MICAH S PRAYER AND GOD S ANSWER MICAH 7:1-20

Transcription

1 1 Commentary by Charles Box Questions by John C. Sewell MICAH S PRAYER AND GOD S ANSWER MICAH 7:1-20

2 2 Text: Micah 7:1-20, Micah s Prayer and God s Answer Commentary By Charles Box 1. I am depressed! Indeed, it is as if the summer fruit has been gathered, and the grapes have been harvested. There is no grape cluster to eat, no fresh figs that I crave so much. 2. Faithful men have disappeared from the land; there are no godly men left. They all wait in ambush so they can shed blood; they hunt their own brother with a net. 3. They are determined to be experts at doing evil; government officials and judges take bribes, prominent men make demands, and they all do what is necessary to satisfy them. 4. The best of them is like a thorn; the most godly among them are more dangerous than a row of thorn bushes. The day you try to avoid by posting watchmen your appointed time of punishment is on the way, and then you will experience confusion. 5. Do not rely on a friend; do not trust a companion! Don t even share secrets with the one who lies in your arms! 6. For a son thinks his father is a fool, a daughter challenges her mother, and a daughter-in-law her mother-in-law; a man s enemies are his own servants. 7. But I will keep watching for the Lord; I will wait for the God who delivers me. My God will hear my lament. 8. My enemies, do not gloat over me! Though I have fallen, I will get up. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.

3 I must endure the Lord s anger, for I have sinned against him. But then he will defend my cause, and accomplish justice on my behalf. He will lead me out into the light; I will experience firsthand his deliverance. 10. When my enemies see this, they will be covered with shame. They say to me, Where is the Lord your God? I will gloat over them. Then they will be trampled down like mud in the streets. 11. It will be a day for rebuilding your walls; in that day your boundary will be extended. 12. In that day people will come to you from Assyria as far as Egypt, from Egypt as far as the Euphrates River, from the seacoasts and the mountains. 13. The earth will become desolate because of what its inhabitants have done. 14. Shepherd your people with your shepherd s rod, the flock that belongs to you, the one that lives alone in a thicket, in the midst of a pastureland. Allow them to graze in Bashan and Gilead, as they did in the old days. 15. As in the days when you departed from the land of Egypt, I will show you miraculous deeds. 16. Nations will see this and be disappointed by all their strength, they will put their hands over their mouths, and act as if they were deaf. 17. They will lick the dust like a snake, like serpents crawling on the ground. They will come trembling from their strongholds to the Lord our God; they will be terrified of you. 18. There is no other God like you! You forgive sin and pardon the rebellion of those who remain among your people. You do not remain angry forever, but delight in showing loyal love. 19. You will once again have mercy on us; you will conquer our evil deeds; you will hurl our sins into the depths of the sea. 20. You will be loyal to Jacob and extend your loyal love to Abraham, which you promised on oath to our ancestors in ancient times. (NET)

4 4 Introduction: I. Micah could not find one good man among the Jews that would be merciful and good to their fellow man. A. At one time David wrote, Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. (Psalm 12:1) 1. The prince, the judge, and the great man were all guilty. 2. They did evil with both hands earnestly. 3. They conspired to carry out all kinds of evil. 4. Those that should have been godly leaders of the people were no less than a brier or thorn; pricking with injury those that came in contact with them. II. Times were so treacherous that God warned them not to trust friends, counselors or even their own wives. A. God had warned, If thy brothers, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which though hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; Thou shalt not consent unto him, or hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with stones,

5 5 that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD they God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you. (Deuteronomy 13:6-11) B. The only one that can be trusted and looked up to in all situations is God. III. While in Babylon Israel should patiently endure the punishment being meted out because of sin. A. Even though the people were facing physical punishment, God wanted it to be a time of spiritual renewal. 1. Jerusalem s walls were broken down, the city and the land were desolate, but under Cyrus, after seventy years in captivity, the Jews were restored to their homeland. B. God did not forget the Jews in this strange land. 1. Micah prayed for God to bless and deliver His people. 2. God would do marvelous things in restoring His people to their home land. 3. Many, in fear, would turn to the Lord for salvation. C. Gratefulness for the promised future for Israel caused Micah to offer strong praise to God for His greatness and goodness. 1. Micah knew that the people could count on God to be faithful to His promises.

6 6 Commentary: Israel Was Very Corrupt Micah 7:1-7, I am depressed! Indeed, it is as if the summer fruit has been gathered, and the grapes have been harvested. There is no grape cluster to eat, no fresh figs that I crave so much. Faithful men have disappeared from the land; there are no godly men left. They all wait in ambush so they can shed blood; they hunt their own brother with a net. They are determined to be experts at doing evil; government officials and judges take bribes, prominent men make demands, and they all do what is necessary to satisfy them. The best of them is like a thorn; the most godly among them are more dangerous than a row of thorn bushes. The day you try to avoid by posting watchmen your appointed time of punishment is on the way, and then you will experience confusion. Do not rely on a friend; do not trust a companion! Don t even share secrets with the one who lies in your arms! For a son thinks his father is a fool, a daughter challenges her mother, and a daughter-in-law her mother-in-law; a man s enemies are his own servants. But I will keep watching for the LORD; I will wait for the God who delivers me. My God will hear my lament. (NET) I. The people of Israel were incredibly wicked, but Micah still had strong confidence in God. A. He was dreadfully sad with the conduct of God s people. 1. He described his feelings with a vivid word picture. 2. He felt like someone coming to glean in a vineyard only to find that the last grape had already been picked.

7 7 a. There was nothing left to eat; no grapes or any of the delicious figs. 3. He searched for good and honest people and found none. a. He only found those that wanted to take advantage of others and even to kill them. b. The people did evil with both hands. c. Judges and leaders demanded bribes, and rulers cheated people in the court. d. These people planned to do evil and God especially hates a conspiracy to do wrong. II. The best of them was worse than a thorn patch. A. The day of God s judgment and their punishment had come. 1. They would now face perplexity and confusion. 2. The prophet warned them not to believe anyone, even a close friend or advisor. 3. They were even warned to be careful what they said to their wives. 4. He warned that sons think that their fathers are fools. 5. Daughters refuse to obey their mothers. 6. A man s enemies are the people who live in his own house now. a. Similar things would take place in the gospel age. (Matthew 10:34-36)

8 8 b. Matthew 10:34-36, Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man s enemies will be the members of his household. (NET) 7. Micah advised the people not to trust their nearest kin but to trust in God. a. He said, But as for me, I will watch for what the Lord will do. I will wait for God, who saves me. Israel Turned Back to God Micah 7:8-13, My enemies, do not gloat over me! Though I have fallen, I will get up. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. I must endure the LORD s anger, for I have sinned against him. But then he will defend my cause, and accomplish justice on my behalf. He will lead me out into the light; I will experience firsthand his deliverance. When my enemies see this, they will be covered with shame. They say to me, Where is the LORD your God? I will gloat over them. Then they will be trampled down like mud in the streets. It will be a day for rebuilding your walls; in that day your boundary will be extended. (NET) I. The nation of Israel had fallen exceedingly low. A. After a time of repentance and spiritual growth God would raise them up again. 1. Things might have been dark, but a brighter day was coming. 2. God would continue to punish Israel until proper punishment had been made for sins.

9 After that He would make things right for His people and punish the cruel nation that had been so harsh to His people. 4. God punished Israel for her sins and, after a time of repentance on the part of the people, He pleaded their cause against their enemies. 5. This would cause them to understand that God always does what is right. 6. The cruel nation that had punished Israel would be ashamed for ever asking, Where is your God? II. The time would come when the captivity would end and Israel would be restored. A. At that time, the walls of the cities would be rebuilt and the borders of their country would be much wider. 1. The fulfillment of this promise is recorded in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. 2. The remnant would come from Assyria, Egypt and from all over the earth. B. The heartbreaking thing is that the people would suffer greatly because of their sins before this time of restoration came. Micah s Prayer and the Lord s Answer Micah 7:14-17, In that day people will come to you from Assyria as far as Egypt, from Egypt as far as the Euphrates River, from the seacoasts and the mountains. The earth will become desolate because of what its inhabitants have done. Shepherd your people with your shepherd s rod, the flock that belongs to you, the one that lives alone in a thicket, in the midst of a pastureland. Allow them to graze in Bashan and Gilead, as they did in the old days. As in the

10 10 days when you departed from the land of Egypt, I will show you miraculous deeds. Nations will see this and be disappointed by all their strength, they will put their hands over their mouths, and act as if they were deaf. They will lick the dust like a snake, like serpents crawling on the ground. They will come trembling from their strongholds to the LORD our God; they will be terrified of you. (NET) I. Micah prayed that God would rule and lead His people. A. He requested that God would let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old. 1. Years before the Assyrians had taken these places, but, at the end of the captivity, Israel would be allowed to live there again. 2. God would again take care of His people after they have gone through the terrible time of captivity. 3. Almighty God brought Israel out of Egypt and He would deliver them out of Babylonian confinement. B. In deliveringisraelites from Egypt, He did tremendous things and He would do great things for His people again. II. God brought the remnant back. The remnant was a comparatively small group of people. A. However, the heathen nations would see what God did for Israel and they would be ashamed. 1. They would recognize that their armies were helpless against the power of the Almighty. a. They would be in shock.

11 11 b. They would be like deaf and speechless people that can neither speak nor hear. c. The fear of the Lord God would cause these nations to come trembling before him and crawling out of their fortresses like a snake out of its hole. d. These nations would lick the dust or face total humiliation. e. They would be forced to respect the supremacy of the true and living God. There is No God Like the True God Micah 7:18-20, There is no other God like you! You forgive sin and pardon the rebellion of those who remain among your people. You do not remain angry forever, but delight in showing loyal love. You will once again have mercy on us; you will conquer our evil deeds; you will hurl our sins into the depths of the sea. You will be loyal to Jacob and extend your loyal love to Abraham, which you promised on oath to our ancestors in ancient times. (NET) I. Micah said that there is no God like the true and living God. A. God chose Israel to be His people, the people that He would use to bring the Messiah into the world. 1. He forgives iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage! 2. God will not always be angry with His people because He delights in mercy and loving-kindness. a. The most wonderful feature of God s treatment of his unfaithful people is His willingness to forgive them.

12 12 b. The expression, He will subdue our iniquities, has special reference to how their idolatry was cured by captivity. 3. God loved these people. a. He loved to be kind to them. b. He trampled on their sins and threw them into the sea. II. Micah knew that Israel could depend upon God because of the promises that He had previously made. A. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. (Micah 7:20) Conclusion: 1. God had promised to the patriarchs that He would build a great nation through whom the Messiah would be born. 2. God had specifically made these promises to Abraham and to Jacob (Israel). a. God would perform the truth to Jacob. 3. He would keep the promises that He had first made to Abraham and later renewed to Jacob. (Genesis 12-25) 4. Our God is a faithful God; He is full of loving-kindness and mercy. I. Let us arise with hearts filled with repentance and serve God. II. You must become a child of God and stand strong in the faith.

13 13 Questions By John C. Sewell Micah 7:1-20 (Questions based on NIV text) 1. In verse 1 to what is Israel s miserable condition compared? 2. Form where and to where have the godly been swept? Be specific. How many upright men remained in the land of Israel? 3. List in detail the sins of the people as described in Micah 7:2b To what does verse 4a compare the people?

14 The day of their, the day of divine, the time of their had come. 6. Of exactly what day does verse 4b speak? 7. The people were so sinful that a person was not to a nor put in a. Even with her who in your a man was to be of his. A his, a rises up her mother, a - - rises up her a s are the of his. 8. Does this sound familiar? If so, why? 9. What New Testament reference is made to Micah 9:6? What application is made of this passage in the New Testament?

15 But as for me, I in for the, I for my ; my will me. (NIV) 11. Who is the speaker and who is addressed in verses 1-7? in verses 8-10? in verses 11-13? in verses 14-20? 12. Do not over me, my! Though I have, I will. Though I in, the will be my. (NIV) 13. Who was the enemy mentioned in verse 8? 14. Why would the people bear the Lord s wrath?

16 What would the Lord do? When and why would the Lord do this? _ 16. What will cause the enemy to be covered with shame? Who was the enemy? 17. Who is the she in verse 10? Why did she ask Israel, Where is the Lord your God? 18. What would become of her? Be specific. When did this happen?

17 When did the day for building Jerusalem s walls and extending her borders come? What other things would occur in that day? 20. The will become because of its, as a result of their. (NIV) 21. For what did Israel pray? 22. According to verses 16-17, what would happen to the nations and why? 23. God is to be praised! Who is a like you, who and the of the of his? (NIV) 24. You do not but to show. You will again have on ; you will our and all our into the of the.

18 18 You will be to, and show to, as you on to our in. (NIV) 25. What has modern man learned from Micah?