The Witness Of God, Micah Part 1
Book of Micah Chapters 1-2
Micah was another of God's prophets who served in Judah during the time of Hosea and Isaiah.
He gave God's Word to King Jotham, King Ahaz, and King Hezekiah.
Micah prophesied of Jerusalem but also of Samaria the cities that were the nation's capitols of Israel the Northern Tribes and Judah the Southern Tribes.
Micah preached to expose the sins of the people and repentance to return to God.
Micah showed great concern for social, economic, and legal justice!
Micah preached that every nation is judged by how it treats it's weakest members.
Micah preached against the injustice and the oppression of government!
Micah warned of the evils of society and the responsibility of leadership!
1) How we treat all others is important to God.
2) God has a great concern for social, legal, and political justice.
3) God has great concern for how the poor and underprivileged are treated.
Micah preached of a sincere faith and obedience to the Lord because they matter.
Micah reminds us all that a change of heart is a required thing for true repentance.
We will begin today with God's Warning.
*****Mic 1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
Mic 1:2 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
Mic 1:3 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
We can immediately see that Micah prophesied to the entire earth and also throughout all history.
These words of Micah are even more important today than they were in the day of Micah, because we know for certain that 'Judgment" as described by Micah has not yet taken place!
Micah emphasizes that these are the Words of God and not the words of some man!
Micah emphasizes that there is a day of "Judgment" coming to this world and the "Judge" would be none other than "God Himself"!
You see it was God who called Micah and it was God who gave Him these words!
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
What happened to Israel and to Judah was just an example of what will be coming one day, and one day soon!
In our study of these three kings we know that Micah saw both good times and bad times in the nation of Israel.
We may not be able to see God's Holy Temple in Heaven, at least yet, but that does not mean that God does not see everything that goes on in this place called Earth!
God Himself in the person of Jesus Christ will bring this "Judgment" to the world and it will be a perfect
"Judgment" from a perfect "Savior"!
Joh 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
Joh 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
And Micah describes some of the things that will happen.
Remember Jesus will return to the exact same place from where he had ascended back into Heaven.
Act 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Act 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
What does Micah say?
*****Mic 1:4 And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.
That is the power of God as He steps back upon this earth!
And remember the Muslim now have a burial ground in this pathway to the Eastern Gate which will simply be moved out of the way.
God has shown this world, "by His great love" His plan of salvation but it has been rejected, so God will come forth from His Temple of Love and those that remain that day will see the "God of Wrath"!
It may still be denied by this world, but it is still the truth!
It should be obvious that God in relation to sin, will bring material ruin upon all those who have rejected Him.
All those that object in this sinful world and have placed themselves between true life their Creator will be the first to be destroyed!
Then Micah describes Samaria and Jerusalem:
*****Mic 1:5 For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?
Mic 1:6 Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.
Mic 1:7 And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.
God will always give His final warning before He brings judgment.
"Chastisement" and "Judgment" are two different things and the wrath of God is different all together!
Continued wickedness and idolatry after the warning will always bring the "Judgment of God"!
Notice the sins of both these people flourished because of what was happening in their capitol cities, which means that wickedness, transgression and sin was encouraged by the governments of both nations.
When people begin to fellowship with those who worship false gods or are convinced to take part in that worship, they are making that worship acceptable and it is never acceptable to God!
God promised to destroy Samaria and expose those sinful foundations.
When Samaria was destroyed, all the false worship centers would be set afire and the idols smashed to pieces.
In Micah's day, most all those false religions were made up of fertility gods.
The basic beliefs of such religions were based upon the sexual experience.
They had become worshipers of these things.
We can see that in our own nation, that as wickedness increases, the worship and the lusts of these same sexual perversions have also increased.
Anyone that believes God is in these things is a fool!
It was not long before the people of Judah had become as wicked as the people of Israel.
*****Mic 1:8 Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.
Mic 1:9 For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
Micah was deeply troubled by what he was seeing and showed intense grief for the things he was seeing.
I sometimes think this is where we fail the most!
We simply do not grieve enough for our world nor our nation nor our own communities!
The people of the world are just as guilty as Samaria.
As a nation, America has become the leader in wickedness.
Our idols may be different but the worship of anything besides the Living God then becomes an idol!
God warns this entire world that false worship "of any kind" will doom us all.
1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
There is still only "One Answer" to the world's problems and "It Is The Lord Jesus Christ"!
Those that reject the Lord will have their place but it will not be in Heaven!
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
There are no other alternatives no matter how this world tries to deceive us!
When a society becomes corrupt, it will bring the "Judgment" of God!
*****Mic 2:1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.
Mic 2:2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
What we see is that "greed" in any form will always cause oppression!
When greed takes over anyone, it will work in the brain in the night as well as in the day.
The object of greed has then become the god, the idol, of that greedy person.
This is what we see controlling our political structure of today.
The greed for power and riches are destroying the nation that use to offer every individual such opportunities freely!
We now see those who spend all their time making sacrifices and labor on their own altars of "greed"!
Micah offers hope to Jerusalem and Samaria if they will only repent before the time of "God's Judgment".
Micah offers all of us the same warning because the same truth is, "God's Judgment" is a sure thing!
God's "judgment" is "inevitable and it will be inescapable!
Until we get to Heaven, we will always come up short of God's standards, but when we devise sin and evil in our own heads that is something else entirely!
When we have no sense of right and wrong we are headed for destruction!
This is the politics of America today and it is filtering into the society at a greater pace than ever.
Psa 36:1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
Psa 36:2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
Psa 36:3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
Psa 36:4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
When our wicked behavior has corrupted our society, we will fall into the hands of an angry God!
*****Mic 2:3 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.
That word "therefore" always means God has given us His reasons before He announces His "judgment"!
The truth is when man devises sin, God has already prepared the appropriate penalty. One is just as certain as the other!
God makes us very aware that the evil we do will also jeopardizes our own families!
But this also applies just as well to our businesses, our organizations, our governments, and our nations!
Hab 2:9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!
Hab 2:10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.
Hab 2:11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.
Hab 2:12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!
Hab 2:13 Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?
And God then gives His prophet Micah the words to describe their calamity!
*****Mic 2:4 In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.
Mic 2:5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.
Their "judgment" would be inescapable.
They would be humbled, they would spend the rest of the life in shame.
They would be ridiculed and mocked by others, they would loose the possessions they had obtained through sin.
And that nation would no longer have a leader to rule in the promised land.
This was the judgment on Israel.
Today nothing has changed.
The judgment on America will be inescapable.
America has been humbled and in shame.
America is being mocked by the world.
And we all have seen that no matter who wins this election, most of all Americans agree we will still not have a true leader.
In the time of Moses, the entire nation of Israel, except Joshua and Caleb, traveled in circles for 40 years until they died and could not enter into the promised land.
What had God promised Israel?
Isa 45:17 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
Isa 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
These that had so sinned against the Lord in the time of Micah and throughout the days of this earth, would miss out on the salvation of the Lord!
Eph 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
When we compromise on the Word of God and listen to those that do so, we are inviting the wrath of God!
*****Mic 2:6 Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.
Mic 2:7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
Mic 2:8 Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
The truth of the government and the society of the day of Micah, was that they persecuted God's Prophets and placed their trust in the false prophets of the world.
What is the truth of the government and the society of America, and the world today?
Isa 30:9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
Isa 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
When this is what you want, this is what you will get!
For instance those that advise our government are totally false preachers, or they take God's Word and manipulate it into something that is a half-truth or totally false. This is the same thing Satan did to Eve!
The same goes for the leaders of many of the denominations and many of the pastors and preachers that have turned against the truth of the Scriptures!
These same people will then persecute anyone who preaches or teaches the truth they have already rejected!
They simply do not expect any benefit from the Word of God!
They do not acknowledge any duty to the Savior.
They are truly afraid of the enemies of God.
They compromise with any adversity.
They limit the Holy Spirit to periods of time, or to certain denominations.
These things become absurd and totally sinful, selfish, and unreasonable, to those who remain solid in their "faith"!
A house divided will always fall and that includes any nation!
When you disregard any part of the Holy Trinity you have rejected the God of the Bible!!!!!
The Church has become a place where the people want to hear about God's love, God's mercy, and God's grace but have rejected God's commandments, God's justice, and God's "judgment". This is the whole council of God and even though not popular and sometimes offensive it is still the "Biblical Truth" of the Scriptures and must be taught.
Who in their right mind would want to serve a God where anything goes? Makes no sense at all!
These are just excuses for a people who refuse to give up their sin!
God warns all His people that we will be persecuted by the world.
Unbelievers will always oppose anyone who lives by the commandments of God!
Unbelievers will always oppose anyone who proclaims God's demand for righteousness!
Listen to these words of Jesus:
Joh 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Joh 15:21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
Joh 15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
Joh 15:23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
Those that hate the Lord Jesus Christ, do not know the Triune God at all!
Those that reject the work of the Holy Spirit, do not know the Triune God at all!
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
What is the truth?
1Jn 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
We know that when John used "Word", it was his way of saying the Lord Jesus Christ.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
All these things fulfill the words of the Book of Genesis!
Gen 1:26 And God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:" and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
You cannot leave out any part of the Holy Scriptures nor take them out of context and get the full truth!
Those that do these things have then become the enemies of God!
What does God teach His people?
Pro 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
Pro 4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
Pro 4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
Pro 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Pro 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
And it is always the innocent, the poor, the women and especially the children, including the unborn who suffer the most!
*****Mic 2:9 The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.
Mic 2:10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
Mic 2:11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
God says if you follow the teaching of false prophets and the teaching of those that teach a prosperity "gospel" then you deserve what you get.
Our nation has faltered and failed under the current administration to a point we may never recover. We absolutely will not survive with 8 more years of the same.
If we do not stand up now, then we deserve the government we are left with!
If we are not serious enough to do what we can to cause a change, then why do we pray to the Lord to see if He will cause a change.
I tell you He will not!
God has only one answer to sin and that is "salvation".
Salvation can only come to a people who God forgives of their sin and then they repent of their wicked ways!
Notice the prophet Micah, who preaches the direct Word of God, now goes from "warnings" to "promises"!
God had only one answer in the day of Micah and God has only one answer in this day we live now!
God makes promises to Israel that He never makes to the rest of the world and it is obvious!
BUT, the truth is God will be a "Shepherd" to all those that return to Him!
*****Mic 2:12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.
The truth is, that this promise to Jacob the deceiver, is being partially fulfilled as the remnant of Israel is returning to their homeland since 1948.
This promise will not totally fulfilled until they make the Lord Jesus Christ their Shepherd!
It is the work of the "Gospel" to bring people together in "One Faith"!
The object of the "Gospel" is Jesus Christ!
Jesus said:
Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
Joh 12:33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
The false prophets that they listened to could never make such promises, because they were powerless to do such things!
Just as He promised the Church, it will be the Lord Himself, "not a union of nations" who will save and restore His people.
Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Heb 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Then the Lord made another great promise.
*****Mic 2:13 The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.
The Lord through Micah, promised He would burst upon the scene a day in the future of the world and break open the gates of bondage of Israel.
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
compare:
1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
God does not make promises that He will not keep!
When the Lord Jesus Christ first came, He broke the bondage of sin, the bondage of death, and the bondage of condemnation by His death on the Cross and then His Resurrection!
We know that the Lord will return in the clouds to get His Church. This is the next promise to be fulfilled for the Church.
When the Lord returns to this earth the "Second Time", He will deliver His people Israel from the chains that hold His people captive and they will never again be in bondage.
This is the promise that will be fulfilled to Israel.
All remaining prophesy will lead up to this point and will accelerate at the "Rapture of the Church"!
The Lord will then be King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Zec 12:8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.
Zec 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
We should never think upon these things as an ending when they are truly a "New Beginning".
God will certainly only want to spend eternity with those who truly want to be with Him!
Those who reject Him will not be there!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
Book of Micah Chapters 1-2
Micah was another of God's prophets who served in Judah during the time of Hosea and Isaiah.
He gave God's Word to King Jotham, King Ahaz, and King Hezekiah.
Micah prophesied of Jerusalem but also of Samaria the cities that were the nation's capitols of Israel the Northern Tribes and Judah the Southern Tribes.
Micah preached to expose the sins of the people and repentance to return to God.
Micah showed great concern for social, economic, and legal justice!
Micah preached that every nation is judged by how it treats it's weakest members.
Micah preached against the injustice and the oppression of government!
Micah warned of the evils of society and the responsibility of leadership!
1) How we treat all others is important to God.
2) God has a great concern for social, legal, and political justice.
3) God has great concern for how the poor and underprivileged are treated.
Micah preached of a sincere faith and obedience to the Lord because they matter.
Micah reminds us all that a change of heart is a required thing for true repentance.
We will begin today with God's Warning.
*****Mic 1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
Mic 1:2 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
Mic 1:3 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
We can immediately see that Micah prophesied to the entire earth and also throughout all history.
These words of Micah are even more important today than they were in the day of Micah, because we know for certain that 'Judgment" as described by Micah has not yet taken place!
Micah emphasizes that these are the Words of God and not the words of some man!
Micah emphasizes that there is a day of "Judgment" coming to this world and the "Judge" would be none other than "God Himself"!
You see it was God who called Micah and it was God who gave Him these words!
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
What happened to Israel and to Judah was just an example of what will be coming one day, and one day soon!
In our study of these three kings we know that Micah saw both good times and bad times in the nation of Israel.
We may not be able to see God's Holy Temple in Heaven, at least yet, but that does not mean that God does not see everything that goes on in this place called Earth!
God Himself in the person of Jesus Christ will bring this "Judgment" to the world and it will be a perfect
"Judgment" from a perfect "Savior"!
Joh 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
Joh 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
And Micah describes some of the things that will happen.
Remember Jesus will return to the exact same place from where he had ascended back into Heaven.
Act 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Act 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
What does Micah say?
*****Mic 1:4 And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.
That is the power of God as He steps back upon this earth!
And remember the Muslim now have a burial ground in this pathway to the Eastern Gate which will simply be moved out of the way.
God has shown this world, "by His great love" His plan of salvation but it has been rejected, so God will come forth from His Temple of Love and those that remain that day will see the "God of Wrath"!
It may still be denied by this world, but it is still the truth!
It should be obvious that God in relation to sin, will bring material ruin upon all those who have rejected Him.
All those that object in this sinful world and have placed themselves between true life their Creator will be the first to be destroyed!
Then Micah describes Samaria and Jerusalem:
*****Mic 1:5 For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?
Mic 1:6 Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.
Mic 1:7 And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.
God will always give His final warning before He brings judgment.
"Chastisement" and "Judgment" are two different things and the wrath of God is different all together!
Continued wickedness and idolatry after the warning will always bring the "Judgment of God"!
Notice the sins of both these people flourished because of what was happening in their capitol cities, which means that wickedness, transgression and sin was encouraged by the governments of both nations.
When people begin to fellowship with those who worship false gods or are convinced to take part in that worship, they are making that worship acceptable and it is never acceptable to God!
God promised to destroy Samaria and expose those sinful foundations.
When Samaria was destroyed, all the false worship centers would be set afire and the idols smashed to pieces.
In Micah's day, most all those false religions were made up of fertility gods.
The basic beliefs of such religions were based upon the sexual experience.
They had become worshipers of these things.
We can see that in our own nation, that as wickedness increases, the worship and the lusts of these same sexual perversions have also increased.
Anyone that believes God is in these things is a fool!
It was not long before the people of Judah had become as wicked as the people of Israel.
*****Mic 1:8 Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.
Mic 1:9 For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
Micah was deeply troubled by what he was seeing and showed intense grief for the things he was seeing.
I sometimes think this is where we fail the most!
We simply do not grieve enough for our world nor our nation nor our own communities!
The people of the world are just as guilty as Samaria.
As a nation, America has become the leader in wickedness.
Our idols may be different but the worship of anything besides the Living God then becomes an idol!
God warns this entire world that false worship "of any kind" will doom us all.
1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
There is still only "One Answer" to the world's problems and "It Is The Lord Jesus Christ"!
Those that reject the Lord will have their place but it will not be in Heaven!
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
There are no other alternatives no matter how this world tries to deceive us!
When a society becomes corrupt, it will bring the "Judgment" of God!
*****Mic 2:1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.
Mic 2:2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
What we see is that "greed" in any form will always cause oppression!
When greed takes over anyone, it will work in the brain in the night as well as in the day.
The object of greed has then become the god, the idol, of that greedy person.
This is what we see controlling our political structure of today.
The greed for power and riches are destroying the nation that use to offer every individual such opportunities freely!
We now see those who spend all their time making sacrifices and labor on their own altars of "greed"!
Micah offers hope to Jerusalem and Samaria if they will only repent before the time of "God's Judgment".
Micah offers all of us the same warning because the same truth is, "God's Judgment" is a sure thing!
God's "judgment" is "inevitable and it will be inescapable!
Until we get to Heaven, we will always come up short of God's standards, but when we devise sin and evil in our own heads that is something else entirely!
When we have no sense of right and wrong we are headed for destruction!
This is the politics of America today and it is filtering into the society at a greater pace than ever.
Psa 36:1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
Psa 36:2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
Psa 36:3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
Psa 36:4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
When our wicked behavior has corrupted our society, we will fall into the hands of an angry God!
*****Mic 2:3 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.
That word "therefore" always means God has given us His reasons before He announces His "judgment"!
The truth is when man devises sin, God has already prepared the appropriate penalty. One is just as certain as the other!
God makes us very aware that the evil we do will also jeopardizes our own families!
But this also applies just as well to our businesses, our organizations, our governments, and our nations!
Hab 2:9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!
Hab 2:10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.
Hab 2:11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.
Hab 2:12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!
Hab 2:13 Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?
And God then gives His prophet Micah the words to describe their calamity!
*****Mic 2:4 In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.
Mic 2:5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.
Their "judgment" would be inescapable.
They would be humbled, they would spend the rest of the life in shame.
They would be ridiculed and mocked by others, they would loose the possessions they had obtained through sin.
And that nation would no longer have a leader to rule in the promised land.
This was the judgment on Israel.
Today nothing has changed.
The judgment on America will be inescapable.
America has been humbled and in shame.
America is being mocked by the world.
And we all have seen that no matter who wins this election, most of all Americans agree we will still not have a true leader.
In the time of Moses, the entire nation of Israel, except Joshua and Caleb, traveled in circles for 40 years until they died and could not enter into the promised land.
What had God promised Israel?
Isa 45:17 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
Isa 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
These that had so sinned against the Lord in the time of Micah and throughout the days of this earth, would miss out on the salvation of the Lord!
Eph 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
When we compromise on the Word of God and listen to those that do so, we are inviting the wrath of God!
*****Mic 2:6 Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.
Mic 2:7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
Mic 2:8 Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
The truth of the government and the society of the day of Micah, was that they persecuted God's Prophets and placed their trust in the false prophets of the world.
What is the truth of the government and the society of America, and the world today?
Isa 30:9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
Isa 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
When this is what you want, this is what you will get!
For instance those that advise our government are totally false preachers, or they take God's Word and manipulate it into something that is a half-truth or totally false. This is the same thing Satan did to Eve!
The same goes for the leaders of many of the denominations and many of the pastors and preachers that have turned against the truth of the Scriptures!
These same people will then persecute anyone who preaches or teaches the truth they have already rejected!
They simply do not expect any benefit from the Word of God!
They do not acknowledge any duty to the Savior.
They are truly afraid of the enemies of God.
They compromise with any adversity.
They limit the Holy Spirit to periods of time, or to certain denominations.
These things become absurd and totally sinful, selfish, and unreasonable, to those who remain solid in their "faith"!
A house divided will always fall and that includes any nation!
When you disregard any part of the Holy Trinity you have rejected the God of the Bible!!!!!
The Church has become a place where the people want to hear about God's love, God's mercy, and God's grace but have rejected God's commandments, God's justice, and God's "judgment". This is the whole council of God and even though not popular and sometimes offensive it is still the "Biblical Truth" of the Scriptures and must be taught.
Who in their right mind would want to serve a God where anything goes? Makes no sense at all!
These are just excuses for a people who refuse to give up their sin!
God warns all His people that we will be persecuted by the world.
Unbelievers will always oppose anyone who lives by the commandments of God!
Unbelievers will always oppose anyone who proclaims God's demand for righteousness!
Listen to these words of Jesus:
Joh 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Joh 15:21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
Joh 15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
Joh 15:23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
Those that hate the Lord Jesus Christ, do not know the Triune God at all!
Those that reject the work of the Holy Spirit, do not know the Triune God at all!
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
What is the truth?
1Jn 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
We know that when John used "Word", it was his way of saying the Lord Jesus Christ.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
All these things fulfill the words of the Book of Genesis!
Gen 1:26 And God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:" and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
You cannot leave out any part of the Holy Scriptures nor take them out of context and get the full truth!
Those that do these things have then become the enemies of God!
What does God teach His people?
Pro 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
Pro 4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
Pro 4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
Pro 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Pro 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
And it is always the innocent, the poor, the women and especially the children, including the unborn who suffer the most!
*****Mic 2:9 The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.
Mic 2:10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
Mic 2:11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
God says if you follow the teaching of false prophets and the teaching of those that teach a prosperity "gospel" then you deserve what you get.
Our nation has faltered and failed under the current administration to a point we may never recover. We absolutely will not survive with 8 more years of the same.
If we do not stand up now, then we deserve the government we are left with!
If we are not serious enough to do what we can to cause a change, then why do we pray to the Lord to see if He will cause a change.
I tell you He will not!
God has only one answer to sin and that is "salvation".
Salvation can only come to a people who God forgives of their sin and then they repent of their wicked ways!
Notice the prophet Micah, who preaches the direct Word of God, now goes from "warnings" to "promises"!
God had only one answer in the day of Micah and God has only one answer in this day we live now!
God makes promises to Israel that He never makes to the rest of the world and it is obvious!
BUT, the truth is God will be a "Shepherd" to all those that return to Him!
*****Mic 2:12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.
The truth is, that this promise to Jacob the deceiver, is being partially fulfilled as the remnant of Israel is returning to their homeland since 1948.
This promise will not totally fulfilled until they make the Lord Jesus Christ their Shepherd!
It is the work of the "Gospel" to bring people together in "One Faith"!
The object of the "Gospel" is Jesus Christ!
Jesus said:
Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
Joh 12:33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
The false prophets that they listened to could never make such promises, because they were powerless to do such things!
Just as He promised the Church, it will be the Lord Himself, "not a union of nations" who will save and restore His people.
Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Heb 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Then the Lord made another great promise.
*****Mic 2:13 The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.
The Lord through Micah, promised He would burst upon the scene a day in the future of the world and break open the gates of bondage of Israel.
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
compare:
1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
God does not make promises that He will not keep!
When the Lord Jesus Christ first came, He broke the bondage of sin, the bondage of death, and the bondage of condemnation by His death on the Cross and then His Resurrection!
We know that the Lord will return in the clouds to get His Church. This is the next promise to be fulfilled for the Church.
When the Lord returns to this earth the "Second Time", He will deliver His people Israel from the chains that hold His people captive and they will never again be in bondage.
This is the promise that will be fulfilled to Israel.
All remaining prophesy will lead up to this point and will accelerate at the "Rapture of the Church"!
The Lord will then be King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Zec 12:8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.
Zec 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
We should never think upon these things as an ending when they are truly a "New Beginning".
God will certainly only want to spend eternity with those who truly want to be with Him!
Those who reject Him will not be there!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
