MICAH LESSON 2


     We will begin this lesson in Micah 2:1 Woe to them that devise
iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light,
they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

     This is speaking of someone who lies awake at night, and figures
out ways to cheat the poor out of what they have. These people are not
led into sin by their friends. The sin originates in their own minds.
They rehearse exactly how they plan to work their scheme, even while
they are still in bed. As soon as they get up, they go right out and
put their evil plans into action. They can get away with this, because
their plans are against the poor, who have no one to protect them.

     Micah 2:2 "And they covet fields, and take [them] by violence;
and houses, and take [them] away: so they oppress a man and his house,
even a man and his heritage."

     One of the ten commandments forbids coveting things that belong
to others. Exodus 20:17 "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house,
thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his
maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy
neighbour's."  Not only does the man covet in verse 2 above, but he
actually will take from a man by whatever force is necessary. They
were forcing them to give up the land that was given to them for their
heritage. Jesus had something to say about this in the following
Scripture. Romans 13:9 "For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou
shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false
witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other
commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

     Micah 2:3 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this
family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks;
neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time [is] evil.

     God will not overlook this sin. They will feel the punishment for
this sin. The "family" is speaking of the whole country. God will not
stop the punishment {remove their necks}. They have sinned greatly and
brought this sin upon themselves. God will break their haughty spirit.

     Micah 2:4  "In that day shall [one] take up a parable against
you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, [and] say, We be utterly
spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed
[it] from me! turning away he hath divided our fields."

     The day spoken of is the day when the punishment from God shall
come upon them. The parable is, probably, a taunting song against
them. "Lamenting" is mourning out loud. Sometimes, it is in the form
of a mournful song. Israel is no longer blessed of God, but is feeling
the curse that comes by not obeying God's commandments. Even the
property, now, belongs to someone else.

     Micah 2:5 "Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord
by lot in the congregation of the LORD."

     They have lost their inheritance. God no longer claims them for
His own. God will not take back this land for them.

     Micah 2:6 "Prophesy ye not, [say they to them that] prophesy:
they shall not prophesy to them, [that] they shall not take shame."

     It appears from this, that the people do not want Micah to
prophesy anymore. They do not want to hear this negative message. They
do not believe him. They are so sure, that since they belong to God,
they can get away with sin and not be punished.

     Micah 2:7  "O [thou that art] named the house of Jacob, is the
spirit of the LORD straitened? [are] these his doings? do not my words
do good to him that walketh uprightly?"

     Micah reminds them that these words of prophesy would not worry
them, if they were living uprightly. They are aware, on one hand that
they are sinning just as Micah says, but they do not believe God will
attack them. Those that are named the house of Jacob are the twelve
tribes of Israel. They are asking "is the Spirit of the LORD
straightened" {is He not still longsuffering toward Israel}?  God
still blesses those who walk uprightly. He does not bless those who
are committing these terrible sins.

     Micah 2:8 "Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye
pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as
men averse from war."

     Those who do not keep the commandments of God are acting as
enemies of God, even if they call themselves God's people. This is
speaking of their sins being so bad, that they actually take the
clothing of those who owe them. The debts are not even honest debts
either. They have cheated them. God is not just punishing them for
things their fathers and grandfathers did, but for the evil they are
continuing to do themselves.

     Micah 2:9 "The women of my people have ye cast out from their
pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for
ever."

     The women, in the verse above, are, probably, speaking of the
widows who God had told them to protect and help. This is saying, they
took advantage of the widows and took their homes. They had taken all
the privileges away that God's people were to have. One commandment of
God was to help the widows and orphans.

     Micah 2:10 "Arise ye, and depart; for this [is] not [your] rest:
because it is polluted, it shall destroy [you], even with a sore
destruction."

     Canaan had been given to Israel as a place of resting. Since they
had committed such grievous sins, God will take the land from them,
and it will not be their place of rest. They have destroyed their own
inheritance with their sins. Their destruction is of their own doing.

     Micah 2:11 "If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie,
[saying], I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he
shall even be the prophet of this people."

     Micah is saying, they do not want to hear the true prophet. They
want to hear a prophet that speaks only of good times. The people do
not want to hear a message of warning. They want to hear a message
that appeals to their flesh. The false message promises them wine and
strong drink.

     Micah 2:12  "I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will
surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the
sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall
make great noise by reason of [the multitude of] men."

     This is a complete change from the previous verse. This is
speaking of the restoration of the remnant of the people. He still
calls them Jacob, which is speaking of all twelve tribes of Israel.
The noise of the multitude is, possibly, the voices of so vast a
number praising God. They are classified as sheep, which represent the
saved in Christ.

     Micah 2:13 "The breaker is come up before them: they have broken
up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and
their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them."

     The One that breaketh is their Saviour. They passed through the
gate to God. Let us look at what Jesus says about this. John 10:27 "My
sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" John 10:28
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,
neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand." John 10:29 "My
Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is
able to pluck [them] out of my Father's hand."  John 10:30 "I and [my]
Father are one."  "LORD on the head of them" could mean that the LORD
was their head, and was leading them. It could, also, mean that they
were sealed as belonging to the LORD.














                          Micah 2 Questions


1.  Woe to them that devise _____________.
2.  What is meant by them devising iniquity on their bed?
3.  Are they sinning because of outside influence?
4.  What do they do, as soon as they get up?
5.  Quote Exodus chapter 20 verse 17.
6.  What does the man, in verse 2, do, besides covet his neighbor's
    land?
7.  Quote Romans chapter 13 verse 9.
8.  Who is the family speaking of in verse 3?
9.  What does "remove their necks" mean?
10. God will break their ____________ spirit.
11. What day is spoken of in verse 4?
12. What is the parable, probably?
13. What is "lamenting"?
14. They are, now, feeling the curse that comes from what?
15. What is verse 5 saying?
16. What are the people saying to Micah in verse 6?
17. What does Micah tell them about his prophecy?
18. Who are named Jacob in these Scriptures?
19. In verse 8, what extreme have they gone to?
20. The women, in verse 9, are speaking of the __________.
21. What had God commanded about the widows and orphans?
22. ___________ had been given to Israel as a place of resting.
23. What type of prophet do the people want?
24. What are two things the false message bring?
25. What is verse 12 speaking of?
26. What is the noise of the multitude speaking of?
27. Who are spoken of as sheep?
28. The One that breaketh is their __________.
29. Quote John chapter 10 verses 27 through 30.
30. What does "LORD on the head of them" mean?