Read Micah 3:5–8
Questions from the Scripture text: Who speaks in v5a? Concerning whom? What are these prophets doing to the people (v5b)? By chanting what (v5c)? As long as they are sponsored to do what (v5d)? But what do they do (v5e) to whom (v5f)? What will God give to those prophets in response (v6a–b)? With what result for them (v6c–d)? And what result before others (v7a–b)? What will these prophets ultimately have to do (v7c)? Why (v7d)? By what three characteristics will Micah’s ministry contrast to this (v8a–b)? Of what will this ministry consist (v8c–d)?
How does God judge unfaithful preaching? Micah 3:5–8 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God judged unfaithful preaching by removing His Word.
In the first section of the chapter (v1–4), Micah dealt with the rulers of his day, leaving us hungry for the righteous and compassionate reign of King Jesus, Whose cries on our behalf God would hear (cf. Ps 72:12; Heb 5:7, 7:24). Now, in this passage, he denounces the other prophets of his day, leaving us grateful not only for Micah’s own ministry, but especially for the ministry of Jesus Christ, our Great Prophet.
The problem with these prophets wasn’t just that they proclaimed peace (v5c) even to those who were being hardened by this preaching in their backsliding (v5b). Such ear-tickling ministry is a perennial problem among the people of God (cf. Jer 6:14; 2im 4:3). To this wickedness, these prophets added another. If the hearer wasn’t putting meat between their teeth (v5d, f), these prophets would really let them have it (v5e)!
So, the Lord would take from them all ability to prophesy (v6). He would literally shut them up and humiliate them (v7). Apparently, these were not what we would ordinarily call false prophets. They were not faking words from God. They were just selective, in their ministry, according to their own desires and fleshly purposes. Now, God is going to take away not only His true word (v6a) but all avenues of false prophecy as well (v6b).
Our Prophet, Jesus, is always perfectly faithful to God’s Word, preaching what’s right. He has God’s revelation for His people (cf. Rev 1:1). The Lord puts His Word into Jesus’s mouth, so that it can be in the mouths of us and our children (cf. Isa 59:21).
And in Micah’s day, Micah was a foreshadowing of Christ—what we call a “type,” in theological terms. Someone in whom God worked beforehand in a way that displayed Christ, ahead of His coming. v8 recalls for us the prophecy of Isa 11:2, and its glorious fulfillment in Jesus’s earthly ministry, even displayed visibly at His baptism.
Here, the power, justice, and might of Micah’s preaching are especially for telling God’s people about their sins. Did you realize, dear reader, that we need almighty Holy Spirit power just to have proper preaching against sin, and almighty Holy Spirit power just to have proper hearing of that preaching? Our situation demands it, because our hearts are both deceitful and wicked (cf. Jer 17:9)!
But this is mercy to us. It was dreadful judgment when God darkened the other prophets of Micah’s day so that they could not prophesy against the sin. And it is mercy when He sends preachers from Jesus to preach against sin in the power of the Spirit!
Why is it dangerous for you to decide for yourself what you want to hear from God’s Word? What kind of preaching do we need instead? When the earthly pastor is faithful, in the administration under Jesus, Who is ultimately our Preacher?
Sample prayer: Lord, forgive us for wanting our ears tickled, like the people also did in Micah’s day. And forgive us for treating others according to different standards, based upon what we think we can get out of them. This makes us like those unfaithful prophets that You judged in Micah’s day. But, You have given Jesus to be our righteousness, so please treat us in accord with His faithfulness. And You have put our sin upon Him, so take from us the guilt of our unfaithfulness. And, grant that He would continually send His perfect Word by using faithful preachers in the power of His Holy Spirit, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested Songs: ARP29 “You Sons of the Gods” or TPH400 “Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me”
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