Micah 3
Micah 3 condemns the leaders of Israel and Judah for their corruption, injustice, and oppression. Micah addresses both the political leaders and prophets, highlighting their abuse of power and failure to lead with righteousness. He warns that because of their actions, God will bring about judgment and destruction on Jerusalem, leaving it in ruins. This chapter emphasizes the importance of just leadership and the dire consequences of corruption.
Micah 3:1-3 (NKJV)
1 And I said:
“Hear now, O heads of Jacob,
And you rulers of the house of Israel:
Is it not for you to know justice?
2 You who hate good and love evil;
Who strip the skin from My people,
And the flesh from their bones;
3 Who also eat the flesh of My people,
Flay their skin from them,
Break their bones,
And chop them in pieces
Like meat for the pot,
Like flesh in the caldron.”
Micah addresses the leaders directly, calling them to recognize the justice they should uphold. Instead of loving goodness, they have become cruel, symbolically stripping and consuming the people. This imagery of brutality underscores how the leaders exploit the people rather than protect them. By likening the people to meat for a pot, Micah illustrates the dehumanizing extent of their abuse.
Micah 3:4 (NKJV)
4 Then they will cry to the Lord,
But He will not hear them;
He will even hide His face from them at that time,
Because they have been evil in their deeds.
Here, Micah warns that God will not respond to the cries of these corrupt leaders when judgment comes. Just as they ignored justice, God will ignore them, turning His face away in response to their wrongdoing. This verse highlights the consequences of abandoning righteousness: in their time of need, God’s mercy will be withheld due to their persistent evil actions.
Micah 3:5-7 (NKJV)
5 Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets
Who make my people stray;
Who chant “Peace”
While they chew with their teeth,
But who prepare war against him
Who puts nothing into their mouths:
6 “Therefore you shall have night without vision,
And you shall have darkness without divination;
The sun shall go down on the prophets,
And the day shall be dark for them.
7 So the seers shall be ashamed,
And the diviners abashed;
Indeed they shall all cover their lips;
For there is no answer from God.”
These verses focus on false prophets who lead the people astray. They proclaim peace only when they are given material gain but threaten those who do not provide for them. As a result, God declares that they will experience a “night without vision,” losing their ability to prophesy. This judgment reveals God’s anger at those who abuse their spiritual authority for selfish gain and foresees their shame as they are silenced and left without answers from God.
Micah 3:8 (NKJV)
8 But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord,
And of justice and might,
To declare to Jacob his transgression
And to Israel his sin.
Micah contrasts himself with the corrupt leaders, affirming that he is filled with God’s Spirit, power, and justice. Unlike the false prophets, Micah’s message is genuine, centered on calling out the sins of Israel. His confidence in his calling serves as a reminder that true prophecy requires alignment with God’s justice and purpose, not personal gain.
Micah 3:9-10 (NKJV)
9 Now hear this,
You heads of the house of Jacob
And rulers of the house of Israel,
Who abhor justice
And pervert all equity,
10 Who build up Zion with bloodshed
And Jerusalem with iniquity:
Micah again addresses the leaders, accusing them of despising justice and using violence to build up Zion. Rather than establishing a city based on God’s laws, they have established it through bloodshed and corruption. These verses reveal how their misuse of power taints even their greatest projects, transforming them from acts of devotion into symbols of sin.
Micah 3:11 (NKJV)
11 Her heads judge for a bribe,
Her priests teach for pay,
And her prophets divine for money.
Yet they lean on the Lord, and say,
“Is not the Lord among us?
No harm can come upon us.”
Micah exposes the hypocrisy of leaders who claim divine support while acting corruptly. Judges accept bribes, priests teach for money, and prophets demand payment, all while falsely assuring the people of God’s protection. Their misplaced confidence reveals their lack of true devotion, as they rely on the Lord’s name without genuinely following His ways.
Micah 3:12 (NKJV)
12 Therefore because of you
Zion shall be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins,
And the mountain of the temple
Like the bare hills of the forest.
In the final verse, Micah warns of the consequences for the leaders’ actions: Zion will be destroyed, Jerusalem left in ruins, and the temple’s mountain desolate. This prophecy highlights the gravity of their sins, foreseeing a complete reversal of their achievements. Instead of being a center of worship and justice, Jerusalem will become a desolate wasteland, illustrating the severe impact of corrupted leadership on a nation.