I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.
Today, I am reading and commenting on Micah 3-7.
Today’s passage begins with a condemnation of leaders who hate good and love evil. It is the leaders who are supposed to teach the people right from wrong. Instead, the political leaders take bribes and the religious leaders work for whoever will pay them. God’s call to political leaders is for them to provide justice; punishing the evildoer and protecting the helpless. Instead they are protecting the evildoer and punishing the helpless. God’s call to the religious leaders is for them to call evildoers to repent of their sins and to comfort the poor. Instead they are comforting the evildoer and calling for the poor to do evil. The leaders work on behalf of those who can, and will, offer them some benefit while using their position to threaten those who cannot or will not support and strengthen their power.
The prophet tells us that it is not difficult, or challenging, to know how to satisfy God. He has told us what He wants from us. God does not want our material possessions, nor does He ask us to sacrifice our most precious possessions, our children. He makes it very clear what He wants of us. He wants us to act justly, to do what is right. He wants us to love mercy, to give those who repent of their wrongdoing a second, or third, or fourth opportunity. Finally, God wants us to walk humbly with Him.
