Bible Commentaries

A Promise of Punishment and Hope

- Micah Two -

Micah chapter two describes the sins of covetousness and the sin of pride among God's people, Israel. God hates all sin; He especially hates premeditated sin. The people to that Micah spoke to were guilty of the sin of devising iniquity. Their greed and covetousness caused them to oppress their brethren. God had freed Israel from oppression but now they abused and enslaved each other. Many do their evil deeds under the cover of night. The evil of Micah's day was in broad day light and even in the courts of the land.

Micah gave us some deep insight into the nature of sin. Some do not practice sin because it is not in their power to sin. They are not in the place where they could commit the sin. The "faithfulness test" comes when it is our power to sin but we honor God anyway.

The people devised iniquity against God. As a result of the iniquity that they devised against God, He would bring disaster upon them. The pride of the people or their haughtiness led to their rebellion against God. The evils of the people would bring God's judgment upon them. The people would be brought low and they would no longer walk haughtily. The judgment that would come on Israel would be that they would be conquered by Assyria. Their land would be taken from them just as they had taken the land from others.

Sadly, the people looked at the words of God's prophet as mere babbling. He preached for around twenty years with little or no results. Finally during the reign of Hezekiah the leaders and the people finally repented. Micah exposed both the sins of the people and the lies of the false prophets. Following the message that he delivered for God would bring the people peace, rest, and restoration to the Creator. The remnant of Israel would enjoy God's promises of restoration.

Punishment for evil doers -- Micah 2:1-3 : God told these people that they were doomed for their premeditated sins. God hates all kinds of sins but He especially hates planned sins. The people of Israel and Judah would lie on their bed at night making plans to do evil. When the morning came they followed through on their corrupt devices because the opportunity to do so was there. The evil person meditates on evil while the righteous "delight in the law of the LORD and in his law doth he meditate day and night." (Psalms 1:2) The evil was plotted, planned and performed by a people full of greed and all kinds of evil.

These evil people, much like Ahab and Jezebel, would by violence and dishonesty take a person field. These inheritances were not for sale but they would "grab any field or house that they wanted; they cheated families out of homes and land." These fields would be taken by violence just as Naboth was murdered so that Ahab might have his vineyard. (1 Kings 21:1-16) God warned the people that their evil would bring His judgment upon them. He said, "Behold, against this family I am planning a disaster from which you cannot remove your necks, nor will you be able to walk erect; for it will be an evil time." A failure to repent would cause both Israel and Judah to be punished by foreign nations for the purpose of correcting their wrongs.

Ruined because of continual sin -- Micah 2:4-5 : A lack of repentance brought God's most severe judgment against Israel. When that day of judgment arrived it would be a sorrowful day. Sad songs would be sung in which the people would lament the fact that they had been ruined by their sins, "Ruined! Completely ruined! Remember, these people had in evil ways taken this land from others. Now God will remove the land from them! He will divide their fields to the rebellious Assyrians, their captors. These sad songs are like the lament in Psalm 137. "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion."

These rebellious people would never again have a plot of land like they had enjoyed in the past. God said, "You will never again own property among the Lord's people." The reason that they would have no more inheritances is because there shall be no inheritances to divide. Someone else will own that land. There will be no courts left to do titles or to determine ownership of the land. There will be no one to cast lots for the land as in the days of Joshua. All the land would belong to their enemies. Sin always brings horrible consequences.

A rebuke for sin -- Micah 2:6-11 : The people did not like to hear God's prophet giving such unpleasant predictions. They said to the man of God, "Do not preach, say the prophesying false prophets; one should not babble and harp on such things; disgrace will not overtake us." The Old Testament events dealt with by Micah were very similar to New Testament predictions by Paul. He wrote by inspiration, "The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Timothy 4:3)

These people claimed that the Lord did what He did to Israel just because He was angry. However, He wanted it understood that they were very mistaken about that matter. God always blesses those that do right and punishes those that do evil. The people had become God's enemies because they had "stolen clothes right off the backs of unsuspecting people as they passed by." They were so heartless that they took houses belonging to women in the land and cheated their children out of the inheritance that comes from the Lord. Those that are greedy of material gain often take advantage of those who cannot protect themselves. These crooks were not fit to dwell in the land that God had given His people. "The very place where these gains were made was polluted with the corruptions of idolatry and for that reason the nation was doomed to be overthrown." Israel did not want to hear the message of God's prophet. He said, "The only prophet you want is a liar who will say, "Drink and get drunk!"

A promise of Hope -- Micah 2:12-13 : The subject quickly changed as the Lord predicted the restoration of the remnant of Israel to their homeland. He promised, "I will gather them, just as a shepherd brings sheep together, and there will be many." These promises were practically fulfilled when the Jews were brought out of Babylon. Later the complete fulfillment came through Jesus and His spiritual kingdom. In the fold of God these people are safe under the shepherd's eye and under His care. They shall make great noise as a very large flock or herd would do. God's powerful promise said, "I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob; I will surely collect the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in the midst of their pasture. They shall swarm with men and hum with much noise." (Micah 2:12)

God promised that He would use Cyrus and the Persians to break down the gate and to lead His people out of bondage. Likely it seemed to them that God had deserted them or cast then off. Instead He will claim them as His own, be their head, and help them through all the difficulties as they return home during the deliverance. It was God that gave deliverance and blessed Israel as they returned home. It is likewise God that blesses us and gives us deliverance from sin when we allow Jesus to be Lord of our life.