“The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Hear, all you peoples! Listen, O earth, and all that is in it! Let the Lord God be a witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple. 3 For behold, the Lord is coming out of His place; He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth. 4 The mountains will melt under Him, and the valleys will split like wax before the fire, like waters poured down a steep place. 5 All this is for the transgression of Jacob and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Are they not Jerusalem? And for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Are they not Jerusalem? ” Micah 1:2-5 NKJV
“Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals and a mourning like the ostriches, 9 for her wounds are incurable. For it has come to Judah; it has come to the gate of My people—
To Jerusalem.” Micah 1:8-9 NKJV
Lord God of all the earth,
Micah was speaking out at the same time as Isaiah and against both Judah and Israel. And as we read his book, well I get the impression he was animated, emotional and passionate and fully convinced of Your judgement. Prepared to go naked, wailing and making terrible noises like deeply grieving women at a funeral. F0r he said Judah and Israel’s wounds were incurable. Yet Micah is desperate for them to experience God’s mercy.
The trouble is, Micah says, is that everyone in the nation is offensive to God. The general public are evildoers (Micah 2:1-5). The prophets lie (Micah 2:6-11). The rulers are wicked (Micah 3:1-3). And the punishment will be unbearable (Micah 6:9-16). They will be sick, desolate, hungry, unproductive, and everything they do will come to nothing.
But he cannot neglect Your mercy. Micah also paints a beautiful picture of how it can be turned around if they confess to You their sin (Micah 7:8-15). They will again be a witness to other nations (Micah 7:16-20). God their judge could be God their Saviour.
You God, do not retain Your anger forever, You delight in mercy. You had compassion on us too
and subdued our iniquities. You cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. (From Micah 7:18b-19). There are not words enough . . . to thank You for Jesus.
Worship Saturday 13th June 2026
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy
that is wider than the greatest sea;
and so I know-it covers even me.
There’s a depth to his compassion
that is deeper than I’ll understand;
and so my life is safe within his hands.
His love is deep enough for me,
to cause these blinded eyes to see,
to set this lowly captive free from sin.
His grace is flowing from above,
reflected in the Saviour’s love-
O precious Father, help me take it in.
Lyrics: Geoff Baker