Our Old Testament reading from the Lectionary this week comes from the Prophet Micah. Micah was a prophet to the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and his ministry was from around 737 - 696 BC, approximately a hundred years before the Babylonian Captivity. In our passage today Micah speaks against the false prophets and preachers who are leading the people astray, and his message is just as valid today as it was 2,700 years ago when he first brought this message from the Lord.
The Lord gave His servant, Micah, a special message to speak to some of the religious leaders of his day, some prophets and preachers. There were some who, rather than speaking the true Word of God, would instead speak messages that were in response to favors and bribes that they had received. They preached messages that their audiences wished to hear, not ones that were true to God’s Word. When these false preachers spoke, they gave a message that the people wanted to hear, depending on what kind of payment or offering they were given. They were motivated by greed, not by giving God’s truth.
We see the same thing today with any number of preachers, both in churches and on TV. In order to get a better offering they will preach messages that they feel the people want to hear. They will not preach the whole Word of God, they will never speak about sin and repentance, but only nice, soothing, feel-good messages that many congregations only want to hear. Many of these preachers don’t believe the whole Word of God, only accept the feel-good, “nice” parts, and will only preach this type of message. Others fear that if they do mention sin and repentance, the offerings will go down, so they preach only what the people like to hear.
Micah was warning the religious leaders and prophets to stop taking bribes from the people to preach only what they wanted to hear. That is a good warning to religious leaders today. Some preachers are basically taking bribes when they let big contributors in their congregation control the church. Others let a fear of losing money or parishioners control what they say from the pulpit. They won’t preach or speak up against sin or evil, or proclaim the whole of the Scriptures, giving only feel-good messages or motivational speeches, rather than the Word of God.
As Micah proclaimed the faithful message that God had given him, God was going to cut off the false prophets because they were leading the people astray. Micah’s power and wisdom came from God (vs. 8). The power behind Micah’s ministry was the Holy Spirit. We need to be yielded to His power, not our own. Micah didn’t let fear keep him from speaking for God and His whole Word, and he stood against those who opposed God and His truth, as we should, as well.
The rulers of the people wanted rewards, the priests and prophets were open for bribes (vs. 9-12). They deceived themselves and the people into thinking that God would bless them. Micah warned that if the religious leaders of his day didn’t change their ways and speak God’s truth then He would have to bring judgment (vs. 12). He warned the people that if they didn’t insist that their preachers and prophets speak the truth, and stop paying them bribes, then God would judge them for allowing corruption and sin to continue, and their failing to turn to God.
Do we pick the church we attend because one pastor gives “nicer” sermons than another, sermons that are more “positive”? Do we get uncomfortable if our pastor speaks strongly against sin from the pulpit on occasion? Our religious leaders need to speak God’s Word without fear, and not let money influence the message, and we, too, need to be concerned that our pastors are speaking the whole of God’s Word in truth.
Yes, Sarah. we need to hear The Word of God.
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