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Rulers and Prophets Denounced
So we come back tonight to the Old Testament of Micah.
And we have noted over the last few weeks is that God is holding his people accountable for the way they have acted and lived in relation to each other and the world around them
They were supposed to treat each other well, with compassion and love but greed took over the hearts of so many, even those who were wealthy.
They have been condemned by God for stealing the inheritances of children from their parents, not returning ancestral lands and doing anything possible to make a dollar.
Even if it meant cheating people from the amount of food they bought by the merchants.
It is sad and it does not go unnoticed by God.
Also they have disobeyed the law of God.
They have refused to let the land rest.
They have chased after other gods and even sacrificed their own children to moleck in the past.
Last week in particular, God revealed how he opposed the rich and proud.
Tonight, in chapter 3, we see that God is denouncing the rulers and prophets....
So lets go to verse 1
So we know right off the bat that God is speaking to the leaders of Israel, the Northern 10 tribes/ but/ the southern kingdom as well.
He refers to them as the heads of Jacob, the rulers of the house of Israel - collective
The word “hear” is the call for them to know the reasons God is against them.
And look at that line, Is it not for you to know justice?
Shouldn’t you know right from wrong?
That is the sense of the message.
But in truth they have ignored to exercise justice.
Now look at verses 2-3.
These verses fit together and look at it..
The leadership of both groups, Northern and Southern kingdoms love evil and hate good.
God is revealing the nature of their hearts.
They should have exercised the opposite, they could have demonstrated this by protecting the rights of the poor society members, but they did not...
God says they tear the skin and rip the flesh of my people..... wow, that is really graphic.
These terms are designed to describe the cruel, brutal and inhumane way leaders were treating the people.
Leaders were under-shepherds in a sense, they were to care for and protect the people, not feed them in a sense to the wild animals.
How sad, they exploited, oppressed, and treated the people harshly.
And as you walk into verse 3, we see that it is like animals being butchered, cook and feed to people.
The people are treated terribly.
We understand those thoughts, when we see leaders neglect the helpless of society like unborn children or others, we are sad, we mourn with them and we try to bring about change.
But we see others not care and even make money off their deaths… It breaks our hearts
Now verse 4
Then, speaking of those who have treated others horribly, when they are oppressed, God will not answer them.
Their deeds are evil God declares, and as part of their punishment, God will remain silent in the face of their cries.
Now as we move into verses 5-8, we see Micah begin to rebuke these false prophets as they stand against the true prophets and of course God and His word.
Verse 5
Therefore or thus says the Lord, because the false prophets are leading the people astray, who say they are God’s spokesman or person, but they certainly do not speak for God when you see what comes out of their mouth.
They flatter the rulers ears and denounce the word of God.
To the kings and rulers who fed and took care of them, these counterfeits declare peace and prosperity.
Jeremiah will say this about such men...
Their love of money and provision is their shame, they have set their mind on earthy things, and this is all they will have, for they will ave no part in the kingdom of God.
The true prophet like Micah will rebuke Judah and Israel’s sin.
One preacher said, Money talked louder than God to these false prophets.
Micah was the opposite, He shared the true word of God, rebuked sin, and predicts their destruction and captivity.
Now lets look at verses 6-7
Therefore - is used again.
since these evil false prophets have proclaimed good days, bright days ahead, and God’s favor and did this all for monetary gain.
Darkness is about to descend on them.
And the Lord will send no word among the people, they will be in exile and he will remain silent in their punishment.
How heartbreaking, they have lost God’s favor.
Sin always has consequences my friends.
Listen to Amos 8:11
These money driven peace and prosperity prophets who used their gifts for their own good will not hear from God.
The punishment will fit the crime my friends.
It is better to be quiet than speak a message that leads people astray.
and as we move into verse 7, the prophets are called “seers and diviners” just another word for those who hear from God, or at times heard from other spirits even.
But these false prophets, seers, will be disgraced!
they are shown as people who have delusions in their own minds, they speak no known truth.
God is not speaking to them, that is for certain.
Now verse 8
But as for me… a sharp contrast is drawn between the true prophet Micah and those who are false.
A. Mich says he is filled with power… Holy Spirit power.
The Lord sends His Holy Spirit to help his servant in their needs...
B. He is filled with Justice and Might.... remember the justice, it is the Lord’s justice not his own way of thinking.
The “might” is the courage to go and face any danger as he declares the true word of the Lord.
The purpose of all this is to declare to Judah its sin or transgressions before the Lord.
Verses 9-12 bring us the last section of this chapter.
Verse 9
So because verse 8 is true, Micah is the prophet of the Lord.
God has a further message for them...
Hear this… listen carefully or pay attention too oh heads of state.
Jacob and Israel, the leaders are despised in detesting justice.
They reveal the nature of their hearts because they do not do what is right; instead they do evil.
And this last line is important… they make crooked all that is straight.. What a statement: what is good you make bad, what is right you instead make it wrong and what is holy you make unholy.
These words are deafening...
Verse 10
That last thought is continued… the leaders would be the priests, prophets, judges and other gov’t leaders are further condemned because they build with bloodshed and wickedness or violence.
It is build back better with wickedness, violence, sinful ways… They build the city back at the cost of the lives of men and women.
As long as they get their way, it doesn’t matter and God takes exception with this mentality.
This is the worst of transgressions....
Verse 11
Do you hear the indictment the Lord gives upon them through His prophet Micah.
So government leaders make decisions based on bribery, money influences all their decisions instead of justice.
The priests make teaching a way to gain wealth instead of helping people know and obey the law.
And the prophets, they sell the words they give… So in a since they receive money and speak the words people want to hear instead of proclaiming truth.
The love of money is the root of all evil for it has influenced all these things.. as Paul tells Timothy in I Tim 6:10.
One person says that the courts, palaces and the temple all worked hand in hand to make sure politicians got their way, money at the heart of the matter.
It is just good old fashioned corruption.
Sadly the leaders claimed to lean upon or trust in the Lord their God based on their faulty theology.
They had the idea if what they did also would benefit the city or the temple ( namely by the money they would give to God) but they were wrong.
God doesn’t want faulty actions or money that was gained because of it.
Don’t say God will not judge the city simply because it holds his temple.
The whole earth is His temple.
He will judge all.
Now we look at the last verse 12
Therefore, because of the charges that are against you.
Your sins and disobedience, the city and temple will be plowed as a field, the idea is to make like rubble, to tear down and reduce it to its base state.
We know in 586bc, Jerusalem is invaded ( walls are breached = holes in the walls, and the gates are burned) and thus the city is exposed, people carried off and items are taken from the temple.
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