Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, November 21st, 2024
the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Commentaries
Micah 3

Bell's Commentary on the BibleBell's Commentary

Verses 1-12

  1. Intro:
    1. Here we have quite the contrast between the evil shepherds & the Good shepherd!
      1. Like the background of black velvet jewelers use to show off a diamond!
    2. Here we learn of Israel’s glorious future!
      1. We all love Jer.29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
      2. You would think this hope would motivate the leaders to turn from their sins.
      3. 1 Jn.3:3 “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
    3. Outline: Thy Judgment Come; Thy Kingdom Come; Thy King Come.
  2. THY JUDGMENT COME! (Micah 3)
    1. ​​​​​​​BAD POLITICAL LEADERSHIP! (1-4)
    2. They should have adopted the Police Motto: “To Serve & Protect!”
      1. Instead of caring for the people though, they treated them like animals & devoured them.
      2. “They attacked them, skinned them alive, butchered them, chopped them up, & made stew out of them!”
        1. These leaders are compared to cannibals!
    3. (4) These wolves in shepherds clothing would cry out for God’s mercy, but no mercy would be given.
    4. They were not being heard by God!
      1. And the next group(the prophets) were not speaking for God!
    5. BAD PROPHETICAL LEADERSHIP! (5-7)
    6. So how do you lead misleaders?
    7. Instead of guiding the flock, they led them astray.
      1. They brought messages of “false peace”.
      2. If you “bought them a drink”(2:11) they would declare whatever you wanted them to say. [growing up w/priests in our home]
      3. 2 Tim.4:3,4 “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”
      4. The result is darkness, which results in no hope!
  3. GOOD PROPHETICAL LEADERSHIP! (8-12)
    1. (8) Micah’s unabashed autobiographical statement!
      1. Spurgeon, “The greatest works are done by the “ones”. The hundreds do not often do much--the companies never. It is the units, the single individuals, that are the power and the might.”
      2. Q: How are you doing with this 1st statement? Do you have power?
        1. Fear will keep you from speaking out for God. So, you can’t rely on your own power!
    2. Q: Is power for me to have or is that just for The Greats?
      1. Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
      2. 1 Thes. 1:5 “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.”
    3. (9) Everything was distorted, perverted.
    4. (11a) Money became the bottom line! (for a bribe; for pay; for money)
    5. (11b) Q: How do you like being used?
    6. A true leader protects the people, guides them in God’s will, & serves w/o thought of personal gain!

Verses 1-12

  1. Intro:
    1. Here we have quite the contrast between the evil shepherds & the Good shepherd!
      1. Like the background of black velvet jewelers use to show off a diamond!
    2. Here we learn of Israel’s glorious future!
      1. We all love Jer.29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
      2. You would think this hope would motivate the leaders to turn from their sins.
      3. 1 Jn.3:3 “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
    3. Outline: Thy Judgment Come; Thy Kingdom Come; Thy King Come.
  2. THY JUDGMENT COME! (Micah 3)
    1. ​​​​​​​BAD POLITICAL LEADERSHIP! (1-4)
    2. They should have adopted the Police Motto: “To Serve & Protect!”
      1. Instead of caring for the people though, they treated them like animals & devoured them.
      2. “They attacked them, skinned them alive, butchered them, chopped them up, & made stew out of them!”
        1. These leaders are compared to cannibals!
    3. (4) These wolves in shepherds clothing would cry out for God’s mercy, but no mercy would be given.
    4. They were not being heard by God!
      1. And the next group(the prophets) were not speaking for God!
    5. BAD PROPHETICAL LEADERSHIP! (5-7)
    6. So how do you lead misleaders?
    7. Instead of guiding the flock, they led them astray.
      1. They brought messages of “false peace”.
      2. If you “bought them a drink”(2:11) they would declare whatever you wanted them to say. [growing up w/priests in our home]
      3. 2 Tim.4:3,4 “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”
      4. The result is darkness, which results in no hope!
  3. GOOD PROPHETICAL LEADERSHIP! (8-12)
    1. (8) Micah’s unabashed autobiographical statement!
      1. Spurgeon, “The greatest works are done by the “ones”. The hundreds do not often do much--the companies never. It is the units, the single individuals, that are the power and the might.”
      2. Q: How are you doing with this 1st statement? Do you have power?
        1. Fear will keep you from speaking out for God. So, you can’t rely on your own power!
    2. Q: Is power for me to have or is that just for The Greats?
      1. Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
      2. 1 Thes. 1:5 “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.”
    3. (9) Everything was distorted, perverted.
    4. (11a) Money became the bottom line! (for a bribe; for pay; for money)
    5. (11b) Q: How do you like being used?
    6. A true leader protects the people, guides them in God’s will, & serves w/o thought of personal gain!
Bibliographical Information
Bell, Brian. "Commentary on Micah 3". "Bell's Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/cbb/micah-3.html. 2017.
 
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