Micah

Micah 7: Who is a God like You

Begin in prayer

Before the book ends with Micah’s question, who is a God like the LORD, please pause with your children and ask Him to show you what His pardon costs and what it gives.

He touched my mouth with it, and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin forgiven.”

Isaiah 6:7

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that there is no God like You, who pardons sin, and show us Jesus, through whom You pardon. 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 begins in misery, like a man who goes to the vineyard and finds no grapes to eat. The godly man has perished, and rulers and judges ask for bribes, so no neighbour, friend or even family can be trusted. Yet he says, “I will look to Yahweh”, and he waits for the God of his salvation. He admits he has sinned and will bear the LORD’s anger until the LORD pleads his case and brings him into the light. A day is promised to build walls and bring people from many lands, though the land is desolate for the fruit of its people’s doings. Micah then prays that the LORD will shepherd His people as in the days of Egypt, and the nations will see and be afraid. He ends with a song of praise, asking, “Who is a God like you”, and answering with pardon, compassion and sins cast into the sea.

As you read Micah 7, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

No God is like the LORD, who pardons the sins of His people and keeps His promise of mercy.

Micah’s last chapter begins in grief and ends in praise. No godly man is left, and rulers and judges ask for bribes (verses 2 and 3). Even so, he says, “I will look to Yahweh”, and waits for the God of his salvation (verse 7). He also owns his own sin, saying he will bear the LORD’s anger because he has sinned (verse 9). The LORD pardons iniquity and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of His heritage, His own people (verse 18). He will tread their sins under foot and cast them into the depths of the sea (verse 19). This pardon rests on the oath He swore to Abraham and the fathers long ago (verse 20). Christ appeared once at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Hebrews 9 verse 26).

How does Micah 7 show us that no God is like the LORD, who pardons the sins of His people and keeps His promise of mercy?

Micah looks to the LORD when all around him is dark.

Trust is broken even inside a family, so Micah can lean on no neighbour, friend or relative (verses 5 and 6). He says, “I will look to Yahweh”, and he waits for the God of his salvation (verse 7). He owns his sin and bears the LORD’s anger until the LORD pleads his case (verse 9). Jesus came to shine on those who sit in darkness (Luke 1 verse 79).

The LORD will gather His people and rebuild what was broken.

A day is coming to build walls, when people will come from Assyria, Egypt and far away (verses 11 and 12). Yet the land will be desolate because of what its people have done (verse 13). Micah prays that the LORD will shepherd His people as in the days of old (verse 14). The LORD answers that He will show marvelous things, as when they came out of Egypt (verse 15).

No God is like the LORD, who pardons sin.

Micah’s name means, who is like the LORD, so his last words answer his own name (verse 18). He pardons iniquity and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of His heritage (verse 18). For that remnant, He does not hold His anger forever, because He delights in loving kindness (verse 18). God can pardon and stay just, because He sent Christ as an atoning sacrifice (Romans 3 verses 25 and 26).

The LORD casts sins into the sea and keeps His promise.

He will again have compassion, tread iniquities under foot and cast all their sins into the depths of the sea (verse 19). This pardon rests on the truth and mercy He swore to Jacob and Abraham long ago (verse 20). Zechariah blessed the Lord for raising up salvation in David’s house, as He swore to Abraham (Luke 1 verses 69 to 73).

Memorise

Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage?

Micah 7:18

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what sin am I hiding, and am I willing to bring it to Jesus?

Micah looked at a dark land and said, “I will look to Yahweh”. Then he sang, “Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity”. There is no God like Him, because He pardons sin and does it justly.

Sin is not ignored. It was dealt with at the cross, where Jesus carried the sins of His people, and the anger of God against them fell on Him. God raised Jesus to life, and the sins He carried are fully paid for and lie in the depths of the sea.

Do not hide your sin, and do not carry it alone. Turn from your sin, and put your trust in Jesus. Come to Him, and the God who pardons will forgive you, cast your sins into the depths of the sea and keep His promise of mercy.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the LORD alone pardons sin, and that Jesus paid for that pardon on the cross. 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 5 and 6 gently, as they speak of broken trust inside a family, which some children know.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that no God is like Him, who pardons sin, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

Behold, for peace I had great anguish, but you have in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back.

Isaiah 38:17

Lord God, there is no God like You. Thank You that You pardon sin and cast it into the depths of the sea. Please lead each of us to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and help our family to look to You when all around us is dark. Amen.