"God’s Care and Judgement XVI"
If you are familiar with Micah 3:5, you will notice two oddities about the passage. First, God is speaking to his prophets, but his description of the prophets is so long that it takes several more verses just to hear what God wants to say to them. Second, God's description of his prophets sounds very similar to biblical descriptions of pagans or apostatized Israelites.
What is fascinating about Micah 3:5 is that this verse is one of the clearest and most loving ways in which God tries to recall his people to himself. Micah 3:5 says, "Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who make my people stray; who chant 'Peace' while they chew with their teeth, but who prepare war against him who puts nothing in their mouths" (NKJV). In Micah's small book about the people of Judah departing from their covenant relationship with God, this same God wants so badly to give an instructive word to his prophets so they can be edified and brought closer to God. But in order to do that, God has to paint with stark colors a portrait of their spiritual and moral situation. God describes the prophets as "making my [Micah's] people stray," which is shepherding language; and then God instantly reverts that image to portray the prophets as themselves being sheep: "they chew with their teeth." The prophets of God lead God's people astray, and also need a shepherd who can properly lead them! More than this, God's prophets are fine with listening to someone who gives them good things (such as food), but are quick to reject and even violently oppose anyone who doesn't give them what they want (like the office of prophet).
Frankly, these prophets seem to be in bad shape. They need to follow God, but they apparently don't want to do that. They are supposed to lead others to God, but they apparently don't want to do that, either. They need to hear the words of God, but they can neither deliver those words to others nor will they accept them from those whom God has sent to them. The direction God gives his prophets about needing to rely on the Spirit (verses 6-12) can be seen as God's loving movement toward his wayward prophets, when we recognize the "thus says the Lord" at the beginning of Micah 3:5 as God's loving attempt to halt their ungodly practices.
Friends, I hope God doesn't have to give you as intense a wakeup call as he gives to his prophets in Micah 3:5. But if he does, know that it is for your benefit, blessing, and spiritual healing, because "thus says the Lord."
God bless,
Pastor Nathaniel Gamble
