Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. (Micah 7:18, The New Living Translation)
The name "Micah" means who is like Jehovah; and indeed, who is like Him? God reveals a lot in this small book, of His character - both His justice, righteousness, vengeance and mercy. We will conclude with the final two of four main points:
The Forgiveness of God (Micah 2:12-13; Micah 4:6-13, 5:1; Micah 5:7-15; Micah 7:7-20)
God made a promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob regarding their descendants, and He will keep His promise: Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean! You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago. (Micah 7:19-20)
- “Someday, O Israel, I will gather you; I will gather the remnant who are left. I will bring you together again like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture. Yes, your land will again be filled with noisy crowds! Your leader will break out and lead you out of exile, out through the gates of the enemy cities, back to your own land. Your king will lead you; the Lord himself will guide you.” (Micah 2:12-13)
- “In that day,” says the Lord, “I will assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast And those whom I have afflicted; I will make the lame a remnant, And the outcast a strong nation; So the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion From now on, even forever. (Micah 4:6-7)
- Your hand shall be lifted against your adversaries, And all your enemies shall be cut off. (Micah 5:9)
- Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case And executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness. (Micah 7:8-9)
The Reign of God (Micah 4:1-5; Micah 5:2-6)
The Lord God Himself will return to rule over not just the children of Isreal, but all the children of God, all who believe in Him and receive Him as their Savior and Lord: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah [John 7:42; Matthew 2; Luke 2], Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” (Micah 5:2, prophecy of the coming of Christ)
- Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it. Many nations shall come ..., ... For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. For all people walk each in the name of his god, But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God Forever and ever. (Micah 4:1-2, 4-5)
Unbelievers will often say, "How can God be loving and send people to hell?" Yet these same people have no problem saying that if someone commits an awful and despicable act against another person, the offender should go to jail, even electrocuted. How much more should someone who offends the Almighty God be punished? Why should we be able to judge and condemn eachother for offending us, but then get upset when God righteously judges and condemns man for offending Him. Yes, God is a loving, gracious and merciful God, but He is also a jealous and just God: “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:6-7); ...for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.” (II Chronicles 30:9); For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. (Exodus 20:5-6; Deuteronomy 5:9-10)
We all must choose whom we will believe - God, man or nothing at all, and then understand that whatever we choose, we will have to live and die with the consequences! For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad! (II Corinthians 5:10)
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