Leaders Needed

Introduction - who was Micah?

A younger contemporary of Isaiah, from a small village (Moreshah) Moresheth-Gath was likely about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem, between the central hill country of Judah and the coastal plain controlled by the Philistines. (Way off the beaten path!)

He prophesied just before and after the fall of Israel (721), during the reign of Hezekiah (728-697)

He ministered primarily (though not exclusively) to the tribe of Judah

Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah 1. Historical Setting

Both Israel under the reign of Jeroboam II (793–753 B.C.) and Judah under Uzziah (792–740) had enjoyed a long period of material and economic prosperity. Unfortunately it was also a time of political, social, moral, and religious corruption. Bright notes that, with the death of Jeroboam II in 753 B.C., the history of the Northern Kingdom of Israel became “a tale of unmitigated disaster.” Israel’s “internal sickness” erupted into anarchy at the very time that Assyria revived to pose its greatest threat. “Within twenty-five short years [Israel] had been erased from the map.”

The picture in Judah was almost as dark. The situation certainly grew worse with Ahaz’s pagan practices. Only the reforms under Hezekiah and Josiah postponed the agony of God’s discipline.

Message of Micah - “Judgment and the kingdom”

Injustice against the underprivileged

Dishonest commercial practices

Greedy priests

Loss of communal order

Micah is referenced in Jeremiah!

Jer 26:16-19 “16 Then the officials and all the people told the priests and prophets, “This man doesn’t deserve the death sentence, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God!” 17 Some of the elders of the land stood up and said to all the assembled people, 18 “Micah the Moreshite prophesied in the days of King Hezekiah of Judah and said to all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become ruins, and the temple’s mountain will be a high thicket.’ 19 Did King Hezekiah of Judah and all the people of Judah put him to death? Did not the king fear the Lord and plead for the Lord’s favor, and did not the Lord relent concerning the disaster he had pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves!””

Three sections, all moving from judgment to salvation

Section Judgment Salvation

1 1:2–2:11 2:12–13

2 3:1–12 4:1–5:15

3 6:1–7:7 7:8–20

1. Self-serving Leadership

Micah 3:1–4 CSB

1 Then I said, “Now listen, leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Aren’t you supposed to know what is just? 2 You hate good and love evil. You tear off people’s skin and strip their flesh from their bones. 3 You eat the flesh of my people after you strip their skin from them and break their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.” 4 Then they will cry out to the Lord, but he will not answer them. He will hide his face from them at that time because of the crimes they have committed.

v. 2 “You hate good and love evil” - sound familiar?

You are acting like cannibals!

Deliberate, methodical

v. 4 “at that time” - the time of divine judgment

Prov 21:13 “13 The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will himself also call out and not be answered.”

This is a strong warning to the leadership!

2. Corrupt Prophets

Micah 3:5–7 CSB

5 This is what the Lord says concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who proclaim peace when they have food to sink their teeth into but declare war against the one who puts nothing in their mouths. 6 Therefore, it will be night for you— without visions; it will grow dark for you— without divination. The sun will set on these prophets, and the daylight will turn black over them. 7 Then the seers will be ashamed and the diviners disappointed. They will all cover their mouths because there will be no answer from God.

v.5 Giving favorable or unfavorable messages based on how much people could pay them

“declare war” - perhaps in the sense of pronouncing a curse

The prophets had great power through the respect of the people, similar to the sway held by church leaders in the RCC over an unlearned population. Recall one of Martin Luther’s chief complaints:

Reformed Presbyterian Theological Journal Volume 4 Preaching Against Indulgences And For Repentance

The Roman Catholic Church had been selling indulgences to reduce punishment for sins for centuries, but by 1517, the practice had reached a level of absurdity, overtly preying on people’s fears for profit. In 1476, Pope Sixtus IV extended the benefit of papal indulgences to the souls in purgatory. So, when Johann Tetzel, a Dominican monk, was appointed commissioner for the sale of indulgences in the province of Magdeburg in 1517, his sales pitch became, “When a coin in the coffer rings, a soul from purgatory springs.” Playing on the fear and guilt of his audiences, Tetzel would exhort his hearers to have pity on their dead relatives, to not let them languish in purgatory, but to free their souls to glory in return for cash down.

v. 6 the result - “it will be night for you”

What good is a prophet with no visions? Especially in a time of judgment, when they have promised good and blessing?

v. 8 “with justice and courage” - John MacArthur’s recent open letter to the governor of California, calling for repentance

In mid-September, you revealed to the entire nation how thoroughly rebellious against God you are when you sponsored billboards across America promoting the slaughter of children, whom He creates in the womb (Psalm 139:13–16; Isaiah 45:9–12). You further compounded the wickedness of that murderous campaign with a reprehensible act of gross blasphemy, quoting the very words of Jesus from Mark 12:31 as if you could somehow twist His meaning and arrogate His name in favor of butchering unborn infants. You used the name and the words of Christ to promote the credo of Molech (Leviticus 20:1–5). It would be hard to imagine a greater sacrilege.

Furthermore, you chose words from the lips of Jesus without admitting that in the same moment He gave the greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). You cannot love God as He commands while aiding in the murder of His image-bearers.

3. Responsibility Declared

Micah 3:9–12 CSB

9 Listen to this, leaders of the house of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel, who abhor justice and pervert everything that is right, 10 who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with injustice. 11 Her leaders issue rulings for a bribe, her priests teach for payment, and her prophets practice divination for silver. Yet they lean on the Lord, saying, “Isn’t the Lord among us? No disaster will overtake us.” 12 Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become ruins, and the temple’s mountain will be a high thicket.

v. 9 “Listen”

v. 10 “Pervert” - twist

v. 11 - Leaders, priests, prophets - all are condemned

v. 12 - Destruction is predicted

Southern kingdom taken captive - 721

Northern kingdom taken captive - 587