WHO IS LIKE OUR GOD!
Micah's name, “Who Is Like Yahweh” is found at the beginning of this prophetic book. It is speculated by some scholars that this theme was his messages to both houses of Israel. He made this positive statement about God so much that it became his name in the two nations. Micah asked at the end of his poetic book, “Who is Like You” ?
Micah 7:18-19 NKJV 18 Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the prophetic transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. 19 He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
The prophet proclaims that God is so forgiving and full of compassion that he will pass over the nations' sins and renew their vitality. Micah says that our God, is slow to anger and delights in mercy ; therefore Israel will prosper again. True believers have a very compassionate God and regardless of our faults, in the end, we will be blessed. In the end we, the true worshipers of the God will win! This is the overall message for all of us to ponder. The God of the Bible is incomparable in His holiness, power and love.
Micah 4:12 NKJV 12 But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, Nor do they understand His counsel; For He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
Both Israelite nations were surrounded by vicious enemies, but God would save them and make them leaders of the world to come. Will God save America and Israel in today's age and again bless them?
THE INHERENT DANGERS OF DISOBEDIENCE AND PAGANISM
Micah oscillates from warning of judgment for abandoning God to the future paradise blessings of God. However Jehovah's warnings are not to be taken lightly. God warns and punishes nations to help turn them away from evil activities that are harming the people.
Micah 1:2-5 NKJV 2 Hear, all you peoples! Listen, O earth, and all that is in it! Let the Lord GOD be a witness against you, The Lord from His holy temple... 5 All this is for the transgression of Jacob, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Are they not in Jerusalem?
The northern ten tribes of Israel split off into a separate nation called Samaria or Israel. Their new rebel king decided to alter the religion of God. He led them into a partial apostasy.
1 Kings 12:26-27 NKJV 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: 27 "If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah."
Jeroboam, king of the northern ten tribes, known as Israel or Samaria led his nation away from following the God of Israel.
1 Kings 12:28-31 KJV 28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt... 30 And this thing became a sin: ... 31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
The king replaced the priests of God, educated in the Bible principles, with men of low integrity. These new priests did not know the Bible. Written Bible scrolls were rare and expensive; by using men not trained in the Bible, he was removing and erasing the Bible from the lives of his people. The king is now free to teach any beliefs he wants. This was a great sin mentioned many times in the Bible. It was the sin of the house of Israel and was never corrected. Later, even the kingdom of Judah succumbed to putting pagan symbols in high places. They also worshiped idols instead of God. Do we have modern day idolatry? Micah warned of disaster and deportation from their homeland if they did not repent. He also complained of political corruption as well as moral decline.
Micah 2:1 NKJV 1 Woe to those who devise iniquity, And work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it, Because it is in the power of their hand.
DO ANY OF THESE WARNINGS APPLY TO AMERICA AND MODERN ISRAEL (JUDAH)
Is our nation becoming too secular? The education establishments have made the presence of a Bible on school property nearly a crime. Teachings of the Bible are nearly verboten in the public square. Many of these attitudes are even invading churches. A major church denomination had a big battle over using Bible moral standards instead of what is currently popular standard.
Micah 2:6-7 KJV 6 Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame. ...: or, Prophesy not as they prophesy:
The false prophets or teachers told the true prophet Micah, to stop preaching. Your message is wrong they told him because shame and disaster will not come because of the behavior of the people. The false clerics said shut up, all is well with way we live.
Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV 21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord! shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven' ”. 22 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you! Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
Jesus also condemned false clerics who acted as if they really spoke for the true God as well.
Micah 2:11 NKJV 11 If a man should walk in a false spirit And speak a lie, saying, 'I will prophesy to you of wine and drink,' Even he would be the prattler of this people.
Sarcastically God said they were so corrupt that even a prophet coming along teaching of doctrine drunkenness would be totally acceptable. God does say in this section of the poetic book that God will come and bring goodness and peace.
Micah 3:1-2 NKJV 1 And I said: "Hear now, O heads of Jacob, And you rulers of the house of Israel: Is it not for you to know justice? 2 You who hate good and love evil; Who strip the skin from My people, And the flesh from their bones;
Your policies are upside down and are harming the people Micah told them. God requires Bible standards.
Micah 6:8 NKJV 8 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.
THE RETURNING MESSIAH'S RULERSHIP WILL BRING FORGIVENESS AND PARADISE
In the 4th chapter of Micah, he tells us that God will establish His government to all the world and people will come from around the globe and say come let us go to the God of Jacob, and He will teach us His ways. The government of the world will be headquartered at Jerusalem (Zion).
Micah 4:3-4 NKJV 3 He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war any more. 4 But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, And no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.
These words of Micah the prophet of God are on the U.N. entrance courtyard. America was very Biblical in the 1940's when the U.N. Building was commissioned. Can you imagine their using a Biblical quote today on such a public place! Progressives would have a cow!
Micah 5:2 NKJV 2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting."
Jesus born in Bethlehem will soon return and bring this paradise to all mankind. He will replace corrupt governments with a wonderful administration of justice and grace. Micah prays for the nation. God answers and says He will perform a miracle rescue of Israel.
Micah 7:15-18 NKJV 15 "As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them wonders." 16 The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; ... 17 They shall lick the dust like a serpent; They shall crawl from their holes like snakes of the earth. They shall be afraid of the LORD our God, And shall fear because of You. 18 Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity …
No matter what happens, God is sending Jesus Christ back to this world to bring paradise. However, blessings or curses await in the short term based on whether this nation becomes biblical or secular nature worshipers. People should not worship things or any aspects of the creation but worship the Creator. God is faithful to all His promises to Abraham in whom all nations will be blessed. He will save us from the bad effects of sin. America can avoid short term pains and have less problems if we can resist the progressive pressure to reject the Bible. The core of Jehovah's testimony in the Bible is the Ten Commandments.
Mark 12:28-31 NKJV 28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?" 29 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 31 "And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
This is the summation of the Ten Commandments. The first four tell us how to love God and the last six, how to love our fellowman. America please turn back to the Bible!
