Crying over Corruption
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Introduction
Introduction
1 Woe is me! For I have become as when the summer fruit has been gathered, as when the grapes have been gleaned: there is no cluster to eat, no first-ripe fig that my soul desires.
2 The godly has perished from the earth, and there is no one upright among mankind; they all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts the other with a net.
3 Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together.
4 The best of them is like a brier, the most upright of them a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, of your punishment, has come; now their confusion is at hand.
5 Put no trust in a neighbor; have no confidence in a friend; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms;
6 for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
Corruption is nothing new.
Since the beginning of time outside of the garden of Eden, corruption reigned.
Greed, is central to corruption.
Justifying greed is the mark of ungodliness.
Putting it plainly;
If you do anything that is corrupt, and you justify it, you need to question your own salvation.
You have to at least question your current relationship to Jesus Christ.
Amazing that we can find this kind of moral and Theological lesson in an Old Testament Prophecy.
But, it is here in Micah 7:1-6, as clear as daylight.
Micah claims, as part of his role-play, that corruption is public, private and because of the absence of godliness.
Three points to make about corruption that gives us reason to cry with Micah:
Absence of Godliness causes Corruption. (v1-2a)
Corruption is Public. (v2b-4)
Corruption is Private. (v5-6)
Absence of Godliness causes Corruption. (v1-2a)
Absence of Godliness causes Corruption. (v1-2a)
1 Woe is me! For I have become as when the summer fruit has been gathered, as when the grapes have been gleaned: there is no cluster to eat, no first-ripe fig that my soul desires.
2 The godly has perished from the earth, and there is no one upright among mankind; they all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts the other with a net.
Woe is me! For I have become
as when the summer fruit has been gathered,
as when the grapes have been gleaned:
there is no cluster to eat,
no first-ripe fig that my soul desires.
The godly has perished from the earth,
and there is no one upright among mankind;
they all lie in wait for blood,
and each hunts the other with a net.
Rustenburg, about 100km east of Pretoria was a small mining town in 1970.
I grew up in Rustenburg and in 1970, we move to the big city of Pretoria.
I was in awe.
Excited.
Having visited Pretoria a few times before, now, I would be able to call it my home.
Pretoria, capital city, coffee shop, shopping centres, public transport, more than three movie theatres.
I envied everyone who lived in Pretoria.
Micah must have felt somewhat like that coming to Jerusalem from the little town of Moresheth.
Jerusalem:
Place of worship.
Temple of God.
So much history of God and His people.
There must be many godly people here.
But not.
“Woe is me!” - is how Micah feels about Jerusalem.
The Urban dictionary explains this phrase as follows:
“An ironic or humorous exclamation of sorrow or distress.
For example: "he thinks he can go to his constituents and say ‘Woe is me! I only earn R30,000,000 a year.’"
This phrase: “Woe is me” occurs in the Bible only seven times.
All of these in the Old Testament.
Some commentators speculate that these verses is actually the repentance cry of the Jews in Jerusalem.
I do not believe that because of the lack of evidence of any repentance by the people of Jerusalem around the time of Micah and after.
Micah is sarcastic on behalf of the people and he mocks their self confidence and reliance on who they are and where they live.
Expecting to find good fruit (Summer fruit, grapes, first-ripe fig)
In stead, Micah cries out that what the people of Jerusalem think they have is worthless.
Nothing is worth eating.
And there is no harvest at all of the much desired first-ripe fig.
Micah explains what he means in this image:
Because by now he knows that hinting is not going to get the message across.
“The godly has perished from the earth, and there is no one upright among mankind;”
Two words are worth our attention:
“Godly” and “upright”.
“Godly” comes from the Hebrew word [chasid].
“It refers to one who displayed in his life covenant faithfulness both to God and to other covenant brothers.”
displayed in his life covenant faithfulness both to God and to other covenant brothers.
(Smith, J. E. (1994). “The Minor Prophets”
Old Testament Survey Series: The Minor Prophets A. The Absence of the Godly (7:1–2a)
The context here suggests that Micah had in mind humanitarian activities. One displays loyalty to God by consistently respecting the rights of all of God’s people
The context of these verse suggest that Micah refers to humanitarian activities.
A person - according to Micah - displays loyalty to the Lord by consistently respecting the rights of all of the Lord’s people.
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,
5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,
6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,
7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf
Matt
This warning by Jesus:
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
Micah’s message to Jerusalem:
“What you say you are, and what you are, are two different things”.
Jesus escalates that warning by saying to us:
“If you say you are a Christian, and you do not live like a Christian should - then you are not a Christian”.
You decide.
Corruption is Public. (v2b-4)
Corruption is Public. (v2b-4)
2 The godly has perished from the earth, and there is no one upright among mankind; they all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts the other with a net.
3 Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together.
4 The best of them is like a brier, the most upright of them a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, of your punishment, has come; now their confusion is at hand.
So if the good guys are all gone, who is left?
The dishonest, good for nothing reprobates!
“They all lie in wait for blood.”
This is the opposite of [chesed], covenant faithfulness. - or “loving-kindness”.
The picture is that of an ambush, passively waiting for some innocent party to come along.
While not excluding murder itself, these words have a broader meaning than only murder.
These men set their minds on treachery.
Their goal is to rob their neighbour of his means of existence so that eventually the neighbour must die.
Even covenant brothers were not exempt.
“each hunts the other with a net.”
The language suggests a more active pursuit.
If no one comes along to be a victim, they would go out looking for their prey!
No hope exists for a society which treats brothers as animals (7:2b).
Again Micah interprets his metaphors with blunt prose.
“Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; ” lit., to make evil good.
The leaders of the land skilfully dabbled in all kinds of evil.
The meaning may be that they were able to give evil such a form that it appeared to be good.
Micah mentions specific examples.
The prince (rulers) and the judge (law) constantly asks for a bribe.
The judge requested bribes of those who appeared before him.
The “great man,” the rich and powerful, would make their “desires” known to the judges.
Those schemes would then be implemented by the courts.
In that way “they weave” their evil plans for their own profit.
These princes, judges and great men were co-workers in crime.
They wove their ungodly schemes into the cords of justice so that what they do appears to be legal. (7:3).
Micah’s assessment of the society of his day is that “the best of them is like a briar,”
A briar is a worthless shrub that painfully ensnares the unwitting and careless traveler.
That means; painful, ensnaring, worthless and easily consumed.
The ones who appear upright or who was upright by comparison to others, “is from a thorn bush.”
The only appear to be useful, but they are not - they are dangerous.
If the best of them is no better than this, then judgment was needed (7:4a).
In view of the total corruption which he saw in Jerusalem, Micah announced the judgment.
“The day of your watchmen” has come.
A “watchman” (metsappeh) was a faithful prophet of God.
The “day of your watchmen” refers to that judgment day.
The prophets had warned since the beginning of the prophetic movement in Israel.
This time of judgment is also called “your visitation.”
God was about to visit them in or with his wrath.
When this blow finally falls, the people of Judah would not be able to explain it.
“now their confusion is at hand.”
Nothing flattens the inflated egos of clever schemers more, than the unexpected intervention of God in the affairs of men (7:4b).
While you see corruption in public continuing as if nothing can stop it, don’t join the corruption.
Don’t fall for the false reasoning of: “Everyone does it, I may as well”.
Or: “If you want to survive in South Africa - that is just the way it is, that is the way business is done”.
Careful, you may find that “confusion is at hand.”
Corruption is Private. (v5-6)
Corruption is Private. (v5-6)
5 Put no trust in a neighbor; have no confidence in a friend; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms;
6 for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
Old Testament Survey Series: The Minor Prophets C. Treachery in the Private Sphere (7:5–6)
A series of imperatives underscores in yet another way the extent of the corruption in Judah. First, “do not trust in a neighbor” (rea‘). People must constantly be on guard against treachery and deception. Second, “do not put confidence in an intimate friend” (’alluph). One must be careful what he says in pillow talk with his wife. “From her that lies at your bosom keep the doors of your mouth.” Thus blood ties, marriage ties, economic ties were being trampled underfoot. The most basic ligaments of society had been torn asunder (7:5).
Why must one be careful in what he says even within his own home? Because “a son dishonors his father” (lit., treats his father as a fool) thus violating the fifth commandment. “A daughter rises up against her mother.” In a perverse society children are in open rebellion against their parents. The extended family was also affected, for the daughter-in-law would be against her mother-in-law. As a matter of fact, “the enemies of a man are the men (i.e., servants) of his house” (7:6). Jesus used the words of this verse to describe how his Gospel would have the effect of turning members of families against one another (Matt 10:35f.).
A series of warning highlights the extent of the corruption in Judah.
First, “do not trust in a neighbour” (rea‘).
People must constantly be on guard against treachery and deception.
Second, “do not put confidence in a friend” (’alluph).
They even had to be careful what they say in pillow talk with his wife.
“Guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms;”
In other words blood relatives, marriage bonds, business contracts were being trampled underfoot.
The most basic fibres of society had been torn apart (7:5).
Why were the Jew warned to be careful in what he says even in his own home?
Because “the son treats the father with contempt” (lit., treats his father as a fool)
The the fifth commandment broken.
“The daughter rises up against her mother.”
In a perverse society children are in open rebellion against their parents.
The extended family was also affected, for the daughter-in-law would be against her mother-in-law.
As a matter of fact, “a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
That means the servants of his house. (7:6).
Jesus used the words of this verse.
He describe how his Gospel would turn members of families against one another (.).
Matt 10:35-
35 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.
36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.
37 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.
38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Same effect as corruption but opposite in value and intent.
The corrupt will turn against anything and everything and anyone who stands for truth and justice.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Don’t be fooled by those who appear to have it all together.
Corruption has an expiration date.
Even in this life, justice catches up to those who believe they can get away with their greed driven wealth, power and oppression.
History has proven it and the Bible promises it.
Be careful also, that you do not fall under God’s judgement.
Do not take part in or justify any form of corruption.
If you carefully investigate your own motives and actions, and you find that they are motivated by greed;
Stop immediately and ask God to help you carry the consequences of doing what is right in His sight.
Don’t underestimate this challenge.
We can associate with Paul who pleaded in this way:
18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
The same Paul explains to the church how to cope in a corrupt world while not compromising on virtues:
12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Nothing and no circumstance, good or bad, gives you reason to be corrupt.
Corruption says: “God can not be trusted”.
That is not where you want to be -
if you are a Christian.
Amen
