MICAH: GOD’S PUNISHMENT AND HIS RESTORATION

II: God’s Punishment Of The People’s Sins Against Each Other

(Micah 2:1-11)

I. Introduction

A. Micah, who was “a Judean from Moresheth in the SW of Palestine, preached to the common people of Judah.” (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, p. 1283, “Introduction to the Book of Micah: The Prophet.”)

B. Though idolatry was the common people’s chief sin, in Micah 2:1-11, God’s prophet revealed God’s coming judgment on the common people for their sins against each other.

C. We view the passage for our insight and application (as follows):

II. God’s Punishment Of The People’s Sins Against Each Other, Micah 2:1-11.

A. God had predicted in Micah 1:1-16 that he would punish the people for idolatry, but they had sinned against each other in violation of the Mosaic Covenant, what also called for punishment, B. K. C., O. T., p. 1479.

B. The Lord addressed these other sins in Micah 2:1-11, promising to punish them (as follows):

1. The Mosaic Covenant prohibited covetousness (Exodus 20:17) and stealing (Exodus 20:15), sins against one’s fellow man but the common people had extensively violated these two commands, Micah 2:1-5:

a. Micah pronounced a woe in judgment on those who planned to do evil on their beds at night because they had the power to do so, Micah 2:1.

b. Specifically, the wealthy and powerful would covet fields and houses of other people only to seize them the next day, defrauding other Hebrews of their fathers’ inheritances in covetousness, Micah 2:2.

c. Thus, “God would punish Judah by allowing foreigners to take away their land” in just recompense for their own seizures of the properties of others, Micah 2:3; Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to Micah 2:3-5.

d. Besides failing to be able to save themselves (Micah 2:3), the people of Judah would be mocked by the invaders who would “mockingly sing to them what those in grief would normally have said about the loss of their fields,” Micah 2:4-5; Ibid., p. 1480. The emotional pain they had inflicted on their fellow countrymen by seizing their lands unjustly would be felt by these wrongdoers of Judah themselves!

2. The Law prohibited the works of false prophets who spoke their own words in violation of Scripture (Deuteronomy 13:1-3) or whose prophecies failed to be fulfilled, proving themselves to be false prophets (Deuteronomy 18:20-22), but the prophets and the people both violated these commands, Micah 2:6-11:

a. Either the people of Judah or their false prophets or possibly both were angry about Micah’s prophecies about God’s coming judgment, so they reacted to his ministry by calling him not to prophesy that the disaster of God’s punishment was coming, Micah 2:6; Ibid.; Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to Micah 2:6-7.

b. Micah responded to this criticism in Micah 2:7 NIV, explaining that his hearers should not question if the Lord were to be angry so as to level punishing destruction upon them (Micah 2:7a), for God’s words do good for those whose ways are upright before the Lord (Micah 2:7b).

c. Micah then mentioned the sins of Judah that had aroused God’s anger, noting that lately the people like an enemy would strip off the rich robe from those who passed by without a care as those who were returning from battle with the spoils of war, and that they would drive the women of God’s people from their pleasant homes in seizing their houses, Micah 2:8-9a; Ibid., Bib. Know. Com., O. T. In committing such sins, they forever took away God’s inheritance blessings from the children of these women, Micah 2:9b!

d. In fury, God’s response to such wickedness led Him to direct these sinners to get up and go away, for the land of Judah was not their resting place because it had been defiled by their sins, ruined beyond all remedy in God’s estimation, Micah 2:10.

e. Micah noted that the morality of the people had sunk so low that if a liar and a deceiver, a false prophet, were to come and offer to prophesy to the people prosperity marked by plenty of wine and beer instead of God’s impending judgment, he would be the perfect prophet for this people, Micah 2:11 NIV.

Lesson: Besides the chief sin of idolatry, the common people in covetousness stole the lands and houses of their countrymen, creating great grief and suffering, and they rejected the messages of God’s true prophets while accepting and supporting the false prophets who spoke in support of their sinful actions. Accordingly, God’s punishment was due to fall on such wicked people for these sins against their fellow man.

Application: (1) May we avoid covetousness and stealing in respect for the property of others! (2) May we heed those messengers who tell us the Biblical truth, even if it critiques our sin, that we might enjoy God’s blessing.