Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 23; 1 Peter 4; Micah 2; Luke 11
Micah 2:1-3 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand. And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.
Why did God allow Assyria and Babylon to conquer Israel and Judah? The bottom line is that the people refused to honor God and obey his Word. They worshipped idols and prayed to false gods. They refused to let the land lie fallow and oppressed the poor. The people were led by unrighteous leaders who learned evil by observing the nations around them instead of learning good by obeying God’s Word.
Micah pronounced a woe upon those who dreamed up iniquity while they were lying on their beds and then practiced the evil during the day because they had the power to do so. The prophet was talking to the leaders of the day. They were in a position of power and they used their power for unrighteous ends. They were covetous and stole land from people. They used the military and police might to carry out their wishes.
I cannot read these words without thinking of the exploitation taking place in our country as those in power covet the lands of others and take them away by force. God has never approved of theft and covetousness and he never will. His Ten Commandments tell us we are not to do either of these. These apply to an individual who steals someone’s wallet as well as a government that steals by unfairly taxing its people.
For these things, God says he will bring an evil upon them that they will not be able to get away from. This was the exile. God said it and he did it! We must know that God will bring unrighteousness to judgment. He will not let the wicked to get away with their wickedness. It is time to repent and follow the Lord. It is time to cry out against the wrong and stand for the right!
Jesus is coming soon. Let him find us about his kingdom business!
In Christ,
Rody
