It goes without saying that we all hate injustice. We despise seeing the poor and weak exploited by the rich and powerful. And we are not alone, as the Prophet Micah over 2,500 years ago called out the rich and powerful in Jerusalem for exploiting the weak and helpless who could not defend themselves, and it was all for selfish gain. In other words, from the perspective of the rich and powerful, the ends (gaining wealth) justified the means (unjustly exploiting the weak). Thus, Micah’s primary target for his prophetic warnings came against the corrupt rulers; against false prophets who claimed to speak for God; and against ungodly priests who had wandered far from God and His righteous precepts which made ample provision for the poor and helpless.  

The very first verse of Micah’s prophetic book tells us that his prophecies extended through the reigns of three different kings of Judah, namely Jotham (739-731 B.C.), Ahaz (731-715 B.C.) and Hezekiah (715-686 B.C.). Although Micah primarily addressed the kings and rulers in Judah, he also addressed the Northern Kingdom of Israel and warned them that without repentance, they would eventually fall to the world-dominant Assyrians, which eventually occurred in 722 B.C. After the fall of the Northern Kingdom, the message of Micah (along with the prophet Isaiah) strongly influenced the rule of Hezekiah who instituted sweeping religious and social reforms that should have been carried out during the reign of his predecessor, King Ahaz.

The book can be roughly divided into thirds: 1) The first third exposes the injustices of Judah for specific sins such as the oppression and exploitation of the poor; bribery among judges, prophets, and priests; covetousness; cheating; violence, and pride; 2) The second third predicts the judgment that will come as a result of those sins; and 3) The remaining third of the book is a message of hope and consolation, reminding them that God’s justice will triumph and that the Redeemer will bring justice when He comes.

Although Micah’s prediction that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem is an important prophetic passage for us to remember (Micah 5:2), I would like to focus our attention upon another verse that is equally important and very practical at this time in our nation’s history. Here it is,

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

Here we have a mandate for our own lives and for our society. We begin with treating others justly, which in large part, echoes the “Golden Rule” of Jesus, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Mt. 7:12). Interestingly, Jesus also tells us that this “Rule” sums up all of the Law and Prophets, and that would include all that Micah had to say about treating others justly. Let’s all learn to treat each other with fairness and justice, which also includes not insisting that we must always have our own way.  

And then we are to “love mercy” (or kindness). After occasional moments when Peggy and I are afforded the opportunity to extend “kindness” to someone, we often exclaim to each other how much we enjoy serving God by being kind to others. Hey friends, if you haven’t tried it, you should do so. Look for opportunities to demonstrate kindness to others, and then make it a habit, and if you do, you will come to see what a blessing it is in your own life when you extend kindness to others. And let’s not forget, being kind to others is simply an expression of our love for them and for God Himself.

And finally, we are to “walk humbly with God.” Humility comes when we refuse to magnify our own importance, and is actually the first step in showing both justice and kindness. When we humble ourselves, we come to grips with how others feel and how much they need our love and care. And we can’t forget that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). Wouldn’t it be a tragic state of affairs if any one came to the realization that God was “resisting” us, including our thoughts, actions, intentions, and prayers simply because we refused to live humbly before God?  

And so, let’s put our faith into practice by acting justly toward others, being kind to others and loving it, and walking humbly with God. By His grace and in His strength, we can do this. God bless you.