Micah 3

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Dave Burnette's Commentary

Micah Chapter 3

Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: Micah

Date Penned: BC 742-687

Overview: To Warn God's People of Judgement and to Repent (c 1-7)

Theme: The Trial of the Leaders (c 3-5)

Message: The Trial of the Leaders (v 1-12)

Micah: Chapter 3 Commentary

(3:1) Micah denounced the sins of the leaders, priests, and prophets - those responsible for teaching the people right from wrong. Elders, who were supposed to live among the people, had moved into Jerusalem and become an elite ruling class. The leaders, who should have known the law and taught it to the people, had set the Law aside and had become the worst of sinners. They took advantage of the very people they were supposed to service. All sin is bad, but the sin that leads others astray is the worst of all. The dividing line between right and wrong often seems blurred, but spiritual leaders are supposed to see it. The BIble is God's guidebook to show us how to distinguish right and wrong. Leaders must understand the Bible's principles and teach them to others. Leaders cannot force people to do right, but they should but they should point them in that direction by their teaching and example.

(3:2-4) The leaders had no compassion or respect for those they were supposed to serve. They treated the people miserably in order to satisfy their own desires and then had the gall to ask for God's help when they found themselves in trouble. We, like the leaders, should not treat God like a light switch to be turned on only as needed. Instead, we should always rely on him.

(3:5-7) Michah remained true to his calling and proclaimed God's words. In contrast, the false prophets' messages were geared to the favors they received. Not all those who claim to have messages from God really do. Micah prophesied that one day the false prophets would be shamed by their actions.

(3:8) Micah attributed the power of his ministry to God's Spirit. Our power comes from the same source. Jesus told his followers they would receive power to witness about him when the Holy Spirit came to the (Acts 1) You can't witness effectively by relying on your own strength, because fear will keep you from speaking out for God. Only by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit can you live and witness for him.

(3:11) Micah severely condemned religious leaders who ministered only if they got paid for it. Jesus came to serve, not to promote a big-business gospel. When people "minister" for personal gain, servanthood is lost. Preaching and teaching should never be motivated by the promise of personal gain. When God calls you to do something, obey him, even if there is no monetary reward. Micah warned the ministers of his day to avoid bribes. Pastors today accept bribes when they allow those who contribute much to control the church. When fear of losing money or members influences a pastor to remain silent when he should speak up for what is right, his church is in danger. We would remember that Judah was finally destroyed because of the behavior or its religious leaders. A similar warning must be directed at those who have money - never use your resources to influence or manipulate God's ministers, because that is bribery.

(3:12) Jerusalem would be destroyed jsu as Samaria was. This happened in 586 BC when Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army attacked the city (2 Kings 25) Although Micah blamed the corrupt leaders, the people were not without fault. They allowed the corruption to continue without turning to God or calling for justice.

Dave Burnette's Life Application

False Prophets

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue with the book of Micah with Chapter 3. In our text today we see Micah denouncing the sins of the leaders, priests, and prophets as they misled the people and took advantage of their position. In making application we see the warning to those in authority and spiritual positions. Today we many false leaders among us who are facing the same judgment that these faced. How about you? Do you see the warning to both the leader and the follower who choose to not follow the Bible? Let us learn from our text today and the warning of Micah to see that judgment comes to those in leadership who mislead others.

Micah 3

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Micah 3

¹And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?

²Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;

³Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.

⁴Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

⁵Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

⁶Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.

⁷Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.

⁸But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

⁹Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.

¹⁰They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.

¹¹The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.

¹²Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.

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