Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:01.159 --> 00:00:08.390
Let's turn to Micah Chapter six,
in continue hearing God's word in this a
2
00:00:08.509 --> 00:00:34.740
portion of his holy scriptures. Mica
Chapter Six, verses nine through sixteen,
3
00:00:37.609 --> 00:00:41.369
the voice of the Lord cries to
the city, and it is sound wisdom
4
00:00:41.490 --> 00:00:45.329
to fear Your name here of the
Rod and of Him who appointed it.
5
00:00:46.289 --> 00:00:49.929
Can I forget any longer are the
treasures of wickedness in the house of the
6
00:00:49.969 --> 00:00:55.759
wicked and the scant measure that is
accursed? Shall I acquit the man with
7
00:00:55.920 --> 00:01:00.640
wicked scales and with a bag of
deceitful weights? Your rich men are full
8
00:01:00.759 --> 00:01:07.189
of violence, your inhabitants speak lies
and their tongue is deceitful in their mouths.
9
00:01:07.109 --> 00:01:12.269
Therefore, I strike you with a
grievous blow, making you desolate because
10
00:01:12.349 --> 00:01:17.590
of your sins. You shall eat, but not be satisfied, and there
11
00:01:17.670 --> 00:01:21.900
shall be hunger within you. You
shall put away, but not preserve,
12
00:01:22.620 --> 00:01:27.099
and what you preserve you will give
to the sword. You shall I will
13
00:01:27.180 --> 00:01:30.859
give to the sword. You shall
sow, but not reap. You shall
14
00:01:30.939 --> 00:01:34.769
tread alives, but not annoint yourselves
with oil. You shall tread grapes,
15
00:01:34.849 --> 00:01:41.489
but not drink wine, for you
have kept the statutes of Omri and you
16
00:01:41.609 --> 00:01:46.170
have and all the works of the
House of Ahab, you have walked in
17
00:01:46.290 --> 00:01:51.400
their councils, that I may make
you a desolation and your hat and your
18
00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:57.480
inhabitants a hissing, so that you
shall bear the scorn of my people.
19
00:01:59.920 --> 00:02:21.340
May God's word be blessed. Unto
us, you may be seated. David's
20
00:02:21.419 --> 00:02:27.819
prayer that we read a little bit
ago in Psalm Twenty Eight, where he
21
00:02:28.099 --> 00:02:35.330
asks that God would give to the
wicked exactly what they deserve, if he
22
00:02:35.409 --> 00:02:43.449
would give to them their due reward, is exactly what's happening in Micah chapter
23
00:02:43.689 --> 00:02:49.800
six, or at least I should
say it is. It is this court
24
00:02:49.879 --> 00:02:54.159
room scene in which God is pronouncing
this sentence, that he will do these
25
00:02:54.199 --> 00:03:00.430
things, that he will bring about
justice and righteous and will act according to
26
00:03:00.550 --> 00:03:08.110
righteousness. In Psalm Twenty eight verse
for what David Says, they're sounds,
27
00:03:08.669 --> 00:03:13.780
I'm very positive, and indeed it
is. Give to them according to their
28
00:03:13.900 --> 00:03:16.939
work and a court except for this
part, and according to their evil deeds.
29
00:03:16.979 --> 00:03:21.099
He says, give them according to
the work of their hands, render
30
00:03:21.180 --> 00:03:25.379
them their due reward. In most
context, when you say give what's fair,
31
00:03:25.979 --> 00:03:31.289
render what's do whatever work has been
done with their hands. Give them.
32
00:03:31.729 --> 00:03:36.250
What is the fair reward for that? Most of the time we hear
33
00:03:36.289 --> 00:03:39.370
that message and we hear it very
positively, in a positive way. Right,
34
00:03:40.090 --> 00:03:44.520
you sign a contract at work,
you agree to work a number of
35
00:03:44.680 --> 00:03:47.479
hours and you want to get paid. You want to get paid the wages
36
00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:51.680
for your work. You want it
to be fair. Give me what is
37
00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:55.629
Oh, there's nothing odious or obnoxious
about that demand. It's a good and
38
00:03:55.750 --> 00:04:00.830
a just thing. Bout, of
course it cuts both ways. I'm justice
39
00:04:00.990 --> 00:04:04.750
is not just for those who do
right, but it's also for those who
40
00:04:04.789 --> 00:04:09.590
do wrong. If you don't work
the hours that you are promised, of
41
00:04:09.750 --> 00:04:15.620
promise to work, you don't get
paid. But sometimes there is a payment
42
00:04:16.620 --> 00:04:25.170
that is more than just the lack
of getting a positive benefic fit. There
43
00:04:25.329 --> 00:04:29.610
is judgment for the things that we
have done, and that is what David
44
00:04:29.730 --> 00:04:32.250
Asks for. He says, according
to the evil of their deeds, pay
45
00:04:32.449 --> 00:04:39.920
what is fair, and this is
what we have in Mica six. God
46
00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:45.000
is pronouncing that he is going to
pay what is fair, he is going
47
00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:49.040
to execute his justice in a fair, fair way. And so you might
48
00:04:49.160 --> 00:04:54.949
say we are very much in the
middle of a courtroom scene. If you
49
00:04:55.069 --> 00:05:00.310
remember last week when we looked at
the beginning of MICA six, Mica has
50
00:05:00.350 --> 00:05:08.899
been appointed by God to prosecute God's
case against his people. Parts of the
51
00:05:09.339 --> 00:05:15.379
creation itself has been called forth against
the people to serve as witnesses, witnesses
52
00:05:15.540 --> 00:05:18.300
to the great evils that Israel has
done, the ways in which he has
53
00:05:18.379 --> 00:05:25.089
broken God's command. And in the
earlier part of Mica six, Israel's excuses
54
00:05:25.209 --> 00:05:30.449
have been shut down. God has
shut their mouths. They claim ignorance and
55
00:05:30.529 --> 00:05:33.170
they try to bargain with him,
but God says you know the command.
56
00:05:33.290 --> 00:05:39.519
It's clear. Do Justice, love
kindness, walk humbly with your God.
57
00:05:39.639 --> 00:05:45.240
You know these things. You can't
say I didn't know. You knew and
58
00:05:45.399 --> 00:05:49.069
you have not obeyed. And,
as we have heard from other actors in
59
00:05:49.149 --> 00:05:56.629
this book, both the leaders and
those who are led have descended into idolatry,
60
00:05:56.990 --> 00:06:02.790
in justice, oppression of the week, chasing after wealth and power instead
61
00:06:02.790 --> 00:06:11.620
of the care and protection of one's
neighbors and the worship of God. Things
62
00:06:11.699 --> 00:06:19.250
are so bad that at the summary
Accusation and sentence pronouncement in Verse Sixteen,
63
00:06:19.930 --> 00:06:25.689
God says that they have not kept
you kept the statutes of Yahway, but
64
00:06:25.810 --> 00:06:29.490
they have kept the statutes of Omri, they have done all the works of
65
00:06:29.610 --> 00:06:35.879
the House of Ahab. What I'd
like to do is, as we have
66
00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:42.160
done in some other passages where God
makes these references, to go back a
67
00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:46.120
little bit and make sure we understand
what he is referring to there as he
68
00:06:46.269 --> 00:06:53.550
applies these descriptions to Israel. What
does he mean? And I want to
69
00:06:54.790 --> 00:06:58.829
help you to have an understanding of
that by looking at two passages, from
70
00:06:58.829 --> 00:07:06.540
first kings. First First King Sixteen
versus thirty through thirty three. What is
71
00:07:06.579 --> 00:07:11.899
it the Israel is done? What
is it that Ahab and Omri have done?
72
00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:18.490
First Kings Sixteen, thirty two,
thirty three. Describes these men in
73
00:07:18.610 --> 00:07:24.730
this way. And Ahab, the
son of Omri, did evil in the
74
00:07:24.889 --> 00:07:30.480
side of the Lord more than all
who were before him, and as if
75
00:07:30.519 --> 00:07:32.879
it had been a life thing for
him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam,
76
00:07:33.000 --> 00:07:39.040
the son of Nibot. He took
for his wife Jezebel the son of
77
00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:45.029
F Baale, King of the Sidonians, and went and served bail and worshiped
78
00:07:45.029 --> 00:07:49.230
him. He erected an altar for
bail in the house of bail which he
79
00:07:49.589 --> 00:07:56.110
built in Samaria, and Ahab made
an Astrah. Ahab did more to provoke
80
00:07:56.189 --> 00:08:00.819
the Lord, the God of Israel, to to anger than all the kings
81
00:08:00.860 --> 00:08:07.740
of Israel who were before him.
You take the exact opposite of what God
82
00:08:07.899 --> 00:08:13.730
had commanded worship me and worship me
alone, and Omri and Ahab were doing
83
00:08:13.449 --> 00:08:18.850
the other thing, erecting and building. Instead of like Solomon, who built
84
00:08:18.930 --> 00:08:22.889
a house for the Lord, who
dedicated this temple, who called Israel to
85
00:08:24.009 --> 00:08:33.039
come and worship, they were building
places for bail, for Pagan God's one
86
00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:37.159
of the great acts of wickedness is
recorded for us in First Kings Twenty one,
87
00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:41.470
which I'd like to read to you
now. This is a good story
88
00:08:41.990 --> 00:08:46.629
to read because it helps us to
understand in a detailed way the kinds of
89
00:08:46.789 --> 00:08:52.789
things that Ahab and others in Israel
were doing, the kinds of things God
90
00:08:52.990 --> 00:08:56.940
has in his sight when he come, when he condemns them here in Mike
91
00:08:58.019 --> 00:09:05.220
a six about false practices and theft
and oppression and all the rest. Let's
92
00:09:05.220 --> 00:09:09.899
give our attention to this now,
in first kings twenty one. Now,
93
00:09:09.980 --> 00:09:13.610
Nay, both the Jez Real I
had a vineyard and Jez real beside the
94
00:09:13.690 --> 00:09:18.889
palace of a had king of Samaria. And after Ahab said to nay both,
95
00:09:20.210 --> 00:09:22.370
give me your vineyard that I may
have it for a vegetable garden,
96
00:09:22.809 --> 00:09:26.200
because it is near my house,
and I will give you a better vineyard
97
00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:28.679
for it, or, if it
seems to you, I will give you
98
00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:35.480
its value in money. But Nay
both said to Ahab, the Lord Forbid,
99
00:09:35.639 --> 00:09:41.789
that I should give you the inheritance
of my father's and a have rent
100
00:09:41.870 --> 00:09:46.710
went into his house vexed and Sullen
because of what nay both the Jes realite
101
00:09:46.750 --> 00:09:50.190
had said to him. For he
said, for he had said, I
102
00:09:50.269 --> 00:09:54.299
will not give you the inheritance of
my father's and he lay down on his
103
00:09:54.460 --> 00:10:00.899
bed and he turned away his face
and would eat no food. But JEZEBEL's
104
00:10:00.940 --> 00:10:03.620
wife came to him and said to
him, why is your spirit so vexed
105
00:10:03.740 --> 00:10:09.610
that you eat no food? He
said to her because I spoke to Naboth,
106
00:10:09.690 --> 00:10:11.929
the just realite, and said to
him give me you're vineyard for money,
107
00:10:11.970 --> 00:10:15.610
or else, if it pleases you, I'll give you another vineyard for
108
00:10:15.769 --> 00:10:18.889
it. And he answered, I
will not give you my vineyard, and
109
00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:26.320
Jezebel, his wife, said to
him, do you now govern Israel?
110
00:10:26.080 --> 00:10:30.480
Rise and he bread and let your
heart beat cheerful. I will give you
111
00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:37.909
the vineyard of Nay, both the
JEZREELITE. So she wrote letters in Ahab's
112
00:10:37.909 --> 00:10:41.669
name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the
113
00:10:41.830 --> 00:10:46.350
elders and the leaders who lived with
nay both in his city, and she
114
00:10:46.470 --> 00:10:50.019
wrote in the letters proclaim a feast
and set nay, both at the head
115
00:10:50.019 --> 00:10:56.779
of the people and set two worthless
men opposite him, and let them bring
116
00:10:56.980 --> 00:11:01.980
a charge against him, saying you
have cursed God and the king. Then
117
00:11:01.580 --> 00:11:07.009
take him out and stone him to
death. And the men of his city,
118
00:11:07.490 --> 00:11:13.210
the elders and leaders who lived in
the city, did as Jezebel had
119
00:11:13.289 --> 00:11:16.690
sent word to them, as it
was written in the letters that she had
120
00:11:16.809 --> 00:11:20.200
sent to them. They proclaimed the
fast and set nay, both the head
121
00:11:20.200 --> 00:11:24.240
of the people and the two worthless
men came in and sat opposite him,
122
00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:28.000
and the worthless men brought a charge
against Nay, both in the presence of
123
00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:31.950
the people, saying nay both cursed
the God, cursed God and the king.
124
00:11:33.070 --> 00:11:37.909
So they took him outside the city
and stoned him with stones. Then
125
00:11:37.950 --> 00:11:43.429
they sent to Jezebel saying nay both
has been stoned, he is dead.
126
00:11:43.750 --> 00:11:48.299
As soon as Jez bell heard that
nay both had been stoned and was dead,
127
00:11:48.700 --> 00:11:52.820
Jezebel said to Ahab, arise,
take possession of the vineyard of nay
128
00:11:52.860 --> 00:11:56.220
both, the Jezreal light, which
he refused to give you for money,
129
00:11:56.980 --> 00:12:03.250
for nay both is not alive but
dead. And as soon as Abe have
130
00:12:03.529 --> 00:12:07.009
heard that naboth was dead, a
Hab a rose to go down to the
131
00:12:07.090 --> 00:12:11.330
vineyard of Nay both, the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. Then
132
00:12:11.370 --> 00:12:16.159
the word of the Lord came to
Elijah, the tissue by saying, arise,
133
00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:18.159
go down to me, Ahab,
the King of Israel, who is
134
00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:22.000
in some area. Behold, he
is in the vineyard of Nay both,
135
00:12:22.039 --> 00:12:26.480
where he is gone to take possession, and you shall say to him thus,
136
00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:31.669
as the Lord. Have you killed
and also taken possession, and you
137
00:12:31.750 --> 00:12:33.549
shall say to him, thus,
says the Lord, in the place where
138
00:12:33.549 --> 00:12:39.190
the dogs licked up the blood of
Nayboff, shall the dogs lick your own
139
00:12:39.269 --> 00:12:43.190
blood. They have said to Elijah, have you found me, Oh my
140
00:12:43.309 --> 00:12:48.500
enemy, he answered, I have
found you because you have sold yourself to
141
00:12:48.620 --> 00:12:52.179
do what is evil in the side
of the Lord. Behold, I will
142
00:12:52.179 --> 00:12:56.659
bring disaster upon you. I will
utterly burn you up. I will cut
143
00:12:58.139 --> 00:13:09.649
off from Ahab every male bond or
free in Israel. Stop there. This
144
00:13:09.929 --> 00:13:18.399
story, true story, it's account
of Ahab and they both and Jezebel and
145
00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:26.000
these leaders, is just full of
darkness, full of Sin. Every turn
146
00:13:26.389 --> 00:13:31.429
we find another act of disobedience,
of to the Lord, another way in
147
00:13:31.509 --> 00:13:39.190
which the people of God are selling
themselves to sin, into evil, and
148
00:13:39.389 --> 00:13:45.980
the one person who's doing things right, nay both, gets stoned to death.
149
00:13:48.220 --> 00:13:50.019
We could go through the story.
I won't now for the sake of
150
00:13:50.139 --> 00:13:54.500
time, but I hope you notice
some of these details. The way that
151
00:13:54.850 --> 00:14:01.610
nay both is so sullen about not
wanting or not getting what he he wanted,
152
00:14:01.570 --> 00:14:07.330
the way Jezebel writes and they both's
name, the way she orchestrates this
153
00:14:07.450 --> 00:14:09.720
whole thing, the way the elders, than the leaders of the other town,
154
00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:16.240
just say yeah, sure, no
questioning. No, I don't think
155
00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:20.080
this is a good idea. Or
we can't seem to find two earthless men.
156
00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:24.149
Not even an excuse. They just
put the whole thing together, these
157
00:14:24.230 --> 00:14:30.470
two worthless men seem to come up
with no problem. Nay, both.
158
00:14:30.590 --> 00:14:37.700
is falsely accused of doing exactly the
opposite of what he had done, which
159
00:14:37.820 --> 00:14:50.379
was honor God and I'm the king, and he dies violence for want of
160
00:14:50.500 --> 00:14:58.409
a vegetable garden. It was convenient
for a hub to have something close by.
161
00:14:58.409 --> 00:15:03.450
Why should he not have it?
After all, as his wife said,
162
00:15:03.570 --> 00:15:07.519
was he not the ruler of Israel? He was powerful, he deserved
163
00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:16.320
it. Hundred Years later, or
so MICA says, to the people,
164
00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:20.710
you have kept the statutes of Omri
and all the works of the House of
165
00:15:20.789 --> 00:15:30.190
a. This infestation of sin,
this wickedness of Jezebel and a habit did
166
00:15:30.309 --> 00:15:37.539
not stop. Continued to grow,
to spread in such a way that the
167
00:15:37.700 --> 00:15:41.779
punishment that was clear for Ahab,
for Jezebel, which everybody knew about,
168
00:15:43.860 --> 00:15:48.259
would now be also visited upon all
the people, upon all the city.
169
00:15:50.809 --> 00:15:56.889
Blood would be spilt for this violence. God would not let the neigh boss
170
00:15:58.649 --> 00:16:08.679
suffer anymore. And so it's in
this with this understanding, with this kind
171
00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:14.440
of justice, that God speaks and
says in verse ten. Can I forget
172
00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:22.990
any longer the treasures of wickedness in
the house of the wicked. Wake up,
173
00:16:22.629 --> 00:16:30.110
he says. I am not going
to let this go any longer and
174
00:16:30.309 --> 00:16:38.460
he calls them to account. The
first part of his accusation does deal with
175
00:16:38.700 --> 00:16:44.860
business practices, does deal with money, in particular, with wicked scales,
176
00:16:44.940 --> 00:16:52.250
he says, with a bag of
full of deceits, theft, defrauding people
177
00:16:52.370 --> 00:16:56.690
of what was owed to them.
This was done through what is called false
178
00:16:56.970 --> 00:17:02.279
scales here on the defrauding in this
way was a way that was hidden,
179
00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:07.680
a way that wasn't perhaps always known. Let's help those of you who are
180
00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:15.109
perhaps younger or don't understand this particular
language. Imagine that you go to a
181
00:17:15.269 --> 00:17:22.589
friend who happened to get a lot
of chocolate. You say to your friend,
182
00:17:22.789 --> 00:17:26.990
Hey, I'll give you five dollars
for a pound of chocolate. All
183
00:17:26.029 --> 00:17:30.980
right, you work out the deal. Then your friend puts his chocolate on
184
00:17:32.059 --> 00:17:34.180
the scale and it goes up to
a pound, and then he hands you
185
00:17:34.259 --> 00:17:37.859
the chocolate and your hand in the
five dollars. Well, it's good right
186
00:17:37.900 --> 00:17:42.740
until your friend's sister comes up and
he says, you know, he messed
187
00:17:42.819 --> 00:17:48.609
with the scale. He actually only
gave you four pounds, even though it
188
00:17:48.769 --> 00:17:55.369
read five or I said they're wrong. He didn't give you the full pound.
189
00:17:56.009 --> 00:17:59.079
Four, fifth. There we go. He gave you a partial pound
190
00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:02.880
when he should have given you the
whole pound. You'll gave him the full
191
00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:11.039
five dollars, but he didn't give
you the full pound. The thing about
192
00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:15.109
false scales is it's it can be
very tricky, can be very it's a
193
00:18:15.190 --> 00:18:19.630
secret kind of defrauding. Right at
least it can be. You adjust the
194
00:18:19.670 --> 00:18:26.950
scales in in God's word he condemns
this Leviticus nineteen thirty five. The thirty
195
00:18:26.029 --> 00:18:33.900
six says you shall do no wrong
judgment in measures of length or weight or
196
00:18:33.940 --> 00:18:38.779
quantity. You shall have just balances, just weights, a just effect and
197
00:18:40.059 --> 00:18:44.690
adjust hint. I am the Lord, your God who brought you out of
198
00:18:44.769 --> 00:18:49.930
the land of Egypt. Deuter on
me. Thirteen through sixteen, you shall
199
00:18:51.089 --> 00:18:55.009
not have in your bag two kinds
of weights, a large one and a
200
00:18:55.049 --> 00:19:00.759
small one. When that you use
at certain times to your advantage and when
201
00:19:00.839 --> 00:19:04.279
that you use it other times to
your advantage. That's me at my commentary.
202
00:19:04.359 --> 00:19:08.599
There the word says you shall not
have in your bad two kinds of
203
00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:11.309
way. It's a large and a
small. You shall not have in your
204
00:19:11.390 --> 00:19:15.190
house two kinds of measures, a
large and a small, a full and
205
00:19:15.349 --> 00:19:19.309
a fair way you shall have,
and a full and a fair measure you
206
00:19:19.430 --> 00:19:23.859
shall have, that your days may
be long in the land that the Lord
207
00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:30.619
your God is giving you, for
all who do such things all act dishonestly
208
00:19:30.019 --> 00:19:37.809
and are an abomination to the Lord
your God. This is a huge deal.
209
00:19:38.730 --> 00:19:44.970
He grounds these commands on his act
of salvation, of bringing them out
210
00:19:44.970 --> 00:19:51.609
of Egypt. He grounds these commands
on the promise of long life in the
211
00:19:51.690 --> 00:19:56.680
land. Of course, the thief
says, what's a big deal? You
212
00:19:56.720 --> 00:20:02.039
know, if I just adjust,
I'm just adjusting the scale slightly. I'm
213
00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:06.319
not taking a whole half a pound. Let's say it's just a tiny sixteenth
214
00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:10.750
of a pound. They'll never notice. Of course, the thief notice is
215
00:20:10.829 --> 00:20:18.750
though, because after sixteen of those
transaction he's got a free pound, a
216
00:20:18.910 --> 00:20:22.299
pound stolen from his customers, and
this is, of course, still a
217
00:20:22.380 --> 00:20:29.940
very much a concern in today I
was out at the dairy one of our
218
00:20:30.019 --> 00:20:33.420
members works out and you can see
the scale or the trucks driving onto big
219
00:20:33.500 --> 00:20:41.089
scales and on the side of the
trucks are big digital counters which measure exactly
220
00:20:41.329 --> 00:20:45.490
how much weight is being put into
the trucks. Or if you go to
221
00:20:45.569 --> 00:20:49.359
the gas station right there's a little
seal on the side of the the gas
222
00:20:49.480 --> 00:20:53.759
pump that says that this has been
checked and certified so that you're getting an
223
00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:59.119
accurate amount of grass. Imagine how
upset you'd be if you found out your
224
00:20:59.160 --> 00:21:03.470
regular gas station was giving you a
less than what you were paying for every
225
00:21:03.630 --> 00:21:08.910
time. Some people, of course, are willing to steal a lot and
226
00:21:10.029 --> 00:21:12.589
even do so publicly, and that's
what we have in the way of nay
227
00:21:12.670 --> 00:21:22.619
down or and Nayboff and the king
and Queen. And when people steal in
228
00:21:22.779 --> 00:21:26.420
this way, they often say to
themselves, it's just a little bit here
229
00:21:26.460 --> 00:21:30.619
and there, no big deal,
no one will notice. But of course
230
00:21:30.660 --> 00:21:37.289
God notices. It's God who measured
out the span of the earth. It's
231
00:21:37.329 --> 00:21:40.170
God who set the sun and its
course in the skies, who put the
232
00:21:40.329 --> 00:21:47.680
stars and all their exact places.
He knows. God knows the exact number
233
00:21:47.799 --> 00:21:52.680
and weight of hairs on your head. He knows when there are a few
234
00:21:52.920 --> 00:22:00.559
cookies missing from the cookie jar or
a few extra thousand from that account,
235
00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:04.869
or when the hours that you should
have put in that where profitable have been
236
00:22:04.990 --> 00:22:15.109
squandered or when the change wasn't quite
exact. God knows, and God is
237
00:22:15.230 --> 00:22:22.819
just. Those who oppress, those
who act unjustly, will find their due
238
00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:30.170
reward. God will call them to
account. As we go on in Mica,
239
00:22:30.289 --> 00:22:34.089
what we find is that this sin
of theft and defraudings often, and
240
00:22:34.410 --> 00:22:38.809
is here accompanied by other things as
well. You know this right. Sins
241
00:22:38.930 --> 00:22:44.880
tend to link themselves together, and
so we see, beyond defrauding through perhaps
242
00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:48.440
hidden lies, there is even outright
violence and lies, again, just like
243
00:22:48.599 --> 00:22:56.240
we saw with Ahab. What begins
as I'm simply taking something that didn't belong
244
00:22:56.400 --> 00:23:02.750
to him, ends in murder,
and God says as much. Your rich
245
00:23:02.829 --> 00:23:07.230
men are full of invaught, a
full of violence, and inhabitants speak lies
246
00:23:07.349 --> 00:23:12.980
in their tongue, is deceitful in
their mouth. And then comes the sentence
247
00:23:14.099 --> 00:23:17.220
in mic a six. There's no
more ignoring the Lord of the law.
248
00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:21.940
Sometimes times we can pretend and we
can get away with we pretend that we
249
00:23:21.980 --> 00:23:26.579
are getting away with something for a
while, but not when God declares his
250
00:23:26.940 --> 00:23:34.210
sentence. That's why verse thirteen begins
with therefore, God's judgment is fair.
251
00:23:34.369 --> 00:23:41.369
It's based on something. God is
not arbitrarily doing mean things to people.
252
00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:45.680
He is giving them what is do, what is fair, what is just.
253
00:23:47.599 --> 00:23:55.319
God's righteousness in judgment is fair.
It's because of our sins. Now,
254
00:23:55.440 --> 00:23:59.789
the translation of the sentence is somewhat
difficult here, and it means probably
255
00:23:59.910 --> 00:24:06.950
one of two things. Either the
work that they do to produce their food
256
00:24:07.109 --> 00:24:15.779
will result in failure, or the
their hope in fertility will also result in
257
00:24:15.019 --> 00:24:22.700
failure, either through the Labor and
the ground or the Labor in childbirth.
258
00:24:22.259 --> 00:24:29.009
One or the other, it will
not produce of the intended results. And
259
00:24:29.170 --> 00:24:32.650
whether it's the crops or the people
that are in view, we remember that
260
00:24:32.769 --> 00:24:37.849
these are specific curses that God promised
for breaking the Covenant. He said,
261
00:24:37.849 --> 00:24:41.359
if you failed to do what I
call you to do, your life will
262
00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:45.480
not be long in the land.
Famine, infertility, these things as will
263
00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:52.680
come upon you. Indeed, just
as you carried out judgment on the people
264
00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:57.670
who were here, others will come
and carry out judgment upon you. But
265
00:24:57.829 --> 00:25:02.069
we see here is, in judgment
of God, a breaking down of the
266
00:25:02.150 --> 00:25:06.509
people of the community instead of fertility
in the womb and in the field.
267
00:25:07.109 --> 00:25:11.819
Like Adam who first broke the law
and the Covenant. They would experience the
268
00:25:11.980 --> 00:25:18.700
death of children and suffering trying to
survive. and to anyone who thinks again
269
00:25:18.779 --> 00:25:23.130
that this might be fair, remember
how can it be? First of all,
270
00:25:23.250 --> 00:25:27.009
the Lord himself is never unfair.
He is always just. He is
271
00:25:27.170 --> 00:25:33.609
not like us, who cheat and
steal and manipulate and overlook and take bribes.
272
00:25:33.650 --> 00:25:37.799
He sees all, he knows all, and he acts perfectly. Second,
273
00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:44.519
remember that they people of Israel,
promised to keep the covenant. Third,
274
00:25:44.759 --> 00:25:48.440
remember that they had been given every
opportunity to keep the covenant. God
275
00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:52.789
had been long, suffering and patient
with them, warning them again and again
276
00:25:53.190 --> 00:25:59.109
and again. Fourth, remember that
it was they who turned away from God
277
00:25:59.269 --> 00:26:03.309
and the joys and the blessings that
are found only in him. It was
278
00:26:03.430 --> 00:26:07.660
they who are receiving only what they
asked for. If you worship a bail,
279
00:26:07.779 --> 00:26:11.299
if you worship a false god,
if you worship those things that are
280
00:26:11.380 --> 00:26:19.529
demonic and distractive, you will find
yourself enjoying and quotes things that are demonic
281
00:26:19.690 --> 00:26:27.490
and destructive, death and things which
harm us. God is giving them what
282
00:26:27.730 --> 00:26:34.960
they had worked for, what they
had prospered for. He is standing up
283
00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:40.319
for the Nay, boths for the
oppressed, for the downtrunning for the meek.
284
00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:44.839
He is fulfilling his promise to be
just and righteous and fair. He
285
00:26:44.960 --> 00:26:48.589
is fulfilling all that he had said
to do and showing to us and all
286
00:26:48.710 --> 00:26:53.390
the world what it means to be
good in the face of so much evil,
287
00:26:55.549 --> 00:27:00.670
to not back down and to be
afraid. That's quote unquote, powerful
288
00:27:00.869 --> 00:27:04.619
men at the AHABS and the Omras
and those that feel like they can do
289
00:27:04.940 --> 00:27:11.819
whatever they want. God Says No, you can't praise him for it,
290
00:27:14.380 --> 00:27:18.329
and this is why we rightly rejoice
in God's justice, just as much as
291
00:27:18.369 --> 00:27:22.289
we rejoice in his love and in
His mercy. What good would his love
292
00:27:22.450 --> 00:27:26.730
be if he were not also just? What good would his mercy be if
293
00:27:26.769 --> 00:27:30.480
you were not also righteous? If
God were not these things, he would
294
00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:37.680
just be another corrupt official. Of
course, and impossibility, because God only
295
00:27:37.799 --> 00:27:42.160
and always acts according to True Holiness, the holiness that is found only in
296
00:27:42.279 --> 00:27:48.750
him, and this is why we
are right to celebrate God's justice, even
297
00:27:48.829 --> 00:28:00.220
when we are condemned by it.
So what comfort is there in all of
298
00:28:00.980 --> 00:28:07.460
in all of this? One Comfort
is to know that the world is not
299
00:28:07.660 --> 00:28:15.609
random. It is not all arbitrary
in confusing, that there is an answer
300
00:28:15.769 --> 00:28:21.410
to oppression, that there is answers
to unfairness, that God is just and
301
00:28:21.529 --> 00:28:26.089
that he rules from his throne and
that he is good. But you might
302
00:28:26.130 --> 00:28:33.559
ask, but what about me?
God may be good, but I am
303
00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:41.240
not. I find myself condemned by
him, righteously, but still condemned.
304
00:28:42.470 --> 00:28:47.630
I can recognize that God, in
pronouncing his judgment for sin, is simple
305
00:28:47.750 --> 00:28:52.390
and direct and fair and unflinching,
but I also know that I fall under
306
00:28:52.430 --> 00:29:00.500
his wrath. In the justice and
the justice alone of God, there is
307
00:29:00.740 --> 00:29:11.289
no comfort. Our Hope, though, the hope of the world, is
308
00:29:11.609 --> 00:29:18.450
to not fall under his wrath by
trusting in the one who has paid for
309
00:29:18.609 --> 00:29:22.769
our sins, by trusting in the
one who has taken what was due for
310
00:29:22.809 --> 00:29:30.640
us on his own shoulders and in
his own body in other places. In
311
00:29:30.759 --> 00:29:34.799
Mica, as we've previously read,
God promises to provide a shepherd for his
312
00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:44.109
sheep so they might dwell, fat
and happy and secure, not through theft
313
00:29:45.150 --> 00:29:52.140
and violence but because of his tender
care and perfect and and protection. God
314
00:29:52.220 --> 00:29:57.460
promises to take those who are who
recognize their sins and turned from them and
315
00:29:57.500 --> 00:30:03.980
are repentant and wait on him and
seek not his justice on them, but
316
00:30:03.180 --> 00:30:11.809
his mercy given to them freely as
a gift, and to trust in those
317
00:30:11.849 --> 00:30:18.769
promises, to know that they will
be the ones collected out of the remnant
318
00:30:18.450 --> 00:30:22.640
and even be made, as he
says, a strong nation. And this
319
00:30:22.759 --> 00:30:29.559
is exactly what God does. He
provides this shepherd, he provides a strong
320
00:30:29.680 --> 00:30:34.640
king who is not working in line
with Ahab and just real does not worship
321
00:30:34.640 --> 00:30:41.230
a false god, but in fact
is God and serves him perfectly, in
322
00:30:41.430 --> 00:30:47.589
such a way that God gives his
own son to be a sacrifice for our
323
00:30:47.710 --> 00:30:56.619
sins, to take our due reward, which is death, upon himself.
324
00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:07.650
When we look to the cross,
which is full of all the terror and
325
00:31:07.890 --> 00:31:15.329
wrath and judgment of God, we
also find their mercy and grace and victory
326
00:31:15.490 --> 00:31:22.079
and peace, as God pours that
out on himself, as he bears our
327
00:31:22.200 --> 00:31:29.519
sins, as he takes our suffering, as he dies our death. In
328
00:31:29.759 --> 00:31:34.950
this way, God provides salvation for
us in a way that the law can
329
00:31:36.230 --> 00:31:40.549
never fulfill for us. The laws, in case, is powerless to do,
330
00:31:41.269 --> 00:31:47.339
because we always come up before the
law condemned. God meets the requirements
331
00:31:47.380 --> 00:31:53.660
of the law and gives to us
his own righteousness. God does this,
332
00:31:53.940 --> 00:32:00.849
as you see, not by ignoring
justice but by fulfilling it in himself.
333
00:32:02.210 --> 00:32:07.369
And so when you hear of the
Justice of God in a passage like this,
334
00:32:08.490 --> 00:32:12.450
on the one hand, or I
shouldn't say on the one hand,
335
00:32:12.490 --> 00:32:17.319
I should say for one, we've
been praise him for it and thank him
336
00:32:17.359 --> 00:32:22.119
for it and look forward to the
final day of judgment when God will set
337
00:32:22.200 --> 00:32:29.279
all things right once and finally and
completely. We can hope for that day,
338
00:32:29.319 --> 00:32:32.069
we can look for that day when
every at when everything will be made
339
00:32:32.109 --> 00:32:37.390
right, but we also ought to
look to the cross, where that work
340
00:32:37.509 --> 00:32:44.539
of judgment has already begun, because
when we look to the Cross and we
341
00:32:44.660 --> 00:32:51.700
find we can find salvation there,
because they are God promises to us peace
342
00:32:51.859 --> 00:32:58.650
and rest by taking on our sins
for us, so that when we think
343
00:32:58.690 --> 00:33:01.049
of the judgment of the Lord in
the days to come, we know that
344
00:33:01.130 --> 00:33:07.849
judgment has already passed for us and
there is no condemnation of for those who
345
00:33:07.849 --> 00:33:14.000
are in a Christ Jesus. That's
what David anticipated in Psalm Twenty eight,
346
00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:16.680
and that's why, on the one
hand, he could look forward to judgment
347
00:33:17.240 --> 00:33:22.119
but he also pled for mercy and
knew that God was his rock and his
348
00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:27.430
refuge. My prayers that that would
be true for me and for you as
349
00:33:27.509 --> 00:33:29.990
well. Let's pray
