Isaiah 1-12 & Micah: A Summons to Faith & Justice (Streams of Mercy Book 3)

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Anagello is common in the Septuagint Lxx , often with a religious sense as exemplified by these passages in Isaiah Have you not heard? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats. New moon and Sabbath, the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.

I am weary of bearing [them. Your hands are covered with blood. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good ; Seek justice , Reprove the ruthless; Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow. Micah says Israel had been told how to walk, so she knew the truth, but by implication refused to do the truth!

Sounds familiar doesn't it! How often do we sin willfully, refusing to humble ourselves? Note that Micah is not saying what a man does will save a man. In fact, the truth is that only a saved man can do these things. Israel has rejected the good " What Does God Require. Spurgeon - It was a spiritual worship that the Lord required; not externals, not outward gifts, but the heart.

If thou wilt bring an offering, bring thyself; there is no other gift that the Lord so much desires. The Lxx translates darash in this verse with the verb ekzeteo in the present tense which means continually seeking diligently.

Ekzeteo implies that the seeker exerts considerable effort and care in learning something. What does the Lord seek diligently for? He will describe three things but all of them emanate from a heart that is humble and in right relationship to God. You King Asa have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.

Our prayer should ever be "Lord, by Your Spirit enable me to have an undivided heart in Christ. Many people are confused when they read that God did not accept sacrifices which He had clearly called for in the Law. Why would He refuse what He had required? The fact is that yes God did require the outward forms animal sacrifices in the OT, but not at the expense of or in place of a right heart attitude. Walter Kaiser adds that "It is impossible to fulfill the requirements of the Law as an unregenerate person.

What God Requires of Us - According to a 3rd century rabbi, Moses gave prohibitions and positive commands. David reduced them to 11 in Psalm Isaiah made them 6 Isaiah Habakkuk reduces them all to one great statement: The just shall live by faith. Do justice - The Lord's requirement is in striking contrast to their practice which was to "hate good and love evil Mic 3: Boice - To act justly is most important, for it does not mean merely to talk about justice or to get other people to act justly.

It means to do the just thing yourself. Lewis says Micah 6: The publican was justified by faith, not by doing the kind of good works that the Pharisee boasted about. The Pharisee, on the other hand, informed God and whoever was listening in the temple how good he was and therefore how much he deserved eternal life. Justice mishpat is a "key word" in Micah Mic 3: The word includes a judgment, a legal decision rendered, justice as a state or condition of fairness in disputes. Justice "refers to the entire process of the administration of justice, including hearing the case, rendering a decision, pronouncing a verdict, and implementing the sentence.

The Lxx translates mishpat in Micah 6: It describes one deciding a question of legal right or wrong, and thus determining the innocence or guilt of the accused and assigning appropriate punishment. Vine adds that mishpat "has two main senses; the first deals with the act of sitting as a judge, hearing a case, and rendering a proper verdict. This second sense carries several nuances: S Lewis Johnson - What does God require of you? Do you love that kind of love? Do you love lovingkindness?

To put it in New Testament terms, this is the new commandment. What Does God Require. Aheb describes love between a man and wife Song 2: He had a strong love for them both.

Isaiah 1-12 & Micah

This makes me think of Jesus' warning in Mt 6: One wonders where Solomon veered off the path of Micah 6: Perhaps instead of walking humbly, pride began to "leak" into and corrupt his heart and distort his walk. O but by the grace of God there go all of us. We need to memorize, mediate and practice Pr 4: Give others the same measure of mercy you want to receive from the Me.

It reflects the loyal love of Jehovah for His people, and speaks of relationship and covenant obligation. This noun is often used of God, and we do well to be imitators of Him Eph 5: How wonderful when our life begins to display just a "fraction" of this divine quality! The Lxx uses eleos which describes the outward manifestation of pity and assumes need on the part of those who are recipients of the mercy and sufficient resources to meet the need on the part of those who show it.

Walk halak means literally to walk but figuratively as in this verse speaks of how one conducts himself in daily life. It speaks of one's behavior, one's lifestyle. The more grace the soul has the humbler it will be. Humbly sana is a verb which means to be lowly or modest or humble and is used only here in the OT but some lexicons spell the verb " tsana '" and note it is also used in Pr James calls for believers to "Submit to God. Well, first of all a good understanding of what we are before the Lord, sinners.

When a man walks humbly before the Lord God, he can only walk humbly when he realizes his relationship to the Lord is one of sovereign grace, that God should love me, that God should take me into his family, with all of my sin, with all of my rebellion, with all of my disobedience, that he should take me, what a wonderful manifestation of grace. Kaiser - To walk humbly is simply to live by faith, for faith is the antithesis of pride.

Pride alone insists on taking first place, but faith seeks to give God first place. Humility is that virtue required of those who are faithful followers of our Lord Ps. As both Peter and James say "God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble. Pride on the other hand is opposed by God, where the verb opposed is a military term, used of an army drawn up for battle. God sets Himself in array against the proud person. This alone should be good motivation to walk humbly with God! Spurgeon - I would not advise any of you to try to be humble, but to be humble.

As to acting humbly, when a man forces himself to it, that is poor stuff. When a man talks a great deal about his humility, when he is very humble to everybody, he is generally a canting hypocrite. Humility must be in the heart, and then it will come out spontaneously as the outflow of life in every act that a man performs True humility is thinking rightly of thyself, not meanly.

When you have found out what you really are, you will be humble, for you are nothing to boast of. To be humble will make you safe. To be humble will make you happy. To be humble will make music in your heart when you go to bed. To be humble here will make you wake up in the likeness of your Master by-and-by. With your God - First note the intimacy, the communion, the camaraderie so to speak humility calls forth from the Holy One. Second, "your" speaks of personal possession, underscoring the intimacy and fellowship that the Creator desires to have with His creation.

This is surely amazing grace! Micah is saying that instead of sacrifices Micah 6: Henrietta Mears - The Old Testament, in Micah, gives us a definition of religion and at the same time gives us the essentials of real religion. What does God require of you? If our religion is only a spiritually true creed, a huge house of worship and an elaborate ritual, then we have nothing. All must be filled with the mind of Christ.

God wants this spirit of Christ to be lived out through our daily lives and to be exhibited in all our conduct, in our homes and in our businesses. Can our religion stand this test? He thus pointed out that equating faith with walking humbly with our God is appropriate. Barker has several quotes summarizing Micah 6: They are two sides of the same coin. Feinberg provides this summary: These standards have not been abrogated for Christians, for the New Testament affirms their continuing validity.

We are still called to the exercise of true religion, to kindness, and to humility 1Cor Christians are in a covenant relationship with God in which the law torah has been placed within their hearts Jer Two applications of this passage are offered by Stuart: Faithful participation in worship is not enough. It must be accompanied by faithful, proper living. Two different and opposing kinds of false claims are made about this text. Some readers see the text as refuting all external, ceremonial religion in favor of a totally internalized faith response to God.

Others, reacting against more conservative theologies of the atonement, argue that essential religious acts focus solely on issues of justice, mercy and humility; all else is beyond what God expects of even the most devout. They were ready to bargain with God and to bid high if need be. They had already known what was good and pleasing to God, because God had revealed it time and time again. Three items are mentioned: The norm of justice had been set by the character and person of the living God, not by human standards.

Those claiming the Lord as their God were to prove it by a godly lifestyle. Pride was the antithesis of what was required here: To walk humbly was to live by faith. Such faith sought to give God first place instead of usurping it for oneself. It is duty, indeed, but duty grounded in the character and grace of God.

The question asked in Micah 6: Thus this saying is not an invitation, in lieu of the Gospel, to save oneself by kindly acts of equity and fairness. Nor is it an attack on the forms of sacrifices and cultic acts mentioned in the tabernacle and temple instructions. It is instead a call for the natural consequence of truly forgiven men and women to demonstrate the reality of their faith by living it out in the marketplace. Such living would be accompanied with acts and deeds of mercy, justice and giving of oneself for the orphan, the widow and the poor. Hard Sayings of the Bible- Walter C.

Spurgeon - The prophet mentions three things that the Lord required of his people: Talk no more of your outward ordinances, your will-worship, with abundance of music, or human eloquence and learning, and what not. These things delight not the Lord; no offering is acceptable unless the outward conduct shows that the heart is right with him. Where does the injustice dwell in your own life? Who are the lowly in your life? Do you need a call toward repentance, like the people of Israel and Judah did? Instead, we do it out of habit. Walter Kaiser - Before God requires anything of a person, He calls out to that person with His compassion, mercy, grace, and redemption.

It is the environment of grace, then, that becomes the sole basis for urging men and women to do anything for God. But even for redeemed persons, the order of first priority will always be the heart. The first priority, even for a redeemed person, will always be to have an acceptable attitude of the heart, since God requires this before He will notice or accept any work for Him—whether in the form of rituals, liturgy, or social involvement.

This is the mission of Jesus, the Son of Man, and his church—to seek and to save those who are lost Luke Spurgeon on Micah 6: He will not domineer over his fellow-men; he will not be hard, cruel, unkind; he cannot be. He who feels that he must walk with great softness and tenderness before his God, cannot trample on others as if they were only fit to be the dust of his feet. You will not see him supremely disdainful, carrying his head among the stars as though he were some great one; no, he has learned to walk humbly with God, and he thinks of himself soberly, as he ought to think.

For a man to put on humility before God and throw it off before men would be hypocrisy of the vilest kind. I cannot tell you all that my text means, nor if you know it yourself can you make others understand it; still they will know that it is something very admirable which makes you to be a good neighbour and a considerate friend, the comfort of the sorrowful, the helper of all. They may not understand whence the quiet spirit derives its gentle dew, but they will perceive its freshness, its sparkling purity, and its goodness, and wonder at its cause. True humility begets a suavity, a gentleness, a tenderness, a Christ-likeness, which men may mock at for a while, but which for the most part wins their hearts.

The more instructed soon take knowledge of a meek-spirited man that he must have been with Jesus and have learned of him. F B Meyer on Micah 6: What to Him is the outward rite without the holy purpose; the child's form of obeisance, apart from filial love! Grave questionings as to the utility of mere ritualism suggested themselves in the old-world religions.

It appears that the questions of this chapter were put by Balaam; and the words before us were uttered by the Divine Spirit to his heart. But however that may be, it is matter for our adoring gratitude that God has stepped out of the infinite to show us what is good, and what He requires. To do justly is to preserve the balance of strict equity: To love mercy is to take into consideration all those drawbacks which misfortunes, which enfeebled health, or crushing sorrow may impose on those who owe us service or money, or in some other way are dependent upon us.

To a walk humbly with God implies constant prayer and watchfulness, familiar yet humble converse, conscientious solicitude, to allow nothing to divert us from His side or to break the holy chain of conversation. We must exchange our monologue, in which we talk with ourselves, for dialogue, in which we talk as we walk with God. Ask Him to make these good things the ordinary tenor of your life. In his day, the political outlook was dark in the extreme, and the prophet felt that one thing only could save his country, and that was a deep and widespread revival of religion.

To the inquiry of the people as to whether Jehovah desired the sacrifice of animals, or little children, who were immolated by the heathen people around in order to rid their consciences from sin, the answer came that God required something more spiritual and searching: Let us make this threefold message our own. To do justly, giving not a fraction less than can be rightly claimed from us.

Every one of us must acknowledge the righteous claims of our home-circle, and of our neigh-bouts, and we must adjust these claims, giving each his due. Let us love mercy. There are some who have perhaps forfeited all claim on our mercy--the prisoner, the fallen, the helpless, our enemies--we must help all these not grudgingly, but cheerfully and willingly. Do not try to love mercy till you begin to show it. Dare to step out into a life of unselfish beneficence, and as you do so, you will come to love it.

James insists that pure religion as much consists in visiting the widow and fatherless in their affliction as in keeping oneself unspotted from the world. Let us also walk humbly with God, not lagging behind, nor running before, but walking with Him, hand in hand. All down the ages, from Enoch onward, there have been those who walked with God in unstained robes. It is not in sacrifices, or rites, or church-going, or almsgiving, though these will follow afterwards, but in holy and humble living, that the heart of true religion is realized.

What is to be done for those who have tried and failed, who are conscious of guilt and sin? In the closing verses of this book is the answer. There we learn that God will not only forgive, but will subdue our iniquities. He will turn again and have compassion upon us, and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. He delighteth in mercy! Who is a God like unto Thee?

Let Right Be Done - An engaging family film, The Winslow Boy, tells the story of a year-old who is accused of stealing and is expelled from a British military school. The father believes his son is innocent and marshals all his resources to defend him. As the case attracts public attention, many people rally behind the boy with the slogan "Let right be done. There is something within us that longs for justice for others and for ourselves. But there is only one aspect of justice that is fully within our control, and that is our behavior toward others.

To a people who hurt the Lord deeply by their selfishness and unjust treatment of others, the prophet Micah said, "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? What does the Lord long for from us? He wants action "do justly" , affection "love mercy" , and association "walk humbly with your God". As Christians, instead of demanding "Let right be done to me," may our rallying cry become "Let right be done by me. To serve the present age, My calling to fulfill; O may it all my powers engage, To do my Master's will!

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Spurgeon - The true proof of godliness is not expensive rites, but hearty obedience; not a loud profession, but holy living; not large subscriptions, but a yielding up of the heart. Have we this vital godliness? Has the Holy Spirit wrought in us a change of heart? Not streaming blood, nor cleansing fire, Thy righteous anger can appease; Burnt offerings thou dost not require, Or gladly I would render these. The broken heart in sacrifice, Alone, will thine acceptance meet: My heart, O God, do not despise, Abased and contrite at thy feet.

Help From His Spirit - Many of us make promises to ourselves to mark the beginning of a new year. We begin the year with good intentions, but before long old habits tempt us to take up our old ways. We slip up occasionally, then more frequently, and then all the time. Instead of choosing our own self-improvement goals, a better approach might be to ask ourselves: All of these things relate to soul-improvement rather than self-improvement.

The Holy Spirit has the power to help us as believers in our spiritual growth. The Spirit will help us as we seek to walk humbly with God. Truthful Spirit, dwell with me; I myself would truthful be; And with wisdom kind and clear Let Thy life in mine appear. He who has the Holy Spirit as his resource has already won the victory I would alter this saying He who relies on the Holy Spirit as his resource will be victorious! One even comes from the mollusk family.

In the s, the University of California at Santa Cruz was just starting to get involved in competitive sports. UCSC had a bit of disdain for the overemphasis some big-time schools place on athletics, so the student body sought a team name that would reflect a somewhat different approach. They decided on the Banana Slug, a yellow, slimy, slow, shell-less mollusk. It was a clever way for UCSC to give a balanced perspective on the relative worth of sports. I have always loved sports, but I know that they can easily become more important than they should be.

What matters most in life is what Jesus said is most vital—loving God with all of our hearts and loving our neighbors as ourselves Matt. What matters most to you? Or loving God in thought, word, and action? Lord, what matters most to You today? What can direct us in each thing we do?

1. Early Messages (Isaiah ) - Isaiah: Discipleship Lessons from the Fifth Gospel

Could it be to let nothing at all Interfere with our deep love for You? Our Daily Bread - On a visit to America, Princess Diana went into a department store and saw a red-and-black polka-dot silk scarf. Immediately after Diana's purchase, some men from the British Embassy rushed up to the counter to buy a scarf just like it—presumably for their wives.

The wife of a store executive also bought one for her daughter, noting, "She'll be thrilled! Oh, that we would be as quick to take our cues from the Lord as those people did from royalty! How spiritually enriched we would be if we studied Christ's words and actions and carefully considered His values and choices rather than looking to the world for direction. We must remain free from the deception of the ungodly, choosing instead to follow our divine Guide.

You are either leaving your mark on the world, or the world is leaving its mark on you! So I took a full-page ad in the newspaper and confessed to the world that I was a fraud! I read the ad and I thought, A fraud is pretending to be honest. Jesus demonstrated humility by walking in total dependence on His Father Jn. Only as we take up His yoke and walk humbly with the Father will we learn true humility. Are we humbly depending on God—or just pretending to be humble? Who has appointed its time? The Fast Day Service - Micah 6: Kaiser - It is this justice, mercy and humble walk of Micah 6: John Phillips - The Hebrew people were doing exactly the opposite of what God required.

In condemning them for their sin, Micah spoke of sin's deceptions, disappointments, and distortions. In the introduction of Job we read "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away this was his habitual practice - not perfection, but direction! That is wisdom or living wisely! We see the same principle in Ps Job tied fear, wisdom and obedience together declaring "'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom ; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Sound wisdom tushiyyah means "sound judgment" or "efficient wisdom," the wisdom that leads to practical success, good results Isa A father would exhort his son to seek this sound wisdom as the path to life and honor Prov. A selfish man, however, displays appalling lack of discernment Pr God is the source of this prudence, as of all the other varieties of knowledge and wisdom Isa.

Thus, it behooves a wise person to fear Him Mic. Job mentioned the word both in the sense of wisdom Job And in Proverbs, success is promised for the upright because of the righteous nature of God's rule Prov. Tusiyyah is translated NAS - deliverance 1 , helpful insight 1 , sound wisdom 7 , success 1 , wisdom 1. Tusiyyah - 11v - Job 5: The Septuagint gives an interesting sense that is not obvious in the Hebrew text - "The Lord's voice shall be proclaimed in the city, and He shall save those that fear His name: Criswell - Wisdom will recognize and reverence the Name of God, who brings the rod of punishment on the city, which is probably Jerusalem.

Name of God - This stands for all of His attributes, His holiness, righteousness, justice, faithfulness, etc. So to fear His Name is to fear Him. Matthew Henry concise on Mt 6: This voice of the Lord says to all, Hear the rod when it is coming, before you see it, and feel it. Hear the rod when it is come, and you are sensible of the smart; hear what counsels, what cautions it speaks. The voice of God is to be heard in the rod of God. Those who are dishonest in their dealings shall never be reckoned pure, whatever shows of devotion they may make.

What is got by fraud and oppression, cannot be kept or enjoyed with satisfaction. What we hold closest we commonly lose soonest. Sin is a root of bitterness, soon planted, but not soon plucked up again. Their being the people of God in name and profession, while they kept themselves in his love, was an honour to them; but now, being backsliders, their having been once the people of God turns to their reproach. Hear shama is a again cp Mic 3: Probably the tribe of Judah, who was the leading tribe in the Southern Kingdom.

And so in Micah 6: Oh, that we were men of wisdom, that we would hear what God has to say! Who has appointed its time - God had ordained the time of their judgment. Cf God's sovereign control over time Da 2: The homes of the wicked are filled with treasures gained by dishonestly measuring out grain in short measures. Spurgeon - Here he comes to practical details.

God condescends even to point out these minute particulars of moral conduct, and so should his servants do. It is not for us, his ministers, to be soaring into the clouds, to astonish you with the grandeur of our thoughts and words; but to come to your shops, to look at your bushel-measures and your pecks, your yard-sticks and your weights. The phrase "treasures of wickedness" suggest that their fortunes were obtained by dishonest means.

There are many today who are rich beyond belief, but their fortunes would also classify as "treasures of wickedness! Short razon describes that which is of smaller volume or weight than that which was expected for a given standard of measure. The seah was probably one-third of an ephah. The ephah was the same as the liquid measure, the bath. There is much uncertainty in the size of the bath and ephah. Moses had Aaron save one-tenth of an ephah of manna as a memorial Ex For a sin offering, one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour was required Lev 5: In Ezek this is increased to one-sixth ephah for some offerings Ezek Also, a cereal offering of one ephah was to accompany each bull or ram offered according to Ezek Ephah is translated as bushel 1 , differing measures 2 , ephah 33 , measure 2.

Ephah - 29v - Ex Can I justify wicked scales and a bag of deceptive weights: The rhetorical question expects an answer, "No, I cannot justify this deceptive practice! Spurgeon - They were, I suppose, very much what Orientals are still; you cannot trade with them without having need of more than two eyes. Their price has to be beaten down; their quantities must be counted. God would not have his people like this. He says nothing about the Moabites or the Babylonians doing this, but for his people to do it was very grievous to him. Wicked scales - The vendor would tamper with the balance bar and two scale pans so that the buyer was given less than that for which they paid.

Defrauding consumers with false weights was a violation of Mosaic law Deut Criswell - One of the prominent evidences of decadence in Israel was the prevalence of dishonest business practices. The rich sought to increase wealth through falsified balances, violence, deceit, and lies Micah 6: When Yahweh was no longer loved and honored, the integrity of the people vanished.

For - term of explanation This explains in more detail the practices of Micah 6: The rich men of the city are full of violence - "think nothing of resorting to violence" NET They were especially good at exploitation of socially disadvantaged. See Micah's earlier description of their despicable behavior - Micah 2: Truthfulness was exchanged for deceit and fraud. It can refer to an injury that is suffered by violence, but most often refers to the wickedness of humans, which is the product of hard hearts Ps Baker adds when hamas "When coupled with the term instrument or weapon, it becomes an attributive noun describing weapons or instruments of violence Ps.

When it describes a person, it can mean an oppressor or a violent man Pr.

The Lxx translates hamas with asebeia , which speaks of a want of reverence godly fear and living without regard for God. Patterson - In the OT prophets the word hamas describes various forms of exploitation of the socially disadvantaged, accomplished by means of physical and psychological violence.

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First use of hamas describes the actions of depraved mankind and gives us a sense of how God "classifies" Israel's behavior Boice - No society is ever entirely upright or godly; there are always evil people in it. That is the message of the cross. It is that God sent His Son to pardon iniquity and to be our Passover Lamb so that God might forgive our rebellious acts.

This is seen in Micah 7: Millennium ; Israel of God. This message was preached by Dr. Ron Dun a number of years ago. The late Ron Dunn never minced words when it came to proclaiming truth. I thank the Ron Dunn ministry for sharing this sermon with PastorLife. To read more of his sermons, go to www. Bethlehem is a place of fascination to Christians everywhere.

Those of us who have been there are moved by the experience, if not a little surprised by the commercialism. Tom Hayes shares a message of the magnificence of the modest little town of Bethlehem where the Son of God was born. More importantly, he shares the wonder of that incredible infant born there - who was the Lord, who always has been the Lord, who is the Lord now, who is the Lord coming again, and will reign as Lord eternally!

No servant of the Lord is going to complete his or her duties without feeling betrayed and hurt by fellow Christians. Is there any purpose in such events? Can the pain of betrayal produce any positive results? Alan Stewart shares an interesting message on Friendly Fire — the pain caused by those close to us. McCullen shares prompters to praise and reasons to rejoice in a sermon taken from Micah 7: The most amazing thing about God is how He, being so holy, could love and forgive sinners like us.

This sermon addresses the fabulous forgiveness which our Lord makes available to all who turn to Him in faith and repentance. NETBible notes are in the right panel. You can also select the tab for " Constable's Notes. Mouse over shows corresponding English word and has short definition at bottom of right panel.

Be A Berean Acts Does not always interpret the text literally.

Does not always interpret the text literally, in his own words at times looks for a "deeper inner meaning," and finally is amillennial Comments on Rev Does not always interpret the text literally, often replaces promises to Israel as now given to the church and is amillennial Comments on Rev James Rosscup writes "This work originally appeared in The present publication is set up in two columns to the page with the text of the Authorized Version reproduced at the top. Scripture references, Hebrew words, and other citations are relegated to the bottom of the page.

The work is detailed and analytical in nature. Introduction, background and explanation of the Hebrew are quite helpful. Pusey holds to the grammatical-historical type of interpretation until he gets into sections dealing with the future of Israel, and here Israel becomes the church in the amillennial vein. He was a prophet in Judah Jeremiah Micah falls into three prophetic strains, each beginning, " Hear ": From His holy temple - His throne room in heaven not earth as determined from the context [always "king" in interpretation! For Behold - " Behold " hinneh occurs some times in the OT and serves to call the reader's attention to the subsequent text, implying that the following words are deserving of special attention.

It's as if the Spirit is saying "Don't speed read this next section so to speak "! The specific phrase " for behold " seems to call special attention to understanding the explanation and is used frequently by the major and minor prophets - Isa 3: High places - God comes down from "His place," the true "High Place" His majestic, exalted throne in heaven to judge the idolatrous high places on earth! God immutably hates idols - Is there any "idol" that I have placed on the throne of my heart?

Idols were set up in groves upon the hills and mountains. Also in that day the cities were situated on elevated places. Both Samaria and Jerusalem were built on mountains. The Lord Jesus mentioned that a city that is set upon a hill cannot be hid, and the city has a tremendous influence upon the area around it see Mt 5: When the city is the seat of government, it has a tremendous influence not only upon the immediate area but often upon the entire world. That is the case of many great cities in the past and present. Also cities are centers of great sin. These words predict Shalmaneser's destruction of the northern kingdom, Sennacherib's invasion, and - Nebuchadnezzar's invasion.

Holman Christian Study Bible - Online. Guzik - The principle stands: For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God 1Peter 4: However, we also do well to remember the second part of that verse: And if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Is it not Samaria? Is it not Jerusalem?

Do I have any "high places" I have refused to tear down? For - Always pause and ponder this term of explanation. This is the local circumstance which gives rise to the prophecy of the greater invasion in the last days. Make Samaria a heap of ruins - Fulfilled when the Assyrians besieged Samaria for three years, finally defeating King Hoshea and his forces, and carrying them away to Assyria 2Ki Since this event took place during the reign of Ahaz in Judah, the prophecy itself was evidently made during the previous reign of Jotham.

Samaria , built to a state of opulence by Omri and Ahab , as the capital of Israel, was completely demolished by the Assyrian armies of Sargon. It stood on a hill, but its building stones were thrown down into the valley, just as Micah had prophesied, and its entire area eventually cultivated with vineyards, olive trees and fig trees.

God's Word never fails! Pour her stones - This refers to the fact that the walls of ancient cities were made of stones. God says they will come "tumbling down! NLT - All her carved images will be smashed to pieces. All her sacred treasures will be burned up. These things were bought with the money earned by her prostitution cf Ge Jesus exhorts us to "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

See related discussion on true contentment. The conquerors will break them up and use the money to repeat the same cycle. Only the heart of depraved man could worship gods like that! The Northern 10 tribes Israel had become so apostate cf God's clear warning - Dt This axiomatic truth begs the question Am I "toying" with sin, thinking it's only a "baby boa constrictor" and it would never harm me?

See Illustration Read Solomon's advice Pr 5: See also Deceitfulness of sin. Sin will take you further than you ever wanted to stray! Cost you more than you ever dreamed you would pay! Keep you longer than you ever thought you would stay! These "temple gifts" probably were costly vessels that had been given to heathen temples.

The irony of this passage is that the gold and silver taken from Israel's places of idol worship were used by the Assyrians to make their own idols for worship! Because of this I must lament and wail - It is easy to read this description and not ponder the very real pain Micah felt at the coming destruction which he was called to prophesy. I must make a lament like the Jackals and a mourning like the Ostriches. The birds were brought into many pictures of desolation, because people dreaded their fearful voices. Reached the gate of my people - "Micah could also foresee the future time when the same Assyrian invaders Sennacherib in BC would come to the very "gate of my people, even to Jerusalem" during the later reign of Hezekiah 2Ki Click here for Bible Map - Mareshah, Lachish, Adullam, etc - All of the cities mentioned are generally south and west toward the Mediterranean Sea side of Jerusalem and "lay along the route normally traveled by invading forces from the north, who typically followed the Great Trunk Road south until they reached Gath.

Roll yourself in the dust "wallow about in mourning in the dust" - Speaks of sitting on the dust which was an outward sign of mourning in the ancient world. The inhabitants of this town would "roll Micah's exhortation reminds me of the psalmist's words regarding the positive aspect of affliction See Ps Ryrie - "Micah uses puns in denouncing these cities: Thus a "bitter" town longs for good. Maroth would desire "sweet" but would experience "bitter" from the hand of Jehovah in the day of her calamity. They may have been His chosen people, but when chosen people and this applies to believers today choose sin, they are choosing to begin to walk on the path of destruction!

Yes, we can always confess our sins 1Jn 1: Sow evil, reap calamity! Why do we so often discount failing to believe this truth? Harness the chariot to the team of horses, O inhabitant of Lachish — "Team of horses" is the Hebrew phrase larekesh "team of horses". Lachish would need riding steeds for a fast getaway. She was the beginning of sin - MacArthur writes that "Lachish was a key military fortress 2Chr They would not be able to escape, however, because Lachish had led Jerusalem, as horses lead a chariot, into the sin of idolatry.

To the daughter of Zion— Pictures Jerusalem as a young lady, at her beginnings see comment on Mic 4: Moresheth Gath - Even Micah's hometown would be destroyed! Have you ever preached a word that you did not want to preach because it was "too close to home? Achzib - "Though it promised help, Achzib lit "deception" would not come through. Mareshah sounds like Hebrew hayyoresh; meaning "the conqueror" would be conquered. Glory of Israel - Glory refers to the people of Israel see Hos 9: Like David centuries before, they would flee for refuge to the caves of Adullam 1Sa Mareshah "possession" - This name sounds like the Hebrew word yoresh meaning "conqueror" or possessor.

Jehovah would bring on Mareshah the Assyrian conquerors who would take possession of the city. Ironically the Hebrew word yoresh had been used to describe Israel's dispossession of Canaan. The dispossessors would now themselves be dispossessed! Make yourself bald and cut off your hair - Although forbidden in Lev Woe to those who scheme iniquity - A timeless warning!

It is fitting that " Woe " was a cry used in at funerals in mourning for the dead 1Ki Puritan John Owen warned "Be killing sin, lest it be killing you! See Homily - Deliberate Sins Bringing Predestined Punishments - scroll down for more homilies Barnes on " Woe " - "the woe of temporal captivity; and, unless ye repent, the woe of eternal damnation, hangs over you. Have you fallen into this sticky wicket? Are you coveting something, someone?

Remember it is equivalent to idolatry Col 3: Who work out evil on their beds! Have you ever been this determined to carry out some evil plan? Their sin was not some sudden temptation to which they inadvertently succumbed. This was sin that was pre-meditated! Indeed, sin not does just happen by accident. Many of our sins are carefully planned out. Our deceitful heart makes subtle provision for carrying out sin! This reminds me of Paul's exhortation to believers in Romans Peter exhorts us "Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain apechomai - to continually hold oneself away from fleshly lusts Only possible as we depend on the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit - cf Gal 5: The Lxx uses the verb logizomai , in the present tense, depicting these evil doers as continually "calculating" how to attain their nefarious ends.

The Lxx also adds the word kopos , which depicts exhausting physical or mental exertion! What a picture of the effort these men went to, to commit sins! For it is in the power of their hands cp Ge Men commonly say "Might makes right" but God says such "might that makes right" is wrong! Note also that while Micah 1 dealt primarily with sin against God, Micah 2: One suspects a connection. The heart of their sin was the coveting in their heart!

Their outward actions sprang from their inward contempt of God's Law! Lest we miss the application of this verse, let every reader confess - we are too often guilty of this often subtle, albeit serious sin! When we covet we desire to possess something belonging to another which indicates we are not satisfied with what God has already given us James 1: Walter Kaiser points out that "Dt If anyone lost their land in the agricultural society of biblical times, they would have suffered enormous economic grief.

Accordingly, a parcel of land could never be out of the hands of a family for a period longer than seven years; it reverted back to its original owners every seven years Ed: Seize land - This is the Hebrew verb gazal which means to take by force first use is in context of land seizure! These wealthy robber barons were going against God's wisdom which said "Do not rob the poor because he is poor. The Mosaic Law required that the land remain within the families and the tribes, but in a sense they were only "leasing" the land from God.

The prideful, powerful profiteers forgot that ultimately the land belonged to God Lev These prideful power brokers forgot that God says He "delivers the afflicted from him who is to strong for him, and the afflicted and the needy from him who robs him. It was a sacred trust, not just another piece of real estate.

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If a person lost his fields, at best he might become a day labourer; at worst, he might become a slave. In either case he lost his independence, his freedom before God, and became a dependent of the land barons. Behold, I am planning against this family a calamity - God's "poetic justice! God is saying "You devised evil toward others, so I am planning evil against you. The certainty of Divine payback is an encouraging truth for all who have been wronged and thought the perpetrator would go unpunished.

From which you cannot remove your necks - NLT "you won't be able to escape. No matter how a yoked animal twisted and turned, it could not remove the yoke from its neck! So too with these evil doers! And you will not walk haughtily - Walk speaks of their former conduct and describes the totality of their lifestyle, which had been one dominated and driven by their hearts filled with arrogance and pride and greed.

God anvil falls on their pride cf Isa 2: NIV - In that day men will ridicule you; they will taunt you with this mournful song: He takes it from me! He assigns our fields to traitors. NET - In that day people will sing this taunt song to you— they will mock you with this lament: How they remove it from me! They assign our fields to the conqueror. In that day - Always be alert to expressions of time and ask questions like to what time does this refer, what transpires, etc? This time phrase clearly refers to the day when the LORD brings the calamity to pass. Taunt - basically means a pithy maxim also suggesting special insight and authority, that can mean something as harmless as a proverb Pr 1: The punished profiteers are made to serve as an example to be shunned, a lesson to others not to travel the broad road that leads to destruction.

It is so unfortunate, what these rich people had to go through. What they coveted and stole is now being coveted and taken from them. He exchanges the portion of my people; How He removes it from me! NLT - Others will set your boundaries then, and the Lord's people will have no say in how the land is divided.

The punishment of these men would include even the retraction of the right of drawing lots for the land! Criswell adds "The people's especially those who seize land by exerting power portion of land was to be removed from them and would not be reallocated to them by lot in the Year of Jubilee cf. No say - Micah is referring to the rich profiteers. MacKay explains the seriousness of God's judgment: Because of their sin the LORD will no longer recognize them as his, and they will have no portion in the restored land.

In the restoration of righteousness in the Righteous One's Millennial Reign! NLT - "Don't say such things," the people say. Such disasters will never come our way! The following is my best attempt but caveat emptor! Do not speak out - Most commentators see Mic 2: Scofield writes "The chief reason for the rise of the false prophets was the unpopular character of the message of the true prophets, who called the nation back to God. Gaebelein says more literally it reads "Do not sputter, thus they sputter!

However they neglected the truth that obedience brings blessing, disobedience brings cursing. The Abrahamic Covenant would not be made void by their disobedience! Their disobedience would however keep them for enjoying those blessings, but would not void the covenant for future obedient generations. False prophets by their very nature always seek to prevent true prophets from announcing God's truth, especially regarding His judgment. Any cheery bromide will do, such as: Saying it does not make it so. Are these calamities described Mic 2: Then why the calamity?

He is trying to prick the conscience of the covenant people. Do not My words do good to the one walking uprightly? God is upright and desires His children to walk the same way Ps Indeed, obedience is God's desire and it brings blessing 1Sa Isn't that what we do every time we sin deceptively thinking " Well I can just one John one nine it " [which we can, but not independent of a heart of repentance - see discussion of 1Jn 1: You strip the robe off the garment from unsuspecting passers-by - This violates God's law in Ex The women of My people you evict - These were presumably widows.

Evict garash describes forcible expulsion. This accusation returns to the land seizures in Mic 2: This was in violation of Ex Each one from her pleasant house. This is no longer your land and home, for you have filled it with sin and ruined it completely. Arise and go - The evictors are divinely evicted from the land which should have been a land of rest.

When they turned to idols, their rest became over years of repeated cycles of "unrest" as described in the Book of Judges See Judges. It is an ironic twist that just as God had used Israel to dispossess the pagan Canaanites because their abominable iniquities which had become "full" Ge Israel had forgotten aged Joshua's parting words - "And it shall come about that just as all the good words which the LORD your God spoke to you have come upon you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the threats, until He has destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you.

When you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land which He has given you. Because of the uncleanness Lxx translates with akatharsia that brings on destruction Lxx translates with diaphtheiro - The Northern 10 tribes had defiled the land and the worship of Jehovah with their impure, idolatrous syncretistic practices, A painful destruction.

If a man walking after wind and falsehood had told lies and said,' I will speak out to you concerning wine and liquor,' He would be spokesman to this people. Note that the Hebrew words for falsehood sheqer, and told lies kazab, are consistently associated with false prophets in the OT Isa 9: Imagine a preacher speaking of wine and liquor, but that is what these apostates wanted - ear tickling messages cf 2Ti 4: Jeremiah aptly summed up the effects of the false prophets writing "they heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially.

It was all so much drivel! This extreme example of antinomianism was tolerated—and indeed encouraged—by the rich and powerful because it did not challenge their lifestyles. I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel - In the midst of His wrath, Jehovah remembers mercy and in Micah 2: Walter Kaiser explains that "There is some debate among theologians as to when this oracle of salvation would become effective: I will surely gather - Patterson explains "The gathering qabats of the Hebrews scattered in exile due to covenant disobedience is an eschatological motif in the OT prophetic books e.

Remnant - Jeremiah Even in the midst of great judgments on His people, God always preserves a small remnant of faithful Jews. Remnant, Summary see another discussion , In the history of Israel, a "remnant" may be discerned, a spiritual Israel within the national Israel. In Elijah's time 7, had not bowed the knee to Baal 1 Kings In Isaiah's time it was the "very small remnant" for whose sake God still forbore to destroy the nation Isaiah 1: At the end of the 70 years of Babylonian captivity it was the remnant which returned under Ezra and Nehemiah.

During the church-age the remnant is composed of believing Jews Romans But the chief interest in the remnant is prophetic. During the great tribulation a remnant out of all Israel will turn to Jesus as Messiah, and will become His witnesses after the removal of the church Revelation 7: Some of these will undergo martyrdom Revelation 6: Many of the Psalms express, prophetically, the joys and sorrows of the tribulation remnant.

Patterson commenting on Micah 2: The remnant motif implies both judgment and deliverance. The very existence of a remnant of Hebrews is based on the mercy of God. The OT prophets apply the remnant motif to three types of groups:. The remnant purified, who go out strong as a lion Mic 5: The remaining four references to the Hebrew remnant appear to combine type one a historical remnant of those who survive the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles and type three an eschatological remnant who will be purified and experience the restoration of the Davidic kingdom.

Such telescoping of near historical fulfillment and distant eschatological fulfillment is not uncommon in biblical prophecy. Gaebelein adds " It is a great prophecy of the ultimate restoration of Israel. NET Note says that "The verb form of "breaks" is understood as a perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of this coming event. When God is subject it often describes His punitive activity upon individuals 2Sa 6: In the present context the '' Breaker '', the ''One Who breaks through'', is none other than the King of the Jews, their long awaited Messiah, Who leads the remnant out of its captivity.

Walter Kaiser explains "If the remnant of the flock are to be gathered and brought back to their land, they will need a leader. This Breaker can be none other than the Messiah Himself. The passage may anticipate the Messianic Shepherd introduced in Micah 5: He repeats this summons in Mic 3: This recalls Judaism's basic confession of faith, the "Shema" in Dt 6: It is a call to listen, to heed and respond by putting into practice what is heard.

Shama Introduces the three main sections - Mic 1: They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. This passage is duplicated in Micah 4: It is a remarkable prophecy from several points of view. It speaks of a time to come when a great spiritual revival will sweep the earth. We'll be looking deeply at similar prophecies in later chapters, but observe what this prophecy predicts:. About God's plan for the Jews? In the future, Yahweh will be seen as the true God, superior to any other.

In light of this, God's people are called to "walk in the light of the Lord" 2: Israel's present state, however, is far away from following him. Instead, they are attracted by pagan religions and values. As a result God's people -- as well as the pagan nations -- will be subject to Yahweh's awesome judgment on the Day of the Lord. The utter terror of the judged is expressed by the exhortation:. Later these words are echoed in the judgments of the last days in the New Testament Luke The supposed glory of man is suddenly eclipsed by the splendor of Yahweh when he comes.

Judah and Jerusalem will find themselves without food and water 3: Proud leaders -- great military heroes and kings -- will be replaced by children, for the leaders will be gone 3: It will be a day of ruin and chaos 3: Towards the end of this passage is an indictment against those who become rich by oppressing the poor -- both the leaders and their rich, haughty wives 3: Leaders -- both in Isaiah's day and ours -- have special responsibility to God for the people God has entrusted to them. These are my people, God is saying, my vineyard that you are exploiting!

The leaders and elders are acting just the opposite to God's core character. Throughout the Bible, God is seen as the champion of the poor, [19] with laws to protect the alien, the widows, and orphans. One of the chief sins of Israel was to exploit the poor and powerless. It is one of the chief sins in our day, as well. But judgment is not the last word. The final word is reconciliation, forgiveness, and restoration. Isaiah points to the future glory of the survivors. Notice the new title, "the Branch [20] of the Lord. Though Jerusalem will be judged, yet in the future there will be forgiveness and cleansing.

Isaiah speaks of the remnant. During the Exodus, the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night was the outward sign of God's presence with his people, to protect and guide them Exodus Now this visible protection returns to restored Jerusalem. Isaiah recalls the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire over the Tabernacle during Israel's wilderness journey Exodus The fulfillment of this prophecy is probably to be seen in the last days when Christ the Messiah returns. Isaiah swings from the future glory of Jerusalem to its present sinful condition.

He uses a common metaphor of the careful preparation for planting a vineyard.

Land is cleared, the vineyard is surrounded by a thick hedge to keep out animals, and the soil is made ready. My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile [25] hillside. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? I will take away its hedge, [29] and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, [30] and it will be trampled.

I will command the clouds not to rain on it. God's vineyard, of course is Israel. This parable and 3: He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. What more could I have done? I have given the grapes every opportunity to grow fruitfully and well, but all that comes of it is, literally, "stink-fruit" -- foul-smelling fruit.

The bad fruit represents the gross injustice and unrighteousness that abound in the land. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress. As a result of bad fruit where there should have been good fruit, the Lord declares a judgment of exposure to destructive forces. The thorn-hedge will be removed, any stone wall will be broken down, and nothing will grow there except briars and weeds.

This prophecy was fulfilled in the increasing destruction wrought in Judah by the Assyrians, culminating with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army in BC. What did he do to accomplish his vision? What happened when the crop came in? What did the vintner say he would do with the vineyard? What does this parable mean?

Part 1A (Isaiah 1-5)

The Lord pronounces a series of "woes" [32] upon Judah. In a similar way as in Revelation Revelation 8: Each of these flagrant sins comes with its own recompense, the final of which is war's destruction 5: The final portion of this prophecy is a description that a powerful army from a distant nation will plunder the land, bringing destruction and death. God summons distant nations by signaling with a banner and a whistle. A banner is a visible rallying point used to direct troops in battle. Now Isaiah describes the discipline of this army with terror-inspiring verse [34] 5: God has great plans for Israel.

Indeed, the future Jerusalem will be glorious. But since they seem determined to continue in their rebellion and sin, terrible judgment is to come. Israel is a mess, but God has a plan. In this passage, Isaiah shares with us a vision that he saw in BC following the death of one of Judah's longest-reigning kings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.

In Isaiah's vision he is in the huge palace or temple [36] of King Yahweh. In the temple is an elevated [37] throne [38] , and on it is the Lord, seated in grandeur, high above all others. The King is so massive in relation to the room size that the edge or train of his royal robe [39] fills the entire throne room. Isaiah doesn't detail God's appearance, but describes the awesome setting of this King. The King is flanked by seraphs [40] , winged creatures -- apparently the same as the cherubim that were common guardians of throne rooms in the ancient Near East.

Cherubim flanked the ark Exodus You can get an idea of what these winged guardians looked like in museums such as the Oriental Museum in Chicago and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York that contain huge stone winged beasts that once stood in Assyrian throne rooms. You find other descriptions of these in Ezekiel 1: The seraphim are calling [41] out to each other, reciting again and again qualities of the King whom they serve.

Their voices were so deep and powerful that the vibrations shook the very doors of the temple. You may have been in a motion picture theater with "surround sound" that simulates deep sounds that you can almost feel. The temple was filled with smoke -- either smoke from incense Exodus The scene was overpowering. The message the seraphim chanted was powerful in its own right. It has three elements that tell us about God.

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