, “But as for me, I will look for Jehovah; / I will wait for the God of my salvation; / My God will hear me” (v. 7).
In verses 11 through 13 Micah assured Israel of her restoration. First, he said that there will be a day for the building of Israel’s walls (v. 11a). Then he went on to assure Israel, saying, “In that day they will come even unto you / From Assyria and from the cities of Egypt, / And from Egypt even to the River, / And from sea to sea and mountain to mountain” (v. 12).
In verses 14 through 17 the prophet asks Jehovah to feed His people Israel.
The prophet concludes by thanking God for His forgiveness of the remnant of the people (vv. 18-20). Micah could not praise God that the condition and situation of His people were wonderful, for they had nothing that He could appreciate. Instead, the prophet said, “Who is a God like You, / Pardoning iniquity / And passing over the transgression / Of the remnant of His inheritance? / He does not retain His anger forever, / For He delights in lovingkindness” (v. 18). Here Micah seemed to be saying, “O God, all we have is sin and iniquity. We do not have anything to give to You. But You are a God who pardons our iniquity. There is no God like You. You are also very particular in that You do not retain Your anger forever but delight in lovingkindness.” Micah’s praise here is centered not on the virtues of God’s elect people but on God’s attributes. Such a praise is very comforting.
In verse 19 the prophet continues, “He will again have compassion on us; / He will tread our iniquities underfoot. / And You will cast into the depths of the sea / All their sins.” Once again, Micah confesses that the people have many iniquities but that God is a forgiving God and will tread their iniquities under foot and cast their sins into the depths of the sea.
Finally, Micah says, “You will perform truth to Jacob, / And lovingkindness to Abraham, / Which You have sworn to our fathers / From the days of old” (v. 20). Here we see Micah’s hope and expectation.
In a sense, Micah’s word in chapters six and seven is good, but it cannot compare with his revelation concerning Christ in chapter five.
