Micah 1:1-16: a reflection

1The LORD’s word that came to Micah of Morasheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. 2Hear, you peoples, all of you! Listen, O earth, and all that is therein. Let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. 3For behold, the LORD comes out of his place, and will come down and tread on the high places of the earth. 4The mountains melt under him, and the valleys split apart like wax before the fire, like waters that are poured down a steep place. 5“All this is for the disobedience of Jacob, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the disobedience of Jacob? Isn’t it Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Aren’t they Jerusalem? 6Therefore I will make Samaria like a rubble heap of the field, like places for planting vineyards; and I will pour down its stones into the valley, and I will uncover its foundations. 7All her idols will be beaten to pieces, all her temple gifts will be burned with fire, and I will destroy all her images; for of the hire of a prostitute has she gathered them, and to the hire of a prostitute shall they return.” 8For this I will lament and wail. I will go stripped and naked. I will howl like the jackals and mourn like the ostriches. 9For her wounds are incurable; for it has come even to Judah. It reaches to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem. 10Don’t tell it in Gath. Don’t weep at all. At Beth Ophrah I have rolled myself in the dust. 11Pass on, inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame. The inhabitant of Zaanan won’t come out. The wailing of Beth Ezel will take from you his protection. 12For the inhabitant of Maroth waits anxiously for good, because evil has come down from the LORD to the gate of Jerusalem. 13Harness the chariot to the swift steed, inhabitant of Lachish. She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; for the transgressions of Israel were found in you. 14Therefore you will give a parting gift to Moresheth Gath. The houses of Achzib will be a deceitful thing to the kings of Israel. 15I will yet bring a conqueror to you, inhabitants of Mareshah. The glory of Israel will come to Adullam. 16Shave your heads, and cut off your hair for the children of your delight. Enlarge your baldness like the vulture, for they have gone into captivity from you!

As Micah announces God's judgment coming on Samaria and Jerusalem for their sins, he does not pronounce it coldly, from a distance; he grieves over it. For this I will lament and wail, he says; I will go stripped and naked; I will howl like the jackals and mourn like the ostriches. The prophet is genuinely grieved over his people's sin and the judgment it brings; he weeps and wails, not detached but broken-hearted over what has come upon his people because of their sin.

Notice that Micah grieves over the sin and coming judgment, rather than pronouncing it coldly. He does not announce the judgment with indifference, or with a hard satisfaction at others' downfall; he laments, wails, mourns, genuinely grieved over his people's sin and its consequences. His heart is broken over what sin has done and what judgment must come; he weeps over it. The prophet's grief shows a heart that takes sin seriously and mourns its consequences, rather than being indifferent to it or coldly detached.

That grieving heart is worth taking to heart, for we can be indifferent to sin, our own and others', rather than grieving over it. We can regard sin, and its consequences, with indifference, or even with a hard satisfaction when it is others who fall; but Micah grieved, wept, mourned over sin and the judgment it brought. A heart right with God grieves over sin, taking it seriously, rather than being indifferent to it. Do not be indifferent to sin, your own or others', regarding it coldly or with satisfaction at others' downfall; grieve over it, as Micah grieved over his people's sin and its consequences. Let your heart be moved to grief over sin, taking it seriously and mourning its harm, rather than regarding it with indifference or a hard satisfaction, as Micah lamented and wailed over the sin of his people and the judgment it brought, his heart broken over what sin had done.

Lord, as Micah announces your judgment coming on Samaria and Jerusalem for their sins, he does not pronounce it coldly, from a distance; he grieves over it. For this I will lament and wail, he says; I will go stripped and naked; I will howl like the jackals and mourn like the ostriches. The prophet is genuinely grieved over his people's sin and the judgment it brings; he weeps and wails, not detached but broken-hearted. Show me that Micah grieves over the sin and coming judgment, rather than pronouncing it coldly. He does not announce the judgment with indifference, or with a hard satisfaction at others' downfall; he laments, wails, mourns, genuinely grieved over his people's sin and its consequences. His heart is broken over what sin has done. The prophet's grief shows a heart that takes sin seriously and mourns its consequences. Take that grieving heart to my heart, for I can be indifferent to sin, my own and others', rather than grieving over it. I can regard sin, and its consequences, with indifference, or even with a hard satisfaction when it is others who fall; but Micah grieved, wept, mourned over sin. A heart right with you grieves over sin. Keep me from being indifferent to sin, my own or others', regarding it coldly or with satisfaction at others' downfall; help me grieve over it, Lord, as Micah grieved over his people's sin. Let my heart be moved to grief over sin, taking it seriously and mourning its harm.