The Consequences of Covetousness

Is your wanter broken?

Several years ago, I heard a preacher ask that question. What did he mean by that? He was talking about desires - the things we want. He commented to his children that their wanters were broken that they didn’t want enough - their desires, ambitions, etc. weren’t big enough.

I don’t remember the exact point of why he brought that up - maybe it was prayer, maybe it was vision for what God would have us do.

As I’ve been preparing for this week, his question has been rattling through my brain - because I think it has implications for what we’re talking about.

We could want for things spiritually - more impact, more growth, more conversions, more verses memorized, more prayer, more more more. I think those are all well and good - unless they become idols - as we discussed last week.

But, if we’re honest, if I’m honest, sometimes those things don’t make it very high on my wanter meter. The things that are high on my want list are things - cars, computers, books, achievements, etc. Unfortunately, my wanter is certainly not broken. I am so easily distracted by the latest offerings from the car manufacturers in Europe or Detroit or Japan or Texas. I quickly get lost into daydreaming about driving something efficient or exotic or quiet.

My wanter is certainly not broken - and that’s a problem.

How is your wanter? And yes, I know a wanter is not a thing, but I think we will all remember it

In the 10 Commandments, God concluded his brief list of expectations for his people with this simple command:

Exodus 20:17 ESV

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Now, we don’t often speak of that word “covet” or covetousness. Which then begs the question…

What is covetousness?

According to the Tyndale Bible Dictionary:

Covetousness is: The desire to have something for oneself that belongs to another—a craving or passionate desire.

This is more than just wanting something - it’s wanting something that belongs to someone else. It’s one thing for me to want a guitar like Tyler’s, it’s another thing for me to want his specific guitar.

What are Some other things we may want?

ease

intelligence

gun or hunting gear

library

clothing

A couple of catechisms are very helpful in understanding the implications of the 10th commandment:

The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition (The Shorter Catechism)

Q. 80. What is required in the tenth commandment?

A. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbour, and all that is his.

Q. 81. What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?

A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbour, and all inordinate motions and affections to any thing that is his.

New City Catechism:

“Tenth, that we are content, not envying anyone or resenting what God has given them or us.”

This issue of covetousness is the subject of Micah’s second chapter as he addresses the problems that prompted the judgment from God that would soon be coming to Israel and Judah.

As we look at this passage today, we’re going to consider several

Consequences of covetousness

…as Micah reveals them. if Last week was judgment for injustice against God, this week is judgment for injustice against others.

Open your Bibles to Micah 2. You’ll find it on page…

First of all, we see that...

Covetousness consumes (Micah 2:1)

Micah notes that this covetousness that plagued his people affected their sleep...

Micah 2:1 NLT

What sorrow awaits you who lie awake at night, thinking up evil plans. You rise at dawn and hurry to carry them out, simply because you have the power to do so.

Have you ever had those sleepless nights?

I have. It might be worrying about something, thinking through a sermon, fretting about a situation.

For the covetous people in Israel and Judah, they were lying awake scheming, trying to figure out how to acquire something that was not theirs.

It’s sort of like someone trying to find a loop hole in a law that would allow them to avoid a certain tax, or take advantage of a certain policy. It can be all consuming.

While these people may have been laying awake at night planning, they were putting their plans in motion in full daylight - simply because they had the power to make it happen.

Just because we can do something, acquire something, doesn’t mean we should.

For these guys, this covetousness consumed them. As a result, Micah tell us secondly that...

Covetousness destroys... (Micah 2:2-5, 8-10)

There is a destructive power to covetousness.

makes us ungrateful

jealous

green with envy - why can’t I have that persons life…

Covetousness seems to act like a cancer within. It begins in one place in our hearts and begins to move about, growing and invading wholesome places.

It does some destructive work in us, but it also destroys…

…those who are oppressed.

David Prior states that: “The word oppress (2) speaks of violence, and violence is not confined to physical assault: ‘It may be dishonest scales, extortion, outright show of force, or through the court system.’”

Micah 2:2 NLT

When you want a piece of land, you find a way to seize it. When you want someone’s house, you take it by fraud and violence. You cheat a man of his property, stealing his family’s inheritance.

Ahab and Jezebel and he properly near their home.

2 Kings 21 - Ahab wanted to acquire the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite - he wanted to buy it - and yet the way that land worked in Israel is that it was intended to stay with the family or tribe. When Naboth refused, Ahab (the King) was dejected. So his wife, Jezebel, stepped in and had Naboth killed and took the land for Ahab.

Clearly, Ahab’s covetousness and Jezebel’s manipulation oppressed Naboth and his family - costing Naboth his life.

That happened long before Micah began prophesying, but that kind of thing apparently was happening in Israel and Judah.

I do wonder how often that happens in our context? How often do big companies and governments step in and move people under the guise of imminent domain or some other social welfare program, all the while displacing people in need.

Or how often might one person scheme and plan to get ahead at work or school - taking a position or role that should be rightly someone else’s?

Micah notes that the destruction of the oppressed gets personal.

Micah 2:8–9 NLT

Yet to this very hour my people rise against me like an enemy! You steal the shirts right off the backs of those who trusted you, making them as ragged as men returning from battle. You have evicted women from their pleasant homes and forever stripped their children of all that God would give them.

The very people that should have been protected, are being disadvantaged by the powerful.

But, Micah also reminds us that Covetousness will eventually destroy...

…the oppressors in judgment.

In verses 4-5 Micah is talking about a day when invaders will come as instruments of Gods justice…

Micah 2:4–5 NLT

In that day your enemies will make fun of you by singing this song of despair about you: “We are finished, completely ruined! God has confiscated our land, taking it from us. He has given our fields to those who betrayed us.” Others will set your boundaries then, and the Lord’s people will have no say in how the land is divided.

Micah 2:10 ESV

Arise and go, for this is no place to rest, because of uncleanness that destroys with a grievous destruction.

We are encouraged to act with justice, but ultimately God is the one who will judge and vindicate. There will be a day of reckoning.

For Israel and Judah - it happened with the exiles from Assyria and Babylon.

For us, there may be an earthly reckoning when our covetousness oppresses the weak, but there certainly will be a judgment in the end.

Micah has discussed the consuming power and the destructive result of covetousness, Thirdly, he notes that...

Covetousness deceives (Micah 2:6, 11)

Micah 2:6 NLT

“Don’t say such things,” the people respond. “Don’t prophesy like that. Such disasters will never come our way!”

Micah continues...

Micah 2:11 NLT

Suppose a prophet full of lies would say to you, “I’ll preach to you the joys of wine and alcohol!” That’s just the kind of prophet you would like!

David Prior notes...

The Message of Joel, Micah and Habakkuk: Listening to the Voice of God 2. The Kind of Preaching Micah Renounces (2:6–11)

The wealthy businessmen of the city did not mind listening to a preacher. What they wanted, however, was a preacher who would endorse their way of living and trading.

Sometimes we want only to listen to people - teachers, preachers, advisors - who will tell us that what we’re doing is okay, but we want to avoid the preaching, teaching, and advice that meddles into our way of life.

It’s as though they are saying: “Let’s talk about theology, devotions, prayer, worship - but let’s avoid talking tithing, charity, generosity, integrity, entertainment, business, relationships, etc.”

Our society would like us to think that the spiritual life is a private matter. I heard Mark Dever say recently that the spiritual life is personal, but it’s not private. As Christians we are intended to live in community with one another. We’re expected to allow the Word of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit to make a difference in our lives. What happens on Sunday should have affects Monday through Saturday - in our speech, our business dealings, our interactions with neighbors.

We may want preachers and teachers who will reinterpret the Word of God to make it say whatever seems easy on matters of sexuality, ethics, church participation, fidelity, etc., but that’s not the preaching God expects or provides.

Finally, Micah helps us to see that...

Covetousness is contrary to God’s plan for His people (Micah 2:7)

Micah 2:7 NLT

Should you talk that way, O family of Israel? Will the Lord’s Spirit have patience with such behavior? If you would do what is right, you would find my words comforting.

In the Torah, God gave expectations for how His people should treat each other and sojourners; how they should help the helpless.

The book of Proverbs reminds us...

Proverbs 3:27 “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.”

Jesus taught much the same way.

If only we would do the right thing, God’s words would be comforting. There is discomfort because we are out of alignment with God and His standards. We have sinned or fallen short. We have transgressed. This is where repentance comes in.

Let me tell you about a friend of mine who has identified as gay for much of his life...

knows what God says - but knows what he feels

and yet always in conflict with self and God

recently came to a place of true healing

Recognized the origin of his sin

Confessed it to God (and others)

Repented

He admits that he had been deceived. He had been groomed as a boy by people who labeled him as gay and then tried to take advantage of him.

For us to, we need to recognize that the sin of covetousness runs counter to God. We need to confess it and then we need to repent - making changes in our lives.

Thankfully, Jesus has paid for our covetousness, and all of our sins. If you have trusted in him, he has taken your judgment. Now we get to learn how to walk in a way that pleases him, in alignment with him.

With the help of the rest of scripture, we can see that...

Covetousness is countered with contentment (1 Tim. 6:6-10)

1 Timothy 6:6–10 ESV

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Contentment is difficult. We are bombarded daily with ads enticing us to acquire this or buy that. But if we were to really look closely, we would see just how gracious and loving our Heavenly provider is. We might be able to say with the Psalmist...

Psalm 16:6 ESV

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

Even when things are difficult and challenging, we can look with gratitude on God’s provision.

Closing thoughts:

When it comes to covetousness, we need to remember that it...

consumes

destroys

deceives

and is contrary to God’s plan for His people

In response, we need to

recognize it

confess it - call it out to the Lord and maybe even to those of whom you are coveting

repent - turn around - do a 180

Ask God for strength to be content -

Be grateful for what God has given you.

Augustine wrote, “You’ve made us for your- self, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

May we find our rest and contentment in God alone and in His good and wise provision for us.

Let’s pray.

Benediction:

James 1:17 ESV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

References:

Calvin, John, and John Owen. Commentaries on the Twelve Minor Prophets. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010.

Dever, Mark, The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made, (Crossway, Wheaton, 2006)

Martin, John A. “Micah.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.

The New City Catechism Devotional: God’s Truth for Our Hearts and Minds. Collin Hanson Editor. (Crossway, Wheaton, 2017).

Prior, David. The Bible Speaks Today: The Message of Joel, Micah & Habakkuk. Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL, 1998.

Simeon, Charles. Horae Homileticae: Hosea to Malachi. Vol. 10. London: Holdsworth and Ball, 1832.

Elwell, Walter A., and Philip Wesley Comfort. Tyndale Bible Dictionary. Tyndale Reference Library. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001.

Um, Stephen. Micah for You. The Good Book Company, 2018.

Waltke, Bruce K. “Micah.” In New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, edited by D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, 822–833. 4th ed. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994.

Westminster Assembly. The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition. Philadelphia: William S. Young, 1851.

https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/micah/

https://bibleproject.com/explore/category/how-to-read-biblical-poetry/

ESV Study Bible