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Micah Chapter Three (2) The trial of the leaders Leaders and Prophets Rebuked ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1) Whom did Micah tell to listen, what did Micah say the leaders and prophets should know, what did Micah say the leaders and prophets hate, what did he say they loved, from where do they tear skin, from where do they tear the flesh, what do these leaders and prophets eat, what do they strip off, what do they break in pieces, how do they chop up the bones, whom will they cry out to, what will the LORD not do, and at that time, why will God hide his face from them?
______________________________________________________________________________ Micah denounced the sins of the leaders,
priests, and prophets ("leaders of Jacob" and "rulers")-those responsible for
teaching the people right from wrong. The leaders, who should have known the law
and taught it to the people, had set the law aside and had become the worst of
sinners. They were taking advantage of the very people they were supposed to
serve. All sin is bad, but the sin that leads others astray is the worst of all. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Micah's Charges Of Injustice ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Micah charged the people with injustice of many kinds. Plotting evil...2:1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2) If anyone feeds the prophets who lead the LORD's people astray, what will they proclaim, if no one feeds the prophets who lead the LORD's people astray, what will they prepare to do, how will night come over them (the prophets that lead people astray), how will darkness come over them, what will set for the prophets, what will go dark for them, who will be ashamed, who will be disgraced, and why will they cover their faces?
______________________________________________________________________________ Micah remained true to his calling and proclaimed God's words. In contrast, the false prophets' messages were geared to the favors they received. Not all those who claim to have messages from God really do. Micah prophesied that one day the false prophets would be shamed by their actions. 3) What power was Micah filled with, and why was he filled with justice and might?
______________________________________________________________________________ Micah attributed the power of his ministry to the Spirit of the Lord. Our power comes from the same source. Jesus told his followers they would receive power to witness about him when the Holy Spirit came on them (Acts 1:8). You can't witness effectively by relying on your own strength, because fear will keep you from speaking out to God. Only by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit can you live and witness for him. 4) Whom did Micah say despise justice and distort all that is right, how did they build Zion, and how did they build Jerusalem?
______________________________________________________________________________ The address to the leaders of the house of
Jacob continues with a biting portrayal of their sins. Micah accuses them of
despising justice. The word for "despise" means utter abhorrence of something. 5) In what way does Jerusalem's leaders judge, in what way does Jerusalem's priests teach, what does Jerusalem's prophets tell fortunes for, who do they lean upon, and what do they say about the LORD?
________________________________________________________________________________________ Micah warned the leaders, priests, and prophets of his day to avoid bribes. Pastors today accept bribes when they allow those who contribute much to control the church. When fear of losing money or members influences pastors to remain silent when they should speak up for what is right, their churches are in danger. We should remember that Judah was finally destroyed because of the behavior of its religious leaders. A similar warning must be directed at those who have money-never use your resources to influence or manipulate God's ministers-that is bribery. 6) Who will be plowed like a field, who will become a heap of rubble, and what will be overgrown with thickets?
______________________________________________________________________________ Jerusalem would be destroyed just as Samaria was (1:6). This happened in 586 B.C., when Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army attacked the city (2Kings 25). Although Micah blamed the corrupt leaders, the people were not without fault. They allowed the corruption to continue without turning to God or calling for justice. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Answers Micah Chapter Three ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1) the leaders of Jacob, the rulers of the house
of Israel...justice...good...evil...his people...their bones...his people's
flesh...their skin...their bones...like meat for the pan, flesh for the
pot...the LORD...answer them...because of the evil they
have done ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Taken from The NIV Life Application Study Bible, Zondervan Publishers |