Micah 6:10

The Bible says in Micah 6:10-13, “Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?[11] Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?[12] For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.[13] Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.” This passage mentions the “sins” of Israel, and then concentrates on just one thing to illustrate their wickedness: materialism. The first thing mentioned is “the treasures of wickedness.” The “wicked balances” and “deceitful weights” speak of how they were willing to cheat people in order to become richer. They also had become liars in order to cheat others and get more money from their dealings, and so verse 12 says that they “have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.” Finally, it says, “For the rich men thereof are full of violence.” If you are willing to lie to people and cheat them in order to get their money, then you are probably also willing to hurt them physically. Yes, there is a great temptation for those who would be rich: that temptation is to do anything in order to acquire wealth. It says in First Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Micah 6:13 gives the same warning to rich people who are like this, “Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.” It also says in James 5:1-3, “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.[2] Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.[3] Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.”

The Bible says in Micah 6:14-16, “Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.[15] Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.[16] For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.” Omri was the father of Ahab. Both were evil kings. It says in First Kings 16:30-33, “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.[31] And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.[32] And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.[33] And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.” In the last part of Micah chapter 6 God is saying that the Israelites were going to have to reap what they sowed. It wasn’t just Omri and Ahab and the other wicked kings. The people chose to follow that bad ideas of those kings. God told them in Micah 6:16, “For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels.” They could have kept God’s statutes and God’s counsel, but they chose not to. Everyone has their own philosophy of life that they either got from God through Christ, or they got from the teachings and ideas of man.

The Bible says in Micah 7:1-4, “Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit.[2] The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.[3] That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.[4] The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.” Notice that Micah is comparing his own sad estate to the lack of decent and ethical people in the society around him. Micah could not find one good person. He said in verse 2, “The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men.” The problem is identified by the way people treat each other. Instead of helping their neighbors and their fellow citizens, they view them as prey or worse. It says in verse 3, “they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.” O wonder that Jesus said to love thy neighbor as thyself. That is the best solution to such a path that society might end up on. The teachings of Christ are needed and very beneficial to society as a whole.

Another problem is that the leaders are corrupt. It says in verse 3, “the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.” In other words the leaders are doing what they are doing for financial reward and not for the betterment of their country. We are definitely seeing that take place today. Then the Bible sums them all up by saying, “The best of them is as a brier.” This is not a pretty picture of human nature, but it is consistent with what the Bible says about human beings. It says in Genesis 6:5-6, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.[6] And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” It says in Romans 1:21-32, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.[22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,[23] And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.[24] Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:[25] Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.[26] For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:[27] And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.[28] And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;[29] Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,[30] Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,[31] Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:[32] Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

The Bible says in Micah 7:5-7, “Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.[6] For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.[7] Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.” Of course, this verse is talking about the society that existed during the time if Micah, but it is also symbolic of what will happen in the last days; and we are in the last days. The society had gone so far away from God, from truth, and from righteousness that it was not wise to trust anyone: not friends, not your spouse, and not other family members. Those whom you should be able to trust, you cannot trust.

This view of people around us was not limited to Micah. The Greek philosopher Diogenes of Sinope was asked why he was carrying a lamp in the daytime. He replied that he was trying to find an honest man, implying that he could not find one. Jesus actually quotes from Micah 7:6 and Jesus says in Luke 12:51-53, “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:[52] For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.[53] The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.” One of the false teachings that I have heard my whole life that contradicts what Micah and Jesus said goes something like this: “If you will only do the following things everything will turn out just right for your children: teach them the gospel, read the Bible to them, have a family prayer time, and go to church.” The truth is that everyone makes their own decisions eventually, including your children. The truth is that very few people get saved and serve Jesus faithfully. The truth is that if you get saved, the odds are not high that your children will get saved. The truth is that the first child (Cain) born into the world became a murderer. If your children turned to Jesus and served Him faithfully, then that is the exception and is not what usually will happen. If you have the good fortune to come to know Jesus as Savior, the odds are that no one else in your family will know Him, and there will be contention between you and the others because of the spiritual difference. That is one reason that it is important for saved people to seek a spouse from those few in the world who know and love Jesus. It says in Second Corinthians 6:14-18, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?[15] And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?[16] And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.[17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,[18] And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

Even though you have no human beings in whom you can confide, you always have the Lord that you can trust in. It says in Micah 7:7, “Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.” Also, if you always learn to trust in the Lord Jesus and only in the Lord, it will not change anything in your life if there are no people who can be trusted. One of the benefits of being a Christian is that you can trust in Jesus like that every day of your life. Yes, trust Him to forgive your sins, but also trust Him for every step that you take, every plan that you make, every deed that you do, and every opportunity that comes to you. Jesus will never fail you. He is faithful and true always.

The Bible says in Micah 7:8, “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.” If you are really trusting in the Almighty God, that means you trust Him concerning your enemies. That may be one of the hardest things to do in the life of faith. If someone does you wrong, it is normal to want them to get their just deserts. But never forget that God is the God of all the earth. God wants justice to be served more than you ever will. But God wants you to trust Him and leave in His hands what judgment to give and when. God’s ways are not our ways. The wheels of God may seem to turn slowly sometimes, but they turn ever so finely. No matter what your enemies do to you, we are reminded: “when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.”

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