We have been examining the prophets that God sent to the Israelites and the Judeans (here, here, here, here and here). Last time, we studied the ministry of Isaiah. God so loved His wayward children that He sent another prophet to Judah as well, a contemporary of Isaiah, named Micah, to bring yet more hope to the Judeans’ spiritual darkness.
As He did through Isaiah, God speaks through Micah with a stern warning to grab their attention:
Listen, all you peoples; pay attention, earth and everyone on it! The Lord GOD will be a witness against you, the Lord, from his holy temple. Look, the LORD is leaving his place and coming down to trample the heights of the earth…because of Jacob’s rebellion and the sins of the house of Israel. Mic. 2, 3 & 5. CSB
God is declaring His judgment over the both the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. At this time, Israel was being conquered by the Assyrians; and Micah is now warning Judah of a similar punishment should the Judeans continue in their unrepentant sin:
Writhe and groan like a woman in labor, you people of Jerusalem, for now you must leave this city to live in the open country. You will soon be sent in exile to distant Babylon. But the LORD will rescue you there; he will redeem you from the grip of your enemies. Mic. 4:10 NLT
Thus, the prophecy reveals that the Babylonians would be the Judeans’ captor. (During this time of Micah’s ministry, Babylon had not yet risen to power. They were under the subjugation of the Assyrians).
However, did you notice the rest of the scripture? Jehovah promises to deliver them from their punishment if they return to Him while in exile:
“In that coming day,” says the LORD, “I will gather together those who are lame, those who have been exiles, and those I have filled with grief. Those who are weak will survive as a remnant; those who were exiles will become a strong nation. Then I, the LORD, will rule from Jerusalem as their king forever.” Mic. 4:6, 7. NLT
That divine message still rings true today. God cherishes you. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, your heavenly Father will lift you back up if you come to Him with confession and repentance:
Do not My words do good to the one who is walking uprightly? Mic. 2:7 NASB
Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the LORD requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God. Mic. 6:8 CSB
There will be consequences for our transgressions, but when we return to our Maker, He will wrap us up in His mercy:
Though I have fallen, I will stand up; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. Because I have sinned against him, I must endure the LORD’s fury until he champions my cause and establishes justice for me. He will bring me into the light; I will see his salvation. Mic. 7:8, 9. CSB
Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean! Mic. 7:18, 19. NLT
How did the Judean’s respond to Micah and his contemporary, the prophet Isaiah?
…they would not listen. Instead, they became obstinate like their ancestors who did not believe the LORD their God. 2 Kin. 17:14 CSB
In 697 B.C., Judah crowned a 12-year old boy as their 14th king, Manasseh. He was the evilest of the Judean kings – destroying all of his father’s (King Hezekiah) godly reforms and rebuilt all of the pagan temples. He even sacrificed his own son in one of them.
Out of His loving heart, God sends yet another prophet, Nahum, to deliver hope to His children once more. Speaking for Jehovah, Nahum tells the Judeans that He would personally deliver them from the Assyrians who had already taken the northern kingdom of Israel. (This would happen in 612 B.C., when Jehovah directed the Medes and the Babylonian armies to decimate the Assyrian army).
Yet neither Manasseh nor his subjects repented from their sinful ways. So, God sent the Babylonians to capture the king. During his capture, he repented; and God mercifully restored his kingship. However, the people dug in their heels. They preferred their sin.
God sent another prophet, Zephaniah; but you can tell that His patience is wearing thin:
“I will crush Judah and Jerusalem with my fist and destroy every last trace of their Baal worship. I will put an end to all the idolatrous priests, so that even the memory of them will disappear…and I will destroy those who used to worship me but now no longer do.” Zep. 1:4 & 6. NLT
“I will search with lanterns in Jerusalem’s darkest corners to punish those who sit complacent in their sins. They think the LORD will do nothing to them, either good or bad.” Zep. 1:12 NLT
Jehovah God is letting them know in no uncertain terms, that His judgment is coming – especially for those who considered Him impotent.
Yet, God’s love never wanes. Because of the bigness of His heart, He beckons His children once more:
Gather together – yes, gather together, you shameless nation. Gather before judgment begins, before your time to repent is blown away like chaff. Act now before the fierce fury of the LORD falls and the terrible day of the LORD’s anger begins. Zep. 2:1, 2. NLT
This is an imperative to establish a love-connection with our Creator before you die or Jesus’ second advent. Otherwise, you miss the eternal love ship.
However, if you do grab your ticket, life turns out wonderfully…
“Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth, who carry out what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be concealed on the day of the LORD’s anger.” Zep. 2:3 CSB
“For the LORD their God will visit his people in kindness and restore their prosperity again.” Zep. 2:7 NLT
Finally, Jehovah opens our eyes to our eternal rewards:
“On that day you will no longer need to be ashamed, for you will no longer be rebels against me.” Zep. 3:11 NLT
“For the LORD will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the LORD himself, the king of Israel, will live among you! At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster.” Zep. 3:15 NLT
“For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zep. 3:17 NLT
How much does God love you? At the end of time, Jehovah will transform the earth back to the paradise it was meant to be, and His children will be renovated as well. They will share a pure speech so as to be able to directly communicate with their Creator. All transgressions will fall victim to Divine forgetfulness, and all obstacles will be overcome.
And God will be in your midst – loving you with a joyful love and a heartfelt song. That is the kind of God that is ours for the asking. We just have to loosen up those stiff necks…
Goodnight and God bless.