As Micah the prophet
continued to pronounce judgment upon those whose devised and carried
out evil, he wrote about the LORD's plan against the perpetrators.
This plan would not only humble them, but they would not be able to
remove it from their necks. In chapter two and verse four of his
prophecy, Micah shares concerning “a doleful lamentation”
which will be spoken against them when they are judged where we read:
In that day shall one
take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation,
and say, We are utterly spoiled: he has changed the portion
of my people: how has he removed it from me! turning away he
has divided our fields.
The
verse begins, “In that day shall one take
up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation,”
Micah makes reference to the
time period when the LORD's plan is carried out, “In that
day”, and says, “one
shall take up a parable” or
“poem, byword, aphorism or sentences of ethical wisdom,
ethical maxims” “against you”. Micah added, “and
lament” which means “wail or go mourning after” “with
a doleful lamentation” or “lamentable, mournful, and wailing
song”. We can imagine those who would be left in Samaria and
Jerusalem mourning and singing woefully as they observe the
destruction that was to come upon these wicked doers.
The verse goes on to say, “and
say, We are utterly spoiled: he has changed the portion of my
people:” Micah provided the
lyrics to the “doleful lamentation”
- “We are utterly spoiled”
which is the Hebrew phrase “shadad, shadad” and means “to
deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin, destroy, spoil”.
Micah goes on to add, “he has changed the portion” or
“altered and exchanged share, part, territory and award” “of
my people” or “persons, members of one's people, compatriots,
country-men, kinsman or kindred”. This mournful song will not only
speak of the things the people have lost, but will also refer to the
LORD being the one who allowed them to be taken away.
Finally
the verse says, “how has he removed it
from me! turning away he has divided our fields.” Micah
finishes this thought with the words the devastated people will be
singing, “how has he removed it”
or “departed it” “from me”, and
he added, “turning away” which
refers to the LORD “bringing back, returning, putting back,
drawing back, giving back, restoring, relinquishing and giving in
payment” “he has divided” or “shared, plundered,
allotted, apportioned, assigned, distributed or scattered” “our
fields” which were “lands, cultivated fields and plains”.
In other words these who had worked evil and made gains in houses,
lands and fields within Samaria and Jerusalem were going to face the
judgment of God that would strip away their gains and give them to
others.
As we ponder Micah's words,
once again we are reminded that those who seem to be gaining by and
getting away with evil practices are not outside of the Almighty
God's site or reign. These within Samaria and Jerusalem became proud
and boastful over their exploits, and they were destined to be
singing “a doleful lamentation” when the LORD finished
with them. Let us consider intently both the pride and apostasy of
these wicked doers. By each of these traits a mournful event and song
was implemented and reaped. May their lamentation remind us to ask
the Lord Jesus help us to stay away from their wicked ways, prideful
attitudes and falling away from Him.
Next
time Micah shares how the people will have none who will “cast
a cord”,
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment