Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Micah 3:5
Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.
5 8. The fate of the false prophets, whose unauthorized smooth-speaking Micah contrasts with his own divinely inspired courage
5. that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace ] i.e. who, when they are given something to eat, cry, Peace. To ‘bite with the teeth’ is a quaint, rough expression in harmony with the foregoing image from cannibalism. Choice language would have been thrown away on such seared consciences. Comp. the description of the priests, 1Sa 2:13-16.
they even prepare war against him ] Lit., they consecrate war, a prophetic formula (Jer 4:4, Joe 3:9, comp. Isa 13:3, ‘my consecrated ones’). The meaning is, that if at any time the rulers of the people are behindhand with the accustomed fee to these mercenary prophets, the tone of the latter at once begins to change. Instead of announcing peace, they declare that Jehovah is wroth with his people, and will send war. Strictly speaking, to ‘consecrate war’ is to open a campaign (with sacred rites), but here the antithesis with ‘that cry, Peace’ requires us to take it in a modified sense.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The prophets that make My people err – Flattering them in their sins and rebellions, promising that they shall go unpunished, that God is not so strict, will not put in force the judgments tie threatens. So Isaiah saith Isa 3:12; O my? people, they which lead thee, mislead thee; and (Isa 9:16, (Isa 9:15 in Hebrew)), the leaders of this people are its misleaders, and they that are led of them are destroyed. And Jeremiah, The prophets have seen for thee vanity and folly; and they have not discovered thine iniquity to turn away thy captivity, and have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment Lam 2:14. No error is hopeless, save what is taught in the Name of God.
That bite with their mouths – The word is used of no other biting than the biting of serpents. They were doing real, secret evil while they cry, that is, proclaim peace; they bit, as serpents, treacherously, deadlily. They fed, not so much on the gifts, for which they hired themselves to Eze 13:10 speak peace when there was no peace, as on the souls of the givers. So God says by Ezekiel, Will ye pollute Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls live that should not live, by your lying to My people that hear your lies? Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life – therefore ye shall see no more vanity nor divine divinations Eze 19:1-14, 22-23. It was with a show of peace that Joab slew Abner and Amasa, and with a kiss of peace Judas betrayed our Lord.
And he that putteth not into their mouths, they prepare war against him – Literally, and (that is, immediately; it was all one; bribes refused, war proclaimed,) they sanctify war against him. Like those of whom Joel prophesied , they proclaim war against him in the Name of God, by the authority of God which they had taken to themselves, speaking in His Name who had not sent them. So when our Lord fed the multitude, they would take Him by force and make Him a king; when their hopes were gone and they saw that His Kingdom was not of this world, they said, Crucify him, crucify Him. Much more the Pharisees, who, because He rebuked their covetousness, their devouring widows houses, their extortion and excess, their making their proselytes more children of hell than themselves, said, Thou blasphemest. So, when the masters of the possessed damsel whom Paul freed Act 16:19-21, saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they accused him, that he exceedingly troubled their city, teaching customs not lawful to be received.
So Christians were persecuted by the pagan as hating the human race, because they would not partake of their sins; as atheists, because they worshiped not their gods; as disloyal and public enemies, because they joined not in unholy festivals; as unprofitable, because they neglected things not profitable but harmful. So men are now called illiberal, who will not make free with the truth of God; intolerant, who will not allow that all faith is matter of opinion, and that there is no certain truth; precise, censorious, who will not connive at sin, or allow the levity which plays, mothlike, around it and jests at it. The Church and the Gospel are against the world, and so the world which they condemn must be against them; and such is the force of truth and holiness, that it must carry on the war against them in their own name.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Mic 3:5-7
Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make My people err
False prophets
Here the prophet attacks the false prophets, as before he had attacked the princes.
I. They are DECEIVING. God says, they make My people err Preachers often make their hearers err.
(1) In theology. They propound ideas, crude and ill digested, concerning God, Christ, moral conditions and relations, utterly inconsistent with truth.
(2) In worship.
(3) In morality. Their standard of duty is often wrong.
II. They are avaricious. They bite with their teeth, and cry peace. Greed governs them in all their ministries.
III. They are confounded.
1. Confounded in darkness. Night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.
2. Confounded in shame. Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners be confounded. Jehovah ignores them. There is no answer of God. Those, says Matthew Henry, who deceive others are but preparing confusion for their own faces. (Homilist.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 5. That bite with their teeth] That eat to the full; that are well provided for, and as long as they are so, prophesy smooth things, and cry, Peace! i.e., Ye shall have nothing but peace and prosperity. Whereas the true prophet, “who putteth not into their mouths,” who makes no provision for their evil propensities, “they prepare war against him.” kiddeshu alaiu milchamah, “They sanctify a war against him.” They call on all to help them to put down a man who is speaking evil of the Lord’s people; and predicting the destruction of his temple, and Israel his inheritance.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thus saith the Lord: now Micah in the name of the Lord foretells what shall become of false prophets, he had frankly dealt with the seculars, now he deals as plainly with the ecclesiastics.
Concerning the prophets that make my people err: though he give them the title they assume to themselves, yet he doth very fully describe them, and shows they are false prophets; they err, and make others to err with them. Israel is too apt to mistake his God, and his ways; these false prophets make them err more, both concerning their former ways of religion and civil policy, and concerning their present danger and duty, and concerning future judgments and punishments.
That bite with their teeth, when they are furnished with gifts, and well fed.
And cry, Peace; they promise great prosperity, they pretend to give assurance from God that all shall go well with Israel, and none of the dismal woes threatened by Micah and such-like prophets should ever be verified on them.
And he that putteth not into their mouths; but those who will not feed these false prophets, that bid them not welcome to their tables, nor make good cheer for them,
They even prepare war against him; they do threaten with war, and all calamities that attend it; or else, as enemies prepared, they work them all the mischief they can, and show what god they serve, even the god of this world, and their own bellies.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. Here he attacks the falseprophets, as before he had attacked the “princes.”
make my people errknowinglymislead My people by not denouncing their sins as incurring judgment.
bite with . . . teeth, andcry, Peacethat is, who, so long as they are supplied withfood, promise peace and prosperity in their prophecies.
he that putteth not intotheir mouths, they . . . prepare war against himWhenever theyare not supplied with food, they foretell war and calamity.
prepare warliterally,”sanctify war,” that is, proclaim it as a holyjudgment of God because they are not fed (see on Jer6:4; compare Isa 13:3;Joe 1:14).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Thus saith the Lord, concerning the prophets that make my people err,…. The false prophets, as the Targum; and as the description given of them shows; who, instead of directing the people in the right way, as by their office and characters as prophets they should have done, they led them into mistakes about matters of religion and civil government, and out of the way of their duty to God and men, and exposed them to great danger and distress; and this was the more aggravating, as they were the Lord’s people by name and profession, whom they caused to err from his ways and worship, which brought his displeasure upon them:
that bite with their teeth, and cry, peace; prophesy smooth things, promise all kind of prosperity and plenty, and bite their lips, and keep in those distresses and calamities which they could not but see coming upon the people; or, while they are prophesying good things, they gnash their teeth against the prophets of the Lord, and bitterly inveigh against them for threatening with war, destruction, and captivity; or, by flattering the people with their lips, they bite them, devour their substance, and are the cause of their hurt and ruin; or rather, so long as the people fed them well, and they had a sufficiency to bite and live upon, they foretold happy days unto them, So the Targum,
“he that feeds them with a feast of flesh, they prophesy peace to him;”
which sense is confirmed by what follows,
and he that putteth not into their mouth, they even declare war against him; who do not give them what they ask, or do not feed them according to their desire, do not keep a good table for them, and cram and pamper them, but neglect them, and do not provide well for them; these they threaten with one calamity or another that shall befall them; and endeavour to set their neighbours against them, and even the government itself, and do them all the mischief they can by defamation and slander.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
In the second strophe, Micah turns from the godless princes and judges to the prophets who lead the people astray, with whom he contrasts the true prophets and their ways. Mic 3:5. Thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who bite with their teeth, and preach peace; and whoever should put nothing into their mouths, against him they sanctify war. Mic 3:6. Therefore night to you because of the visions, and darkness to you because of the soothsaying! and the sun will set over the prophets, and the day blacken itself over them. Mic 3:7. And the seers will be ashamed, and the soothsayers blush, and all cover their beard, because (there is) no answer of God. Mic 3:8. But I, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of Jehovah, and with judgment and strength, to show to Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.” As the first strophe attaches itself to Mic 2:1-2, so does the second to Mic 2:6 and Mic 2:11, carrying out still further what is there affirmed concerning the false prophets. Micah describes them as people who predict peace and prosperity for a morsel of bread, and thereby lead the people astray, setting before them prosperity and salvation, instead of preaching repentance to them, by charging them with their sins. Thus they became accomplices of the wicked rulers, with whom they are therefore classed in Mic 3:11, together with the wicked priests. , leading astray (cf. Isa 3:12; Isa 9:15) my people, namely, by failing to charge them with their sins, and preach repentance, as the true prophets do, and predicting prosperity for bread and payment. The words, “who bite with their teeth,” are to be connected closely with the next clause, “and they preach peace,” in the sense of “who preach peace if they can bite with their teeth,” i.e., if they receive something to bite (or eat). This explanation, which has already been expressed by the Chaldee, is necessarily required by the antithesis, “but whoever puts nothing into their mouth,” i.e., gives them nothing to eat, notwithstanding the fact that in other passages nashakh only signifies to bite, in the sense of to wound, and is the word generally applied to the bite of a snake (Amo 5:19; Gen 49:17; Num 21:6, Num 21:8). If, however, we understand the biting with the teeth as a figurative representation of the words of the prophets who always preach prosperity, and of the injury they do to the real welfare of the people (Ros., Casp., and others), the obvious antithesis of the two double clauses of Mic 3:5 is totally destroyed. The harsh expression, to “bite with the teeth,” in the sense of “to eat,” is perfectly in harmony with the harsh words of Mic 3:2 and Mic 3:3. Qiddesh milchamah , to sanctify war, i.e., to preach a holy war (cf. Joe 3:9), or, in reality, to proclaim the vengeance of God. For this shall night and darkness burst upon them. Night and darkness denote primarily the calamity which would come upon the false prophets ( unto you) in connection with the judgment (Mic 2:4). The sun which sets to them is the sun of salvation or prosperity (Amo 8:9; Jer 15:9); and the day which becomes black over them is the day of judgment, which is darkness, and not light (Amo 5:18). This calamity is heightened by the fact that they will then stand ashamed, because their own former prophecies are thereby proved to be lies, and fresh, true prophecies fail them, because God gives no answer. “Convicted by the result, they are thus utterly put to shame, because God does not help them out of their trouble by any word of revelation” (Hitzig). Bosh , to be ashamed, when connected with chapher (cf. Jer 15:9; Psa 35:26., etc.), signifies to become pale with shame; chapher , to blush, with min causae, to denote the thing of which a man is ashamed. Qos e mm (diviners) alternates with chozm (seers), because these false prophets had no visions of God, but only divinations out of their own hearts. Atah sapham : to cover the beard, i.e., to cover the face up to the nose, is a sign of mourning (Lev 13:45), here of trouble and shame (cf. Eze 24:17), and is really equivalent to covering the head (Jer 14:4; Est 6:12). Maaneh , the construct state of the substantive, but in the sense of the participle; some codd. have indeed . In Mic 3:8 Micah contrasts himself and his own doings with these false prophets, as being filled with power by the Spirit of Jehovah (i.e., through His assistance) and with judgment. Mishpat , governed by , is the divine justice which the prophet has to proclaim, and g e bhurah strength, manliness, to hold up before the people their sins and the justice of God. In this divine strength he can and must declare their unrighteousness to all ranks of the people, and predict the punishment of God (Mic 3:9-12).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Micah accuses here the Prophets, in the first place, of avarice and of a desire for filthy lucre. But he begins by saying that he spoke by God’s command, and as it were from his mouth, in order that his combination might have more weight and power. Thus then saith Jehovah against the Prophets: and he calls them the deceivers of the people: but at the same time he points out the source of the evil, that is, why or by what passion they were instigated to deceive, and that was, because the desire of gain had wholly possessed them, so that they made no difference between what was true and what was false, but only sought to please for the sake of gain. And he shows also, on the other hand, that they were so covetous of gain, that they declared war, if any one did not feed them. And God repeats again the name of his people: this had escaped my notice lately in observing on the words of Micah, that the princes devoured the flesh of God’s people; for the indignity was increased when this wrong, was done to the people of God. Had the Assyrians, or the Ethiopians, or the Egyptians, been pillaged by their princes, it would have been more tolerable; but when the very people of God were thus devoured, it was, as I have said, less to be borne. So when the people of God were deceived, and the truth was turned to a lie, it was a sacrilege the more hateful.
This then was the reason why he said, Who deceive my people (98) “This people is sacred to me, for I have chosen them for myself; as then they are destroyed by frauds and deceptions, is not my majesty in a manner dishonored — is not my authority lessened?” We now then see the reason why the Prophet says, They deceive my people. It is indeed certain, that the Jews were worthy of such deceptions; and God elsewhere declares, that whenever he permitted false prophets to come among them, it was to try them to see what sort of people they were, (Deu 13:0.) It was then their just reward, when liberty was given to Satan to prevent sound doctrine among the people. And no one is ever deceived, except through his own will. Though their own simplicity seems to draw many to destruction, yet there is ever in them some hypocrisy. But it does not extenuate the sin of false teachers, that the people deserve such a punishment: and hence the Prophet still goes on with his reproof and says, that they were the people of God, — in what respect? By adoption. Though then the Jews had rendered themselves unworthy of such an honor, yet God counts them his people, that he might punish the wickedness of the false teachers, of which he now accuses them. It now follows, that they did bite with their teeth But I cannot finish today.
(98) “Who deceive my people,” is better than, “Who cause my people to err,” according to Newcome and Henderson; for what is referred to is the “peace,” promised by the false prophets. Marckius’ version is, “Who seduce my people,” and he makes this remark, —that the people had three seducers, — the devil, their own deceitful hearts, and the false prophets. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.]
Mic. 3:5. Prophets] False prophets flatter and promise security from judgment. Bite] Like serpents; cry, Peace] When they are doing mischief. Prepare] Lit. sanctify war against him (cf. Joe. 3:9); as if the cause of their own appetite were the cause of Heaven! [Words].
Mic. 3:6. Night] Calamities like a dark night would come upon them (Isa. 8:22; Amo. 5:18; Amo. 8:9).
Mic. 3:7. Ashamed] Because their predictions proved lies. Confounded] False prophets had no visions from God. Their lying being punished in its results, they become, since God by no word of revelation helps them out of their necessity, entirely disgraced [Hitzig]. Cover] i.e. to cover the face up to the nose, a sign of sorrow (Lev. 13:45); here of shame (Eze. 24:17). With their lips they had lied, now they are dumb and covered with shame. They shall be so ashamed of themselves as not to dare to open their mouths, or boast of the name of prophet [Calvin].
Mic. 3:8. I] In contrast to false prophets, am filled with power. Judgment] A sense of justice (Act. 1:8). Might] Moral intrepidity in speaking the truth at all costs (2Ti. 1:7). Sin] Not to flatter with false promises of peace.
HOMILETICS
THE DESCRIPTION OF FALSE TEACHERS.Mic. 3:5-7
From unjust judges Micah turns to false prophets, who are accused of flattering in sin and seducing by error. Corruption and crime in the nation will always endanger the Church. It is bad enough to be under ungodly rulers, but worse to be guided by false teachers.
I. They are mercenary in their purpose. Their chief end and only desire is gain. Rents and tithes, preferment and honour, govern their lives. Their god is their belly, filthy lucre their aim, and their gospel is their mawsupplied with food, they are satisfied and promise peace; but when no one puts anything into their mouths they are offended and intolerant. They are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his gain.
II. They are deceptive in their teaching. They flatter and mislead the people. They make my people err. An unfaithful ministry carries the people from God and leaves them to perish in sin. For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are led of them are destroyed.
1. They deceive by predicting prosperity when there is danger. They cry peace when God threatens judgment. They bite with treachery and deadly poison in their mouths.
2. They deceive by flattering rebellion when they should urge to repentance. They rebuked no extortion and excess. They soothed and smoothed the people, and fawned like greedy dogs to those who fed them. Will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?
III. They are hypocritical in their spirit. They even sanctify war against him that withholds their due. Acting professedly on the authority of God, they abuse the word of God. Men now are denounced as atheists and infidels, condemned as disloyal and traitors, if they obey not the behests of the priest. Ecclesiastics threaten and discountenance, bless or curse, to get what they require. They rebuke only when their gains are disturbed, and comfort others to promote their own ends.
IV. They are judged in their ministry. They promise what never comes to pass. Instead of peace they have calamity.
1. They are darkened in their minds. Therefore, night shall be unto you. Moral obliquity shuts out the light, darkens the understanding, and brings judicial blindness. When teachers are dark, how can light be expected? If the blind lead the blind, &c.
2. They are silenced in their pretensions. They pretended to do good, but sinned against light and were condemned by their own consciences. Deprived of power to divine, and robbed of an answer of God; they had neither vision nor courage to speak. They were seen in their true colours, and deciphered before the world.
3. They were confounded in their ways. Events put them to shame, reputation waned, and confidence failed them. They kept others in the dark; God kept them in the dark, and perplexed them with their own devices. When Gods providence contradicts the religious teacher, he is seen to be opposed to Gods will, and proved not to be sent of God.
4. They were overwhelmed in their circumstances. They preached falsehood, walked in darkness, and stumbled in distress. There was darkness without and darkness within, a night of sorrow and calamity. Their sun went down, and dark cold night settled upon them. They had to cover their lips and hold their tongue.
THE TRUE MINISTER.Mic. 3:8
Micah now contrasts himself with the false prophets, sets forth the nature of the true ministry, which is one of Divine power, earnest appeal, and pure aim.
I. It is a ministry of power. I am filled with power.
1. Personal power. Power lodged in him, controlling heart and life.
2. Power exerted upon others. Power must be in the soul, before it can be expressed in the doctrine. This will prove the Divine calling and vindicate the real character of a minister.
3. Power of the highest nature. By the Spirit of the Lord. Not the power of intellect and gifts, but power from on high. The power of God unto salvation.
4. Power in the greatest degree. Filled with power. Here is no stint nor measure, except moral capacity. This is most needful, and the best furniture to the minister. Mr. Gladstone recently said that we had nothing to depend upon but moral power. Tarry ye, until ye be endued with power from on high. Power in yourselves, power in your words, and power in the hearts of men. Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.
II. It is a ministry of light. And of judgment.
1. The minister himself is enlightened. He is endowed with a spirit of wisdom and knowledge. He has judgment to discern things that differ, to speak a word in season, from a sense of justice, a regard to truth, and not to please men.
2. The doctrine which he preaches enlightens others. It is judgment; an impartial view of Gods word, righteous indignation against sin, and mercy to the penitent. He has an ardent love for souls, and great zeal for the glory of God. Under such a ministry, sinners are convinced, inquirers enlightened, and saints edified.
III. It is a ministry of courage. And of might. He feared not the wrath, nor flattered the sins of man. He had courage to brave danger, adhere to truth, and reprove the mighty. He was manly in his utterances, endued with spiritual boldness, and steeled against all opposition in declaring unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful [Shakespeare].
HOMILETIC HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS
Mic. 3:8. Here we have a pattern ministry by which to test all others. Israels prophets were demoralized, and had sadly declined from the dignity of the days of Samuel. The entrance of the earthly-minded and unspiritual into the sacred calling will be a curse to the nation. Here we perceive the distinction between a false and a true prophet, between a converted and an unconverted teacher, and the different ground, nature, and object of their office. There is with the true man, spirit, power, light, self-denial, wise temperance, pure, uncorrupted delivery of Gods plan of salvation; and with the false, envy, imagination, self-love, which puffs up, personal gain, respect of persons, deception, &c. [Lange].
The Three Gifts of a true ministry.
1. Their Divine source.
2. Their human necessity.
3. Their practical design. All the fruits of one Spirit, all to qualify for the discharge of one duty, to declare unto Jacob, &c. So, then, of these three gifts power expresses the Divine might lodged in him; judgment, the substance of what he had to deliver; might or courage, the strength to deliver it in face of human power, persecution, ridicule, death [Pusey].
Mic. 3:5-8. Warning to the Heralds of Gods Word.
1. Their ideal character (Mic. 3:8).
2. Their danger of darkening Gods Word through self-seeking, in that either they for personal advantage preach what the ears of people lust after, or brand their personal enemies as Gods enemies.
3. The aggravation of their sin; desecration of the Word; confusion of Gods congregation.
4. Their punishment; they lose the capacity to discern Gods Word, and speak to the disgust of others and of themselves [Lange].
ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 3
Mic. 3:5-7. It shall be dark. Misery assails riches as lightning does the highest towers; or as a tree that is heavy laden with fruit breaks its own boughs, so do riches destroy the virtue of their possessor [Burton].
Mic. 3:8. Power. The crowning power of the messenger of God is power over the moral man; power which, whether it, approaches the soul through the avenue of the intellect or of the affections, does reach into the soul. The sphere of the Christian power is the heart,the moral man; and the result of its action is not to be surely distinguished from that of mere eloquence by instantaneous emotion, but by subsequent moral fruit. Power which cleanses the heart and produces holy living is the power of the Holy Ghost [Wm. Arthur].
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
MERCENARY PROPHETS . . . Mic. 3:5-8
RV . . . Thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets that make my people to err; that bite with their teeth and cry, Peace; and whoso putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him: therefore it shall be night unto you, that ye shall have no vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day shall be black over them. And the seers shall be put to shame, and the diviners confounded; yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God. But as for me, I am full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah, and of judgement, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
LXX . . . Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that lead my people astray, that bite with their teeth, and proclaim peace to them; and when nothing was put into their mouth, they raised up war against them: therefore there shall be night to you instead of a vision, and there shall be to you darkness instead of prophecy; and the sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day shall be dark upon them. And the seers of night-visions shall be ashamed, and the prophets shall be laughed to scorn: and all the people shall speak against them, because there shall be none to hearken to them. Surely I will strengthen myself with the Spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of power, to declare to Jacob his transgressions, and to Israel his sins.
COMMENTS
As in the case of the arrogant misleaders (Mic. 2:1-3) so with the unjust magistrates (Mic. 3:1-4), the prophet relates their sin to false preachers.
(Mic. 3:5) Here the accusation is direct. It is the false prophets who make my people err. By not denouncing sin, the false prophet encourages his hearers to sin. By flattering sinners in their sin and telling them that God is not really all that demanding, the false preacher leaves the impression desired by his hearers. Namely, that sin will not really be punished.
When these false prophets do denounce some action or inaction in their hearers it is not because of the righteous demands of God but because they do not feel their salaries are big enough. This reveals them to be part of the total picture of a decadent social order. They are as mercenary as those who lay awake nights figuring how to cheat someone of his possessions.
The agreeableness of the message of a false prophet was determined by the size of the bite placed in his mouth by his hearers. When the religious payola was sufficient they foretold peace and prosperity. When it was not, they sanctified war as a judgement against those who failed to feed them. In such pronouncements they sounded like the true prophet, but they would change their tune when the offerings were good. Such preaching is not calculated to bring about repentance on the part of the hearer.
(Mic. 3:6) Micahs warning concerning such despicable practices on the part of those who claim to speak for God is that the light of God will be withheld from them. There will be no vision. The implication is clear, for where there is no vision, the people perish. (Pro. 29:18)
The calamities which Micah has predicted for Israel and Judah will be shared by the false preachers as well as the social and official misleaders. When the calamity strikes they will no longer be able to claim to speak for God. When the judgements of God come, as they have promised His judgements will not come . . . when it is learned that God is not, after all, the tolerant benevolent benefactor the false teachers have made Him out to be, but rather the God of the covenant demanding faithful obedience to His will and His law, no one will listen any longer to those who made Him out to be what their hearers hoped He was.
(Mic. 3:7) In that day of judgement, the false seers will be put to shame and confounded. Everything of which they have been warned will have come to pass . . . the laxity of judgement on the part of God which they have predicted will be shown for what it is . . . wishful thinking.
They will be put to shame. The covering of the lips may be explained in one of several figures. In the custom of the day, the moustache and beard were matters of great pride. The covering of them was an act expressing shame.
Another reference to the covering of the lips is found in Lev. 13:45. There the command is that the leper is to cover his upper lip and cry unclean unclean. This was one of the laws of God pertaining to hygiene. In Mic. 3:7 the implication seems to be that spiritual and moral infection being spread by the false prophet will finally be stopped when the calamity predicted by Micah finally stops their mouths.
In verse eight, Micah contrasts himself, as a true prophet to the false prophets he has just denounced. Three things characterize him. He has within himself the POWER of Gods Spirit, without which no one can speak accurately and effectively concerning the will of God. (Cp. Act. 1:5; Act. 1:8)
He possesses JUDGEMENT, i.e. a sense of justice which moves him to speak the truth no matter how unpopular as opposed to the false prophet whose motivation was money.
He possesses MIGHT or courage to say what needs saying in the face of ridicule and even persecution. (Cp. 2Ti. 1:7)
He possesses these three graces to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and unto Israel his sin. Jacob and Israel originally referred to the same individual. Jacob was his name before God confirmed to him the everlasting covenant. Israel was his covenant name. Micah apparently intends to distinguish here between the physical descendants of Jacob and the faithful covenant people among them to whom he refers by the covenant name, Israel.
Transgression is a specific term for the deliberate infraction of Gods law. For these deliberate transgressions Micah has the power and the judgement and the might to speak out against those unfaithful to the covenant. Sin is a more general term. Even those who were faithful to the covenant were not free from sin completely. The prophet also has the power and the judgement and the might to speak to the covenant people whenever necessary.
One can scarcely read this denunciation of false and mercenary preachers without being aware of the present religious climate of our day. I have before me as I write the most recent publication of COCU (the Consultation On Church Unity). It is entitled A Plan of Union. Its authors make bold to claim that what they are doing in their eccumenical designs and ambitions is led by the Spirit of God. They claim the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit while they are denying the same to the writers of the Bible. They are teaching theology and proposing practices which are diametrically opposed to the Scriptural teaching and order of things in the church. One suspects their motivation, like that of those false prophets of whom Micah spoke, is something less than the selfless desire to see Gods people do Gods will.
One does not have to be a prophet of doom to foresee the possible collapse of our culture which is following the lead of such men. Just as those who misled the eighth century Jews into believing that God would not exact judgement against the followers of false teachers, so these twentieth century clergymen have denied the judgements of God. If our culture should collapse it will owe much of its failure to the teaching of these men. And, in that day as in the day of Judahs fall, the false prophet will be shown for what he is.
Chapter VIIIQuestions
Third Cycle
1.
Discuss Micahs concern for the covenant in light of his plea in Mic. 3:1-4.
2.
Discuss the concept of absolute good and evil in contrast with modern situation ethics (new morality). Mic. 2:1 -ff
3.
What is meant by pluch off their skin and flesh from their bones (Mic. 2:2(b)-3)?
4.
Discuss the will of God as the only natural and proper standard of all that is right.
5.
Discuss ways to penetrate the layers of ignorance in modern philosophies with the truth of Gods sovereignty.
6.
Are the prophetic warnings of the consequences of loving evil and hating good relevant to our current moral revolution?
7.
What three classes of people does Micah denounce? (Mic. 2:1-3; Mic. 3:1-5)
8.
What specific class of leaders are accused of making the people to err?
9.
What seems to have been the chief concern of the false prophets?
10.
What is Gods warning to mercenary prophets?
11.
Comment on the idea that God is a tolerant benevolent benefactor.
12.
What is to be the fate of the false prophets in the day of the judgement against the wicked nations as pronounced by Micah?
13.
What three things characterize Micah as a true prophet as opposed to the false prophets?
14.
Compare the false prophet syndrome of Micahs day with our present religious climate in America.
15.
What is the relationship between false religious teaching and the cultural collapse of a civilization?
16.
What are the specific sins with which Micah charges the wealthy, the false prophet, the magistrates, the political officials?
17.
False teaching is always recognizable by its emphasis on the ____________ of God accompanied by a denial of His ____________.
18.
The term head of Jacob calls attention to ____________.
19.
Rulers of the house of Israel refers to ____________.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(5) That bite with their teeth.The concluding statement that the false prophets declare war against those who do not put into their mouth indicates the meaning of the former expression, namely, they say peace to those who feed and bribe them. The Hebrew word, nashak, which is rendered bite, is strictly applied to serpents, to an adder in the path, and is therefore especially appropriate to the false and lying nature of the prophets.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Condemnation of the mercenary prophets, Mic 3:5-8.
5. Micah considers the mercenary prophets largely responsible for the moral and spiritual decline of the nation.
Make my people err They lead the people astray by preaching the divine favor and peace, when their message should have been one of repentance and judgment. 5b sets forth the motives determining the character of their message.
That bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace If they receive something to eat, or, in a more general sense, if by doing so they can serve their own interests, they announce, without regard for the truth, peace, that is, something that will please the hearers. The rough expression “bite with their teeth,” instead of the simple “eat,” is in perfect harmony with the strong language of Mic 3:2-3.
He that putteth not into their mouths He who fails to purchase their favor.
Prepare war Woe to such a one; for him they have only unpleasant things; unto him they declare the wrath of Jehovah and all sorts of calamity (see on Joe 3:9). “The satisfying or non-satisfying of their stomach determined the character of their prophecy.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Mic 3:5. And cry, Peace “Who speak nothing but agreeable and friendly things, so long as any thing is given them to satisfy their covetousness; but who proclaim war, and become bitter enemies to those that do not put into their mouths what they demand.” See Calmet. Instead of prepare war, we may read proclaim war.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mic 3:5 Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.
Ver. 5. Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets ] False prophets, who pretended Divine authority, when as God never sent them, but expressly declareth here against them, and threateneth them. Those profane princes had their fleshflies, those court parasites, to soothe and smooth them up in their sins; to promise them peace, albeit they walked in the imagination of their own hearts, “to add drunkenness to thirst,” and to live as they wanted, Deu 29:19 . Mirifica est sympathia inter Magnates et parasites, saith Bucholcer. There is a strange sympathy between great men and clawbacks: nothing so troublesome to such as truth, nothing so toothsome as flattery: this is the fruit of sinful selflove; and the end thereof are the ways of death Pro 16:25 .
That make my people to err
That bite with their teeth
“ O Monachi, vestri stomachi sunt amphora Bacchi:
Vos estis, Deus est testis, certissima pestis. ”
As hungry dogs they snap at a crust, and make clean work, such is their voracity and unsatisfiableness.
“ Ingluvies, et tempestas, barathrumque macelli.
And cry, Peace
And he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him
a In Greek and Latin mythology the proper name of the watch dog which guarded the entrance of the infernal regions, represented as having three heads. D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mic 3:5-12
5 Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets
Who lead my people astray;
When they have something to bite with their teeth,
They cry, Peace,
But against him who puts nothing in their mouths,
They declare holy war.
6Therefore it will be night for youwithout vision,
And darkness for youwithout divination.
The sun will go down on the prophets,
And the day will become dark over them.
7The seers will be ashamed
And the diviners will be embarrassed.
Indeed, they will all cover their mouths
Because there is no answer from God.
8On the other hand I am filled with power
With the Spirit of the Lord
And with justice and courage
To make known to Jacob his rebellious act,
Even to Israel his sin.
9Now hear this, heads of the house of Jacob
And rulers of the house of Israel,
Who abhor justice
And twist everything that is straight,
10Who build Zion with bloodshed
And Jerusalem with violent injustice.
11Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe,
Her priests instruct for a price,
And her prophets divine for money.
Yet they lean on the LORD saying,
‘Is not the LORD in our midst?
Calamity will not come upon us.’
12Therefore, on account of you,
Zion will be plowed as a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins,
And the mountain of the temple will become high places of a forest.
Mic 3:5 Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets The prophets were one of several ways to know the will of YHWH. The very ones who were to reveal God, did not know Him (cf. Hos 4:1). 1Sa 28:6 mentions three ways Saul inquired of YHWH:
1. dreams
2. Urim and Thummim (i.e., High Priest)
3. prophet (i.e., Samuel)
Who lead my people astray The VERB (BDB 1073, KB 1766, Hiphil PARTICIPLE) means to cause to err (cf. Amo 2:4; Hos 4:12; 2Ki 21:9; Isa 3:12; Isa 9:16; Jer 50:6). This refers to the false prophets mentioned in Mic 2:6-7; Mic 3:10-11.
When they have something to bite with their teeth This refers to the eating of food (i.e., gifts from the people they prophesied for, cf. Mic 3:5, lines 4 and 5). They prophesy for hire, not for God (cf. Isa 59:9-11). They tell the generous clients just what they want to hear (i.e., peace and prosperity); they tell their poor clients problems and scarcity.
The term bite (BDB 675, KB 729, Qal PARTICIPLE) usually refers to a snake bite.
They cry, ‘Peace’ Literally shalom (BDB 1022, see Special Topic: Peace [shalom] ) is the Hebrew word which means wholeness. Apparently, if the prophets were well-fed (i.e., paid in food, cf. 1Sa 9:7-8), they would proclaim good news (e.g., Jer 5:12; Jer 6:13-14; Jer 8:10-11; Jer 13:14; Jer 23:17; Eze 13:10); if they were not well-fed, they would proclaim holy war (BDB 536). Their message was based on selfish interests, not YHWH’s will. These prophets were available for private, as well as, royal consultations.
However, giving a gift to a prophet was a common practice (e.g., 1Ki 14:3; 2Ki 4:42; 2Ki 8:8-9). It is the manipulation of the message that is the problem!
They declare holy war The term holy is not in the MT, but comes from the VERB (BDB 872, KB 1073, Piel PERFECT), which comes from the Hebrew root for holy. It is used to describe setting apart certain people for war in Jer 51:27; Joe 3:9 and here (cf. Robert Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament, p. 177). The implication is that God will send bad things, problems, conflicts against those who are not generous with the prophets (i.e., God’s spokesperson). I sense this same technique today in America in tithing sermons that pronounce doom if you do not give a current percentage to the church (i.e., storehouse tithing)!
Mic 3:6 night. . .darkness. . .sun will go down. . .day will become dark These are four terrible metaphors (no sunlight used by Isaiah) for the removal of God’s Spirit and insight from the rulers and prophets. Darkness is used as a metaphor for lack of revelation (i.e., light, e.g., Psa 82:5; Pro 2:13; Pro 4:19; Isa 59:9; 2Pe 1:19; 1Jn 1:6; 1Jn 2:11). The darkness will result in judgment (cf. Amo 5:18-20). Another metaphor in Amo 8:11-12 is famine of God’s word. God will not respond to their prayers or their prophets!
vision Visions (BDB 302) and dreams (BDB 321) were often paralleled (cf. Job 33:15; Isa 29:7; Dan 7:1) as ways of receiving God’s message. Usually (but not exclusively) visions occurred in the day and dreams at night.
divination This (BDB 890, KB 1115) was an ancient means of knowing God’s will through some physical or mechanical means (e.g., negative, Deu 18:9-22; positive, 1Sa 28:6 and Gen 44:5; Gen 44:15). See Special Topic: Divination .
Mic 3:7 seers This was the earliest name for prophets (BDB 302, e.g., 1Sa 9:9; 2Sa 24:11; 1Ch 9:22; 1Ch 25:5; Isa 30:10; Amo 7:12). See Special Topic: Prophet (the different Hebrew terms) .
NASB, NKJVashamed
NRSV, TEVdisgraced
NJBcovered with shame
The VERB (BDB 101, KB 116, Qal PERFECT) means to be ashamed (e.g., Mic 7:16; Hos 4:19; Hos 10:6; Hos 13:15 and many times in Isaiah).
NASBembarrassed
NKJVabashed
NRSVput to shame
TEVhumiliated
NJBcovered with confusion
This VERB (BDB 344, KB 340, Qal PERFECT) is parallel with ashamed and also means ashamed. They are both used together in Isa 24:23. It is used of
1. idolaters in Isa 1:29
2. diviners here
3. Babylon in Jer 50:12
mouths Literally this is mustache (BDB 974). This symbol of covering the mustache meant (1) grief (cf. Eze 24:17; Eze 24:22) or (2) shame (i.e., lepers, Lev 13:45).
Because there is no answer from God These leaders are suffering the same lack of communication with God as the leaders described in Mic 3:4 (cf. 1Sa 28:6). Heaven is silent!
Mic 3:8 As Mic 3:5-7 have been a discussion of false prophets, Mic 3:8 is a description of a true prophet who is in full communication with God (cf. Psa 89:13-14, the prophet shares or better reflects the character of God). Notice the true prophet is filled (BDB 569, KB 583, Qal PERFECT) with (1) power (BDB 470); (2) YHWH’s Spirit (cf. Isa 11:2; Eze 2:2); (3) justice (BDB 1048 judgment); and (4) courage (BDB 150 might) to make sin known (cf. Isa 58:1). What a contrast with the leaders’ shame, grief, and impotence!
Although the full doctrine of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is not obvious in the OT, the personal presence of God with and within humans is revealed:
1. Bezalel, Exo 31:3; Exo 35:31
2. Joshua, Deu 34:9
3. Saul, 1Sa 19:23-24
4. Elijah, 1Ki 18:46
5. Ezekiel, Eze 1:3; Eze 37:1; Eze 40:1
6. Micah, Mic 3:8
7. Messiah, Isa 11:2; Isa 48:16; Isa 61:1 (Luk 4:18-19)
Also notice the connection between the prophets and the Spirit in Hos 9:7.
NASBOn the other hand
NKJVbut truly
NRSV, TEVbut as for me
NJBNot so with me
Literally the MT has but indeed I. The Hebrew ADVERB (BDB 19) is a strong ADVERSATIVE (used often in Job, cf. Job 1:11; Job 11:5; Job 12:7; Job 13:4; Job 14:18; Job 17:10; Job 33:1).
Jacob. . .Israel As the last two lines of Mic 3:8 show Micah addressing both Judah’s sins and Israel’s sins, so too, lines 1 and 2 of Mic 3:9.
Mic 3:9
NASB, NKJVNow hear this
NRSVhear this
TEVlisten to me
NJBkindly listen to this
This phrase is literally hear I pray this. The VERB (BDB 1033, KB 1570) is a Qal IMPERATIVE, followed by a PARTICLE used for entreaty () and then the demonstrative ADJECTIVE this.
Who abhor justice The VERB (BDB 1073, KB 1765, Piel PARTICIPLE) means regard as an abomination (e.g., Amo 5:10; Amo 6:8; Isa 14:19; Isa 49:7). These leaders were not sincerely wrong, but haters of the right, good, and godly (cf. Isa 5:20; Amo 6:12). The term justice (BDB 1048) is repeated in Mic 3:8-9. See Special Topic: Judge, Judgment, Justice .
And twist everything that is straight The VERB twist (BDB 786, KB 875, Piel IMPERFECT) means to pervert or to make crooked (cf. Pro 10:9; Pro 28:18; Isa 59:8).
The term straight is the etymological root of the OT term for justice or righteousness, which meant a straight edge or measuring reed (cf. Isa 5:20). Most of the Hebrew words for sin speak of a deviation from this divine standard. See Special Topic: RIGHTEOUSNESS .
Mic 3:10 Zion. . .Jerusalem Zion is the name of one of the seven hills upon which Jerusalem was built. It often is used to refer to the whole city or nation. See Special Topic: Moriah, Salem, Jebus, Zion, Jerusalem .
with bloodshed. . .with violent injustice These two NOUNS are parallel (cf. Jer 22:13; Jer 22:17; Hab 2:12).
Mic 3:11 All three groups of leaders are mentioned in this verse and all three are condemned for their greedy, materialistic attitude (cf. Mic 7:3; Isa 56:9-12; Jer 5:30-31; Jer 6:13-14; Jer 8:8-12; Jer 14:13-18; Jer 14:22-22; Jer 26:10-16; Ezekiel 13; Eze 22:23-31).
pronounce judgment for a bribe This shows the corruption of the judiciary (cf. Mic 7:3; 2Ch 19:7; Isa 1:23; Isa 5:23). Wealth controlled every aspect of Jewish life.
priests instruct for a price One role of the priests (and Levites) was to educate the people on the precepts of the Mosaic Law (e.g., Deu 33:10; 2Ch 15:3; 2Ch 17:9). Priestly understanding and teaching (and living) of the Mosaic Law was crucial to a healthy, spiritual Israel (cf. Hos 4:6).
Yet they lean on the LORD, saying The term lean is used of leaning on a staff (BDB 1043, KB 1612, Niphal IMPERFECT, cf. Psa 23:4). These leaders were wrapping their evil deeds and nations in religious dress. Their mouth said one thing; their actions another (cf. Isa 29:13)! They were claiming YHWH’s protection (covenant benefit) because of their covenant relationship to Him, but were completely ignoring the covenant requirements (cf. Deuteronomy 27-29; Leviticus 26; Isa 6:9-10; Isa 29:13).
Calamity will not come upon us This must have been a recurrent theme of the false prophets, which became a cultural proverb (cf. Jer 5:12; Jer 23:17; Amo 9:10), but they were wrong (cf. Mic 2:3).
Mic 3:12 This must have been an extremely startling statement to the people of Judah. They trusted in God’s promises that Jerusalem and the Temple would never fall (i.e., Isaiah’s promises to Hezekiah, probably based in 2 Samuel 7), and yet, because of their flagrant neglect of the ethical aspects of the covenant, God would take them into exile (cf. Jer 26:18). Jerusalem would be like Samaria (cf. Mic 1:6)! This is the first prophetic mention of the fall of Jerusalem (plowed as a field) and the Temple (i.e., overgrown with vegetation, literally a high place of a forest). This is theologically parallel to Isaiah 5. I am sure that Micah was discredited in 701 B.C. when this did not occur (i.e., Sennacherib’s army destroyed by God, cf. 2Ki 19:35-37), however, the prophet was vindicated in 586 B.C., when this prophecy was literally fulfilled under the siege of Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon. F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, asserts that the king (i.e., Hezekiah, cf. Mic 1:1) and people of Judah responded to Micah’s message and, therefore, God relented of His judgment (p. 36).
on account of you They (the political and religious leaders) were not only going to experience the judgment of God (like the wealthy exploiters), their activities were the reason for the judgment of God!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR Micah 2-3
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.
1. What was the essence of the false prophets’ message in Mic 2:6-11?
2. Why is Mic 2:12-13 such a radical break from the context?
3. How does one tell the difference between a false prophet and a true prophet?
4. How can God promise to always have a man on the Davidic throne (2 Samuel 7), and yet predict the total destruction of Jerusalem and the monarchy?
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
err = go astray.
bite with their teeth. Alluding to the idolatrous practices of the heathen round the altars of Baal, biting an olive in their mouths and crying “peace”, of which the olive was the symbol (Gen 8:11). Compare Zec 9:7.
and he, &c. = but against him that putteth not [the olive] into his mouth they declare war.
war = crusade.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mic 3:5-8
MERCENARY PROPHETS (Mic 3:5-8)
As in the case of the arrogant misleaders (Mic 2:1-3) so with the unjust magistrates (Mic 3:1-4), the prophet relates their sin to false preachers. (Mic 3:5) Here the accusation is direct. It is the false prophets who make my people err. By not denouncing sin, the false prophet encourages his hearers to sin. By flattering sinners in their sin and telling them that God is not really all that demanding, the false preacher leaves the impression desired by his hearers. Namely, that sin will not really be punished. When these false prophets do denounce some action or inaction in their hearers it is not because of the righteous demands of God but because they do not feel their salaries are big enough. This reveals them to be part of the total picture of a decadent social order. They are as mercenary as those who lay awake nights figuring how to cheat someone of his possessions.
Zerr: Mic 3:5. Bite with their teeth, and cry, peace. The selfishness of the leaders is still the topic in the mind of the inspired prophet. As long as they had food to bite they were peaceable and satisfied and not disposed to be unpleasant even in their teaching. They would even gratify their ear itching and servile brethren with visions of peace, though such predictions were false. But when those downtrodden people refused to contribute to their selfishness; when they puttcAh not into their mouths, then they became spiteful and prepared [predicted] war against them.
The agreeableness of the message of a false prophet was determined by the size of the bite placed in his mouth by his hearers. When the religious payola was sufficient they foretold peace and prosperity. When it was not, they sanctified war as a judgement against those who failed to feed them. In such pronouncements they sounded like the true prophet, but they would change their tune when the offerings were good. Such preaching is not calculated to bring about repentance on the part of the hearer.
(Mic 3:6) Micahs warning concerning such despicable practices on the part of those who claim to speak for God is that the light of God will be withheld from them. There will be no vision. The implication is clear, for where there is no vision, the people perish. (Pro 29:18) The calamities which Micah has predicted for Israel and Judah will be shared by the false preachers as well as the social and official misleaders. When the calamity strikes they will no longer be able to claim to speak for God. When the judgements of God come, as they have promised His judgements will not come . . . when it is learned that God is not, after all, the tolerant benevolent benefactor the false teachers have made Him out to be, but rather the God of the covenant demanding faithful obedience to His will and His law, no one will listen any longer to those who made Him out to be what their hearers hoped He was.
Zerr: Mic 3:6. The thought in this verse is against the prophets personally. They made a selfish use of their ability to issue predictions, so the Lord was going to deprive them of that information. Right . . . not vision means that instead of giving them furtlver vlHtons as prophets, God would leave them in the dark as far as the future was concerned which would constitute the “night” of this phrase. Shall not divine denotes they will not be permitted to make predictions. The last clause of the verse means the same as the first part just explained.
(Mic 3:7) In that day of judgement, the false seers will be put to shame and confounded. Everything of which they have been warned will have come to pass . . . the laxity of judgement on the part of God which they have predicted will be shown for what it is . . . wishful thinking. They will be put to shame. The covering of the lips may be explained in one of several figures. In the custom of the day, the moustache and beard were matters of great pride. The covering of them was an act expressing shame.
Zerr: Mic 3:7. Seers and diviners are names for the prophets who were supposed to be inspired of God for making tbeir predictions. But when they abused tbeir position by using it for their selfish enjoyment He determined to deprive them of all information and that was to make them ashamed and confused. They would cover their lips which means their lips woutd be closed because they had nothing to say. The reason for that will be that when they sought for divine instruction there was no answer from God,
Another reference to the covering of the lips is found in Lev 13:45. There the command is that the leper is to cover his upper lip and cry unclean unclean. This was one of the laws of God pertaining to hygiene. In Mic 3:7 the implication seems to be that spiritual and moral infection being spread by the false prophet will finally be stopped when the calamity predicted by Micah finally stops their mouths.
In Mic 3:8, Micah contrasts himself, as a true prophet to the false prophets he has just denounced. Three things characterize him. He has within himself the POWER of Gods Spirit, without which no one can speak accurately and effectively concerning the will of God. (Cp. Act 1:5; Act 1:8) He possesses JUDGEMENT, i.e. a sense of justice which moves him to speak the truth no matter how unpopular as opposed to the false prophet whose motivation was money. He possesses MIGHT or courage to say what needs saying in the face of ridicule and even persecution. (Cp. 2Ti 1:7) He possesses these three graces to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and unto Israel his sin. Jacob and Israel originally referred to the same individual. Jacob was his name before God confirmed to him the everlasting covenant. Israel was his covenant name. Micah apparently intends to distinguish here between the physical descendants of Jacob and the faithful covenant people among them to whom he refers by the covenant name, Israel.
Zerr: Mic 3:8. The first personal pronoun is again to stand for Micah who was a faithful prophet, and the power of the spirit of the Lord was guiding him. Jacob and Israel are used in the same sense, having special reference to the 10-tribe kingdom, but in a general sense the writing of the prophet applies to all the Jewish nation. Declare is from wagan. and the word in Strong’s definition that, especially applies in this case is “expose. It was the work of the faithful prophet to expose and denounce the corruptions of Israel.
Transgression is a specific term for the deliberate infraction of Gods law. For these deliberate transgressions Micah has the power and the judgement and the might to speak out against those unfaithful to the covenant. Sin is a more general term. Even those who were faithful to the covenant were not free from sin completely. The prophet also has the power and the judgement and the might to speak to the covenant people whenever necessary.
One can scarcely read this denunciation of false and mercenary preachers without being aware of the present religious climate of our day. I have before me as I write the most recent publication of COCU (the Consultation On Church Unity). It is entitled A Plan of Union. Its authors make bold to claim that what they are doing in their eccumenical designs and ambitions is led by the Spirit of God. They claim the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit while they are denying the same to the writers of the Bible. They are teaching theology and proposing practices which are diametrically opposed to the Scriptural teaching and order of things in the church. One suspects their motivation, like that of those false prophets of whom Micah spoke, is something less than the selfless desire to see Gods people do Gods will.
One does not have to be a prophet of doom to foresee the possible collapse of our culture which is following the lead of such men. Just as those who misled the eighth century Jews into believing that God would not exact judgement against the followers of false teachers, so these twentieth century clergymen have denied the judgements of God. If our culture should collapse it will owe much of its failure to the teaching of these men. And, in that day as in the day of Judahs fall, the false prophet will be shown for what he is.
Questions
Third Cycle
1. Discuss Micahs concern for the covenant in light of his plea in Mic 3:1-4.
2. Discuss the concept of absolute good and evil in contrast with modern situation ethics (new morality). Mic 2:1 -ff
3. What is meant by pluch off their skin and flesh from their bones (Mic 2:2(b)-3)?
4. Discuss the will of God as the only natural and proper standard of all that is right.
5. Discuss ways to penetrate the layers of ignorance in modern philosophies with the truth of Gods sovereignty.
6. Are the prophetic warnings of the consequences of loving evil and hating good relevant to our current moral revolution?
7. What three classes of people does Micah denounce? (Mic 2:1-3; Mic 3:1-5)
8. What specific class of leaders are accused of making the people to err?
9. What seems to have been the chief concern of the false prophets?
10. What is Gods warning to mercenary prophets?
11. Comment on the idea that God is a tolerant benevolent benefactor.
12. What is to be the fate of the false prophets in the day of the judgement against the wicked nations as pronounced by Micah?
13. What three things characterize Micah as a true prophet as opposed to the false prophets?
14. Compare the false prophet syndrome of Micahs day with our present religious climate in America.
15. What is the relationship between false religious teaching and the cultural collapse of a civilization?
16. What are the specific sins with which Micah charges the wealthy, the false prophet, the magistrates, the political officials?
17. False teaching is always recognizable by its emphasis on the ____________ of God accompanied by a denial of His ____________.
18. The term head of Jacob calls attention to ____________.
19. Rulers of the house of Israel refers to ____________.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
concerning: Mic 3:11, Isa 9:15, Isa 9:16, Jer 14:14, Jer 14:15, Jer 23:9-17, Jer 23:27, Jer 23:32, Jer 28:15-17, Jer 29:21-23, Eze 13:10-16, Eze 22:25-29, Mal 2:8, Mat 15:14
that bite: Mic 2:11, Isa 56:9-12, Eze 13:18, Eze 13:19, Mat 7:15, Rom 16:18
Reciprocal: 1Sa 2:16 – I will take 1Sa 2:29 – make 2Ch 18:11 – all the prophets Psa 28:3 – speak Psa 59:15 – if Psa 73:6 – violence Pro 4:17 – General Pro 28:21 – for Isa 56:11 – they are Jer 6:13 – For Jer 8:10 – for Jer 23:17 – Ye Jer 27:15 – ye Lam 2:14 – prophets Eze 13:4 – like Hos 4:5 – and the prophet Zep 3:4 – light Mat 24:49 – and to Eph 5:6 – no Phi 3:19 – whose God 1Th 2:5 – a cloak 1Ti 3:3 – not covetous Tit 1:11 – filthy 2Pe 2:1 – there were
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Mic 3:5. Bite with their teeth, and cry, peace. The selfishness of the leaders is still the topic in the mind of the inspired prophet. As long as they had food to bite they were peaceable and satisfied and not disposed to be unpleasant even in their teaching. They would even gratify their ear itching and servile brethren with visions of peace, though such predictions were false. But when those downtrodden people refused to contribute to their selfishness; when they puttcAh not into their mouths, then they became spiteful and prepared [predicted] war against them.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mic 3:5. Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets As the prophets prophesied falsely, and it was chiefly through their means that the princes bore rule, the prophet next addresses them, and lets them hear their doom; that make my people err That lead them into mistakes, both concerning what they should do, and what God would do with them: that tell them they do well, and all shall be well with them, whereas they are in the paths of sin, and within a step of ruin. It is ill indeed with a people when their leaders cause them to err, and those draw them out of the way that should guide them and go before them in it. That bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace Who speak smooth things, and promise peace and prosperity to the people, while they are bringing destruction upon them; or, who compliment and flatter those that will furnish them with gifts, and feed them well. And he that putteth not into their mouths That will not entertain them at his table, and treat them with wine and strong drink; they even prepare war against him They raise false accusations against him, as if he were an enemy to the government, and thereby bring him into trouble; or in some other way do him all the mischief they can.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
3:5 Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that {d} bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.
(d) They devour all their substance, and then flatter them, promising that all will go well. But if someone does not feed them, then they invent all ways to do evil.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
2. The guilt of Israel’s religious leaders 3:5-8
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
The Lord also had a message concerning the false prophets who were misleading His people. The false prophets gave benedictions to those who paid them, but people who did not give them anything received maledictions of doom and gloom (cf. Lam 2:14; Jer 6:14). Self-interest motivated these prophets rather than the fear of the Lord (cf. 2Ti 4:3).
"It was an ancient and respectable practice for a prophet to accept payment for services rendered to his clients. After all, as Jesus affirmed, ’the worker is entitled to his wages’ (Luk 10:7). But with so apparently subjective a craft as prophecy there was ever a temptation. Why not make the message match the customer’s pocket?" [Note: Allen, p. 311.]
Even today some ministers favor those who treat them well and neglect, or worse, those who do not.
"Few men are as pitiable as those who claim to have a call from God yet tailor their sermons to please others. Their first rule is ’Don’t rock the boat’; their second is ’Give people what they want.’" [Note: Wiersbe, p. 394.]