Week 5 - As for Me - Micah 3

In this chapter Micah describes the actions of the leaders and the prophets.  They are exactly the opposite of what they should be.

• The leaders instead of shepherding the flock are slaughtering them and figuratively extracting as much wealth from them as possible.  Micah uses the analogy (Micah 3:1-4) of a cook preparing soup and extracting even the marrow of the bones.  God's punishment for them is to remove his favor and protection of their wealth.
• The prophets instead of sharing what God has revealed to them, they change (Micah 3:5-7) their message based on how well they are treated by their audience.  God's punishment for them it to remove his message.

But as for Micah, himself, he is empowered to fulfill his duty:

Micah 3:8

But as for me, I am filled with power,

    with the Spirit of the Lord,

    and with justice and might,

First with justice (mišpāṭ), which is applying judgement rightly, but he is also described as doing it with with might (gᵊḇûrâ), which is applying strength with virtue.  This normally describes the valor of a mighty warrior.  Only here is it applied to a prophet.

While he is surrounded by powerful people who corrupt with money.  He must be mighty to speak the truth.  When favoritism and money can change what is taught and what judgement is executed, he must stand his ground.

We are given the same task and equipped not with the physical armor of Goliath (1 Samuel 17:5-6) but with the spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:14-18).  Not wielding the huge sword of Goliath, now the precise but deadly stone of David, but rather the sword of the Spirit.  

I wrote a musing a while back to describe this battle, may it remind us of the battle lines, the true enemy and over what we are fighting.

Our best deeds are as filthy rags.  Instead, we are covered with the righteousness of Christ.  Secure with that truth, it is with peace that we run into battle.  It is in faith that we engage the enemy, and wield the Word of God. 

Though the battle is all around us, not a single person is an enemy.  Rather it is against our common enemy that we fight -- the one who uses lies, doubt, and fear to hold one captive. 

When we stand our hard-fought ground, he will flee at the sound of our Master's name. For it is in the name of Jesus we pray and it is for captive souls we fight.