The chapter begins with the prophet Micah’s lamentation with regard to the impending judgement on the city of Jerusalem. Earlier on, we have seen Micah going about “naked”, in his loin clothes, bare feet, lamenting for the people of God and the coming catastrophe that would struck the city.
Now, Micah, using the agriculture imagery, pictured himself walking through an orchard and finding no fruit to satisfy his appetite. He compared it to the absence of any faithful and upright man in Judah – no such man could be found in Judah!
Instead, violence, dishonesty and hostility permeated the whole society and among his countrymen. The people directed themselves to evil deeds “earnestly and efficiently”- we see here sarcasm coming through. The best of these sinners were like briers and thorns, using the agricultural imagery again. Such a society was doomed for destruction. It was a disintegrated society; relationships were no longer characterised by faithfulness and trust. Within the home children and servants rebelled against authority and one could no longer trust even those closest to oneself.
Here we are reminded of what Apostle wrote in 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
“But mark this: there will be terrible times in the last days, People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”
Indeed, such a society, in the days of Micah, was doomed for destruction; similarly, in the last days, judgement from God is imminent. Despite the corruption all around him and the impending judgement, Micah still expressed his trust in God and in His deliverance.
Micah’s expression of trust in the Lord God sets the tone for the remaining of chapter 7 – Jerusalem personified and the whole nation look forward to God’s intervention on their behalf following the judgement they have to go through.
Jerusalem rebukes her enemies for gloating over her humiliation. Though she is fallen, she is confident that God would intervene on her behalf and reverse her situation as well as that of her enemies. She would experience release from judgement into the light of salvation, whilst her enemies’ pride would turn to shame.
God will redeem the situation for Abraham’s sake. Micah conceives of a complete history from Abrahamic times to the end of time. God’s promise to the patriarchs resulted first in exodus, conquest and David’s dynasty; then came disintegration. After that will come a new exodus, new conquest, new David and new city of God (fulfilled by the Messiah, the Son of David and the new heaven and new earth).
Micah interprets history with both a short and a long term perspective. The book neglects neither the realities of the present not the possibilities of the future.
Micah ended the book with praising God for His forgiveness,compassion and His faithful covenantal love (hesed). God will not stay angry for ever but will show mercy and grace, and He will deal with sin and put an end to it once and for all. The basis for this hope was God’s faithfulness to Abraham and David, which assured that His mercy would replace His anger. This hope would be fulfilled by the coming ruler, the ideal king who would shepherd His people in the final eschatological exodus into the new heaven and the new earth.
By God’s grace, we, the Church, becomes incorporated into God’s people and share this same hope. Even though we live in a fallen world, with tribulation and persecution, we look forward with great anticipation to this glorious hope.
We end with this commentary by J.C. Ryle:
“Let us settle it then in our minds, for one thing, that the future happiness of those who are saved is eternal. However little we may understand it, it is something which will have no end; it will never cease, never grow old, never decay, never die. At God’s ‘right hand are pleasures for evermore’ (Ps. 16:11). Once landed in paradise, the saints of God shall go out no more. The inheritance is ‘incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away.’ They shall ‘receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away’ (1 Pet. 1:4,5:4). Their warfare is accomplished; their fight is over, their work is done. They shall hunger no more; neither thirst any more. They are travelling on towards an ‘eternal weight of glory,’ towards a home which shall never be broken up, a meeting without a parting, a family gathering without a separation, a day without night. Faith shall be swallowed up in sight, and hope in certainty. They shall see as they have been seen, and know as they have been known, and ‘be for ever with the Lord.’ I do not wonder that the Apostle Pauladds, ‘Comfort one another with these words’ (1 Thess. 4:17-18).”