As Micah the prophet began
to write concerning the judgment of the leadership of Samaria and
Jerusalem, he asked them, “Is it not for you to know judgment?”.
He also told them they, “hate the good, and love the evil”,
and then wrote graphic descriptions to tell of the ways they robbed
and pillaged their own people. In chapter three and verse three of
his prophecy, Micah continued to tell of their horrible mutilation of
God's people where we read:
Who also eat the flesh
of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their
bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within
the caldron.
The
verse begins, “Who also eat the flesh of my people, and
flay their skin from off them;” To
continue his description of the ways the leaders robbed and cheated
their own countrymen, Micah wrote, “Who also eat”
or “devour, burn up or feed off” “the flesh”
which means “the bodies of, near kin or kinsman” “of
my people” or “nation”.
These were the Lord's “people” and
nation, and their leaders were taking advantage through exploitation.
Not only were they living off the people, Micah went on to say, “and
flay” which means “to
strip, invade, strip off, make a dash, raid, or spread out” “their
skin” or “hide” “from off them”. We might think
this horrific set of actions would be enough, but Micah has more to
add.
The
verse continues, “and they break their bones, and chop
them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.”
As though devouring the flesh
and flaying the skin of the people was not enough, Micah continued to
describe their mutilation by writing, “and they break”
or “to cause to break or burst forth, break forth with, or
break out” “their bones” which refers to their “essence,
substance or selves”. As though they were pieces of meat that were
being readied for a boiling pot, Micah added, “and they chop
them in pieces” or “spread, spread out, stretch, and break in
pieces” “as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron”
which means “pot or kettle”. We can only imagine the horrific
advantage and abuse that this leadership has enforced over the people
of God, and we should not be surprised that He is making note of it
through his prophet Micah.
As
we think through these words of Micah the prophet, we may have
thoughts about the way governments can abuse and take advantage of
their own people. Perhaps we will think of specific advantages where
we feel “devoured” and “flayed” by leadership and be able to
relate to those who seem to make their own lives luxurious by taking
advantage of those subservient to them - “Power corrupts, and
absolute power corrupts absolutely”. In Micah's case, those to whom
he wrote were being greatly taxed and abused by their leadership.
This leadership only forgot one thing, “The Lord was watching”,
and whenever He is on the scene, no one will get away with their
pernicious acts. May we ever be reminded that as the book of Hebrews
chapter four and verse thirteen says, “all things are
naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
Next
time Micah shares about God not hearing the people's cries,
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.
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