There are a lot of people who trust God, but struggle to understand why things aren’t good for them at the moment. Or, maybe they wrestle with why things aren’t good for more than a moment: a month, year, or even longer than that. This is a deep topic, and I won’t pretend to give a thorough answer today, but there’s a passage in the book of Micah that includes three main principles: reminders that I think are important for any of us who are in a difficult time.
By way of context, the introduction to Micah in the NIV indicates that these prophecies predicted and predated the fall of Israel to the Assyrians and the fall of Judah to the Babylonians, so this book contains content from before the work of Ezra and Nehemiah. Both nations of the divided kingdom are going to be conquered, and those from Judea are going to be exiled to Babylon, before getting to return later.
Let’s begin at Micah 7:7.
But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD,
I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear me.Micah 7:7 NIV
https://micah.bible/micah-7-7
Continuing this into Micah 7:7-13, that passage sounds like the testimony of someone who really “gets it”. I’m not certain whether this is Micah speaking here, or a prophecy about Israel, or something else, but the point is applicable either way.
First, the speaker here has a strong faith in God: strong enough to say as much. It takes some guts to affirm that things will get better. Can you imagine – or maybe you’ve experienced – the embarrassment of pronouncing emphatically that something will happen, but finding out that whoever or whatever you were counting on failed you? Here, though, the promises of God can be relied upon confidently.
However, the speaker also acknowledges why things aren’t good right now. There’s a clear understanding that sinning against God has resulted in His wrath. When we have so many alternatives to accepting responsibility for what we have done, this passage doesn’t sugarcoat the idea of personal or group accountability. (Now, I’m not saying that your own sins are necessarily the direct cause of the challenges that you are facing, but for those who understand the worldview given by God in the Bible, there are reasons why sin and suffering persist in this world.)
There’s hope for the future, though. The speaker here looks forward to God also being the one who will bring him back. God is holy and He gets angry with sin, but His justice is also paired with His love. I can imagine a legitimately-incarcerated convict bragging that he will get back on his feet (and back to his old ways) as soon as he gets out of jail, but this sounds more like the calm confidence of someone who knows that the God of heaven and earth has his back.
So, what is the next step to understanding these three points (i.e., faith, understanding, and hope)? In Micah 7:14-19, the speaker (whether Micah or Israel) pivots to talking to God, inviting Him to shepherd them. This is evidence of humility, since asking God to shepherd his people means that He is in charge, and it acknowledges that He knows better than them. (Verse 15 is quoted as a response from God, perhaps a promise from Him that the Israelites would hang their hopes upon.)
God’s enemies (whether Israel’s enemies that made themselves enemies of God or, per a commentator, oppressive leaders within Israel) will see what God does for His people, and they won’t be strutting around mocking the Israelites or taking advantage of them like they used to.
Even people and nations opposed to God can be used by Him, and just because they are used in God’s plan, doesn’t mean that they should continue to insult Him and think that they are somehow better than those who God is disciplining. Justice is still necessary for all people, and everyone of us needs God’s grace and mercy.
Then, the attention goes back to God, praising Him for who He is, and what He does. We again see a point mentioned earlier: that God does get angry, but He also offers mercy, compassion, and forgiveness.
I don’t necessarily know what challenges you are facing these days. However, as I face issues in my own life, I think that the elements of this process (faith, knowledge, hope, humility, and praise to God) are important parts of our path through trials.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for March 12, 2023
References:
- The Lookout, March 12, 2023, © 2022 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Minor Prophets Volume 1 – Hosea-Micah, by Harold Shank. © 2001 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 