Mic 2:3-4 | KingComments | STEP | The word “therefore” with which this verse begins indicates that the previous list of sins is the basis for the disaster that Micah is about to announce. It is a word of the LORD, a decision taken by Him. If they consider evil ( ), He will also consider evil. We see His government in this, which means that the evil we do will affect us. It is the law that we will reap what we sow ( ). There is similarity between what we sow and what we reap. When we sow evil, we should not think that we will reap goodness. If we think that it means mocking God, be warned God will not be mocked, His government is proof of that. The righteous God warns His people that He is planning a calamity. They are plotting to satisfy their greed through violence. That is why God also makes plans to meet them with His judgments. He exercises these judgments through the Assyrians. He speaks about “this family”, in which we hear a certain contempt. Because of their sins, God will impose a yoke on them. This yoke is the enemy whom He will send on their necks, from whom they will not be able to free themselves and to whom they will have to bow down. The proud, haughty attitude with which they look down on the wretched will turn into a bowed head because of the misery that comes over them. This will bring a dramatic turn in their time of prosperity. They will be humiliated personally, but also as a nation. Of all their pride, nothing will remain. Opposite the peoples around them they will stand with bowed heads. The “evil time”, that is the time of their imprisonment, will come. In Amos 5, where this expression also occurs, it is about the evil behavior of the people ( ). Here it is about the loss of everything to which they have attached themselves. They will lose their own inheritance as punishment, as well as the robbed inheritance, of course.

‏ Micah 2:3-4

The Calamity That the LORD Plans

The word “therefore” with which this verse begins indicates that the previous list of sins is the basis for the disaster that Micah is about to announce. It is a word of the LORD, a decision taken by Him. If they consider evil (Mic 2:1), He will also consider evil. We see His government in this, which means that the evil we do will affect us. It is the law that we will reap what we sow (Gal 6:7).

There is similarity between what we sow and what we reap. When we sow evil, we should not think that we will reap goodness. If we think that it means mocking God, be warned God will not be mocked, His government is proof of that.

The righteous God warns His people that He is planning a calamity. They are plotting to satisfy their greed through violence. That is why God also makes plans to meet them with His judgments. He exercises these judgments through the Assyrians. He speaks about “this family”, in which we hear a certain contempt. Because of their sins, God will impose a yoke on them. This yoke is the enemy whom He will send on their necks, from whom they will not be able to free themselves and to whom they will have to bow down.

The proud, haughty attitude with which they look down on the wretched will turn into a bowed head because of the misery that comes over them. This will bring a dramatic turn in their time of prosperity. They will be humiliated personally, but also as a nation. Of all their pride, nothing will remain. Opposite the peoples around them they will stand with bowed heads.

The “evil time”, that is the time of their imprisonment, will come. In Amos 5, where this expression also occurs, it is about the evil behavior of the people (Amos 5:13). Here it is about the loss of everything to which they have attached themselves. They will lose their own inheritance as punishment, as well as the robbed inheritance, of course.

A Taunt

To the disgrace of imprisonment is added mockery, in which the enemy will mockingly use their own words. The words of the lamentation are known to the enemy. Therefore, they can represent them as a taunt.

“We are completely destroyed” is an exclamation of despair. As soon as they have enriched themselves, that wealth will be taken away from them again. Destruction always comes suddenly. People who imagine themselves to be rich know that it can suddenly disappear from them. Yet that does not bring them to humility. They will do anything to secure their wealth.

With all their calculations, however, they do not take God into account. Yes, they do think of Him, but as Someone Who will be very satisfied with them. After all, they are regularly present in a religious meeting and occasionally offer a sacrifice. God shouldn’t make a problem of it if sometimes there is something wrong with that.

The undertone we listen to is therefore: ‘How can God do such a thing to us? Why does this evil affect us who faithfully fulfill our religious duties? He takes it away from me, that’s terrible. But as if that were not bad enough, He also gives it to apostates! This is unacceptable, isn’t it?’ It does not bring them to repent for their sins, but only to a bitter lamentation about what they have lost.