Micah 3

Micah’s second message is at the heart of the book and focuses on Israel’s future. First, Micah rebuked the leaders of the nation for their sinful conduct, which God would judge (3:1–12), and he outlined the events that would usher in the promised kingdom (4:1—5:15). Knowing that God has such a glorious future planned for their nation should have motivated the leaders to turn from their sins and obey the Lord. “Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure” (1 John 3: niv). Alas, they didn’t even pay attention to the sermon!

God, men of truth, hating covetousness” (Ex. 18: nkjv). Micah’s contemporary Amos wrote, “Seek good and not evil, that you may live. … Hate evil, love good; establish justice in the gate” (Amos 5:14–15 nkjv; see Prov. 8:13). The city gate was the place where the elders met to settle disputes and make official decisions (Ruth 4:1ff.). If there was no justice in the cities, there could be no justice in the land.

The description of these rulers’ actions reminds you more of ravenous beasts than of human beings. Instead of being faithful shepherds who protected the flock (Mic. 2:12; 7:14), they attacked the sheep, skinned them alive, butchered them, chopped them up, and made stew out of them! But the day would come when these wolves in shepherd’s clothing would cry out for God’s mercy, but no mercy would be given. “Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured” (Deut. 31:17).

Micah then turned to rebuke the false prophets (Mic. 3:5–8), whose lies made it easy for the corrupt officials to carry on their evil deeds. “An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so” (Jer. 5:30–31 nkjv). When God is left out of human government, it’s easy for officials to use their authority selfishly to exploit the people.

As long as you gave them something to eat and drink (Mic. 2:11), the prophets would declare whatever kind of message you wanted to hear. Like the false prophets in Jeremiah’s day, they announced peace when war and desolation were just around the corner (Jer. 6:13–14; 8:10–11). But the time would come when these men who claimed to see the light would be shrouded in darkness, and everybody would know that they were counterfeits. They would cry out to the Lord, but He would not answer.

God’s true prophet is described in Micah 3:8: this prophet is filled with the Spirit, faithfully proclaiming God’s message and unafraid of what people might say or do. Micah fearlessly told the people their sins and warned them that judgment was coming, while the false prophets tickled the people’s ears and told them what they wanted to hear.

Few men are as pitiable as those who claim to have a call from God yet tailor their sermons to please others. Their first rule is “Don’t rock the boat”; their second is “Give people what they want.” But a true servant of God declares God’s message regardless of whether the people like it or not. He’d like to be a peacemaker, but sometimes he has to be a troublemaker. No wonder Jeremiah cried out, “Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth, a man with whom the whole land strives and contends!” (Jer. 15: niv)

Micah also addressed all the leaders of the land (Mic. 3:9–12)—the rulers, the priests, and the prophets— and accused them of numerous sins: committing injustice, distorting the truth, murdering innocent people, accepting bribes, and while doing these evil deeds, claiming to be serving the Lord! “We are depending on the Lord,” they said. “Is He not among us? Then nothing evil can happen to us.” It was hypocrisy of the worst kind.

Their ignorance of the Lord’s character and the terms of His covenant gave them this false confidence. “Since we’re Jews,” they reasoned, “God’s chosen people and sharers in His covenant, the Lord will never permit anything evil to happen to us. Even if we sin, He will never abandon us to the enemy.” Their thinking was not unlike that of people today who “profess that they know God; but in works they deny him” (Titus 1:16).

Any theology that makes it easy for us to sin is not biblical theology. Had the rulers, prophets, and priests read and pondered Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28—30, they would have discovered that the God of the covenant is a holy God who will not countenance high-handed sin. They would also have learned that the blessings of the covenant depended on their obeying the conditions of the covenant, and that God punishes His people when they disobey.

What would be the result of the leaders’ flouting God’s law? Their Holy City and temple would be destroyed, and thousands of Jewish people would be exiled to Babylon (Mic. 4:10). God would rather destroy the city and the beautiful temple than allow His people to defile His property by their sins. The destruction of Jerusalem in 606–586 is a reminder to God’s people that when God says, “Be holy, for I am holy,” He really means it!

“For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests” (Lam. 4:13) the nation was defeated and the city and temple were destroyed. That’s why the prophet opened his message by rebuking the spiritual leaders of the land, not the unbelievers. If Micah were ministering among us today, he would probably visit denominational offices, pastors’ conferences, Bible colleges, and seminaries to warn Christian leaders that privilege brings responsibility and responsibility brings accountability.

As with Micah’s other two messages, this second message opens with a call for the people to “hear” what the Lord would say through His servant (1:2; 6:1). It’s as though Micah had shouted, “Listen! God is speaking! This is important!” The statement reminds us of the Lord’s repeated admonition, “Who has ears to hear, let him hear!” or the warning in Hebrews 12:25: “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks” (nkjv).

It’s a dangerous thing to turn a deaf ear to the voice of God when He speaks through His Word. “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (3:7–8 nkjv). All creation responds to the voice of God and gladly obeys His will except man made in God’s image! Yet the Father lovingly says to us, “Now therefore, listen to Me, My children; pay attention to the words of My mouth” (Prov. 7: nkjv).

Micah opened his message by rebuking the civil authorities (Mic. 3:1–4), men who were not only permitting the wealthy to exploit the poor but were also doing it themselves! Leaders are supposed to love the good and hate the evil, but these men were just the opposite: they “hate the good, and love the evil” (v. 2).

A promise message: a Deliverer is Ideal leaders are described as “able men, such as fear