20. MICAH
Micah preached for twenty years, 720 years before the birth of Jesus. He
spoke for the poor farmers who suffered at the hands of the powerful landlords.
AGAINST THE RICH. Micah said that the rich businessmen lay awake at
night planning how to get richer at the expense of the poor. Their cleverness
enabled them to deprive the "little man" of his few possessions. Land
was the fundamental form of wealth in the ancient world. Micah saw that the day
would come when the comfortable life of the rich would be ended by foreign
invaders and their wealth would be taken away.
AGAINST FALSE PROPHETS. Micah said that the prophets had led the people
astray. They prophesied based on the offerings they received from the people.
The prophets declared there would be peace only when they were fed and would
declare there would be war if they were not fed. The prophets were corrupt.
Micah, on the other hand, had the power of God to prophesies the truth.
TRUE RELIGION. God summoned his people to hear his complaints against
them. God recalled how he freed the Hebrews from slavery while they lived in
Egypt. He sent Moses to serve as their leader when travelling in the
desert for 40 years. God said that true religion consisted of three things: A)
Justice which meant to know and carry out one’s duty. B) Kindness which meant
to be loyal to God and man. C) Humility toward God which meant to obey
God.
Micah spoke for the poor farmers. He spoke against the rich who
oppressed the poor and against the false prophets who led the people astray.
True religion was to be just, kind, and obey God.
