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Micah 5-7
What Does God
Require of You?
Psalm 112:1-10 The Praiseworthy Man
1.“Praise Yah! Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh, who delights greatly in his commandments.2.His seed/children will be mighty in the land. The generation of the upright will be blessed.3.Wealth and riches are in his house. His righteousness endures forever.4.Light dawns in the darkness for the upright, gracious, merciful, and righteous.5.It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He (God) will maintain his cause in judgment.6.For he will never be shaken. The righteous will be remembered forever.7.He will not be afraid of evil news. His heart is steadfast, trusting in Yahweh.8.His heart is established. He will not be afraid in the end when he sees his adversaries.9.He has dispersed, he has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. His horn will be exalted with honor.10.The wicked will see it, and be grieved. He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away. The desire of the wicked will perish."
Observations
112:1.This is the first of the six (113-118) Hallel or Praise Psalms (as in HalleluYah) sung at the three major feasts of Passover, Weeks, and Booths/Tabernacles, among others. This and the next one were sung before the Passover meal, and the remainder after it.
112:2-9.
God pours out blessings on the righteous, upright, gracious, compassionate, (and did I say righteous, as in rightly related to God?) man. He is other-centered, trusting God to meet his needs, so he can meet the needs of others. He doesn't fear evil, since he has set his heart on trusting God, and keeps it there. He ends his days exalted in honor.
112:10.
The wicked (those who know and don't obey God's word), crave the blessings and honor of the righteous, but that desire will evaporate, as they will.
Application
What would you have to do to insure that you are a praiseworthy man (or woman) who will be blessed and honored by God?
Prayer
God, thanks that You are the God who blesses with enduring value, and spells out what I need to do to receive Your blessings; may I daily take You up on Your offer. Amen.
Proverbs 25:13-16 Sweet Success
13.“As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters.14.As clouds and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of gifts deceptively.15.By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone.16.Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you eat too much, and vomit it.“Observations
25:13-15.A faithful messenger delivers the goods and brings joy to those who send him. A faithful employee does what their boss wants. On the other hand, someone who is all talk without performance, fails to deliver the goods, and disappoints rather than refreshes. Managing one's superiors requires patience and persuasiveness, first making the person receptive and then letting the arguments do their work as enzymes dissolve a bone.
25:16.
Avoiding over-indulgence in the sweet things of life is the best way to enjoy them.
Application
Faithful, patient, and humble work yields sweet rewards.
Prayer
Lord, help me accomplish Your objectives in my work and interactions with my superiors; keep me from indulging in illegitimate things or in the legitimate things to the wrong degree. Amen.
Micah 5-7 What Does God Require of You?
Although Micah prophesies of the imminent judgment upon God's people, he also provides hope in speaking of the Messiah from Bethlehem, and God's future regathering, cleansing, shepherding and blessing of His people. God will also judge and cleanse the nations, using Israel to bless them. The book ends with a lament, but also trust in God's hesed/loyal covenantal love, which is the basis of God's gracious dealings with the descendents of Abraham.
Micah 5 Bethlehem Shepherd
1.Now you shall gather yourself in troops, daughter of troops. He has laid siege against us. They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.2.But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.3.Therefore he will abandon them until the time that she who is in labour gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel.4.He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God: and they will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.5.He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land, and when he marches through our fortresses, then we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight leaders of men.6.They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its gates. He will deliver us from the Assyrian, when he invades our land, and when he marches within our border.7.The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples, like dew from Yahweh, like showers on the grass, that don’t wait for man, nor wait for the sons of men.8.The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is no one to deliver.9.Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries, and let all of your enemies be cut off.10."It will happen in that day," says Yahweh, "That I will cut off your horses out of the midst of you, and will destroy your chariots.11.I will cut off the cities of your land, and will tear down all your strongholds.12.I will destroy witchcraft from your hand; and you shall have no soothsayers.13.I will cut off your engraved images and your pillars out of your midst; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.14.I will uproot your Asherim out of your midst; and I will destroy your cities.15.I will execute vengeance in anger, and wrath on the nations that didn’t listen."Observations
5:1-6.This chapter continues three subjects introduced in chapter 4 (but in reverse/chiastic order): judgment of the present ruler, future rule of the Messiah, and remnant of the people. The “judge” referred to is probably Zedekiah, who was humiliated by Babylon. The “ruler” in verse 2, has to be an infinite being, aka, the Messiah, coming from a humble background to rule the world. Verse 3 indicates that Israel will be abandoned to her pain until the Messiah rises up to rule. This is most likely a reference to the return of the Messiah to rule, for then is when peace will be established. The seven/eight shepherds/ruler are a way of saying many (just like Amos' three/four abominations), since there is no place where these individuals are identified or mentioned again. Assyria was the dominant threat which did take Israel into captivity (722 BC), so they are used as representative of future threats from the north which the Messiah will eliminate.
5:7-14.
In the future, after the Messiah judges the nations, the remnant of Israel (which many other passages indicate He will first regather), will then be scattered throughout the nations as their rulers. The Jews will be a powerful force for good, and God will ensure that their physical and spiritual enemies are destroyed.
Application
Sinners suffer consequences; the sanctified experience shepherding.
Prayer
Lord, may I be a good sheep who follows Your shepherding care of me, trusting that You will lead and guide me to what is best. Amen.
Micah 6 What Does God Require of You?
1.Listen now to what Yahweh says: "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear what you have to say.2.Hear, you mountains, Yahweh’s controversy, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for Yahweh has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel.3.My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me!4.For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.5.My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh."6.How shall I come before Yahweh, and bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?7.Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?8.He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?9.Yahweh’s voice calls to the city, and wisdom sees your name: "Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it.10.Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short ephah that is accursed?11.Shall I be pure with dishonest scales, and with a bag of deceitful weights?12.Her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their speech.13.Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound. I have made you desolate because of your sins.14.You shall eat, but not be satisfied. Your humiliation will be in your midst. You will store up, but not save; and that which you save I will give up to the sword.15.You will sow, but won’t reap. You will tread the olives, but won’t anoint yourself with oil; and crush grapes, but won’t drink the wine.16.For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab. You walk in their counsels, that I may make you a ruin, and her inhabitants a hissing; And you will bear the reproach of my people."Observations
6:1-7.God has a bone to pick with His people. He asks how has He wronged them, and recounts some of the ways He has blessed them from rescuing them to Egypt and protecting them and bringing them into prosperity in the promised land. So what has He done to merit their disrespect? In verse 6 Micah asks rhetorically on behalf of the people, how should one come before God, noting the inadequacy of anything one could offer God as a proper payment of their sin. What God wants is in the following verses.
6:8-9.
In light of God's goodness, He requires three actions: dealing justly with others, keeping hesed/loyal covenantal love with others, and walking humbly with God. Fearing Him wouldn't be a bad idea either. Justice, hesed and walking humbly with God are elaborated in the rest of the chapter. Dishonest weights and measures are not just; lying and deceiving are not loyally loving/fulfilling covenantal obligations (hesed), and walking in the ways of the wicked-rebellious father-son kings, Omri and Ahab (1Kg 16-22) is not walking humbly with Yahweh. Omri set up the false worship system in Samaria, walking in the ways of idolatrous Jeroboam, and Ahab perfected the art of provoking God. God's judgment in verses 13-15 will not allow them to experience the good He gives to those who follow His requirements in 6:8. Compare God's requirements for the nation in Deuteronomy 10:12
Application
If we want to experience the goodness of God, He requires us to live justly and loyally, and walk in daily dependence upon Him.
Prayer
God, You have been so good to me; all that is good in my life is a result of You; thanks. I will devote myself to doing what You desire and require: justice toward others, loyalty/hesed in all my relationships, and a humble seeking of Your will rather than mine , every day, for the rest of my life. Thanks again. Amen.Micah 7 Down and Up
1.Misery is mine! Indeed, I am like one who gathers the summer fruits, as gleanings of the vineyard: There is no cluster of grapes to eat. My soul desires to eat the early fig.2.The godly man has perished out of the earth, and there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; every man hunts his brother with a net.3.Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe; and the powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.4.The best of them is like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion.5.Don’t trust in a neighbour. Don’t put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your mouth!6.For the son dishonours the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.7.But as for me, I will look to Yahweh. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.8.Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, Yahweh will be a light to me.9.I will bear the indignation of Yahweh, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my case, and executes judgment for me. He will bring me forth to the light. I will see his righteousness.10.Then my enemy will see it, and shame will cover her who said to me, where is Yahweh your God? Then my enemy will see me and will cover her shame. Now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets.11.A day to build your walls—In that day, he will extend your boundary.12.In that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and mountain to mountain.13.Yet the land will be desolate because of those who dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.14.Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your heritage, who dwell by themselves in a forest, in the midst of fertile pasture land, let them feed; in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.15."As in the days of your coming forth out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvellous things."16.The nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will lay their hand on their mouth. Their ears will be deaf.17.They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to Yahweh our God, and will be afraid because of you.18.Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.19.He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot; and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.20.You will give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.Observations
7:1-6.Micah laments the lack of godly and upright men in the land. The people oppress each other and are oppressed by their leaders and judges. There is no trust nor honor even in families. A son dishonors his father, and a daughter her mother; what should be the most cherished relationships are ruined by sin. God's judgment was descending because of their sin.
7:7-13.
Micah turns his lament into a prayer of hope, trusting in and waiting for God's salvation. He expresses confidence that even though he has sinned and is fallen, he will rise because Yahweh, his God, will help him.
7:14-20.
Micah closes his lament with a call to God to shepherd His people, appealing to the revealed character of God. There is no other God who pardons rebellion and sin and delights in being loyal to His promises (hesed). God will save, sanctify, and faithfully fulfill His promises and covenantal obligations to Jacob and Abraham (and their descendants).
Application
When things look bleak, looking up to God and His promises gives hope while awaiting the faithful fulfillment of His promises.
Prayer
God, there is no trustworthy God like You who pardons and subdues sin, and restores and blesses those who have rebelled; I will trust in Your grace, and walk in Your ways knowing how You delight in hesed. Thanks. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God disciplines His people (and the nations) for their sin, pardons, and seeks to sanctify and shepherd them according to His promises. He will let Israel suffer their chosen consequences, but will eventually rescue, regather and restore them, and then use them to bless the nations. The Messiah from Bethlehem is eternal and will fulfill God's good promises to Abraham, Jacob, and their descendents.Us in a nutshell: We can't give God anything to pay for our sin, but we can give Him what He requires for continued blessing: justice, hesed, and humble daily obedience. When things look bleak, we need to look to God's promises and character as the basis for our hope and patient trust. We won't be disappointed.