Micah 7:1-20. Today’s reading takes off where yesterday’s left off. Micah declares that he is in big trouble. Why? Because he lives in an evil time where there is not justice in the land. There are no people who love God anymore (v. 2). But this section is not just about Micah’s time it is about the time of Jesus and ours too. If you have read “The Old Testament Connection” they you might remember that the Jewish people were chosen to help us understand our broken relationship with God. Their history is an example to us all. In Matthew 10 Jesus sent his followers out to tell people about him. He warned them that they would experience trouble for doing it. In Matthew 10:35-36 he quotes Micah 7:6. So Micah’s situation and that of Jesus’ followers were similar and ours will be too. If we want God to be honored in our lives and in our times then we are in big trouble.
In verse 8 we see the hope of Micah, a hope that can be ours too. Micah was waiting for God to take care of him just like he did for the Israelites in Egypt. Psalm 90:2 tells us that God is the same from eternity past to eternity future. Psalm 103:17 tells us that God’s love is also from eternity past to eternity future for those who honor God. The book of Hebrew uses the same kind of language about Jesus tell us that he never changes (Hebrews 13:8) God and Jesus are faithful they have “hesed” (see yesterday’s post). In verse 9 we see that Micah knew that there would be hard times in his life, he even realized that some of them were because he had disobeyed and dishonored God (He tells us he had sinned too). But he knew that there would be a day in the future when everyone who had made fun of him for trusting God would be embarrassed by the way they had treated him. Verses 10-13 seem to talk mostly about the trouble that people who have rejected God will experience in that future time. But even then there is hope and “hesed” because the Israelites will have one last chance to lead the world to God. In verse 11 we see walls being rebuilt. This is probably a reference to Jerusalem as a symbol of the Jewish nation and the spiritual influence they were supposed to have in the world. This idea become more clear in verse 12 when we see the world turning to the person or group being talked about in verse 11.
Verses 14-20 take off on this idea of Israel getting one last chance to fulfill God’s plan for them. Verse 14 staarts out as a prayer by Micah asking God to lead his people but turns into a prediction that the Israelites will eventually fulfill God’s original role for them. The punishment will pass and they will have a chance to honor God with their lives. Verses 19 and 20 tell us why the Israelites will get another chance because God is merciful (hesed; see yesterday’s post).
The same mercy that the Israelites received is available to us too. The same unchanging God loves us too. All of us have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6) but God is willing to put all our wrong doing on Jesus back. But like we learned yesterday we have to give it up to him. God’s mercy is huge and his character never changes but we must come to him like the nations will in the end. As we live for him we need to focus on Him and put our hope in him. God is our salvation today and forever.
God thank you for being so consistent. I know you have standards and that I have broken your rules. I also know that there are consequences today and in eternity. I also know that Jesus took those consequences for me. I don’t want to pay this debt, thank you for taking it. Help me live each day for you. Thank you that there is a future day when you will fix all the brokenness of our world. Thank you that I can be a part of your future kingdom. Thank you for your mercy, help me keep hoping in you till that future arrives.