Micah

Micah 3: Leaders who sell God's word

Begin in prayer

Before Micah speaks by the LORD’s Spirit against leaders who sell His word, please ask Him to give your family ears for the truth, even when it is hard to hear.

Guide me in your truth, and teach me, For you are the God of my salvation, I wait for you all day long.

Psalm 25:5

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that You judge those who sell Your word, and show us Jesus, who spoke Your truth by Your Spirit. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Micah speaks to the heads of Jacob and the rulers of Israel, the men whose work was to know and do justice. They hate good and love evil, and they treat the people with a cruelty that Micah compares to meat in a cooking pot. The prophets are no better, for they cry “Peace” to anyone who feeds them and prepare war against anyone who does not. God will take away their visions, and night will fall over them, because there is no answer from God. Micah then says that he is full of power by the LORD’s Spirit to declare Israel’s sin. Leaders judge for bribes, priests teach for a price and prophets tell fortunes for money, yet they say the LORD is with them. Because of them, Micah says, Zion will be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem will become heaps of rubble.

As you read Micah 3, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God judges leaders who sell His word, and He gives His true word by His Spirit.

Rulers, priests and prophets were meant to guard God’s people and teach them His word. Instead Micah says they hate good and love evil, and that they build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity (verses 2 and 10). Their prophets spoke peace to anyone who paid them and war against anyone who did not (verse 5). A word that is for sale is no longer God’s word, and God answers such prophets with silence and darkness (verses 6 and 7). Micah is different, because he is full of power by the LORD’s Spirit to tell Jacob his sin (verse 8). Even so, the leaders lean on the LORD and say no disaster can come, because He is among them (verse 11). Later, in Jeremiah’s day, the elders remembered Micah’s warning that Zion would be plowed like a field (Jeremiah 26 verse 18). They remembered that King Hezekiah feared the LORD and sought His favour, and the LORD held back the disaster (Jeremiah 26 verse 19).

How does Micah 3 show us that God judges leaders who sell His word, and gives His true word by His Spirit?

God judges leaders who hurt the people they should guard.

The heads of Israel were to know justice, but they hate good and love evil (verses 1 and 2). Micah uses the picture of meat in a pot to show their cruelty (verse 3). When they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, He will hide His face from them. He does this because they made their deeds evil (verse 4).

False prophets say whatever pays them.

These prophets cried “Peace” to anyone who fed them and prepared war against anyone who did not (verse 5). So the people heard only what they paid to hear. The LORD sends them night with no vision, and no answer comes from God (verses 6 and 7). A word that can be bought never comes from Him.

Micah speaks the truth by the Spirit of the LORD.

Micah says he is full of power by the LORD’s Spirit, to tell Jacob his sin (verse 8). Because of the leaders’ sins, Zion would be plowed like a field (verses 10 to 12). The Spirit was given to Jesus without measure, so every word He spoke was the word of God (John 3 verse 34). Jesus never sold His word, and He told the truth even when it cost Him His life.

Memorise

But as for me, I am full of power by Yahweh’s Spirit, and of judgment, and of might, to declare to Jacob his disobedience, and to Israel his sin.

Micah 3:8

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what truth about my sin do I ignore, and who can forgive me?

Micah said he was “full of power by Yahweh’s Spirit” to tell Israel their sin. The leaders around him sold their words for bribes and pay, and still said, “Isn’t Yahweh among us”. Sinners love a word that lets them stay as they are.

The Son of God came with the Spirit without measure, and He spoke the truth of God even when it cost Him His life. He was struck, mocked and nailed to a cross, and He gave His life as a ransom for sinners. On the third day He rose, and His sacrifice is enough for every sinner who comes.

Listen to Him today. Come to Him, turn from your sin, and put your trust in Jesus. He does not sell forgiveness, and everyone who comes to Christ is forgiven.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God hates a false word, and that Jesus always spoke His Father’s truth. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart. Parents, please explain verses 2 and 3 in your own words, since they picture cruel leaders treating people like meat.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for speaking the truth by His Spirit, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed,

Luke 4:18

Lord God, thank You that You speak the truth by Your Spirit, and that Jesus never sold Your word. Please forgive us for the times we wanted easy words. Turn our hearts to trust Jesus, and give us ears to hear You this week. Amen.