Mic 3:5-7 | KingComments | STEP | After Micah has spoken about the leaders in the previous verses, he speaks about the false prophets in . A prophet is supposed to pass on God’s words and thereby lead God’s people on the right path. But instead of leading the people, these prophets seduce the people. Opposite the false prophets in , Micah places the true prophet. He speaks here in a sarcastic way. The leaders rule by power. The false prophets exercise power by twisting the words of God. In this way they are in the process of leading God’s people, “My people”, astray. In this way the prophets support the judges in their malice. Today there are powerful leaders, governors, and also people with a captivating charisma, who promise prosperity and healing, which deceives many. Often these are also people who thereby exercise power. What they have in common is that they do not serve the Lord Jesus but their own belly ( ; ). The false prophets are people who predict peace and happiness for a bite of bread and some money. To serve their own bellies they deceive the people instead of telling them their sin and preaching penance. They rock the people of God to sleep by flattering and encouraging them in their sins. And if they get nothing, they foretell doom. The content of their preaching depends on the amount of money they receive. They let themselves be influenced in their preaching by the money or gifts they receive. They only preach for the rich and they promise them only prosperity. The degree of prosperity they predict depends on the amount of money or the gift. The poor are told that they will experience even more misery, because they have nothing to buy a good message with.

‏ Micah 3:5-7

Again Against the False Prophets

After Micah has spoken about the leaders in the previous verses, he speaks about the false prophets in Mic 3:5-8. A prophet is supposed to pass on God’s words and thereby lead God’s people on the right path. But instead of leading the people, these prophets seduce the people. Opposite the false prophets in Mic 3:8, Micah places the true prophet. He speaks here in a sarcastic way.

The leaders rule by power. The false prophets exercise power by twisting the words of God. In this way they are in the process of leading God’s people, “My people”, astray. In this way the prophets support the judges in their malice. Today there are powerful leaders, governors, and also people with a captivating charisma, who promise prosperity and healing, which deceives many. Often these are also people who thereby exercise power. What they have in common is that they do not serve the Lord Jesus but their own belly (Phil 3:19; Rom 16:18).

The false prophets are people who predict peace and happiness for a bite of bread and some money. To serve their own bellies they deceive the people instead of telling them their sin and preaching penance. They rock the people of God to sleep by flattering and encouraging them in their sins.

And if they get nothing, they foretell doom. The content of their preaching depends on the amount of money they receive. They let themselves be influenced in their preaching by the money or gifts they receive. They only preach for the rich and they promise them only prosperity. The degree of prosperity they predict depends on the amount of money or the gift. The poor are told that they will experience even more misery, because they have nothing to buy a good message with.

Night and Darkness for the False Prophets

Prophets are supposed to spread light for God’s people. These false prophets pretend to have ‘the light’. They pretend to be enlightened people who know more than the ordinary members of God’s people. But false prophets draw from dark sources. Therefore, darkness will be their destiny.

Because these false prophets have violated the consecrated ministry of prophet so much, the LORD pronounces a fourfold judgment on them, all in connection with darkness. The first judgment is in short, in Hebrew: “Night for you!” They will see no more visions from the realm of darkness; there will be no more occult apparitions. The darkness with which they are connected will completely surround them. Their divination will be over. They will no longer have a message from the abyss for anyone.

They will never see the sun again (Amos 8:9; Jer 15:9), it will never be day again for them. The setting of the sun aptly indicates that these prophets have no connection with the Lord Jesus, the Sun of righteousness. They have led others into the darkness, while presenting the light to them. Because they present themselves as divinely enlightened persons who promise daylight to those who ask their counsel, they will end up in darkness.

Seers and Diviners Ashamed

“The seers” and “the diviners” belong to the false prophets. Their shame will be revealed because there will be no answer from God. There will come a time when they will stand exposed, tongue-tied, because all their prophecies will be denounced as lies. It will become clear that they have spoken without the LORD having sent them. Their shame will be seen when none of all their beautiful promises will turn out to be true.

Covering the mouth, literally mustache, seems to be a sign of sadness and here also of shame (cf. Lev 13:45).