Archive for the 'Micah' Category

What Micah prophesied 700 years before the birth of Christ

Published on December 12, 2010 in Christmas and Micah. 1 Comment

I am preaching from Micah 5 this morning.  So, I was especially pleased yesterday to see that Phil Johnson has a post on the Gospel in Micah 5:2.

One of the most famous and important Old Testament messianic prophecies is also a Christmas text. It foretold that Christ would be born in Bethlehem: "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days" (Micah 5:2).

That promise loomed large in the minds of expectant first-century Jewish leaders—so much so that many of them were prepared to reject Him because they did not know His birthplace and assumed, naturally, that he had been born in the region of his parents’ home: "Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee" (John 7:52).

But I think the most amazing thing about Micah’s prophecy is the way the deity of Christ is expressed in the verse’s final phrase. Israel’s Messiah would be One "whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days." . . .

The rest here.

Preaching cold beer and blue sky

Published on December 3, 2010 in Micah. 0 Comments

“If a man should go about and utter wind and lies saying, ‘I will preach of wine and strong drink,’ he would be the preacher for this people!”  Micah 2:13

Condemning Israel, Micah prophesied the above words 2,700 years ago.  Little has changed.  While our culture fears a war of terror rather than the Neo-Assyrian Empire, we’re like ancient Israel in that we would prefer that pastors stay positive and encourage whatever excess we prefer.

But, as Micah pointed out to his ancient audience, preachers who tell their people only what they want to hear are responsible for seeing things fall apart.  Or, as I paraphrased to our congregation on Sunday, pastors who give culture only what it wants to hear – - cold beer and blue sky – - such pastors hate their people.*

On the other hand, if our preaching is filled with the Spirit of the Lord and with justice and might to declare to our people their transgression and sin, then God will use His Word in tremendous ways (see Micah 3:8).

When Micah preached the Word, rather than cold beer and blue sky, it was greatly used (see Jeremiah 26:18-19).  What will we preach?

Listen online to the sermon I preached on this passage How a Pastor Can Hate 

*The point here is not to initiate a debate about alcohol. Rather, that our preaching should not be defined by nothing more substantive than wine and strong drink in excess.

With his name, the prophet, Micah asks the right question

Published on November 30, 2010 in Micah. 0 Comments

Careful study of Micah will allow you to see that God is holy and judges sin.  But, also that he is a gracious forgiving God.

I am currently preaching a series from the book of Micah. In contrast to his contemporary, Isaiah, Micah does not give us much detail about his personal call, but we do have his name.

“Micah” means, “Who is like Yahweh?”  (“Yawhweh” being the personal name of God given to Israel).  The text of Micah allows us to better know God.

Much of the book of Micah warns that God is holy and just.  Micah prophesied in response to a rebellious people who were breaking covenant with God.  They chose to sin, now they would suffer.  Because of their rebellion, Micah warns that all will become ruin (2:10-11).

We ought not to deceive ourselves.  God will not be mocked.  We reap what we sow.  (Galatians 6:7-8).

But, Micah does not conclude with judgment.  Inserting his own name into the text (notice the bold), Micah concludes:

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance?  He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old (Micah 7:18-20).

Bruce Waltke comments:

“Micah, by artfully inserting his name in the forgiven people’s hymn of praise at the end of the book (7:18) , applies the meaning of his name, “Who is like Yahweh?’, to the Lord’s incomparable quality to forgive his guilty people and to be true to his promises to the patriarchs. God’s memorial name, Yahweh, became famous in the early days of Israel’s history when he hurled the Egyptian army into the depths of the sea. Its luster is added to when he promises to hurl the iniquities of his people Jacob into the depths of the sea (7:19).” Waltke, TOTC, 137.

“Ain’t gonna study war no more”

Published on February 3, 2010 in eschatology and Micah. 2 Comments

Won’t it be a great day when we “learn war no more”?  When, in the words of the spiritual, “We stick our swords in the golden sand, down by the riverside?”

Per one of our men’s encouragement, I read Micah today.  It struck me that if I was suddenly asked to preach to a Marines stationed in the mountains of Afghanistan, I would preach from Micah 4:1-5.

3 He shall judge between many peoples,

and shall decide for strong nations afar off;

and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,

and their spears into pruning hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war anymore;

4 but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,

and no one shall make them afraid,

for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.

5 For all the peoples walk

each in the name of its god,

but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God

forever and ever. Micah 4:3-5

If I did preach to Marines in Afghanistan, I would take Mahalia Jackson along to sing the old Gospel song.  The song preaches too.