Micah 7:1-20: a reflection

1Misery is mine! Indeed, I am like one who gathers the summer fruits, as gleanings of the vineyard. There is no cluster of grapes to eat. My soul desires to eat the early fig. 2The godly man has perished out of the earth, and there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; every man hunts his brother with a net. 3Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe. The powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together. 4The best of them is like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion. 5Don’t trust in a neighbor. Don’t put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your mouth! 6For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house. 7But as for me, I will look to the LORD. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. 8Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me. 9I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my case and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light. I will see his righteousness. 10Then my enemy will see it, and shame will cover her who said to me, “Where is the LORD your God?” My eyes will see her. Now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets. 11A day to build your walls! In that day, he will extend your boundary. 12In that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and mountain to mountain. 13Yet the land will be desolate because of those who dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings. 14Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your heritage, who dwell by themselves in a forest. Let them feed in the middle of fertile pasture land, in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old. 15“As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things.” 16The nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will lay their hand on their mouth. Their ears will be deaf. 17They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth, they will come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to the LORD our God, and will be afraid because of you. 18Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness. 19He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. 20You will give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

After a chapter lamenting the corruption around him, the prophet Micah turns at the end to marvel at the forgiveness of God, and it is a wonder that overflows. Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn't retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness. He will again have compassion on us. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. God's forgiveness is so complete that he casts our sins into the depths of the sea, out of sight, put away entirely; he delights in mercy, does not hold his anger forever, and treads our iniquities underfoot. The wonder of God's forgiveness moves Micah to ask, who is a God like you?

Notice the completeness and the delight of God's forgiveness: he casts our sins into the depths of the sea, because he delights in mercy. God does not merely overlook our sins reluctantly; he pardons them, treads them underfoot, casts them into the depths of the sea, out of sight and gone. And he does this because he delights in loving kindness; forgiveness is his delight, not his grudging concession. He does not retain his anger forever; he has compassion, pardons, puts our sins away entirely. The picture of sins cast into the depths of the sea speaks of a forgiveness so complete that our sins are gone, put away, out of reach. And this forgiveness flows from a God who delights in mercy. Who is a God like this?

That is worth resting in, for God's forgiveness is complete and delighted, casting our sins into the depths of the sea. We can carry the weight of our sins, feeling they are always before us, never fully put away; but Micah marvels that God casts our sins into the depths of the sea, forgiving completely, delighting in mercy. God's forgiveness is not grudging or partial; he puts our sins away entirely, out of sight, because he delights in loving kindness. When you feel the weight of your sins, remember that God, who delights in mercy, casts the sins of his people into the depths of the sea. Rest in the wonder of God's complete and delighted forgiveness, who pardons iniquity and casts all our sins into the depths of the sea because he delights in loving kindness, as Micah asks, who is a God like you; for God's forgiveness is complete, putting our sins away entirely and out of sight, and it flows from a God who delights in mercy rather than retaining his anger, so that our sins, cast into the depths of the sea, are gone.

Lord, after a chapter lamenting the corruption around him, the prophet Micah turns at the end to marvel at your forgiveness, and it is a wonder that overflows. Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn't retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness. He will again have compassion on us. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Your forgiveness is so complete that you cast our sins into the depths of the sea, out of sight, put away entirely; you delight in mercy, and tread our iniquities underfoot. Show me the completeness and the delight of your forgiveness: you cast our sins into the depths of the sea, because you delight in mercy. You do not merely overlook our sins reluctantly; you pardon them, tread them underfoot, cast them into the depths of the sea, out of sight and gone. And you do this because you delight in loving kindness; forgiveness is your delight, not your grudging concession. The picture of sins cast into the depths of the sea speaks of a forgiveness so complete that our sins are gone. Let me rest in that, for your forgiveness is complete and delighted. I can carry the weight of my sins, feeling they are always before me, never fully put away; but Micah marvels that you cast our sins into the depths of the sea, delighting in mercy. Your forgiveness is not grudging or partial; you put our sins away entirely, because you delight in loving kindness. When I feel the weight of my sins, help me remember that you, who delight in mercy, cast the sins of your people into the depths of the sea, Lord. Help me rest in the wonder of your complete and delighted forgiveness, who casts all our sins into the depths of the sea.