Arise and Depart Micah 2:10

Micah the prophet pronounced judgment upon Samaria and Jerusalem because of their apostasy from the Lord God Almighty. There were wicked people among them who conspired evil plans and carried them out against their fellow men, women and children. Not even widows and orphans were safe among them, and when the prophets charged these evil ones with their wickedness, they desired for the prophets to be silenced. In chapter two and verse ten of his prophesy, Micah tells the people to “Arise, and depart” from their homeland where we read:

Arise, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted,

it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.

The verse begins, “Arise, and depart; for this is not your rest:” In response to such wicked behavior, Micah told the people to “Arise” which means “rise up and stand” “and depart” or “leave, proceed, move or go away”. He added, “for this is not your rest” which means “resting place or place of quietness”. The idea was for Canaan to be a place of rest for the people of Israel and Judah, but now that there was no rest for those who lived within these places, they should depart from them.

The verse goes on to say, “because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.” Micah gave another reason they should leave, “because it is polluted” or “unclean sexually, religiously and ceremonially”, and “it shall destroy you” which means “spoil, deal corruptly, offend, writhe, twist, travail and ruin you”. As though destroying them was not enough, Micah added, “even with a sore” or “sick, grievous and painful” “destruction” or “pain, sorrow, travail, or pang”. Not only would remaining in these places destroy the people who stayed there, but their destruction would be extremely painful and grievous.

When we take the time to meditate upon these words of Micah, we may be thinking about our own country. What if he was writing to us? Was our land intended to be a place of rest, and now it has become “polluted” “sexually, religiously, and ceremonially”? Perhaps we will think about the world which is not the Christian's final home and resting place. As it becomes more and more corrupt every day, may we be reminded that one day we too will “Arise, and depart, for this is not your rest” even as the Bible promises, and may the Lord Jesus come quickly to receive those who believe in, trust in, rely upon and cling to Him.

Next time Micah tells them about a man walking with wine and drink, 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.