The Rebellion of the People

Introduction Good morning to you and welcome to this gathering of Hope Bible Fellowship. We are just thrilled to have you with us. (Faithlife Rollout Video)

This morning we are continuing in the book of Micah, one of the minor prophets of the Old Testament. I just want to remind you that Micah was a bit of an outsider, a country boy, as it were. He primarily prophesied to the common people, unlike his contemporary, the prophet Isaiah who spoke mostly to the monarchy. The people had been led by a mixture of godly kings and kings who led the people into idolatry and wickedness. Years before, God had made a covenant with the people to take care of them and they would for their part, obey and serve God alone. But the people broke this covenant. They rebelled against the Lord. Rebellion comes naturally for us as humans. The scripture says in Romans 3:23 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” . We find that because we have a sin nature, humanity rebels against truth. It’s our default setting. And the people sinned against God. Rebellion is like when you go visit Hannibal, Missouri where we went to college and where Javan attends. You can visit a place called Lover’s Leap. It’s at the top of a winding road. Lover’s Leap is an exposed limestone cliff that overlooks the Mississippi River. SHOW PICTURE There is a fence that blocks you from going out on the rock. If I remember correctly, there’s even a sign that warns you that the rock can be soft. Now... if you are a certain kind of person... there's something that makes you kind of want to climb out there anyway. If you search on the internet you can find pictures of people out there. But ultimately, you're not supposed to go out there. But there's something in us that says, nah, I'm good and we start climbing. You don't because you don't want to die. It's sort of like when you see the speed limit and you figure you can go against it as long as there's not cops nearby. We are rebels. Some people have made a career out of rebellion. James Dean was the rebel without a cause. But when we rebel against God we set ourselves up for destruction. God had laid out the way the covenant was to be kept by the people in the Ten Commandments. Last week we talked about the first four dealing with loyalty to God and the final six dealing with obedience in our interactions with one another. Jesus confirmed that by telling someone when asked, that the greatest command was to love God with all that you are and love your neighbor as yourself. Last week we talked a lot about the idolatry of the people and that they had traded their love for God for the love of idols. This week we are talking about how their rebellion was in trading their love for one another for love of self. Let's turn to the book of Micah chapter two and see what God has to say to us today. Read Scripture Micah 2:1–13

Micah 2:1–13 ESV

1 Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil on their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in the power of their hand. 2 They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance. 3 Therefore thus says the Lord: behold, against this family I am devising disaster, from which you cannot remove your necks, and you shall not walk haughtily, for it will be a time of disaster. 4 In that day they shall take up a taunt song against you and moan bitterly, and say, “We are utterly ruined; he changes the portion of my people; how he removes it from me! To an apostate he allots our fields.” 5 Therefore you will have none to cast the line by lot in the assembly of the Lord. 6 “Do not preach”—thus they preach— “one should not preach of such things; disgrace will not overtake us.” 7 Should this be said, O house of Jacob? Has the Lord grown impatient? Are these his deeds? Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly? 8 But lately my people have risen up as an enemy; you strip the rich robe from those who pass by trustingly with no thought of war. 9 The women of my people you drive out from their delightful houses; from their young children you take away my splendor forever. 10 Arise and go, for this is no place to rest, because of uncleanness that destroys with a grievous destruction. 11 If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be the preacher for this people! 12 I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob; I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men. 13 He who opens the breach goes up before them; they break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king passes on before them, the Lord at their head.

PRAY I. The Corruption of the People A. The people had become greedy oppressors. (v. 1-5) v. 1 Woe - Word used there is (Hoy) - this is a divine threat. It's intense. Those working evil on their beds. These people are described like they're laying on their beds at night thinking up evil deeds. I read someone who said they can't sleep because they are consumed with wickedness. So at night, instead of sleeping, they are working on ways to sin. When we look at verse 3 The word translated power used in verse three can be used of God or of people. Here, when used in reference to people, it denotes strength or might. The powerful, wealthy people had the ability to carry out their wicked schemes and profit from them. They could oppress the less prosperous or even each other. Because of their plotting and working out their schemes, they would oppress people and take away even their inheritance. And if we look back at verse 2 we can see what leads to their wicked activity. First they covet what they do not have and so they act on that covetousness. They are not content with what they have and they plot and scheme and take through their over powering might. But God says that He is devising disaster upon these people. When it says they cannot remove it from their necks, the image is of a yoke like for a team of oxen. They can not remove this disaster from themselves. B. The people had rejected the Word of God. (v. 6-11) The false prophets claimed that Yahweh would not send judgment on Israel. They actually encouraged Micah not to prophesy such harsh words. Micah was not the only prophet to encounter this tyupe of antagonism. Isaiah also faced the same type of complaint. (v. 6) Isaiah 30:10 “10 who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions,” They questioned whether God had grown impatient. They were not realizing just how patient God was with them. He could have justly and rightly judged them immediately. They broke the covenant. They spit in His face over and over again. They spiritually sold themselves to false gods. He was incredibly patient with them. And He is incredibly patient with us as well. 2 Peter 3:8-10 “8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” Back to Micah 2 v. 7 - The words of the prophets of God benefit the righteous The people should have remembered the words of the true prophets of God. These words are life giving. Their actions lead to death. False prophets question whether these deeds are the deeds of God. In verse 8 we find that the nation had become violent and oppressive towards one another. Understand this: they were treating one another as foreign enemies instead of countrymen and the fellow people of God. They had no care for treating each other with regard for God and love for one another. They were abusive to women. They took the inheritance of children. In that culture, women and children left by themselves with no inheritance would have no means of survival. Women would likely consider prostitution because their choices would have been limited. The people doing these things simply did not care. Sin destroys. Uncleanness destroys with grievous destruction. It's not pretty. Not only does it shipwreck your own life but it negatively and destructively impacts those around you. It's repercussions have a tsunami effect. II. The outcomes of greedy, injustice, and rejecting the Word of God. A. When authentic love is lost, duty takes its place. B. When we turn out backs on obeying God, rejection takes its place. C. When we stubbornly continue to disobey, the patience of God gives way to discipline. D. When we lose sight of love for or neighbor, that love is replaced by self-service. E. When we disobey God, His blessing is replaced with disaster. - sin brings bondage • sin brings death III. Restoration is on the horizon. (v. 12-13) v. 12 - Follow prophecy of judgment with a prophecy of hope Those God will assemble are the faithful remnant of the people Micah spoke to who had remained faithful and survived the time of judgment on the kingdom of Judah. A noisy multitude of men - Sheep gathered in a flock create a loud noise. The noise implied by the Hebrew expression used here is likely due to shouts of thanksgiving and rejoicing. v. 13 - The Messiah will act as a shepherd for the Israelites. Shepherd motif in scripture...appears throughout the prophets (references from white sheet) The king going before them is a picture of the the Lord at the front of the procession. Leading His people to restoration. Jesus leads His people. Lived a life we could not. Died a death we deserved. Rose as the first. We also will rise. Coheirs. Conclusion When I was in college, I had the opportunity to hear the great D. James Kennedy, author of Evangelism Explosion, preach at a denominational gathering. He told the following story about Alexander the Great: One day, Alexander held court in Nebuchadnezzar's great palace in Babylon. He sat upon the great golden throne, pronouncing sentences for the crimes charged to his soldiers. The sergeant-at-arms brought in one soldier after another and read their crimes. No one could deliver them from Alexander's severe judgments. Finally, the sergeant-at-arms brought in a young Macedonian soldier and read aloud his crime: fleeing in the face of the enemy. This cowardice Alexander could not tolerate. But as he looked on this young soldier, Alexander's countenance changed from stern to soft. Smiling, he said to the lad, Son, what is your name? The boy said softly, Alexander. The smile left the king's face. He said, What did you say? The young man snapped to attention. Alexander, sir. The king turned crimson and shouted, WHAT IS YOUR NAME? The boy began to stammer and said, Al Alex Alexander, sir. The king burst out of his chair, grabbed the young man by the tunic, stared him in the face, then threw him on the ground and said, Soldier, change your conduct or change your name! Kennedy writes of this illustration: All of us have a name from our royal lineage. What is that name? Christian! And we need to live our lives in a manner worthy of that name. Dear friend, I encourage you to be strong. Be courageous. Obey the Lord. Allow God to give you courage in Him, courage to do what God has told us to do, courage to avoid the things God has told us not to do, courage to stand up for Christ. Let us not cower under fire but stand firm in the Lord's name, living up to our calling as Christians. REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS Your behavior should match the name you claim. When it doesn't... REPENT. PRAY