Groves and Cities Micah 5:14

Micah the prophet continued to share the LORD's words to the “remnant of Jacob” who were to return to the land of Israel. The LORD told them He would remove their “horses, chariots, fortified cities, strongholds, witchcrafts, soothsayers, graven images and standing images” and by doing so their dependence would be upon Him and Him alone. In chapter five and verse fourteen of Micah's prophesy, the LORD adds two more items as He speaks of the removal of their “groves” and dedicated “cities” where we read:

And I will pluck up your groves out of the midst of you: so will I destroy your cities.

The verse begins, “And I will pluck up your groves out of the midst of you:” To continue His list to the people, Micah writes “And I will pluck up” which means “to pull up, expel and root out” “your groves” which is the Hebrew word “asherah” and means “sacred trees or poles set up near an altar”. These “groves” were garden like places where worship of idols such as the “Babylonian (Astarte)-Canaanite goddess (of fortune and happiness), the supposed consort of Baal and her images” were given homage and revered. The LORD went on to say, “out of the midst of you” or “among, inner part, or middle” of them. These places were to be burned and destroyed, and no longer would these “sacred” places of worship be allowed among the people of Israel.

The verse continues, “so will I destroy your cities.” As though removing the “groves” was not enough, the LORD added, “so I will destroy” which means “exterminate, eliminate, annihilate and devastate” “your cities” which refers to their “dedicated cities” or cities which were designated for the worship of these idols. The LORD was not only going to remove the “groves” of these idols, but was also going to annihilate their “cities” as well.

As we think through the LORD's words by Micah the prophet, we can easily see that the LORD desired for the “remnant of Jacob” to rely upon nothing other than Himself for their provision and protection. In other words, they were to understand that had no other security but in God, and they needed no other. No physical thing or place was to impede their reliance upon Him, and wherever the LORD saw other things, gods, groves or dedicated cities, He eliminated them so the people had nothing other than Him upon which to rely. If we ponder this idea, the LORD requires the same from us. He would have all our other foundations removed that we may depend upon Him and Him alone. May the LORD show us where we have set up “groves” and “dedicated cities” in our lives, and may He remove everything that does not have us fully trusting in Him.

Next time Micah writes how the LORD will “execute vengeance” upon the “heathen”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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