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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