Micah 3:5-12 (NRSV)
Read Micah 3:5-12 on biblegateway.com
Verse 5Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry "Peace" when they have something to eat, but declare war against those who put nothing into their mouths. Verse 6Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision, and darkness to you, without revelation. The sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day shall be black over them; Verse 7the seers shall be disgraced, and the diviners put to shame; they shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer from God.
Verse 8But as for me, I am filled with power, with the spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin. Verse 9Hear this, you rulers of the house of Jacob and chiefs of the house of Israel, who abhor justice and pervert all equity, Verse 10who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with wrong! Verse 11Its rulers give judgment for a bribe, its priests teach for a price, its prophets give oracles for money; yet they lean upon the Lord and say, "Surely the Lord is with us! No harm shall come upon us." Verse 12Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.
Devotion
Words have power and shape reality. Too many of the prophets and political leaders in Micah's day spoke words to benefit themselves, and they looked for ways to build themselves up instead of being the voice of God to the people of God. They forgot they were to speak words to build up the people of God. They had forgotten God's Word. Micah's call for the people of his day, and us, is found in Micah 6:8: "O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."
The challenge of Micah for the church, and leaders today, is to think about whose words we are speaking. Are we building our kingdom or God's kingdom? Being an example and living the life of service is not easy, but, like Micah, may we walk humbly with God.
Prayer
God, thank you for your Word, which challenges us. Empower us to speak your word of justice and truth. May we be the voice for those who have no voice. May we trust in your Spirit to give us words to speak. Amen.