Rulers and Prophets Condemned
“Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice? You hate good and love evil. You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones. You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like meat for the cooking pot, like meat in a kettle.” Then they will cry out to the LORD, but He will not answer them. At that time He will hide His face from them because of the evil they have done.
This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their mouths: Therefore the night will come over you without visions, and the darkness without divination. The sun will set on these prophets, and the daylight will turn black over them. Then the seers will be ashamed and the diviners will be disgraced. They will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God.”
As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the LORD, with justice and courage, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin. Now hear this, O leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and pervert all that is right, who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with iniquity. Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.” Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.”
Poor Micah! On the one hand, he knows what God wants him to say; but on the other, he might be horrified at the graphic descriptions God is giving. “You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones. You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like meat for the cooking pot, like meat in a kettle.” God is revolted by the behavior of the rulers who are victimizing His people. And there is more.
““As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their mouths: Therefore the night will come over you without visions, and the darkness without divination. The sun will set on these prophets, and the daylight will turn black over them. Then the seers will be ashamed and the diviners will be disgraced. They will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God.” God is equally revolted by the false prophets who have been engaging in soothsaying for payment. Who knows where these people have been getting their answers because God has certainly not been giving them information. These people have been listening to demons, but now God has silenced the demons.
The Holy Spirit has filled Micah with His power to declare God’s truth without fear. Despite all the evil these men have done, they still cherish the idea that God is going to protect them. “Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.” Talk about being out of touch with reality!
APPLICATION: Read news headlines from any country, and it sounds like the same thing that Micah is protesting. Corrupt rulers and judges, deceiving prophets that will say anything to tickle people’s ears, soothsayers, diviners, fortune tellers – little has changed in nearly three millenia.
What is so tragic about the nations of Israel and Judah is that all the time things have been deteriorating, they have been assuring themselves that God will continue to bless and protect them! But God knows exactly what has been happening and God knows all those responsible. Blessedly, there are still those who know the Lord who have the courage to speak out against abuses. May we keep interceding for the righteous whom God sends to us.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for those whom you have sent to warn and to encourage us. Please protect Your messengers and their families and give us listening ears. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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