And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;
Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.
Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.
Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.
Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.
Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.
But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.
They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.
Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
Micah 3 focuses sharply on the corruption prevalent among the leaders of Israel, a theme that resonates powerfully even today. This chapter serves as a scathing indictment against those entrusted with power and responsibility, revealing the depths of their moral decay and the consequences that await them. Micah doesn't shy away from naming names; he confronts the very individuals who should have been upholding justice and guiding the people towards righteousness.
The Leaders' Betrayal of Justice (Micah 3:1-4)
Micah begins by directly addressing the leaders of Jacob and the rulers of the house of Israel, those who should have been the very embodiment of justice. He questions their fundamental understanding of right and wrong: "Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice?" (Micah 3:1). The implied answer is a resounding "Yes!" Their primary role was to know and administer justice, yet they had utterly failed.
The prophet then paints a disturbing picture of their actions, highlighting their spiritual and moral bankruptcy. They are described as those who "hate good and love evil" (Micah 3:2). This isn't mere apathy; it's an active embrace of wickedness. Competence and skill become irrelevant when a leader's heart is aligned with evil. Micah uses shockingly graphic imagery to illustrate their brutal treatment of the people: "They tear the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones; they devour my people" (Micah 3:2-3). He compares them to wild beasts or even cannibals, devouring those they were meant to protect. This vivid depiction underscores the extent of their exploitation and cruelty. They treat the people as mere commodities, "chop[ping] them up like flesh for the cooking pot" (Micah 3:3).
The consequence of such injustice is severe: God will turn a deaf ear to their cries. Micah warns, "Then they will cry out to the LORD, but he will not answer them; at that time he will hide his face from them because of the evil they have done" (Micah 3:4). When trouble inevitably comes, these leaders will desperately seek God's help, but their past actions have created an insurmountable barrier. God will hide his face, refusing to hear their pleas, a stark reminder that true repentance and a change of heart are essential for reconciliation.
The False Prophets' Deceit (Micah 3:5-7)
Micah doesn't stop with the political leaders; he also condemns the false prophets who were leading the people astray. These individuals, who should have been heralds of God's kingdom, were instead motivated by personal gain. Micah exposes their hypocrisy: "This is what the LORD says: 'As for the prophets who lead my people astray, when they have something to bite with their teeth, they proclaim 'peace'; but when someone does not put something in their mouths, they declare war against them.'" (Micah 3:5).
Their message was contingent upon payment. If their stomachs or pockets were filled, they would offer words of peace and comfort. But if someone had nothing to offer, they would pronounce harsh judgments. They were nothing more than charlatans, their "vision" limited to the flow of money into their own coffers. This behavior not only corrupted the spiritual landscape but also eroded the people's trust in God, creating a false sense of security among the wealthy while leaving the poor feeling abandoned.
The punishment for peddling false light is to experience darkness. Micah declares, "Therefore night will come over you, without visions, and darkness, without divination. The sun will set for the prophets, and the day will go dark for them" (Micah 3:6). God would discredit them and halt their prostitution of the prophetic office. Because they misused their gifts for selfish purposes, God would strip them of their ability to communicate with Him: "The prophets will be put to shame, and the diviners disgraced. They will all cover their faces because there is no answer from God" (Micah 3:7). Those who refuse to speak God's word will ultimately be abandoned by God.
Micah's Courageous Stand (Micah 3:8)
In stark contrast to the corrupt leaders and false prophets, Micah boldly asserts his own integrity and divine calling. He declares, "But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin" (Micah 3:8). Micah's credentials aren't based on personal gain or popular opinion; they are rooted in the power of the Holy Spirit. He is filled with power, justice, and courage, enabling him to speak truth to power, even when it's unpopular.
A true servant of God relies on the Spirit's power, not his own, and is willing to boldly confront sin. Micah understood his accountability to God, and therefore, God's opinion was the only one that mattered. He was called to expose the rebellion and sin of his people, even to his own "Jewish brothers and sisters."
The Inevitable Judgment (Micah 3:9-12)
Micah reiterates the pervasive injustice, condemning all levels of spiritual leadership: leaders, priests, and prophets. He accuses them of building Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with wickedness (Micah 3:10). They perverted justice and profited from their positions. "Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD and say, 'Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us'" (Micah 3:11).
The apostle Paul's words in 1 Timothy 6:10 echo the sentiment: "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." These leaders were so consumed by greed that they had become blind to their own corruption. Despite their wickedness, they falsely assumed God was on their side, believing that no disaster could befall them. They couldn't be more wrong.
Micah delivers a devastating prophecy: "Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets" (Micah 3:12). Jerusalem, the city of God, would be reduced to ruins as a direct consequence of their sin. This prophecy serves as a stark warning against complacency and the dangers of ignoring God's call to justice and righteousness. The coming kingdom and king described in the following chapters (Micah 4-5) offer a glimmer of hope amidst this bleak pronouncement, but only after judgment has been served.
And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;
Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.
Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.
Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.
Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.
Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.
But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.
They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.
Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
Micah 3 focuses sharply on the corruption prevalent among the leaders of Israel, a theme that resonates powerfully even today. This chapter serves as a scathing indictment against those entrusted with power and responsibility, revealing the depths of their moral decay and the consequences that await them. Micah doesn't shy away from naming names; he confronts the very individuals who should have been upholding justice and guiding the people towards righteousness.
The Leaders' Betrayal of Justice (Micah 3:1-4)
Micah begins by directly addressing the leaders of Jacob and the rulers of the house of Israel, those who should have been the very embodiment of justice. He questions their fundamental understanding of right and wrong: "Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice?" (Micah 3:1). The implied answer is a resounding "Yes!" Their primary role was to know and administer justice, yet they had utterly failed.
The prophet then paints a disturbing picture of their actions, highlighting their spiritual and moral bankruptcy. They are described as those who "hate good and love evil" (Micah 3:2). This isn't mere apathy; it's an active embrace of wickedness. Competence and skill become irrelevant when a leader's heart is aligned with evil. Micah uses shockingly graphic imagery to illustrate their brutal treatment of the people: "They tear the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones; they devour my people" (Micah 3:2-3). He compares them to wild beasts or even cannibals, devouring those they were meant to protect. This vivid depiction underscores the extent of their exploitation and cruelty. They treat the people as mere commodities, "chop[ping] them up like flesh for the cooking pot" (Micah 3:3).
The consequence of such injustice is severe: God will turn a deaf ear to their cries. Micah warns, "Then they will cry out to the LORD, but he will not answer them; at that time he will hide his face from them because of the evil they have done" (Micah 3:4). When trouble inevitably comes, these leaders will desperately seek God's help, but their past actions have created an insurmountable barrier. God will hide his face, refusing to hear their pleas, a stark reminder that true repentance and a change of heart are essential for reconciliation.
The False Prophets' Deceit (Micah 3:5-7)
Micah doesn't stop with the political leaders; he also condemns the false prophets who were leading the people astray. These individuals, who should have been heralds of God's kingdom, were instead motivated by personal gain. Micah exposes their hypocrisy: "This is what the LORD says: 'As for the prophets who lead my people astray, when they have something to bite with their teeth, they proclaim 'peace'; but when someone does not put something in their mouths, they declare war against them.'" (Micah 3:5).
Their message was contingent upon payment. If their stomachs or pockets were filled, they would offer words of peace and comfort. But if someone had nothing to offer, they would pronounce harsh judgments. They were nothing more than charlatans, their "vision" limited to the flow of money into their own coffers. This behavior not only corrupted the spiritual landscape but also eroded the people's trust in God, creating a false sense of security among the wealthy while leaving the poor feeling abandoned.
The punishment for peddling false light is to experience darkness. Micah declares, "Therefore night will come over you, without visions, and darkness, without divination. The sun will set for the prophets, and the day will go dark for them" (Micah 3:6). God would discredit them and halt their prostitution of the prophetic office. Because they misused their gifts for selfish purposes, God would strip them of their ability to communicate with Him: "The prophets will be put to shame, and the diviners disgraced. They will all cover their faces because there is no answer from God" (Micah 3:7). Those who refuse to speak God's word will ultimately be abandoned by God.
Micah's Courageous Stand (Micah 3:8)
In stark contrast to the corrupt leaders and false prophets, Micah boldly asserts his own integrity and divine calling. He declares, "But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin" (Micah 3:8). Micah's credentials aren't based on personal gain or popular opinion; they are rooted in the power of the Holy Spirit. He is filled with power, justice, and courage, enabling him to speak truth to power, even when it's unpopular.
A true servant of God relies on the Spirit's power, not his own, and is willing to boldly confront sin. Micah understood his accountability to God, and therefore, God's opinion was the only one that mattered. He was called to expose the rebellion and sin of his people, even to his own "Jewish brothers and sisters."
The Inevitable Judgment (Micah 3:9-12)
Micah reiterates the pervasive injustice, condemning all levels of spiritual leadership: leaders, priests, and prophets. He accuses them of building Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with wickedness (Micah 3:10). They perverted justice and profited from their positions. "Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD and say, 'Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us'" (Micah 3:11).
The apostle Paul's words in 1 Timothy 6:10 echo the sentiment: "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." These leaders were so consumed by greed that they had become blind to their own corruption. Despite their wickedness, they falsely assumed God was on their side, believing that no disaster could befall them. They couldn't be more wrong.
Micah delivers a devastating prophecy: "Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets" (Micah 3:12). Jerusalem, the city of God, would be reduced to ruins as a direct consequence of their sin. This prophecy serves as a stark warning against complacency and the dangers of ignoring God's call to justice and righteousness. The coming kingdom and king described in the following chapters (Micah 4-5) offer a glimmer of hope amidst this bleak pronouncement, but only after judgment has been served.