The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Micah 7:2-4a,
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 reply and let me know.
"The faithful have been swept from the land;
not one upright person remains.
Everyone lies in wait to shed blood;
they hunt each other with nets.
Both hands are skilled in doing evil;
the ruler demands gifts,
the judge accepts bribes,
the powerful dictate what they desire—
they all conspire together.
The best of them is like a brier,
the most upright worse than a thorn hedge."
What a state of depravity the prophet finds himself surrounded in! "Both hands are skilled in doing evil..." points to the level of sin the nation had sunk to.
However, where he begins his observation with "What misery is mine!" Verse 1, his response is, "As for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me." Verse 7. As we look at the sinful condition of the world around us, this is the outlook that marks the believer.
This chapter follows a fascinating pattern. First is the sinful condition of mankind the person of faith finds himself surrounded in, verses 1-7. Next we see what the faithful should take great encouragement in, the vindication of the faithful over the wicked in verses 8-17, "Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light." Verse 8. The pattern concludes with Micah's prophecy of anticipated, and yet, astonished amazement over what the Lord has wrought for the faithful:
"Who is a God like you,
who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy.
You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
You will be faithful to Jacob,
and show love to Abraham,
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors
in days long ago." Verses 18-20.
Though the faithful find themselves surrounded by depraved mankind, they will be vindicated! And, although the faithful will always find themselves in the cross-hairs of the wicked, "Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you." 1 John 3:13, the faithful will be vindicated! And, although the faithful have sinned themselves, they will be forgiven, "You [God] do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea." Micah 7:18b-19.
Today we live in a culture that might be described best as Paul did to Timothy, "There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents,ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power." 2 Timothy 3:1-5a
I'm of the persuasion the best outlook for the faithful today should be that which is provided at the end of Micah's message. It certainly is fitting.
Take heart! The faithful will be vindicated!
not one upright person remains.
Everyone lies in wait to shed blood;
they hunt each other with nets.
Both hands are skilled in doing evil;
the ruler demands gifts,
the judge accepts bribes,
the powerful dictate what they desire—
they all conspire together.
The best of them is like a brier,
the most upright worse than a thorn hedge."
What a state of depravity the prophet finds himself surrounded in! "Both hands are skilled in doing evil..." points to the level of sin the nation had sunk to.
However, where he begins his observation with "What misery is mine!" Verse 1, his response is, "As for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me." Verse 7. As we look at the sinful condition of the world around us, this is the outlook that marks the believer.
This chapter follows a fascinating pattern. First is the sinful condition of mankind the person of faith finds himself surrounded in, verses 1-7. Next we see what the faithful should take great encouragement in, the vindication of the faithful over the wicked in verses 8-17, "Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light." Verse 8. The pattern concludes with Micah's prophecy of anticipated, and yet, astonished amazement over what the Lord has wrought for the faithful:
"Who is a God like you,
who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy.
You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
You will be faithful to Jacob,
and show love to Abraham,
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors
in days long ago." Verses 18-20.
Though the faithful find themselves surrounded by depraved mankind, they will be vindicated! And, although the faithful will always find themselves in the cross-hairs of the wicked, "Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you." 1 John 3:13, the faithful will be vindicated! And, although the faithful have sinned themselves, they will be forgiven, "You [God] do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea." Micah 7:18b-19.
Today we live in a culture that might be described best as Paul did to Timothy, "There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents,ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power." 2 Timothy 3:1-5a
I'm of the persuasion the best outlook for the faithful today should be that which is provided at the end of Micah's message. It certainly is fitting.
Take heart! The faithful will be vindicated!
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 reply and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment