In the midst of the rain and cold of an icy winter in 2014, more than 800 illegal shack-dwelling families were evicted from their homes along the southwest coast of South Africa. Although the eviction followed a high court order to prevent further land invasions and had come after many years of wrangling between land owners and the city council, the timing and the method of the eviction caused a public outcry. There appeared to be a lack of compassion shown by the leaders involved.
Micah lived at a time when great emphasis was placed on acquiring wealth and when unjust leaders habitually oppressed and showed no compassion for the poor and vulnerable (Micah 2:1). Testing the Lord’s patience, the rich and powerful would steal from those who trusted them, seize their land by fraud or violence, and cut short their inheritance (Micah 2:2,7-9).
False prophets spoke only what the corrupt wanted to hear and willfully ignored their wickedness (Micah 2:6,11). Micah, on the other hand, put a stop to Israel’s self-deception and delivered a damning message from the Lord, charting the consequences for their selfish ambition (Micah 1:10-16, 2:1-5).
God, upset by the injustice, brought the full weight of His awesome presence to bear on those responsible (Micah 1:2-4). He sued them for breach of contract and violation of the covenant He had made with them through Moses (Exodus 19:1–24:18). The people responded by offering to bring sacrifices of calves, rams, and rivers of olive oil as a sign of their repentance.
But all God wanted was for them to do what was right—to love mercy and to walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8). May He help us submit to Him and His just and compassionate heart today.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 2:21-39
More:
Read James 1:27 for more on what true religion looks like and Philippians 2:4 for a reminder on how we should look out for others and not just for ourselves.
Next:
How have you become numb and calloused to the genuine need in your world? Soften your heart before God and ask Him to help you do what’s right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him today.
praise the lord on June 11, 2015 at 7:05 pm
1 Samuel 15:22 Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to heed than the fat of rams.
Deuteronomy 10:12 And now Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
In the New Testament Matthew 22:34-40 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer asked Him a question testing Him saying, 36 Teacher which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind 38 this is the first and great commandment 39 And the second is like it you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these commandments hang all the law and the Prophets. The Pharisees were always trying to trip Jesus up because of selfishness. They knew the the law but they did not have love. It was selfishness (sin) that put Jesus on the cross. Today we can sacrifice by living by the rules but if we never reach out to others as Christ commanded us than how are we any better than Saul.
With your story there is a public outcry. With Hitler there didn’t seem to be much of a public outcry. Until in his greediness he started invading other countries. In our church we are supporting a pastor in Nepal who is guarding the borders to save young girls from being trapped into prostitution. Here we are reaching out to the prostitutes in our own area. How have you become numb and calloused to the genuine need in your world? I need to remember I am a sinner and I am hear to reach out to other sinners and love them. To overcome fears of doing just that.
Christ gave a perfect example with the story of the Good Samaritan.