Unpopular Preaching

Introduction

“Do not preach” they preach

Micah’s Message: judgement on Israel, that they are a Kingdom of tyrants who will be overcome by tyrants.

The “they” is not clear, likely other prophets, the ones more popularly listened to.

According to them

The content is improper.

The message is incorrect.

The message is blasphemous (has the Lord grown impatient? Would our loving God really do such a thing?)

God’s Response (beginning mid verse 7)

God does speak good, but only to those who walk uprightly (Genesis 3:7 “If you do will, will you not be accepted?”)

Lately, God’s people have become God’s enemies.

How? By stripping off the rich robes, a way of saying taking all that one has of value. It means to take everything from somebody and leave them destitute in a cruel and heartless manner. In modern language it would means to take the shirt off your back. Even worse, when they are on their way home from war, where the enemy should have been left behind and they can enjoy some peace in God’s blessings.

Exodus 22:26–27 ESV

If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

Do they really expect a “God of love” to overlook such behaviour?

It goes on, painting these oppressors as people who drive widows from their home, fatherless children from their rightful inheritance. A nation is only as good as how it treats its most disadvantaged, and while the upper class and powerful want a merciful God, they have a real ‘not in my backyard’ attitude when it comes to the needy and have no desire to become merciful themselves like they want God to be. You see this hypocrisy often in the world, with those who politically vote for equality and human rights while at the same time being unwilling to implement effective ways to bring that equality. When this behaviour exists among the people of God, we are at a loss.

In verse 10 Micah essentially tells them that they might as well put themselves into exile rather than waiting for God to do it, because the potential of rest and peace in such a society is completely fictitious.

Finally, the text ends by concluding that the only kind of preacher that Israel will find acceptable is somone who either preaches what is false, or preaches what is meaningless. They preach sermons about wine and beer, because their sermons dull the senses, cheer the heart, and put the listeners to sleep.

Those offended by biblical preaching

Biblical preaching is inherently offensive to those who are not devoted to God. These are groups that are likely to be offended:

The proud sinner

The hypocrite

The oppressor (or those who benefit from the oppressor)

The ‘excuser’

The ‘God is Love’ apologists

The ‘Judge not’ crowd

Conclusion