Truth

Introduction

The death of celebrities brings an interesting bit of commentary from the media. To say that our priorities are off in our culture would be an understatement. With the death of Michael Jackson, the media has spent much time talking about his death, his will, and his life. A soldier had been kidnapped in Afghanistan, and the news spoke about his capture for about 30–45 seconds before turning to the Michael Jackson story for the next 5 minutes. Our sense of what is important is lost. But that really isn’t the point. The amount of time spent on Jackson’s death is overshadowed by what is said about him. Media and fans alike worship at his musical genius and speak of him in almost reverential ways.

Recently a former NFL quarterback was murdered. Steve McNair played the game of football well. McNair tragically was shot in the apartment of a 20-year-old girlfriend while married with four children. Yet the media continues to talk about his greatness as a player. I understand the old adage “do not speak ill of the dead,” but I wonder in both cases if anyone spoke to these two men about their lives before their deaths. I wonder if anyone had the courage to speak candidly to either of them about truth and what is right and what it means to be a man in this world.

This is not to condemn neither Jackson nor McNair. It is to say that to speak the truth in this world is not highly valued. People want to hear things that make them feel good. They don’t want to hear things that leave them with negative feelings. When we turn to Micah we find that while cultures change, people do not. Even in Micah’s day, they did not want to hear the truth. They wanted reassurance that everything was going to be okay. In our text today, Micah is going to deal with the perceptions of the people and he is going to speak the truth. He speaks directly, honestly, and frankly. Will the people listen? Will we? Let’s open our hearts.

The Text

There were numerous prophets when Micah prophesied. Isaiah and Hosea are two who as contemporaries of Micah were trying to convince the people about the truth. But there were numerous false prophets as well. There were those who called themselves prophets who said what the people wanted to hear. These prophets according to verse 6 speak that it isn’t possible for God to turn away from his people. They are after all the chosen ones. They are the covenant people of God. God wouldn’t harm his covenant people. Such words illustrate how little was understood about the covenant.

God had promised the covenant, but he had also promised in Leviticus 18:28 that just as he had vomited out the previous inhabitants from Canaan because of their unrighteousness so he would vomit his own covenant people out of the land if they failed to keep the covenant. Notice Micah’s response in the latter part of verse 7: “Do not my words do good to him whose ways are upright?” Those who are truly of the covenant are glad to hear the truth. Those who truly belong to God want the truth to be told.

In verses 8–9, Micah speaks the truth. While the false prophets claim that God’s love will not bring harm to the people, Micah speaks the truth about what is happening in the land. According to these verses, those in power are stealing from the people. The image of the “rich robe” in verse 8 and “pleasant homes” in verse 9 demonstrate that Jerusalem is going through a time of prosperity. The people enjoy wealth and security. But the leaders are stealing from the people. They exploit the weak. Women and children are exploited so that the leaders can live in luxury.

So what is God going to do? According to verse 10, he is going to send the people away from the city. While the people live in relative ease except for the weak and poor, the place of rest is corrupt. God says “it is beyond remedy.” Instead the false prophets will come and tell the people that there will always be plenty of wine and beer—an image of not just plenty but plenty of that which dulls the senses to reality.

Lessons

So what does this text have to say to us? First, we must not allow our prosperity to be taken as blessing and approval from God while ignoring the plight of the poor. Recently representatives from the Memphis Urban Ministry came and made a presentation to us about their work. Following that presentation, several of you commented about how much you appreciated the presentation and how much you would like to see us get involved in that ministry. The elders met with Jim Harbin a couple weeks after the presentation and we are still discussing our involvement in that ministry especially as it pertains to our vision of reaching out to the poor. But here is the point: one of the things that Jim discussed with us is that working with the poor requires that we change the way we think. And while he talked about a number of things, one simple thing struck me. We can go to the grocery store and buy fresh fruits and vegetables. The poor cannot. Transportation is an issue. No grocery stores exist in poor neighborhoods. The stores that are there sell lottery tickets and convenience foods at a substantially higher cost than what we pay.

I am not suggesting that in some way we are adding to the plight of the poor by eating fresh fruits and vegetables. But I am suggesting that to have access which others are deprived of because of economics is exactly what Micah has in mind. I do not know the answer, but while I eat with thanksgiving there are others in our city who are without. What will we do with this truth?

Second, looking at verses 12–13, God promises a real Israel. To those in Jerusalem the promise meant that when God drove the people out of the land, he would not give up on his covenant. He was going to bring a remnant together to be his people. They will be like sheep with God as their shepherd. But notice verse 13: not only will they be sheep but they will be led by a king.

Contextually, when Assyria came and surrounded Jerusalem, they hemmed up the city so that no one could leave. These prophetic words would have been recalled when Assyria came. God was going to deliver a remnant. There would be a break out from the gate. The Lord would lead them out of the bottled up city.

For us, the application is very similar. The emphasis of these two verses is on what God is going to do. He is going to shepherd his people and he will lead his people. This is not about the might of the people but the might of God. This is not about the determination of the people but the willingness to follow.

It is to acknowledge that God is the one with the strength to lead and break out. Our vision calls for us to follow the leadership of Jesus in helping others see the power of God—the power of God to forgive, heal, and love. The message of the text is that we are weak and God must lead. We follow. Are we listening to the truth?

We are not okay. To sit on the sidelines while others are exploited and deprived makes us no different than the ones who intentionally do the exploiting. To see life as about our achievements and comfort is to miss the point that we are sheep being led by a powerful God who calls us to serve others. May we listen.

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