MICAH’S PROPHECY

Micah was a prophet who saw the church through God's eyes, and it caused his soul to wail and lament! He was seeing in the Spirit what God saw—the deep, hideous sins of the people, of shepherds and leaders. He saw idolatry! A harlot church making a harlot's wages.

"Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked. . . . For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem" (Micah 1:8-9).

Listen to Micah's lament: "Evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem. . . . For the transgressions of Israel were found in thee" (Micah 1:12-13).

Micah saw an incurable disease among God's people and an inescapable judgment. Look at what God calls rebellion and see the cause of His controversy with them:
  1. A new scheme of covetousness concocted by mercenary servants of God, having to do with money, property, success. 
  2. An emphasis on self: "Woe to those that devise iniquity . . . because it is in the power of their hand. They covet fields . . . and houses, and take them away: so they oppress [my people]" (Micah 2:1-2). 
  3. Rejection of the prophet's warnings and telling the people that judgment preaching is not of God, that it is contrary to His character! "Prophesy ye not . . . Is the Spirit of the Lord [impatient]?” (Micah 2:6-7). 
The false prophets and robbing shepherds told Micah to shut up! "Don't preach so much judgment! We are God's people; He loves us. There will be no judgment on us." The literal interpretation means, "Drop it! Drop this message of judgment on God's people! Stop reproaching good people! This is not of God."

But listen to Micah's answer! "Say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame” (Micah 2:6). In other words, if this message is not preached, the reproach of this place will never be turned back. "Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?" (Micah 2:7).