Sermon Notes - Micah 3 - Follow the Truth - Littleby Baptist Church - February 18, 2024
1. Last week we wrapped up the first prophetical cycle of sin, judgement, and restoration in the book of Micah.
a.
The judgement was going to be severe.
b.
There was no turning back.
a.
Others would not be able to help them.
b.
They had put other things above God.
c.
They stole.
d.
They plotted to do evil.
e.
They rejected the word of God.
f.
They deserved the coming judgement.
g.
The false teachers of that day deserved what was
coming their way.
c.
They led people astray and steered them away
from retaining God’s blessing.
2.
God’s judgement is true.
a.
He sees all.
b.
He knows all.
c.
When He declares that a people should be judged,
it is a just judgement.
d.
The people in Micah’s day were not getting a
reprieve.
e.
But thankfully our God is a gracious God.
f.
The remnant of those being scattered will be
gathered back together.
g.
God will shepherd them.
h.
A time will come and is still yet to come when
the Shepherd will return.
i.
He will bring restoration for all who repent and
follow Him.
j.
There was still Hope for those being exiled.
k.
There is Hope today for those who walk this
earth.
l.
Hope in the one True Messiah, Jesus.
3.
Let’s see how Micah’s second message takes
shape.
4.
Micah 3:1-2a
a.
This message is for all the people from the
12-tribes.
b.
God through Micah is stating that they should
have known better.
c.
Even more so, the leaders and rules should have
known what was expected of them.
d.
They were to carry out justice, help the people,
but instead they behaved wickedly.
e.
They hated what was good.
f.
They loved the evil of the world.
g.
They no longer honored the One who had set them
apart.
5.
Micah
3:2b-3
a.
A very graphic way to portray how the so-called
leaders took “care” of the people.
b.
These rulers were supposed to care for and
shepherd the people.
c.
They were to help point them back to God.
d.
Instead, they took advantage of them.
e.
They had them unfairly prosecuted.
f.
They would bribe people to get what they wanted.
g.
They would flat out steal from them.
h.
They did not hesitate to bully people into
submission.
i.
And if nothing else worked, they would take
their lives.
j.
The leaders and rulers turned away from their
God appointed calling.
6.
Micah 3:4
a.
A time of calamity is coming.
b.
Judgement will fall on Israel.
c.
The false prophets, leaders, and rulers did not
want to believe that God would really judge them.
d.
Not sure what they were thinking.
e.
Maybe they simply did not care anymore, were so
focused on what they wanted, or maybe they no longer believed.
f.
Probably a mix of all of the above and then
some.
g.
Things changed when the judgement fell on them.
h.
They cried out.
i.
Re-read vs. 4.
j.
The people would have to live with the
consequences of their actions.
k.
They were going to have to endure the punishment
for their choices.
l.
They would realize what they had done when it
was too late.
m.
Reminds me of - Every knee will bow… every
tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
n.
Everyone will know.
o.
Some will be granted an eternity with God.
p.
Others will realize it when it is too late and
will spend forever in the lake of fire.
q.
This is
why our reaching out to the lost is so critical.
r.
Someday they will KNOW.
s.
The mission we have been given by God is to help
them see before it is too late.
t.
Only Christ can save them, but we can point them
in His direction.
7.
Micah 3:5
a.
The problem of ear ticklers is not a new one.
b.
It is an issue today and per Micah, a prophet of
God, it was a problem around 750-700 BC.
c.
This verse tells us that those that took care of
the false prophets received good news and those that did not received bad news.
d.
Those that gave them gifts received blessings,
those that did not were cursed.
e.
The ear tickers of Micah’s day were interested
in their own wants and desires.
f.
Not God’s will.
8.
Micah 3:6-7
a.
Darkness will fall upon the false prophets.
b.
If Jesus is the Light, I think it is safe to say
that darkness is the absence of Jesus.
c.
A sign of the devastation that was going to fall
on these people.
d.
They were doomed.
e.
God will turn His back on them.
f.
The people will see them for what they really
are.
g.
The true prophets will speak the truth, even
when it is unpopular.
h.
In Numbers 22-24 Balak hires Balaam to curse
God’s people.
i.
Balaam stated he could only say what God showed
him.
j.
Balaam listened to God and blessed the people of
Israel.
k.
Balak was angry.
l.
This happened three times.
m.
Let’s pick up at the end of the third.
n.
Numbers 24:10-13
o.
Balaam spoke God’s truth, even when it was
unpopular.
p.
Very few prophets in Micah’s day spoke God’s
truth.
q.
They said what they thought people wanted to
hear.
r.
They were after personal gain.
s.
They no longer listened to God.
9.
Micah 3:8
a.
Micah on the other hand was touched by God.
b.
He spoke the truth as he was given it.
c.
He spoke with boldness and courage.
d.
Micah trusted in the word God gave him.
10.
This is another reminder for us.
a.
It may not be popular.
b.
It may alienate us from our friends, loved ones,
coworkers….
c.
We could face persecution while we are still on earth…
d.
But we must speak the truth.
e.
We must speak the words that God gives us.
f.
We need to share His Word.
g.
Won’t always be easy, but all of us are called
to be witnesses.
h.
Which means, we need to speak His truth to those
in our lives.
11.
Micah 3:9-11
a.
Rulers over God’s people were to be just and
righteous.
b.
These ‘rulers’ hated justice.
c.
They twisted it so they could get what they
wanted.
d.
They were called to repent, but instead they
continued in their sin.
e.
They wanted wealth and favored those who would
pay them.
f.
Deuteronomy 16:19-20
g.
When I compare the command in Deuteronomy to the
behaviors of the leaders Micah was talking about, they could not be more
different.
h.
These rulers had turned away from how God had
called them to live.
12.
With all that they were doing, they had the
audacity to lean on the Lord.
a.
Re-read 2nd half of vs. 11.
b.
Luke 17:1-2
c.
The judgement that falls on those who lead
others astray will be severe.
13.
Micah 3:12
a.
Because of the false teachings.
b.
Because they took advantage of others.
c.
They ignored God.
d.
Lied and said everything was going to be ok.
e.
Now to be clear, it is highly unlikely the
people were innocent.
f.
Someone had to be bribing the leaders.
g.
The people still had to choose if they were
going to follow this garbage or honor God.
h.
The leaders and the people ultimately chose
to live a life pretending to follow God.
i.
Because of their choices.
j.
Destruction came in 586 BC.
k.
Jerusalem became ruins.
l.
The first temple of God was destroyed.
14.
We are looking at Micah’s second cycle of judgement.
a.
The people had been warned, but they listened to
those false teachers instead of God’s messenger.
15.
Jesus warned us about this.
a.
Matthew 7:15-20
b.
We need to watch those who speak God’s word to
us.
c.
If we do not see God at work in their lives.
d.
If they speak counter to what the Bible teaches.
e.
Avoid them.
f.
Don’t listen to them.
g.
The message may sound good, feel good, or be
encouraging…
h.
But if it is not grounded in the Word of God and
driven by the Holy Spirit… run the other way.
16.
In order to know if someone is feeding you a
line or truly teaching the Word…
a.
You need to get into the Word yourself.
b.
Invest your time in learning what Scripture has
to say.
c.
Read it.
d.
Study it.
e.
It is the measuring stick that everything else
is measured against.
17.
It is the Word of God that shows us we are saved
by our Faith in Christ.
a.
If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
b.
God’s Word can show you the way.
c.
I would love to show you.
Comments
Post a Comment