Today’s reading is from the Book of Micah. Micah and Isaiah both minister during the same period. Isaiah directs his prophecies mainly toward the royal family, while Micah appears to focus on the commoners.
The conditions during Micah’s time were prosperous. It was a time when the rich were becoming wealthy, ordinary people were becoming poor, and the poor were becoming destitute. Specifically, society was transforming from rural to urban living. The wealthy (investors) were buying up family farms and developing huge land holdings in defiance of the Law of Moses. While these times appeared prosperous, the benefits and conveniences of a society migrating from rural to urban living were an allusion. It is actually a veiled form of tyranny, robbery, and slavery.
When you want a piece of land, you find a way to seize it. When you want someone’s house, you take it by fraud and violence. You cheat a man of his property, stealing his family’s inheritance. But this is what the Lord says: “I will reward your evil with evil; you won’t be able to pull your neck out of the noose. You will no longer walk around proudly, for it will be a terrible time.” (Micah 2:2–3, NLT)
With the allusion of prosperous times, what do the people say to the prophet who warns of God’s impending judgment for their sins? “Do not preach”—thus they preach— “one should not preach of such things; disgrace will not overtake us.” (Micah 2:6, ESV) In other words, stop preaching; all will be fine. As it has been, so will it be.
May we remember that prosperous times, ease, and convenience are not sure indications of God’s blessings. It is the humble and contrite heart that God blesses. Therein is the essence of true prosperity.
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Micah 1-7.