God's Requirements Micah Part 3

What Does God Require Book of Micah Part 3

Book of Micah Chapter 6-7


We live in a world where it is believed that the good guy always wins and then lives happily ever after. The truth is that is not the case!

In these chapters, if we can imagine a courtroom scene, we will see that God will make His case against His people and we will see His great promise of salvation.

But the truth is in all these things we will also see that God has some requirements!

We will see the conduct of God since creation and weigh that against the conduct of man during that same period of time.

We will see what complaints mankind has made against God and we will see how God has answered.

The truth is, when the creature complains against it's Creator it just does not make much sense yet we all have done it from time to time!

1) Let's try to imagine the purpose of God's Laws.(What does God require)
2) Let's then try to see the complaints against God. (Mankind says the Laws of God are too confining for the benefits that are to be received)
3) Then mankind complains about the "Judgments of God". (God is not looked upon as a loving Father)

Let's learn as the true "Judge" of our world brings these things to our attention.

Psa 96:3  Declare his glory among the heathen, "his wonders among all people".
Psa 96:4  For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: "he is to be feared above all gods".
Psa 96:5  For all the gods of the nations are idols: "but the LORD made the heavens".
Psa 96:6  Honour and majesty are before him: "strength and beauty are in his sanctuary".
Psa 96:7  Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, "give unto the LORD glory and strength".
Psa 96:8  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: "bring an offering, and come into his courts".
Psa 96:9  O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: "fear before him, all the earth".
Psa 96:10  Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: "he shall judge the people righteously".
Psa 96:11  Let the heavens rejoice, and "let the earth be glad"; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
Psa 96:12  Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: "then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice"
Psa 96:13  Before the LORD: "for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth".

Remember God had given Israel His Word.

God gave Israel 613 laws for their guidance and for their protection.

God has given the rest of the world only 2 laws.

Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Why then are these two laws to be such a burden?

When the laws of God are rejected then sin will over come us all!

Let's place ourselves in the midst of this trial:

*****Mic 6:1  Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
Mic 6:2  Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD'S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.

The very first thing we see is that it is God Himself that is the accuser of His people.

We see that word "Arise" which in this Scripture means, wake up from your state of sin and in our case, "wake up from your stupidity".

We see that word "contend" which in this Scripture means to defend and preserve the truth. After all, "trials" must be based on the truth for the outcome to be the correct one.

The "truth" is something that does not seem to be as important in most trials of today!

We live in a world that just rejects the truth because it interferes with the lifestyles of most people!

We see that the Lord has a "controversy" with the way we act.

1) We should understand, the Lord will always have a "controversy" with sin and He will never change from this.
2) The Lord's "justice" will always be directed at the "sins" of mankind.
3) God's "judgment" will always be toward all those that reject the truth and the Word of God is always true.

1Ti 3:16  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

We should never forget that it was the Lord Himself who laid the foundations of this earth physically and also spiritually!

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Col 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

It is this Creator, the Supreme Living God, that brings these charges against us all.

"For we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God"

We will always come up short of God's glory as long as we live in these sinful bodies of flesh!

*****Mic 6:3  O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.

Here we see that no matter what God's people have done, He still calls them His people.

There some today and even then, who do not even like that reference of ownership but if our Creator does not own us who does?

It is a joke to believe we are all accidents of some imaginary nature!

There is no truth at all in the evolution process!

The truth is, besides showing kindness, what wrong has the Lord actually done to anyone?

Jer 2:5  Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

If we can imagine walking with the Lord, it is always we who veer from the path, the Lord walks the same path of righteousness all the time!

Then God says "which of His commandments are so grievous that they call for rebellion"?

1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

And then God says "speak up" and let "Him hear what the people have to say".

Not one of us can complain about the patience of God especially each sinner!

And who could possible complain that God is a burden to hard to carry?

Let's see what had God already done for Israel?

*****Mic 6:4  For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

The people of Israel had been slaves in a foreign nation and had been abused in that slavery.

Psa 106:7  Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.
Psa 106:8  Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.
Psa 106:9  He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.
Psa 106:10  And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

If we studied our own history we would see that America was established by a people seeking the freedom to freely worship the Lord Jesus Christ, not the freedom to worship any false god that people can think of.

God fulfilled and established this great nation but as we can see ingratitude to the Lord is just as common today as it was in the time of Micah!

When the goodness of God is despised and His loving kindness is disregarded and His mercies neglected, then ingratitude will get what it deserves!
When we have decided that God's demands are unreasonable, we will get what we ask for.
When we think God will accept any sort of ceremony or sacrifice, we open ourselves to God's "judgment".
When we think we can place God on a shelf and take Him down like some idol whenever He is needed, we will find that God will not be there when we need Him the most.
When we refuse to recognize the voice of the Lord, we will be deceived by the noise of this world.

When we do any or all of these things we will bring upon ourselves ruin!

All these things show a lack of "Faith"!
God only ask very little from us and it is our "DUTY" to abide in Him!

God had provided Moses, the Lawgiver, but he was also an "Inspired Leader" and a great teacher.
God had provided Aaron a great priest and director of "Divine Worship".
God had provided Miriam who led the praise. People learned how to praise a Mighty God! And we see that it was God who first gave women their freedom!

And then God said that there are some things we need to remember!

*****Mic 6:5  O my people, "remember now" what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.

We first notice that no matter what we have done, God still shows ownership!

The Lord just does not simply abandon us when we have rebelled against Him!

This is an ownership based on "Love" and "Affection" and not an ownership based upon on servants or slaves.

God says to us all: "Look what I have done in the past and you will see what I will do in the future".

God says, He will keep all His covenants and His promises!

We should be able to remember that God's answer to Balaam was God's "gracious" deliverance of His people!

King Balak had plotted to destroy Israel even before they were very organized by getting Balaam to place a curse on them.

God turned things around and cause Balaam to bless Israel.

That's what God does He takes bad things and makes good things come out of them.

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

In the end Balaam told King Balak that the only way to place a curse on God's people was through was "temptation", "idolatry" and "whoredom" and these thing have held to be true throughout all these years, and even more today!

God had even spared His children Israel and made a new covenant with Joshua.

We all know that in this instance Joshua was a "type" of Christ.

God only deals in "righteous acts"!

But truly God requires very little of His people.

*****Mic 6:6  Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
Mic 6:7  Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Mic 6:8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, "but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God"?

We make a terrible mistake when we do not ask ourselves, "how do we approach God"?

It is only in His Scriptures that we can find the absolute truth.

**1) A great part of our world are convinced it takes some outward act to get the attention of God.

We are taught all our lifetime that we will never be any good in this world if we do not work hard at everything we do!

We think that if we cannot work hard enough to get what we need, then we can work hard enough to make enough money to buy what we need!

The truth is, no one can be forgiven their sins and become acceptable to God through human effort!

We can never be good enough!
We can never live morally enough!
We can never be religious enough!

**2) There also those that think they can just play church.

When we play church, it means we have realized that we are sinners and that there must be some atonement of those sins but are just unwilling to give what God requires!

We simply cannot bribe God by doing good acts to others!

Many of those who are rich think they are doing good things for God when they are charitable to good causes but those thing do not fool God but instead make a mockery of God!

We cannot sacrifice a 1000 rams and please God!
We cannot donate ten thousand rivers of oil and please God!
We cannot build hospitals, or schools, or even churches and think these things will count toward our salvation!

In the time of Micah, and by the laws of Moses, the first born man or beast were for the Lord.

The first born of the beast were to be sacrificed but the sacrifice of children was forbidden and death was the penalty for those who did such a thing.

Lev 20:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 20:2  Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
Lev 20:3  And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.
Lev 20:4  And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not:
Lev 20:5  Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people.

We already know that these things were taking place in Samaria and Jerusalem in the time of Micah as King Ahaz had sacrificed his own children and had led Judah to do such things and the Scriptures say he followed in the ways of the kings of Israel.

Those things had not changed and continued through the time of Jesus.

Mat 15:8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Mat 15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

In fact these things even fill our churches today!

If none of these other things please God then what does God require?

Then the Scriptures also add that there is no excuse for our ignorance in these things!

**3) What God requires?

a) To Do Justly:

We are to treat each other with respect!

God gave us all the 10 commandments as a guideline of respecting the Lord and respecting each other and the Lord Jesus Christ made these things even more simple:

Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

There are many things that we are not to do to cause harm to one another but add to that, "We Are Required" to actively seek to do good for one another and to help one another.

This is called caring. We must truly care for one another!

Caring extends from "gratitude, hope and love" and these things we must learn of God!

b) To Love Mercy:

Mercy is that tenderness of the heart that allows us to treat people better than they deserve. In fact this is the greatest trait of God for us to follow in His example.

This is the source of God's "Grace" and Jesus Christ is the means of God's "Grace"!

We are to seek the "Mercy" of God and then show that "mercy" to all others!

Luk 6:36  Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Mercy is a loyal love.
Mercy is a steadfast loving kindness.
Mercy is a love that seeks to do good to all others! (and it does not matter if they deserve it or not)

After all none of us deserve God's "mercy"!

c) To Walk Humbly With God.

God requires us to walk meekly and humbly. This is a modest way of life!

In the Scriptures this means moderate, and not excessive in anything, not extravagant, all our strength's and vices under control.

In fact God requires us to be free from vanity, egotism and boastfulness!

To walk with the Lord, is to acknowledge Him as the source of all life but also the source of each and every individual.

We are walk day by day with our Lord in a personal relationship!

This begins when we each seek the Lord's "Mercy" and "Forgiveness"!

Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

1Pe 2:10  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

We are not God's people until we know and understand the "Mercy" of the Lord!

We simply cannot get caught up in the rituals of religion!

There is only one way to please God. We must believe that His Words Are True!

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

We must not be deceived by the man-made religions of this world and they are just that man-made!

Nothing made by man will ever get to Heaven!

Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Grace is the "undeserved favor of God" and without the "Grace of God" there would be no salvation of any kind!

The "Grace of God" comes by the "Mercy Of God"!

Psa 119:58  I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.

The pure truth is that if we are not merciful we will never receive the "Mercy of God"!

Jas 2:13  For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Mat 6:15  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Most all those in the day of Micah rejected these things of God and we know that most of those that live today are rejecting these same truth's of God!

Remember that word "Therefore"?

*****Mic 6:13  Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.
Mic 6:14  Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.
Mic 6:15  Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.
Mic 6:16  For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.

The truth is God said He would ruin the nation of Judah just as He would Israel.

The nation would be ruined and the people who rejected the words of the prophet Micah would be ruined.

The nation would be full of incurable disease!

Cancer, Heart disease, along with other incurable disease still ruin many lives today.

The economy of the nation would collapse.
Their food supply would be gone.
Their savings and their investments would be stolen of destroyed.
Their harvest would be destroyed.
Their labor to to correct these thing would be in vain.

We still see all these things spring up from time to time and we wonder why!

All these things had already been put in motion but if they would repent things could still change for the better.

God always knows what each person is going to do and God tells each of us in writing what He will do and God has never veered from His written Word!

We live in a world where most money and most labor are wasted on useless things!

No one will ever live on the moon or on Mars or any other planet as a means to escape Earth and no man on this Earth has the knowledge to affect our climate on a grand scale accept maybe to destroy it and God will not allow that to happen until He is ready when He will do that Himself.

People on this earth are starving to death and no one seems to care!
People on this earth are dying from sickness that no one is serious about finding a cure!
Our world is full of terrorism and no one wants to stop it.
Much of this world is basically homeless and no one cares, they would rather discuss the medical help of harmful drugs.

A quick look at the "Judgment" of God should show us just how terrifying these things really are to any nation.

We would think that the simple answer to all these things would be to repent and turn to the ways of God but instead the ways of Omri were kept and the works of Ahab.

We have seen that the ways of Ahaz of Judah were the most evil of all the days of Judah. Remember he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel.

The ways of Omri and Ahab of Israel were the ways of Ahaz of Judah.

These kings promoted and officially sanctioned the worship of false gods or idolatry!

There was human sacrifice, even of children, sexual perversion, ritual prostitution, and every perversion known to man!

They even murdered God's prophets!

It can be said that the "Judgment" prophesied by Micah is still in effect today as we know that Israel is still hated by most all other nations.

Sin is a serious matter to God, and sin will always bring serious consequences unless repentance takes place!

The pure fact of all these things is that man cannot survive with out God!

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is only one thing that any of us can do and that is to look unto the Lord and repent!

*****Mic 7:7  Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

One of the greatest things we must realize as a people is that we are a creation of God and we need His help!

No matter our circumstances we need to look to the Lord!

The Lord is not only able to help us, "there is nothing impossible to God".

Mar_9:23  Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

God is not only "able" but God is also "willing" to help us, "all it requires is our faith".

When no one, or no thing, can help us here on this earth we can depend on the Lord!

Psa_72:12  For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.

In all these things the important thing is to cry out to the Lord!

God is always listening and "if you believe" He can do all things then He will but only according to His own will and His own purpose.

The truth is I cannot walk without Him holding my hand.
I cannot breath without breathing His air.
I cannot be saved without His salvation plan.
I will have no future without the Lord being the biggest part of it!

God's salvation plan is the only one that works!

God's salvation came the first time Jesus set foot on this earth when that ended at the cross and then His resurrection.

This is the promise to the Church!

God's Kingdom plan will begin when the Lord returns for the second time!

This is the promise to Israel!

God's eternity plan begins at the end of this, God's promise to the Church and to Israel!

Israel will arise out of that fall as prophesied by Micah.

*****Mic 7:8  Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.
Mic 7:9  I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.

The fact that God said Israel will arise from their fall is a great indication that the world should not gloat as they see Israel suffer now.

To dispute the Word of God in one thing is to dispute the Word of God in all things!

It is only God who can discipline His children!

Notice how Micah speaks for his entire nation as he accepted the responsibility for the sin of his nation.

To be quiet honest this should put us all to shame for in our own way, we are all responsible for the sin of our own nations.

If we accept that if we lived a sin free life and each and everyone of us followed suit, then sin would disappear from our world!

We cannot do much about others sins but we can do a lot about our own!
In fact we should ask for mercy and accept that God's judgment is a righteous judgment!

For God will always light our pathway to a complete recovery!

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.

The truth of our world is that God offers each one of us the freedom to choose and He will honor our choices but we should also realize that we must accept the consequences of our choices.

That is where the problem comes in, people want the freedom to do anything and everything but reject that they must answer to God.

God promises that all who repent will be forgiven!

*****Mic 7:18  Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Mic 7:19  He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Mic 7:20  Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

We talk about goals that we have from time to time but God has only one goal and that is to stamp out sin forever!

When we get to Heaven there will be no sin. Heaven operates by the Word of God and that is as it should be!

AND, God simply has more "mercy" than He does "wrath"!

Which means all those that repent will not be left out!

There are still places in God's oceans that man has never seen!

These are the places where God has tossed our sins out of the site of all who are looking to hold those things against us.

This is a picture of God's absolute forgiveness of sin!

Without sin then there should be no guilt!

Notice this is the promise God made to Abraham:

Gen 17:5  Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

And who are these descendants?

Rom 4:17  (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Micah clearly understood that God would fulfill all His promises!

We know that the Lord appeared to Micah in visions and dreams so to Micah the promises of God were much more than a hope!

The greatest promise God makes to the human race is the promise of salvation!

Everyone who places their trust in the Lord can be saved!

Joh 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Joh 1:13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

God stamped out sin at the cross!

God has already gotten His victory!

If we have "faith" in these things of God, then we can have our own victory!

Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Even the Apostle John accepted God's promises as being completed "but just not as yet executed".

God will always do as He says He will do!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

The Truth Of God; Book of Micah Part 2

The Restoration Of The Kingdom – Micah Part 2

Book of Micah Chapters 3-5


First, before we start we need to remember, If we cannot accept the truth, then we will believe a lie.

What is the truth?

Rom 3:3  For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
Rom 3:4  God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Most all people look at prophets as men who foretell of doom only, but the truth of God's Prophets is their message was more a message of hope!

There are many highly educated men that can give us a vision of the future that we can find agreeable.

They even promise that education and technology will make things much better in our future.

The Scriptures on the other hand promise that Jesus Christ is the future of every human being and He will be our "Savior" or He will be our "Judge" and that is a choice that we make ourselves.

This my friends is the truth!

Chapter 3 teaches us that national leaders are to know and practice "good judgment"! They are to use God's standards and not man's standards!

Chapter 3 also teaches us that the preachers are to preach the full council of God and not their own twisted versions!

Chapter 3 also teaches us that we are not a Christian nation just because we say so, we must live by the Word of God!

What is the truth of our nation today?

Mic 3:11  The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.

We can see that just as Israel and Judah were living in sin this day of Micah, this message fits this day we live also!

The truth is no matter what this world teaches, Jesus Christ is the future of our world! As Christians we know that our hope lies in the Lord!

Chapter 4 verse 1

*****Mic 4:1  But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

The truth is, the wicked and sinful world will one day transition into a kingdom of glory, a kingdom of peace, and a kingdom of victory!

Corruption and greed rule our world today and many people live in hopelessness and die without Christ.

The hope of our world lies in the Second Coming of the Messiah!

The hope of the Christian lies in "Faith" in the things of God before we die a physical death!

Only the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, offers real hope to all those who are lost!

The only thing that will change despair is "HOPE"!

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. "Let no man despise thee".

The truth is, that here Micah teaches us that Jerusalem will be exalted above all nations!

Jerusalem will become the capitol city of this world!

I know this breaks the heart of many people but the truth is still the truth!

Jerusalem will also be the religious capitol of this world and people from all nations will come to be taught the ways of God!

The truth is, it will be the same Word of God that we have today with most all prophesy fulfilled.

Jerusalem will also be the legislative capitol of this world and this Word of God will flow from Jerusalem.

Rev 19:15  And "out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword", that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

There will be no voting to see which laws will be obeyed!

Because the truth is Jerusalem will also be the "judicial" capitol of this world and the Word of God has already been approved in Heaven.

*****Mic 4:3  And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

In this world today there are always wars and or rumors of wars. In fact the threat of war is even used to sway righteous judgment many times.

There is always the fear of economic collapse, the fear of violence, the fear of injustice, and most all people live a life of uncertainty, anxiety and fear.

That will all come to an end with the return of the Messiah and the world will then see true peace!

All nations will disarm and disband their military forces!

That equipment and that technology and that money, will then be used to feed and maintain a thriving society.

The people of earth will live in perfect peace and security for 1000 years.

People will live without fear for the very first time!

There will be no starving children, and no homeless people and no crooked politicians!

This describes the Millennial reign of the King Of Kings!

Isa 2:4  And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

People will finally know the truth!

Psa 96:13  Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

For the Jews who are so hated and despised today, will then be honored by all nations and all people!

Deu 28:1  And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
Deu 28:2  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

Most all nations honor Abraham and God will then fulfill the promises He made to Abraham!

Gen 12:2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

We know that the Millennial Kingdom does not take place until after the "Rapture" of the Church but let's look at what happens at that time:

1) All believers will be glorified in Christ Jesus.
2) All believers will be privileged to be with God throughout eternity.
3) All believers will rule with Christ Jesus once His Kingdom has been established.
4) All believers will be joint-heirs with Christ Jesus of the glorious things of God!

Joh 12:26  If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Fear will be a word not found in books anymore!

*****Mic 4:4  But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.
Mic 4:5  For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.

These are not just somebody's wishes or somebody's thoughts, these are the promises of a Holy God!

Beginning with the 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ, Israel will worship the Lord forever.

All "believers", then and now "will", (not maybe, not under certain circumstances, not because of works but because of faith) will walk in the name of the LORD, "our God" for all eternity!

This is a promise and it is a sure promise to everyone who loves the Lord Jesus Christ!

What had Joshua told the nation of Israel as they entered the promise land?

Jos 24:14  Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.

As we take a stand for the Lord in these final days we need to remember the words of Joshua and of Micah because they will lead us to the Lord Jesus Christ every time!

At the presentation of the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ, we "all" must make a choice!

Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

The Jews have been slowly returning to their homeland but at that time God will bring them all back home.

*****Mic 4:6  In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted;
Mic 4:7  And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.

**The "halted" are those who do not have the ability to move by their own power.

Spiritually speaking, the halted are those incapable of spiritual movement.

**The "banished" are those that are condemned by the laws of man and are friends to God's enemies.

They will all repent and return to the Lord.

**Those afflicted may be lame, or blind, or deaf, or dumb, or lepers, or sinners and belong to Satan.
But their eyes will be opened, their bodies healed, their hearing restored, their sins forgiven and they will be released from the bondage of Satan.

No matter what the world thinks or says, the Lord Himself promises that Israel will be restored.'

This lost world simply does not understand the truth of God or they just reject Him!

*****Mic 4:12  But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.
Under the rule of the Messiah, Jerusalem will be the authority and all the land promised to Abraham will be restored to them.

The truth is, mankind in ignorance, fight against God's purpose and in fighting against God's purpose mankind will bring ruin upon themselves!

God will use the plans they have made against Him be used to destroy themselves!

God will gather the enemies of Israel, like sheaves to the threshing floor and then allow Israel to trample and crush all her enemies!

Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

At this point Micah gives us one the greatest prophesies that has been fulfilled that the entire world knows about.

The first coming of the Messiah!

The "Birth" that changed our world!

*****Mic 5:1  Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
Mic 5:2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

It is a fact that our world is full of immoral leaders who are also corrupt in their ways and in their thoughts.

In truth this world has always been full of immoral, corrupt leaders.

This has been more noticeable in our own nation than ever before!

It astounds me that no one seems to care, but it is also a fact that the lost will always defend the lost!

The truth is revolutions, revolts, and social upheavals have occurred almost everywhere on this planet.

America is more divided now than it ever has been and even our own government is preparing for a revolt that our own government has been instigating.

It is not so much the people who are rebelling, as it is the government who have been rebelling against the people and this is the difference this time in America!

There is coming a day when all these things will cease!

The truth is, our hope lies in the Lord!

The Lord Jesus could have come in any way He chose to come but there was only one way for God's purpose to be fulfilled.

Bethlehem means the "house of bread".

Ephratah means "fruitfulness".

This place known for it's "natural fruitfulness" would also be a place of "spiritual fruitfulness"!

This place, which was so remote that it would never become a place of importance, in one night became the most famous place in all the world.

This place, which was also the birthplace of King David was also the birth place of the Messiah who was to fulfill the prophesies God had given to David.

Out of this same place came Christ "the ruler of all Israel"!

Out of this place came the eternity of God "the Son"!

Out of this insignificant city, born in a manger, in the most humble of all places, came the Messiah, the foundation of Christianity!

The symbol of Rome was it's military.

The Jews required a conquering General to obtain freedom.

Out of Bethlehem came the hope of Israel!

Out of Bethlehem came the hope of all mankind!

Out of Bethlehem came the God of Love saying: Mat 5:5  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

As Christians our greatest example of true life, is our own Lord!

God makes the weak to be strong and the strong to be weak.

Christ came to teach us to serve, as a humble servant Himself!

2Co 8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Why would God choose these things?

1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

The purpose of the prophesies of Christ's birth were intended to bring hope!

The purpose of the prophecy of the Second Coming of Christ is still intended to bring hope!

Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

This is to be the same message of the Church today!

It is the job of the Church to teach these things as the truth, for they are, and they have proven to be so!

The Lord Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem Ephratah 700 years after Micah had said these things.
What the world needed was a Savior, a Deliverer, a Redeemer and all these things are of the Christ and the other things would come later.

Shortly after the time of Micah until the birth of Jesus Christ, God was silent.

An in 70 AD Israel was decimated by the Romans.

Israel had paid no attention to the words of Micah.

It would be a great benefit to the Church, if we paid very close attention not only to Micah but all the prophesies of the Bible, in fact to every Scripture, rightly divided!

*****Mic 5:3  Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.

From the birth of Jesus Christ until May 14, 1948, Israel was then "Born Again".

Psa 90:2  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Psa 90:3  Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
Psa 90:4  For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

**But we must clearly understand that Israel will remain in travail as a pregnant virgin until they have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as the true Messiah.

Rev 12:1  And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
Rev 12:2  And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
Rev 12:3  And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
Rev 12:4  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Rev 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Rev 12:6  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

What did Micah preach?

*****Mic 5:4  And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

The ministry of Jesus Christ will be in the strength and the majesty of God Himself!

It is the strength of God that will rule and dominate the earth at this time, (a rod of iron).

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

At that time there will be no one on this earth that does not know the Lord Jesus Christ!

The only ones left now are those who are lost, Hell is full of believers along with the true Church!

Jesus will bring peace to the earth but the peace that Christ brings will be much more than the absence of war!

There will be absolute security for all God's people.
There will be a prosperity of the like that this world has never been seen.
There will be generosity from all people and all nations.
But more important there will be "spiritual peace", God and His people will be reconciled forever!

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

We will all be rejoicing in the "glory of God" on that day!

*****Mic 5:7  And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.

The Church will have already been with the Lord at least 7 years at this time and will return with the Lord.

Rev 19:14  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
The remnant of Israel will be saved and joined with the Church.
Rom 9:27  Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
Rom 9:28  For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

Those "many people" are those that survived the 7 year tribulation period!

Psa 4:3  But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.
Psa 4:4  Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
Psa 4:5  Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.

And there will only be a remnant of Israel.
 
*****Mic 5:8  And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.
Mic 5:9  Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.

But notice none of this will take place until Israel has defeated all her enemies!

Israel has always been chosen to set the example of obedience to God's Laws:

Exo 19:5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Exo 19:6  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

Israel has always been chosen to preach the Word of God to all Gentiles:

Mic 4:2  And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Rev 14:1  And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

Luk 2:34  And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
Luk 2:35  (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

All the enemies of the Word of God will have been cut off by this time.

Luk 19:27  But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

The Book of Micah will lead us to the truth of the end times if we will just listen to his words.

Next week we will see what God requires of us.

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Book of Micah Part 1

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!