Micah 7

Introduction

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I. Certainty of Sin/Destruction (v. 1-8)

A. Woe is me! Proclaims the prophet (v. 1-6)

1. He goes to find something of value that could stem the pending judgment, but found nothing good

a. The godly are gone, only evil men who love violence remain

b. The rulers do not live for justice but take bribes

c. They could not trust their neighbors or family members. Enemies dwelt under the same roof

2. Illus. I assume that most everyone in here has a dominant hand? Have you ever tried to throw a ball, or eat, or write with your non-dominant hand? Didn’t go too well, did it?

a. Well, the people of Judah were so proficient at evil that they could do it with both hands (v. 3)

b. These people were like briars and thorns. The only way to deal with them was to rip out their roots and burn them. In the same way, judgment was coming down upon them

B. Can you relate to Micah’s feelings about the world around you?

1. Just listen to a headline from Black Friday this year: “Black Friday mall shooting in Arkansas leaves 2 injured”

a. People can’t even go shopping without becoming crazed

b. The world around us is depraved. No wonder people struggle with fear, emptiness, and failure

c. When we read the news we echo Micah’s cry, “Woe is me!”

2. Something we need to realize is that we have been affected by the sin of the world around us

a. How easy is it for us to do that same sin we’ve kept secret for years

b. How comfortable do you feel going to a neighbor to borrow sugar?

c. Do you feel like you have to put up a protective barrier between you and your spouse or your kids?

3. We expect judgment for sin on the evildoers. But how often do we see ourselves as the ones who have done evil? The difference lies in our ambition, we don’t want to do evil, we want to serve the Lord (v. 7-8)

a. We cannot fix the problems of evil in our world, nor can we eradicate sin in our own lives. But we watch expectantly for the Lord’s salvation

b. We may stumble and fall, but the Lord causes us to rise again. We are surrounded by darkness, but God is our light

c. Matthew 10:34–39 ““Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

1. Some will reject Jesus and choose the evil of the darkness

2. We willingly give up our lives for Jesus. Thus, we find the Light of Life

II. Salvation of the Lord (v. 9-20)

A. God uses us to shine the light of His salvation (v. 9-13)

1. Yes, the world around us is evil. But we pay the penalty for our own sins. There are consequences to our actions and we must endure them

a. But the glorious thing about God is that He does not leave us alone to deal with our struggles. He comes to our aid, bringing us out to the light where we see His righteousness

b. The enemy will try to belittle us, questioning where God is in all of the darkness. That is when God gives victory to His followers

2. For Judah, that meant overcoming their captors and other armies seeking them harm

a. Their victory, set by God, would affect all nations around them

b. God’s ultimate victory for His people would break down all separation barriers and invite everyone, from sea to sea, to Zion

c. The rest of the earth would be desolate because people would flock to God, leaving the darkness of the world desolate

3. In Jesus we have been given victory over the enemy

a. When people look on us they will see our deeds and glorify God, deserting their life of darkness and flocking to His glorious light

b. John 12:46 “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”

c. Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

B. Micah makes a final plea to God to bring about this glorious future! (v. 14-20)

1. The prayer is that God Shepherd His people and provide for them as in past days: Bashan/Gilead (during the days of Moses) and in the fruitful land of Carmel

a. They would certainly know when these things were taking place because God would do miraculous signs again (v. 15)

b. The nations who see those signs will fear and tremble because of their sin. They would come and bow down before the Lord (v. 16-17)

2. It would be like their “glory days” (v. 18-20):

a. Being led by God out of Egypt, conquering enemies. Who is like our God?

b. He forgives iniquity, He forgets the rebellion of the past, He casts out our sin, He delights in unchanging love. He will strengthen His people to dwell and live out truth, faithfulness, and love, all according to His past promises

Conclusion

A. Truly, how beautiful to see God’s unchanging love for us

1. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who gathers His remnant as a flock, leading, disciplining, protecting, and providing for them

2. We have victory over the devil, sin, and death. God has forgotten our past rebellions, casting our sin into the depths of the sea, trampling them under foot

3. He has strengthened us through the Holy Spirit in truth, faithfulness, and love. This glorious promise is made plain in Scripture and is experienced by Christians today.

B. We are surrounded by darkness and evil. We have committed evils, but we watch expectantly for the Lord’s salvation. He causes us to rise

1. Jesus is the Light of the World. He exposes the darkness, He proved He is the Light by His miracles (especially the resurrection), and now He calls all people to Himself that we may rise and be free from darkness

a. We can look back and the see “the glory days” of how God worked through Israel and even greater things through Jesus

b. How much greater do we have it now, being part of God’s flock and dwelling in the Lord’s unchanging love

2. We are looking forward to a time when God’s salvation comes in full when Jesus returns. Until then we are walking in a world filled with darkness.

a. 1 John 1:5–7 “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

b. Walk in the light. Live as Jesus lived, obey the Father, shun evil, do good that God may be glorified

1. We have the guarantee of salvation in Jesus and we look forward to the day when there is no more darkness, only the Light of Life

2. Let’s walk in the light while it is still called today so that people from every nation may see how God defeated the enemy in our lives and crave the same victory