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May 15 + Daily readings & notes

DAY 135

God cares about justice.  Think about that as you read Micah.  Here's the Bible Project's video breaking down the book.


DAILY READINGS

Micah 1-4 & Psalm 130

DAILY NOTES

Micah 1
  • The tone of the book is set early.  Micah sees God as "a witness against" the people in Verse 2.
  • Remember those billboard messages from God that were popular a few years ago?  My favorite was always, "Don't make me come down there."  Micah depicts God responding to the injustice of the people by coming from "his place" (vs3).
  • All of Israel (north and south) are to be judged by God.
Micah 2
  • Injustice is in the hearts of the people so much that they "devise wickedness and evil deeds on their beds" (vs1)!  That means they're thinking about it even in their sleep.
  • Not only do the people practice injustice, they do not want to preached to about their doings (vs6).
Micah 3
  • Micah stands as a spirit filled prophet of God even though the leaders and other prophets are not (vs8).
Micah 4
  • A vision of restoration and peace.
  • Not only will the people cease from learning way, they will "walk in the name of the Lord...forever" (vs.5).
Psalm 130
  • The psalmist is waiting for God's redemption.  
  • God is forgiving and faithful.  Therefore, the psalmist knows he can trust God enough to wait.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

Micah asks the "heads of Jacob" and the "rulers" of Israel, "Should you not know justice?"

Of course, the answer is, "Yes."  But not just the leaders.  We cannot blame injustice completely on leadership.  We all have a part in creating justice.  Ensuring justice.  And upholding justice.

In fact, doing so is probably one of the most prophetic things we can do as the body of Christ.  If we are indeed filled with the Spirit of God, we cannot sit idly while people suffer injustice.  We cannot allow people to be taken advantage of.  And we call to account anyone or any circumstance that does.

Think about what Jesus did.  Like Micah, he said he was anointed by the Spirit.  Look at what he had to say to the religious leaders of his day.  He was not merely telling them to be nice people; he was calling out their hypocrisy and injustice.  Look where that got him.

Are you Spirit filled like that?

Stay blessed...john 

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