The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Micah 1:16,
"Shave your head in mourning for the children in whom you delight; make yourself as bald as the vulture, for they will go from you into exile."
Israel had abandoned the Lord and had given themselves to the worship of idols. An idol is nothing of course, but in their rebellion against God, the people had become as stupid as the chunks of wood overlaid with gold they turned to worship. As they did so, the people of Israel incurred the Lord's wrath.
Something to note is that the innocents of Israel, the children, would suffer the Lord's retribution just as their parents, for the rebellion of the parents. Everyone was going to suffer. I am quite certain there were those who did not rebel against the Lord at the time (just as Micah), but nevertheless, they would all suffer as a people. Both those who incurred the Lord's wrath, as well as the innocents and those not guilty of idol worship would all suffer. The nation of Israel now faced the Lord's wrath and all in the nation would suffer.
Some, who must not read their Bibles with care, fail to realize that God's judgment on a nation will impact the entire nation - not just the culprits. They tell themselves that since they are better than those who do rebel, God won't cause them to suffer like everyone else. Micah dispels that notion. Note what we read in 2:9, "You take away my blessing from their children forever." The judgment God brought against Israel would have impact on everyone in Israel, not just the "bad guys." I am reminded of what Jeremiah had to suffer because of Judah's abandonment of the Lord.
"Shave your head in mourning for the children in whom you delight; make yourself as bald as the vulture, for they will go from you into exile."
Israel had abandoned the Lord and had given themselves to the worship of idols. An idol is nothing of course, but in their rebellion against God, the people had become as stupid as the chunks of wood overlaid with gold they turned to worship. As they did so, the people of Israel incurred the Lord's wrath.
Something to note is that the innocents of Israel, the children, would suffer the Lord's retribution just as their parents, for the rebellion of the parents. Everyone was going to suffer. I am quite certain there were those who did not rebel against the Lord at the time (just as Micah), but nevertheless, they would all suffer as a people. Both those who incurred the Lord's wrath, as well as the innocents and those not guilty of idol worship would all suffer. The nation of Israel now faced the Lord's wrath and all in the nation would suffer.
Some, who must not read their Bibles with care, fail to realize that God's judgment on a nation will impact the entire nation - not just the culprits. They tell themselves that since they are better than those who do rebel, God won't cause them to suffer like everyone else. Micah dispels that notion. Note what we read in 2:9, "You take away my blessing from their children forever." The judgment God brought against Israel would have impact on everyone in Israel, not just the "bad guys." I am reminded of what Jeremiah had to suffer because of Judah's abandonment of the Lord.
I recall a number of years ago, when Francis Schaefer, the late theologian, and C. Evert Coop, who became the Surgeon General of the United States, did a talking tour across the country, warning of the direction the country was going in terms of abortion, euthanasia and infanticide, (And now, thirty years later, all they warned of has come to pass.) Attending the event, and seeing the abortionist demonstrators who gathered outside in a failed attempt to shut up Coop and Schaefer, some of us decided to mingle with the protesters to share the gospel with them. I recall one man confronting me, yelling at me that I had no right to push my religion on others, and so I had no right to voice an opinion publicly about abortion.
I, of course, pointed out that society was going to adopt somebody's moral standards, and that I had every right to promote my own views just like anyone else, whether I was a Christian or not. The reality is, of course, when we realize that when God judges a nation, and that it impacts all, not just the bad guys, we have a greater responsibility to speak out because we know the truth. We also know that if and when we, as a people, adopt a sinful direction in our country, we will all suffer at God's hand. Not just the bad guys, but all of us, all our children, as well as all who warn the country to not rebel against God. Good guys and bad guys and the children - we all will suffer God's judgment if our nation turns from him.
When God judges a nation, all suffer. The innocents as well as the culprits.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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