Micah 7

What misery is mine! I am like one who gathers summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster of grapes to eat, none of the early figs that I crave. Micah 7:1

Wiersbe comments on Micah’s grief: “Looking for a godly person was as futile as looking for summer fruit after the harvest was over.” [1] Micah pictures himself as a hungry man looking for a cluster of sweet ripe grapes or a tasty summer fig. In reality, it was not natural fruit the prophet was looking for but spiritual fruit in Israel. Sadly, there was none to be found. Pett notes, “when according to the Law there should have been some left-overs, the gleanings, for the poor. But there were none. The rich had stripped every branch bare for greatest profit.” [2]

“The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains. Everyone lies in wait to shed blood; they hunt each other with nets” (7:2). George Adam Smith comments: “Beginning here and through Micah 7:6, we have one of the most poignant criticisms of a commercial community ever to appear.” [3] One would almost have to return to Abraham’s day and to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to find such gross evil. God dealt with Sodom and Gomorrah and in time he would deal both with Samaria and Judea.

The whole society was out to shed blood. We spoke earlier about how there are a lot of ways to shed blood, that we can even do it with our words. Today in the US, human blood has become cheap. The Bible tells us that bloodshed brings a curse upon any land (Num. 35:33). America’s blessed land is slowly becoming cursed with the blood of innocent people. Today it seems fashionable for young, deranged youth with automatic rifles to mow down the innocents en masse, even very young school children.

Isaiah, Micah’s contemporary said: “For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken falsely, and your tongue mutters wicked things” (Isa. 59:3). Micah notes that people hunted each other with nets. These are not fishing or game nets. They are people nets. Of course, there are a lot of ways to bind people up. The rich, in Micah’s day, probably bound up the innocent with legal maneuvers and bribes. Today much of this happens through the internet. Even by 2022, the FBI reported that Americans were losing $10.3 billion a year to internet scams. [4] In addition, many of the net scams go unreported.

“Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire – they all conspire together” (7:3). Utley comments that they were ambidextrous in their evil. [5] They were also skilled at doing evil. It required a lot of practice to be that skilled. These greedy people were those in authority, the rulers and the judges. They were people who probably had a lot of money already, but they wanted a lot more. Elmo Scoggin comments, “They had no shame in letting the whole town know that they could be bought.” [6] These thieves had no time to care for the pitiful widows and the orphans.

“The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge. The day God visits you has come, the day your watchmen sound the alarm. Now is the time of your confusion” (7:4). To deal with such people was a little like walking barefoot through a cactus patch. The Bible says, “Whoever touches thorns uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear; they are burned up where they lie” (2 Sam. 23:7). Even as Micah spoke, God was preparing a hot fire for Samaria, and one would soon be prepared for Judah.

The Bible assures us that we will face a similar situation as the last days dawn. Paul says, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people” (2 Tim. 3:1-5).

The Lord does tell us that after the terrors of the last day, there will be a beginning of wonderful blessing. He says, “Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever” (Isa. 55:13).

Micha tells us that the wicked game is about over. Very soon for Samaria, the watchman will be sounding the trumpet to prepare the people for war. It will be a war they will lose and the whole people will be carried away to Assyria as prisoners.

“Do not trust a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend. Even with the woman who lies in your embrace guard the words of your lips” (7:5). Feinberg comments: “The holiest relations and the close ties mean nothing to the wicked…When God is not honored as he should be, no human bond can survive.” [7] This whole wicked scenario is also a picture of the last days in which we are living. Can we even imagine such wickedness, when all natural bonds will be dissolved, even with normally close family members? This speaks of a total breakdown of the home and of society.

“For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – a man’s enemies are the members of his own household” (7:6). Jesus speaks of a similar situation in Matthew 10:35-36. He is speaking of the perils of the last day. In Israelite society, a father was greatly respected. It was unthinkable for a son to dishonor a father or even an elder. Jewish family ties were close and still are today. When the home is divided then society becomes divided. We are experiencing this trend in the US. Today a quarter of families are headed by single parents, with 80 percent of these being moms. [8] Many moms do a good job. However, even by the turn of the century, 70 percent of inmates in state juvenile centers serving long-term sentences were raised by single mothers. [9]

Micah sighs at it all saying, “But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me” (7:7). George Adam Smith once said, “Other nations have been our teachers in art and wisdom and government. But [Israel] is our mistress in pain and in patience.” [10] Israel’s prophets have often been weeping ones like Jeremiah and even Micah (cf. 1:8; Jer. 13:17). Still, in all the darkness Micah began to experience the light as he looked at the Lord’s work in the future.

Israel Will Rise Again

Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. Micah 7:8

Most of the English translations begin a new thought with this verse. [11] It seems here that Micah begins to look down through the centuries and behold the outcome of God’s age-old work with Israel. The holy nation, after all her suffering, will rise again. From all her darkness a wonderful light will come.

“Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the LORD’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness” (7:9). In this section of Micah, it seems that most commentators have little to say. They have little to say because they have missed the modern miracles of a mostly restored Israel. The latent antisemitism that has always hovered over the church keeps many writers from dealing with modern Israel. We have already spoken about the miraculous return of the Jews from virtually all the nations of earth. We have spoken about their miraculous wars to settle their country again. All this has come with a lot of pain and suffering for Israel.

The pain and suffering go on to this present hour. At this writing, Iran has literally surrounded Israel with its proxy armies, Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Houthis in Yemen. They are determined to destroy the Big Satan (the US) and the little Satan (Israel). They are on the verge of having an atomic bomb and they have sworn to use it on Israel as soon as it is developed. The truth is that Iran is the Satan. The strong evil spirit that dogged Daniel centuries ago is likely ruling Iran or ancient Persia today. That spirit despises Israel with an other-worldly hatred and will not rest till Israel is destroyed. Strangely, Iran has no common border with Israel.

It is unthinkable that this evil power is presently evicting many Israelis from their homes in the northern and southern parts of the country. These are living in hotels while the vast tourism industry is being virtually shut down because of the conflict. How dare Iran deprive Israel’s immigrants and residents of the homes and land to which God has returned them after two thousand years! Israel weeps and mourns for her losses, but weeping will be only for the night. Joy will come in the morning (Psa. 30:5).

“Then my enemy will see it and will be covered with shame, she who said to me, ‘Where is the LORD your God?’ My eyes will see her downfall; even now she will be trampled underfoot like mire in the streets” (7:10). Commentators have wondered who the enemy is that is spoken of here. Feinberg is probably correct in saying that this verse speaks of a later and final fulfillment of prophecy. [12]

In my writings, I have often compared prophecy to the Rocky Mountains where I live. When one is a hundred miles out toward the east on the Great Plains, the Rockies look like an unbroken string of giant snow-capped peaks. Upon closer inspection, one finds that they are made up of many lower peaks and valleys. Prophecy is like that. The prophet is seeing the whole picture, but we now know that there were many peaks and valleys. The Babylon captivity was a valley and the return with Zerubbabel was a peak. The destruction of Israel in AD 70 was a terrible valley but now at the end of the ages, we are again reaching the highest peaks as Israel rises.

The prophet speaks of Israel’s enemies being covered with shame in the end-days. He will speak in more detail of this in verse 16 onward. It is a fact today that nations are becoming more and more antisemitic. Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, global antisemitism has skyrocketed. There is now a fear that Jews may not be able to live safely in many parts of the world. [13] It seems today that Israel is covered with a worldwide shame. However, that situation will soon be reversed, and the nations of the world will be covered with shame.

“The day for building your walls will come, the day for extending your boundaries” (7:11). Of course, one of the mountain peaks we spoke of was the return from Babylon and the rebuilding of the temple, which was finished in 516 BC. Yet, that effort only took place with less than 50,000 returnees from Babylon. Today we have millions of Jewish people who have returned home from almost all the nations. The Babylon returnees were also struggling with their Persian overlords and many antisemitic residents of the area. In the last days, Israel’s walls and borders will be greatly increased. Israel will also gain the fear and respect of all the nations on the earth.

Feinberg states: “Micah predicts that Zion will be rebuilt, and all nations will be joined to her in spiritual blessing. This our prophet has already foretold in 4:14. But before the glorious future is realized, a time of punishment must first intervene with the desolation of the land because of the sins of her people.” [14] Israel has now undergone almost 20 centuries of punishment. Added to the evils Micah has already mentioned, the people of Israel killed their long-awaited Messiah when they put Jesus on the cross in AD 30.

“In that day people will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, even from Egypt to the Euphrates and from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain” (7:12). The Bible is clear that the nations will be gathered to Israel on two occasions in the last days. They will first be gathered in their hot antisemitism to fight against Israel. The prophet Joel speaks of this gathering as we mentioned before: “I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land” (Joel 3:2).

The dividing up of the land of Israel has been at the forefront of many national plans in modern times. Perhaps this gathering will be through the United Nations since this organization has become exceedingly antisemitic. In this awful worldwide war, God will come and completely destroy all the armies of the whole earth. The nations of the world will be left in shambles.

“The earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants, as the result of their deeds. (7:13). The Lord gives us several hints that after Armageddon and Jehoshaphat the nations of the earth will be decimated. Part of that judgment will be because of the gross ungodliness of the nations and part will be for their antisemitism and their united worldwide attack upon Israel. Later, in verses 16 and 17, Micah will further describe the terrible state of the nations.

As Christians, we assume that Jesus is coming just for us. The biblical truth is that Jesus is coming to Israel. He is coming in a holy rage to judge the nations of the world. He is coming for a showdown with the wicked world and the powers of darkness. That judgment will take place at Armageddon and at the Valley of Jehoshaphat in Jerusalem. It will result in the total defeat of the wicked Antichrist and his worldwide army.

The prophets mention another gathering of nations. This time, Earth’s people will come in peace. We read about this in Zechariah: “And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD Almighty and to entreat him. This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, “Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you”’” (Zech. 8:22-23). What an incredible change in the nations of the world! Phillips comments: “Micah foretold that the nations will tread softly before Israel…Abject fear of Israel will possess the nations after the battle of Armageddon, the judgment in the valley of Jehoshaphat, and the inauguration of the new order.” [15]

God says of Israel: “The LORD their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown” (Zech. 9:16). After this great battle of the ages, Israel will blossom and bud and fill the whole world with fruit (Isa. 27:6). Guthrie says, “From all over the earth converts to the true faith will come to the Lord and join themselves with believing Israel.” [16] God’s grand and eternal program for Israel and for the whole world will be instituted.

Micah’s Prayer And Further Vision

Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, which lives by itself in a forest, in fertile pasturelands. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in days long ago. Micah 7:14

Micah continues to envision the blessed day of Israel’s peace and restoration. He asks for the Good Shepherd Jesus to lead them. The Psalmist says “…Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth…” (Psa. 80:1). Micah pictures Israel once again living peacefully in the Golan (Bashan) and even in Gilead. This tells us that surrounding nations will quickly restore captured areas like Gilead in upper Jordan and other lands taken away from Israel. Gilead will be a land of fertile pastures. It will be so peaceful, even in the natural world, that Israelis can sleep safely in the forests (Ez. 34:25).

Guzik comments: “The nations shall see and be ashamed: When Israel is restored to the land and enjoys a restored relationship with the Lord, then those who opposed God’s people will see how wrong they were to fight against them.” [17]

“As in the days when you came out of Egypt, I will show them my wonders” (7:15). When Israel came out of Egypt, history witnessed some of the most astounding acts of God that the world had ever seen. The seas and rivers were divided to allow the chosen people to cross. The world’s mightiest army of Egypt was drowned in the sea. For 40 years, Israel was sustained by miraculous food from heaven. There were many more astounding miracles. The Lord says that it will be like that when he comes to make a final deliverance of Israel.

“Nations will see and be ashamed, deprived of all their power. They will put their hands over their mouths and their ears will become deaf. They will lick dust like a snake, like creatures that crawl on the ground. They will come trembling out of their dens; they will turn in fear to the LORD our God and will be afraid of you” (7:16-17). Guthrie says, “All the Gentile nations will be reduced to impotence before this display of divine power…” [18] In fact, it is difficult to imagine how utterly weak and destroyed all the nations of the earth will be after their foolish battle against the Almighty God and Israel. They will be so low that they will be licking the dust like a snake. They will crawl out of their hiding places in trembling and fear.

Micah’s Praise To God

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. Micah 7:18

Several commentators have noted that Micah begins his doxology by making a play on his own Hebrew name ( Mi-ka-yah, Who is like God?). Our God pardons sin, even the gross sin of Israel, and also our own gross sins. His final pardon is through the shed blood of Jesus the Lamb of God. God delights to show mercy and his mercy is everlasting.

In the New Testament the priest Zechariah praised the Lord saying:

He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us – to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. (Lk. 1:69-75)

“You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago” (7:19-20). Through the centuries many Christians have felt that God is through with Israel and that all the blessings of Israel have now come to Christianity. This is the gross error of Supersessionism or Replacement Theology. Here we see again that God will forgive Israel’s sins just as he has forgiven us through his Messiah.

Utley comments: “On the afternoon of New Year’s Day, Orthodox Jews go to a place of running water and empty their pockets while reciting Mic. 7:18-20. This is called Tashlich or ‘thou will cast.’ It emphasizes not only the covenant responsibility (i.e., removal of all sin) but also the mercy of God!” [19] Now at the end of the ages we see the Gracious Lord answering all these thousands and millions of Jewish prayers.

All the gracious promises made to Israel over the many, many centuries would now all be fulfilled in the Messiah. Father Abraham and all his seed, both Jewish and Gentile can rest assured in them and enjoy them forevermore.

Footnotes

1. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT. p. 1460.

2. Pett, Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, Micah, v. 7:1.

3. Quoted in Coffman, Commentary on Micah, v. 7:1.

4. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Business/americans-lost-103-billion-internet-scams-2022-fbi/story?id=97832789

5. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, Micah, v. 7:3.

6. Quoted in Coffman, Commentary on Micah, v. 7:3.

7. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 183.

8. https://www.wealthysinglemommy.com/single-mom-statistics/

9. Bill Bennett, The Index of Leading Cultural Indicators: American Society at the end of the 20th Century (NY: Broadway Books, 1994), p. 23.

10. Quoted in Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 181.

11. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, Micah, vs. 7:8-13.

12. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 183.

13. DW News. https://www.dw.com/en/antisemitism-rising-dramatically-across-the-world-report-finds/a-69000456

14. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 185.

15. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 182.

16. Guthrie, et. al. The New Bible Commentary: Revised, p. 760.

17. Guzik, Enduring Word Bible Commentary, Micah, vs. 7:4-15.

18. Guthrie, et. al. The New Bible Commentary: Revised, p. 760.

19. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, Micah, vs. 7:19-20.