False Prophets of Wine and Strong Drink Micah 2:11

Because Samaria and Jerusalem were so “polluted” with wickedness and evil, the prophet Micah told them to “Arise, and depart” because their dwelling place was no longer a place of “rest”, and if they did not leave, the place would “destroy” them, “even with a sore destruction”. In chapter two and verse eleven of his prophecy, Micah refers their belief in false prophets of “wine and of strong drink” where we read:

If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto you of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

The verse begins, “If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie,” After making the declarations about leaving Samaria and Jerusalem, Micah turned to the manner in which the people were spiritually deceived. He began by sharing three characteristics of the deceivers: First, “If a man walking in the spirit” which means “if a man comes, proceeds, or advances toward them as the wind or in a spiritual manner”; Secondly, “and falsehood” or “with deception, deceit, lying, fraud, and wrong which is intended for injury”; and thirdly, “do lie” which means “tell a lie, be a liar, be found a liar, be in vain, or fail”. Thus far, we can picture this man filled with wind but acts spiritually minded, who lies and deceives but supposedly has spiritual connections.

The verse goes on to say, “saying, I will prophesy unto you of wine and of strong drink;” Micah gave a description of what this false prophet proclaimed, “saying, I will prophesy unto you” which literally means to “to drop, drip, distill, prophesy, preach or discourse” “of wine and of strong drink” or “wine and intoxicating drink, fermented or intoxicating liquor”. The idea is that this prophet would prophesy to them about prosperity and an abundance of “wine and strong drink”.

Finally the verse says, “he shall even be the prophet of this people.” Micah concluded this verse with the people's response to this false prophet, “he shall even be the prophet” or “the one who drops, drips, distill, prophesies, preaches or discourses” “of this people” which refers to the people of Samaria and Jerusalem. Even though this is a lying, deceitful, and false prophet, the people would choose him over a prophet from the Lord.

In the book of Second Timothy, chapter four and verse three, Paul the apostle wrote this concerning people within our day,

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;

but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

Though the people of Samaria and Jerusalem were heading down a path of destruction, and there were many true prophets of the Lord telling them so, they chose to follow false prophets who would scratch their “itching ears”. Their own lusts for prosperity, “wine and strong drink” was greater than their ability to hear the prophets of the Lord. They did not desire “sound doctrine” but rather chose to follow their “own lusts” by gathering “teachers” who would only say what they wanted to hear. While we ponder these things, let us think about the many people in our country who desire to have “windbag” prophets who only tell them of good things, and desire to silence any who would dare to speak of “sin, righteousness and judgment” such as the Holy Spirit of God was commissioned to do, and as we consider them, may we humble ourselves before the Lord God Almighty and plead for his “grace” to be upon us while we live among them.

Next time Micah tells about God assembling Jacob and gathering Israel, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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