Devotional Commentary on Micah 2

 

It appears as if this chapter is dealing with the Time of Trouble. These people R&D trouble during the night and during the day they carry out what they thought about (verse 1). They do it because their hand now has the power. Before they did not have the power. Now the do. They desire to have the fields that do not belong to them (verse 2). They desire also houses, and take them. They oppress the owner of the house and vandalize his house. They oppress a man and his heritage.

The oppressors are evil against those whom are presumed to belong to the Lord. They take their farms, their houses, but the Lord said that the evil will not be renewed from the necks. They shall also not be able to walk erect because the burden is strong against them. The reason there is landgrabbing, house vandalism, house takeovers, property theft, spoliation, the reason why there is a continuous oppressive situation, non-stop, is because it is “time of evil” (verse 3).

Here is the question: When was this time of evil? When was the period allocated for evil? Was it in the days of Micah or is it a future period?

For the preterists Micah foresaw the day in 714 BCE when Sargon II brought in Arabs to resettle in Samaria. He now asks the question how He will return their (Israel’s) fields which He (through Sargon II) is dividing? During the eschatological Time of Trouble, spoliation will be the name of the game. “They have robbed us” (verse 4). “How will He turn to me [the believer] to return our fields, which he [evil] divides?” (verse 4).

The power of the holy ones will be broken because then the end will come finally as Daniel 12 said.

“Therefore, you shall not have anyone who casts a line by a lot in the congregation of the Lord” (verse 5). While wrongs are taking place, there is no one in the congregation of the Lord to judge their case and “cast a line by lot”. There is no one to mediate for them for their Advocate in Heaven has completed His function as Mediator. It appears as if this is an event during the Time of Trouble at the end of the World History (Daniel 12:1-2).

The preachers of those days, preached comforting words that nothing will happen to the people. Micah warned them not to preach that way. All good prophets guarded their audiences not to overlook evil and pronounce it good. If they know what is right, plead for right.

No one shall preach during the Time of Trouble (verse 6). Why? It is all over. Evangelism is done when the Door of Mercy closed. That is why the Lord wants them not to preach.

Despite punishments, the Lord indicated in verse 7 conditionally: “Are My words not with the one who walk straight?” Jacob thinks that the Lord’s patience has grown short, but the answer is just the opposite. He gives His counsels and words with those who walk straight. He leaves this option open to the people as a remedy (verse 7).

Knowing and informed as the people of Israel are about the Time of Trouble that was to come, and conditions in this period, a period described by Daniel 12:1-2, they surprisingly ask the words of verse 7. They want to know if His patience has grown short? If this oppression, this Time of Trouble for the righteous is upon them, are His words not with the upright ones during this time? That is what they are asking.

The people of God are suffering under the enemy because there were stealing and robbing. When refugees and migrants came from war, they helped themselves and exploit the migrants (verse 8).

If Europe are eager to take in migrants to exploit them for cheap labor, then verse 8 is for them.

They holy one’s wives are driven away from the house and from her infants and they take way her glory forever (verse 9).

They are to arise and go since it is not the tranquility, it is contaminated and they formed bands and clarified it as such (verse 10). All kinds of networks.

“If a man walking in wind and falsehood lies: ‘I will preach to you…”he shall be considered well for a preacher at that time since the chickens has come back to the rooster. Birds of a feather.

Then verse 12 breaks into the “listing” of sins of Israel/Jacob.

The promise of an assembly and a gathering of the remnant is given in this verse as a certainty.

This verse has eschatological overtones and depicts the Shepherd gathering His sheep in their safe fold and in verse 13 a breaker broke out who leads them in a militant way. Their King passed before them and the Lord was at their head. Their king is not leading them but “pass by”. The Lord is at their head. It reminds me of the theology behind Psalm 23 and 24 that is vividly brought together here in two verses: verse 12 is Psalm 23 and verse 13 is Psalm 24.

After Tirhakah’s victory over Assyria in 675 BCE some people of Judah and Israel flocked there because they thought Egypt would be safer but the old prophet Isaiah (81 years old) told them that they will be taken to Assyria some time after 671 BCE when Esarhaddon conquered Egypt or 668 BCE when Ashurbanipal took No-Amon. Ashurbanipal had Israelites and Jews second and third generation young scribes in his library and some of them were copies of the Gilgamesh epic. These boys remembered Psalm 24 and it was dear to their memory and as sufferers they were looking forward to the ultimate Glorious King to come. The Glorious King mighty in battle and some Jewish midrash entered the Neo-Babylonian copy of the Gilgamesh epic in Tablet VI in 650 BCE in the library of Niniveh:

 

Line 182 “Who is the (most) glorious among heroes?”

Line 183 “Who is the (most) imminent among men?”

Line 184 “Gilgamesh is the most glorious among heroes!”

Line 185 “[Gilgamesh is the most emin]ent among men!”

This is Psalm 24 that was popular with Isaiah and Micah also and now in 650 BCE found its way also through Israelite scribal hands into the Gilgamesh Epic. We know from excellent historiographical studies that the scribes sometimes were given notations and telegrammic facts and they had to enlarge upon the motifs themselves. This is an example of Jewish elaboration in Neo-Assyrian setting.

The Shaking theology is in verse 13 where people will leave the remnant or visible church but in verse 12 there is a promise of an assembly from the invisible church.

Whey assemble them? Because there will be those who will breakout of the gate (verse 13). They are the wayward ones or rebels.

 

Dear Lord

While there is time work on my heart to dedicate itself fully to thee so that God can reign more fully in a glorious way for Himself through the Trinity. In Jesus Name. Amen.