1:4 - This verse and the ones that precede it give a powerful visual of God's presence. One of the commentaries I read about this passage said that Micah may have been taking the imagery from a popular hymn about God from that time period. The audience listening would have instantly engaged with what he was talking about...these type of descriptions were very popular with the Jewish people because they highlighted the power of the Israelite God. Unfortunately for them, Micah is trying to get their attention by talking about the power of God, because the Jews have allowed corruption and pagan idolatry to overrun their culture. Micah is telling them, that when God shows up, nothing can stand before Him. You cannot come in contact with God and remain unchanged...if the mountains melt like wax before Him, what am I going to do but be transformed?
1:7 - The Jewish people had taken idols of false gods from cultures around them and basically prostituted themselves out to these false deities. They gave their worship and sacrifices to statues instead of giving them to the one true God. So Micah prophecies that a conquering army will come in, destroy their golden statues, melt them down, divide the money amongst themselves and allow the foreign soldiers to use that money to buy prostitutes for themselves (A common activity for pagan military men). The religious prostitution of the Israelites will lead to their destruction...and giving our worship to things other than God does no better for us today.
2:1 - Micah speaks of especially vile men who devise schemes to rob their fellow countrymen at night and then carry them out brazenly in broad daylight. Typically thieves wait until the night to do their foul deeds, but these men know that the power they have in Israel will allow them to take whatever they want, whenever they want it. The greatest thieves of all are the corrupt leaders of Israel at this time, and this still rings true today. We arrest countless numbers of people every year for small-times thefts (which is absolutely what should happen), yet corruption at the highest levels of every country on earth allows politicians and corporations to steal billions of dollars with no repercussions.
2:7 - The words of God are seen as true and powerful by those who do everything they can to walk in righteousness. Yet these same words are offensive, ridiculous, impossible, and painful to the ears of those who live only to serve themselves. Allow the Word of God to transform your life...don't try to transform it into what you want to hear.
2:11 - Micah describes a preacher that the Jewish people would appreciate at this time in history. He says, "You want to hear teachers who lies to you and tell you what you want to hear...who tell you that life is all about seeking pleasure for yourself." They have become so corrupt that they only want their leaders to tell them what they want to hear. I want to challenge you to look around at our culture today...what kind of preachers do we want to listen to in the States? Look at what we buy...look at what commercials are trying to sell us...I think we are alot more similar to the idolatrous Israelites than we would like to imagine. What can you do to bring change?
3:2-3 - This is some very disturbing imagery that Micah uses here...and while the leaders in Israel are not literally consuming their people, they are devouring their resources. The leaders in Israel at this point in time care only about themselves and will destroy anyone who gets in their way. Fortunately, leaders don't act like this in the sophisticated current day world we live in, right?
3:11 - At every level of leadership in Israel there is corruption. These are the people that should be leading and creating accountability: judges, priests and prophets. Yet these men care only for their own personal gain. They use their positions to acquire as much money as they possibly can. They are destroying the worship of God in Israel, yet they have found some way to convince themselves that God is still with them. They are delusional. Ah, the power of self-deception.
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