Hear All You People Micah 1:2

As we begin the study of the book of Micah, let us be reminded that “Micah” is considered one of the “Minor Prophets” in the Bible. This book, however, is not considered “Minor” in its content or intention, but rather for its size. It is seven chapters long compared to some of the longer ones such as Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel which have many more chapters. Micah's message is just as important. We learned that “Micah” whose name means “who is like God” was the author, and the book was directed towards “Samaria and Jerusalem”. In chapter one and verse two of the book of Micah, the prophet begins his message by challenging the people to “hear”. We read:

Hear, all you people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is:

and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

The verse begins, “Hear, all you people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is:” Micah began this verse with the word “Hear” which means “listen to and obey”, and he directed his words to “all you people”. No one was to be exempt from the prophesy Micah was about to relay, and he emphasized this through the words “Hearken, O Earth” or “be attentive, heed, incline (of ears), attend (of ears), hearken, pay attention, listen all who are on the Earth”. As though these two charges were not enough, Micah added, “and all that therein is” which literally means “fulness, that which fills” and refers to the “masses and the multitudes”.

The verse goes on to say, “and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.” Micah next references God Almighty as he wrote, “and let” which means “allow or permit” “the Lord God” or “Yehovah God” “be a witness” or “one who brings evidence and testimony” “against you”. This witness against all the people of the Earth was to be from “the Lord from his holy” which means “apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness” “temple” or “palace, nave or sanctuary”. Micah was calling upon the Lord God from His “holy temple” to bear witness against all the people of the Earth for their behavior, attitudes and actions toward the “holy” things of God.

As we think about these words of Micah, we can almost imagine the scene. What if we were able to see God bringing His Holy testimony against the actions of all men upon the Earth? How would we fair in this judgment? Would He be able to bring a good witness about our lives before Him, or would we be indicted? If anything, this verse should humble us before the throne of God who knows and can bear witness of every behavior, attitude and action we have done or will ever do. May we ever be grateful when we think of God's “holy testimony” against us, we may know Jesus Christ paid the price for every poor witness that could be brought before the world.

Next time Micah tells the people about the LORD coming down to them, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at http://www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.