Micah 3
The Wise Respond with Humility!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, September 19.
It can be very difficult to hear a hard word from the Lord. Yet, oftentimes, it is our response to these tough truths which reveals our true heart condition, whether we are wise or foolish (Proverbs 15:31-33). King Hezekiah was a wise king, and the reason we know this is because of how he responded to God’s prophets, even when they brought him the harshest of words. Micah declared the fall of Israel and Judah because of the corruption of its leaders. He was a bold critic of those who abused their authority for personal gain, whether in the religious or political arena. He would not quiet his voice for personal gain or safety; rather, he declared the coming judgment of God in Micah 3:9-12:
Now hear this, heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who abhor justice and twist everything that is straight, who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with violent injustice. … Therefore, on account of you Zion will be plowed as a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the temple will become high places of a forest.
Some of Micah’s words from this passage are quoted over a century later in Jeremiah 26:17-19, where we learn that King Hezekiah responded to Micah’s words in faith, leading to the great reforms of Jerusalem, the restoration of temple worship, and the reinstatement of Passover (2 Kings 18:1-6; 2 Chronicles 29:1-31:21). The king responded faithfully to a harsh rebuke from the prophet, heeding the Word of God and proving himself wise. Hezekiah’s humility to respond favorably to correction saved Jerusalem and the southern kingdom of Judah from the Assyrians (2 Chronicle 32:1-23).
God bless you!
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YOUTUBE:
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