Tuesday, June 16, 2015

No Answer of God Micah 3:7


False prophets in the days of Micah were being persuaded by their own aggrandizement from those who would patronize them with goods. If they were given blessings, they would bless with “peace”, and if blessings were withheld, they would curse with “war”. Rather than sharing true prophecies with the people, these false prophets were making the people “err”, and therefore night, no vision, darkness and no divination was promised by the LORD unto them. In chapter three and verse seven of his prophecy, Micah told the prophets the results of the obscurity they would receive where we read:

Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yes,
they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.

The verse begins, “Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded:” After Micah prophesied that the false prophets would be in “darkness”, he wrote, “then shall the seers” which refers to the “ones with vision” “be ashamed” or “to put to shame, be disconcerted, and be disappointed”. He added, “and the diviners” or “ones who practice the prohibited act of divining” “confounded” which means “ashamed, abashed, feel abashed, to display or demonstrate shame, or cause embarrassment”. Because these false prophets will have no vision, darkness, and no divination, they will be embarrassed before the people they desired to persuade.

The verse goes on to say, “yes, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.” Micah goes on to declare, “yes, they shall all cover” or “enwrap, wrap oneself, and envelop oneself” “their lips” which literally is “mustache or beard” and means “not putting one's beard in order as it clothes over the chin”. As a demonstration of shame and sorrow, these prophets would cover their mustaches and beards which were normally symbols of pride. Micah declares the reason for their shame, “for there is no answer” or “response” “of God” which refers to “the Almighty Ruler and Judge”. Rather than profess the words of God, they shall be struck with an embarrassing lack of any prophesy from Him.

As we ponder these words of Micah, perhaps we have wondered, what happens to those who proclaim false prophecies and sayings? We should remember that God Almighty the LORD of all is watching over these things. There is nothing that He does not hear, and there is nothing that He does not see. When these false prophets were basically taking bribes for “peaceful” prophecies and pronouncing “war” upon those who did not patronize them, the LORD was watching, and Micah lets us know they didn't get away with anything. We can gain at least two lessons from the results of this declaration to the false prophets: First, we don't want to be like them, and second, those who proclaim such falsehoods will have their due, because the Almighty will bring embarrassment and shame to anyone who proclaims Him falsely.

Next time Micah begins to share how he differs from the false prophets, 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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