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Dec 30, 2018

Micah the Champion

Passage: Micah 1:1-7:20

Preacher: Bob Putnam

Series: Mining the Prophets

Keywords: prophet micah, court, grace, judgment, salvation

Summary:

The prophet Micah speaks to a culture under the judgment of God. How timely his words for us.

Detail:

frMicah the Champion of the Oppressed

Mosaic Fellowship--December 30, 2018

Good morning and Welcome

God’s Justice, Advent, and Gabby

As reading and studied and writing my thoughts of Micah on paper. Lots of times I have related old testament writings to the condition of our world today still Never had I seen a book of the old testament, mirror my own life and just how separated I was personally from God.

Before we open the Book of Micah, let’s first pray for our hearts to be open to what God requires: to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God

We have been spending many weeks exploring the Minor prophets, and while on this journey it is my hope; as we’ve read and studied this pages of the old testament, we have learned that the old testament is not just filled with doom and gloom, but of in judgment God is just and righteous. He is a loving God, forgiving and merciful, maintaining and fulfilling His promise to Abraham and Jacob. 7:19-20.

This book was written by the Prophet Micah, whose name means “Who is like God??” Micah a native born in the village of Moresheth in southern Judah near the Philistine city of Gath. Likely since Micah championed the rights of the poor he was likely a humble farmer or herdsman. Still he shows remarkable knowledge of Jerusalem and Samaria the capital cities of Judah and Israel. Which were the focus of his divine revelation of Judgment and promise of Blessings from God. His book is a brief book 7 chapters known for its condemnation of the rich because of their exploitation of the poor. The book of Micah also contains a very clear prediction of the MESSIAHS birth in Bethlehem, centuries, 700 years before Jesus was actually born. Micah also tells us he prophesied during the regain of 3 different Judaizing   kings. Jotham 752-736 B.C. Ahaz 736-720 B.C. and Hezekiah 729-699 B.C. of these kings Ahaz was the worst and Hezekiah being the best.

The Book of Micah came during one of the most horrific and turbulent old testament times which the Assyrians launched their drive for supremacy throughout the ancient world. Micah probly witnessed his prophecy of judgment against Israel be fulfilled since the Assyrians took captive Israel in 722 B.C. and laid siege on Jerusalem in 701B.C. The fall of Israel must have brought shock and awe the people of Judah, wondering are we next. And as we’ll see in Chapter 3 how the religious leaders were blinded with false confidence feeling no evil would come to them because the Temple was in their capital city of Jerusalem.

The Book of Micah shows the characteristics of the Old Testament Prophets. These passages give amazing insight into the character of God. In His wrath He remembers Mercy, He cannot maintain His anger forever. Judgment with love is ironic, but essential work of the Lord. And God was/is determined to maintain His holiness, and so He acted in judgment on those who had broken His covenant. Still He was just as determined to fulfill the promises He had made to Abraham many centuries before, and compelled Him to point to the fulfillment of the covenant of the Kingdom to come the prediction of the birth of our Messiah Jesus the Christ. There is a valuable lesson to learn here on the Providence of God, a couple of weeks ago Audrey came with the comment of the thorn in Paul’s side. I gave some off the cuff remake and went on my way, she returned a week or so later and said noooooo Bob; God left the thorn there to show He could use something evil or bad for good. In that we can learn here in Micah how God always manages to work His Will through a unique combination of forces and events.

Let’s now turn if you have your Bibles to Micah Chapter 1 verse 1 the coming Judgment: Read 1:1-2

AS we see Micah begins with words of judgment, as though God through Micah was calling His people to court. Where God an only God can be the prosecuting attorney, the witness for the prosecution, and the sentencing judge. Then in verse 3 read. The Lord is coming out of His place, He is coming down and tread on the high places. Micah is prophesying people “GOD IS COMING TO THE EARTH” and guess where He’s going High Places……… Samaria and Jerusalem “Explain”

Have any us of here ever in a sense had God take us to court?????????? Well I have some 11.5 years ago I was driving back form a drug run to Hauser lake where I lived and…………………..

And in a way experienced God coming to earth in my life…………….

In His wrath His judgment………….read on in chapter 1:4-7 now in verse 8, 9, read.  Micah is immediately responding to Gods message with overwhelming dread and despair. Micah is beside himself now….

Chapter 2, condensing, Things are not getting better “Woe to the evildoers”

 Chapter 2 ver. 1, 2 the sins with which the people of Israel are charged: covetousness and oppression, fraudulent and violent practices

Verses 8, 9, dealing barbarously, with people, even women and children, opposition to Gods prophets’ ver 6, 7 and delighting in false prophet ver11,

Verse 12, 13 Gods gracious promise of comfort, reserved for the good people among them, in the Messiah.

Chapter 3. Wicked rulers and Prophets; the implication is clear. God has the right to hold all His people accountable, still the religious leaders are in false confidence that no evil will come to them because the temple is located in their capital city of Jerusalem. Micah warns them there is no magic in their temple on in their rituals. That they need to turn back to God as their source of strength and power. Even these great men who were the ring leaders in sin are accountable. They had taken the Magistracy and ministry and made these corrupted and perverted and abused their place. Micah’s prophecy was very severe and just in a sense a lesson jointly in conjunction for the ruin of the kingdom.

What are we trusting today???? This building, Mosaic, yes it’s a safe and healthy place to come to be, but as Micah was share with the priests and prophets there’s no magic in the building its self, this building won’t save you; simply coming to church on Sunday morning won’t bring wholeness to our lives………..

For me Micah is crying out what breaks Gods heart should be breaking our hearts, blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners. Nor sit in the seat of the scornful. But he delights is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season. Whose leaf shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalm 1:1-6

Micah is standing firm on the truth of God’s Word, denouncing oppression, exploitation, poverty, idolatry, evil plans covetousness, deceit, unfaithfulness, and hating good, and loving evil.

Read 2; 1-3…3:1-4

But still God through Micah speaks of Hope read 2:12-13

Micah 4. The Lords reign to return

Micah 5 He prophesy’s the coming of the Messiah,

Micah 6. God pleads with His people read verse 8 then back to 7

Micah 7.  In short Gods Salvation read verses 18-19

Micah as a picture of the Gospel

God’s Standard

Micah 6:8----Matt 5:48

The peoples Sin throughout Micah: Idolatry evil plans ,coveting, violence, oppression, hating good loving evil, greedy priest and prophets, deceit, unfaithfulness, family friction;  Romans 3:23

God’s Salvation Micah 7:18-19 Eph. 1:7

In closing how do I bring this home Mosaic?

By Recognizing Egocentricity and complacency. And the application of Micah 6:1-4, 6:7, 6:8.  Since coming to Mosaic, being involved in inner city Ministry for 4.5 years. I have seen the litter of injustice, heard stories of oppression, bondage, abuse, cruelty, terror, imprisonment, violence, deceit, malice and rage.  I see these stories on terrified faces, trembling bodies with dead eyes. So I come to you today not as a theologian or philologist. I come to you today as one who has borne witness, and from that place I would like to tell you some of what if found. And what I long to see for His name sake. Read Micah 6:3-4 {I have brought you out of from injustice} read Micah 6:8 in essence I am the Redeemer God who brought you out of the land of oppression, bondage, and injustice. If you worship me, then you must look like me. Do Justice……….share my heart.

Close with Gal. 5:16-25 or Micah 7:18-19

Let us go today with unconditional love and kindness for our fellow man.

Lets pray