Sermon Notes - Micah 1 - Coming Judgement - Littleby Baptist Church - February 4, 2024

 1.        After 60-65 weeks in John, it is time to start a new journey.

a.        I can safely say our next journey will not take nearly that long.

2.        We are going to be looking at some prophecy that was given between 750-700 BC.

a.        The prophecies were addressed to both Israel and Judah, with a leaning to the later.

b.       This prophet was around during the same time as Isaiah, Hosea, and Amos.

c.        The kings of Judah during his ministry were Jotham, his son Ahaz, and his son Hezekiah.

d.       Jotham did ok in following God.

e.        Ahaz was not a Godly man or king.

f.          Hezekiah turned the nation back to serving the Lord.

3.        Open your Bible’s to Micah.

a.        The 7^th to the last book of the Old Testament.

b.       In my Bible Micah starts roughly 50 pages before Matthew.

4.        Micah’s book has two cycles.

a.        The first cycle of sin, judgement, and a future restoration for Israel and Judah.

b.       The second cycle is more general.

c.        Still sin, judgement followed by restoration, but for the people of the Lord.

d.       Sin, judgement, and restoration.  

e.        Repeated twice in Micah, but something we see over and over again throughout Scripture.

5.        Some things we will see during our study in Micah.

a.        Micah points to the Messiah.

b.       He is a proponent of justice, of doing what is right.

c.        He talks about how our relationship with God has a big impact on our relationships with others.

d.       He expresses frustration with ritual religious acts without true repentance.

e.        He warned about worshipping other gods and being overconfident.

6.        Micah is one of the Minor Prophets.

a.        The minor has nothing to do with the significance of what they share.

b.       The minor has to do with their books being the shorter prophetical books in the Old Testament.

c.        They are minor in length.

7.        Micah may be called  a minor prophet, but I think the words he was given to share are things the world needs to hear today.

8.        Micah 1:1

a.        A message from God to His people through Micah.

b.       A revelation that God wanted His people to follow.

c.        Israel had turned its back on God and Judah was riding the line.

d.       So, God sent Micah a vision.

9.        Micah 1:2

a.        The message that God had given to Micah is for all the earth.

b.       All are to hear of the coming judgment.

c.        He is not stating that this prophecy is about judgement for all, but that all should listen to what is being shared.  

d.       “The Lord God will be a witness against you,” – That is scary.

e.        God knows all and sees all.

f.          We may be able to hide what is in our hearts from others, but not from God.

g.        If God is a witness against any, His judgement is just.

h.        There is no doubt that it is justified.  

i.          A judgment that comes from the Lord and from His holy temple.

j.          Meaning that God is going to judge His people because they are no longer following His law.

k.        A law that was to help them focus on God.

l.          With a sacrificial system that was to restore them when they faltered.

m.     They had turned their back on God and were going to face the consequences.

10.   Micah 1:3-4

a.        This is Micah trying to explain how awesome our God is.

b.       God is going to come down from heaven and step from mountain to mountain.

c.        His power is so great that the mountains and the valleys cannot resist Him.

d.       God is so much greater than Micah can describe.

e.        If we were to try to describe God today, we might come up with some interesting comparisons.

f.          He has the power of Superman, Thanos, and the Hulk combined, the speed of Flash, the knowledge of Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, and Einstein, and add any other superhero you could think of and it would still not compare.  

g.        God is so amazing that He could change the world in an instant with the snap of his fingers.

h.        Nothing can stand against God.

i.          Our way of describing God’s awesomeness would be different than Micah’s but ultimately the message is the same.

j.          There is no limit to God’s power.

11.   Micah 1:5

a.        God’s chosen people have turned away from Him.

b.       Samaria and Jerusalem are the capital cities of Israel and Judah.

c.        Micah is saying that Samaria is where the rebellion is taking place in Jacob or Israel.

d.       And that Jerusalem is the high place, a place where people go to worship pagan gods in Judah.

e.        The capital cities are being called out for turning their back on God.

12.   Micah 1:6

a.        2 Kings 17:1-6

b.       Judgement was carried out through the nation of Assyria.

c.        Samaria was destroyed in 722 BC.

d.       The prophecy was fulfilled.

13.   Micah 1:7

a.        The northern kingdom of Israel had sold itself to pagan gods.

b.       God was going to let them continue to live that way.

c.        They were going to be taken away, scattered, and left to serve those fake gods that they were so interested in.

d.       Thankfully we know that God’s plan does not end with judgement.

14.   Micah 1:8

a.        Even though the events were years away from unfolding.

b.       Micah was morning what was to come.

c.        The people were going to be judged for their actions.

d.       Which broke Micah’s heart.

e.        When we see people living in ways that do not honor God, how do we respond?

f.          In some circles, it seems acceptable to treat them poorly.

g.        In other, people shun them or maybe even hate them.

h.        Micah is showing us that our hearts should mourn for those who have turned away from God.

i.          It should hurt to see them living in a way that is going to lead to judgement.

j.          We should be crying out to God to use us to touch their lives, to help them see God at work.

k.        We should be praying for the lost to be saved.

15.   Micah 1:9

a.        Her wound is incurable… judgement is coming.

b.       They will be paying the price for their sin.

c.        Thankfully today our judgement is not set until we die.

d.       Those that have yet to choose Jesus are lost.

e.        But that can change in an instance.

f.          If they submit to the Lordship of Christ, they will be saved.

g.        They will avoid judgement.

h.        The Israelites of Micah’s day were not so lucky.

i.          Judgement was coming.

16.   Micah 1:10

a.        Seems like an odd statement.

b.       God did not want the Philistines of Gath to know, because they would celebrate Israel’s coming demise.

c.        For the others, roll in the dust or roll in the ashes, is an expression of grief.

d.       Share the message with those who will mourn, but not with those who will celebrate.

e.        Share who needs salvation with those who will pray, not with those who could care less.

17.   Micah 1:11-12

a.        The people of the town Shaphir, meaning beautiful, would be shameful and naked.

b.       The people of Zaanan would not come out as they too were under siege.

c.        Beth-ezel could not help others as they were in need of help.

d.       Maroth would wait for help from Jerusalem, but none would be coming.

e.        The judgement of the Lord was upon each them.

18.   Micah 1:13

a.        Lachish was a border town that was heavily influenced by the surrounding pagans.

b.       They would not be able to flee.

c.        Judgement was going to fall upon them.  

19.   Micah 1:14

a.        Send gifts to Moresheth-gath to see if they can help.

b.       They won’t be able to.

c.        Achzib may offer, but they will deceive you.

d.       No one was coming to save them.

20.   Micah 1:15

a.        Mareshah, a town near Jerusalem would be conquered.

b.       The nobility, the leaders would flee to Adullam in shame.

21.   Micah 1:16

a.        Mourn for the coming judgement.

22.   The people of Israel and Judah were going to be judged.

a.        They had put other things, other gods before the one true God.

b.       History shows us that this prophecy was true.

c.        Judgement fell on these people.

d.       Towns were destroyed.

e.        People were exiled.

f.          The judgment was severe.

23.   Today we have a choice to live according to this world or live according to the Word of God.

a.        Those that choose Jesus will have a wonderful eternity filled with Peace, Joy, Hope, and Love.

b.       Those that cling to the things of this world, we face judgement much worse than those that Micah was prophesizing about.

c.        Choose wisely.

d.       Submit to Jesus and spend forever with Him.

24.   For those of us who are believers…

a.        I want you to think about how Micah mourned the coming judgement.

b.       As we think of those who do not know Jesus, it should break our hearts.

c.        You know what awaits them.

d.       Pray for them.

e.        Share with them.

f.          And may the Holy Spirit change them.