Old Testament - Micah 1-3 - November 23, 2022

 11/23/2022 – Micah 1- 3

Micah’s time on earth was around the time of Amos, Hosea, Jonah, and Isaiah. But specifically, in Micah’s time, the Israelites were doing great economically, but suffering spiritually--and during this time the wealthy felt no problem with their significant oppression of the poor. This is what the student manual says about what we learn from chapters 1-3: “Micah prophesies of judgment and ruin upon the Israelites, including those living in Samaria and Jerusalem. Micah identifies the sins of idolatry and the oppression of the poor by the upper classes as the reasons for the Israelites’ imminent destruction. He also condemns corrupt religious teachers who teach for money.”

In chapter 1, Micah focuses on the coming downfall of both Samaria and Jerusalem—there were Israelites populating both areas. He begins by telling everyone to hear him, and to hearken to his words. I remember from my seminary days that ‘hearken’ means to hear AND to obey. They have taken their worship to the  high places and the worship of the graven images of idols and their hiring and spending time with harlots. (v 7)

In chapter 2 Micah continues to tell them how they will be rewarded for their deeds…which have not been good deeds. “Woe to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds!...And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.” (v’s1-2) The Lord wants us to know that we will always be rewarded according to our deeds. So it seems more than reasonable for us to live in a way that will allow us to receive the Lord’s best rewards.

In v’s 3-4 he warns us against being haughty…for this is evil and only brings us hard times.

In chapter 3 we are warned about “priests who teach for hire, and prophets who divine for money” for this will “bring a curse upon the people”. Too many people hate the good and love the evil. That is a sure route that will take us away from our Heavenly Father, and away from His prophets, and away from the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and those are the things that will bring US into darkness.


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