Read
6“Enough of your preaching!”
That's what you tell me.
“We won't be disgraced,
so stop preaching!”
7Descendants of Jacob,
is it right for you to claim
that the Lord did what he did
because he was angry?
Doesn't he always bless
those who do right?
8My people, you have turned against
one another!
You have even stolen
clothes right off the backs
of innocent neighbors
who pass by in peace.
9You take over lovely homes
that belong to the women
of my nation.
Then you cheat their children
out of the inheritance
that comes from the Lord.
10Get out of here, you crooks!
You'll find no rest here.
You're not fit to belong
to the Lord's people,
and you will be destroyed.
11The only prophet you want
is a liar who will say,
“Drink and get drunk!”
A Promise of Hope
12I, the Lord, promise
to bring together
the people of Israel
who have survived.
I will gather them,
just as a shepherd
brings sheep together,
and there will be many.
13I will break down the gate
and lead them out—
then I will be their king.
Evil Rulers
1Listen to me,
you rulers of Israel!
You know right from wrong,
2but you prefer to do evil
instead of what is right.
You skin my people alive.
You strip off their flesh,
3break their bones,
cook it all in a pot,
and gulp it down.
4Someday you will beg the Lord
to help you,
but he will turn away
because of your sins.
5You lying prophets promise
security for anyone
who gives you food,
but disaster for anyone
who refuses to feed you.
Here is what the Lord says
to you prophets:
6“You will live in the dark,
far from the sight of the sun,
with no message from me.
7You prophets and fortunetellers
will all be disgraced,
with no message from me.”
8But the Lord has filled me
with power and his Spirit.
I have been given the courage
to speak about justice
and to tell you people of Israel
that you have sinned.
9So listen to my message,
you rulers of Israel!
You hate justice
and twist the truth.
10You make cruelty and murder
a way of life in Jerusalem.
11You leaders accept bribes
for dishonest decisions.
You priests and prophets
teach and preach,
but only for money.
Then you say,
“The Lord is on our side.
No harm will come to us.”
12 And so, because of you,
Jerusalem will be plowed under
and left in ruins.
Thorns will cover the mountain
where the temple now stands.
Reflect
Reading this section helps us to see that Micah’s message is quite clear. He dissects the external and internal crises of Jerusalem and Samaria by speaking to four different audiences about the inner spiritual connection of their crises. The four groups are the political establishment (princes, elders, and military officials), the judicial powers, the religious establishment (including priests and prophets) and the rich landowners.
Through a regular exchange of oracles of doom, together with messages of hope and salvation, Micah’s message was simply this: If you decide to rely on foreign alliances, city walls, military might and idols, instead of placing your trust in Yahweh, you will never succeed. Furthermore, your lack of concern for the poor shows you do not adhere to Yahweh’s covenant. But His anger will not end his loyal love (hesed) that is rooted in the covenant!
The last word of Yahweh is salvation. We must never forget from Deuteronomy 27-30 that Israel knew about this blessing and was warned about the curse. Israel was warned moreover that she was likely to incur the curse through her hard-heartedness and wilful disobedience. The remedy for disobedience is found in Deuteronomy. It is not the usual rabbinic scheme of repentance, sacrifice and atonement. It is rather what many books of the Old Testament illustrate – exile and judgment, followed by mercy.
Respond
LORD God, speak to me through your Son, by your Spirit; so that I may hear you clearly and concentrate on all your teachings, not just the ones I like. Amen.
Glenn Smith
Dr. Glenn Smith is married to Sandra and together they have three daughters, Jenna, Julia and Christa. They are involved in pastoral ministry with an independent Protestant congregation in Montreal. Glenn did his graduate studies at the Université d’Ottawa and his doctoral thesis at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Chicago. He has been the Executive Director of Christian Direction in Montreal since 1983 and is a professor of missional theology at McGill University, the Institut de théologie pour la francophonie and in Haïti. Publications: co-author of Espoir pour la ville; Dieu dans la cité (Hope for the city, God in the city); Following Jesus: God invites us to transformative discipleship. His forth-coming book is entitled, City Air Makes You Free.