Day 278: Micah 4, 5, 6 and 7

And he will be their peace (Micah 5:5).

This verse tells of a promised ruler coming from the town of Bethlehem, and has long been seen by the church as a prophecy of Jesus’ birthplace. He will be their peace…, Prince of Peace… (Isaiah 9:6), Peace I leave with you (John 14:27).

But on one very serious occasion in preparing his disciples for dark days ahead, Jesus had this to say: Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword (Matthew 10:34).

Then he goes back to quote from Micah 7:6 – For I have come to turn “a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household” (vv. 35,36).

Could Jesus be telling us we have an inaccurate picture of peace? Are we expecting lambs frolicking among the wildflowers in a sun-drenched pasture? Hugs and kisses, decreasing unemployment, and the Dow above 14,000? Passing around a bottle of Coke and singing in perfect harmony?

Maybe Jesus is saying that if we had all that we wouldn’t need his peace.

What does peace look like to you? Do you think that’s what peace looks like to God?

Day 277: Micah 1, 2 and 3

Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it (Micah 2:1).

Thirty years before Sir Edmund Hillary conquered Mt. Everest in 1953, another British climber, George Mallory, was asked why he wanted to climb the tallest peak in the world. His reported answer? Because it’s there. Mallory died on his third attempt to reach the summit in 1924.

If Micah had asked the oppressors of the poor in Judah why they behaved as they did, their simple answer would probably have been, Because we can.

No one likes to be the victim of bullying, but if we look hard enough, there’s always someone weaker than us. There’s always someone upon whom we can vent our anger. Why would we do that? Because we can.

Hopefully that’s not our final answer. Micah’s famous response to the people of Judah, where the strong took advantage of the weak, was this: He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (6:8). Why? Because we can.

God makes some people strong not so they can abuse the weak, but so they can protect them.

Is there someone who needs your mercy?

Day 276b: Jonah 1, 2, 3 and 4

That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O Lord, take my life... (Jonah 4:2,3).

Jonah is one of my favorites, more a parable than a prophecy. First he is told by God to preach in Nineveh, capital city of Israel’s arch enemy Assyria. Jonah doesn’t want to go so he hops a ship heading in the other direction. When a horrendous storm springs up, his natural response should have been: Okay, I’ll go to Nineveh. But instead? Throw me into the sea. Jonah hated the Assyrians so much, he would rather drown than take a chance they could be converted. That’s a lot of hate!

You know the story. His shipmates hurled him into the sea, and three days later a great fish hurled him back onto dry land. And he reluctantly set course for Nineveh.

Jonah’s worst fears are realized when the Ninevites respond to his 8-word sermon with repentance. He launches a tantrum: Let me die! God reminds Jonah that he created the people of Nineveh too, and is of course concerned for their welfare.

It’s a message to Israel that God is not just God of the people we like, but the God of everyone. For God so loved the world… (John 3:16).

Is there someone you don’t like very much? Don’t they deserve to know him too?

Day 276a: Obadiah

You should not look down on your brother in the day of his misfortune (Obadiah 12).

Obadiah resembles the Oracles Against the Nations found in other prophetic books, but it is focused on only one enemy – the kingdom of Edom. When Judah was being conquered by Nebuchadnezzar and exiled to Babylon, Edom took advantage of its weakness, encroaching upon Judean territory while its harried army was occupied elsewhere, taking cheap shots where it could, and generally making the best of Judah’s misfortune. Perhaps Edom’s animosity was fueled by memories of Jacob taking advantage of Esau’s misfortune many years earlier.

Obadiah warns Edom it is foolish to be prideful over an enemy’s destruction, because As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head (v. 15).

As quoted by Paul when writing to the Christians in Rome (Romans 12:20): If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink (Proverbs 25:21).

Or as Jesus said: You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:43,44).

How would you want an enemy to treat you if you were down? After all, as we are reminded in the writings of Obadiah, in one sense we’re all brothers and sisters.

Is there an antagonist in your story whom you could treat like a friend this week?

Day 275: Amos 7, 8 and 9

“What do you see, Amos?” he asked. “A basket of ripe fruit,” I answered (Amos 8:2).

After Israel’s crimes are clearly delineated, God shows Amos a vision of Israel’s punishment. First he sees a locust invasion and then fires ravaging the countryside, both of which spell drought and starvation for the kingdom. Twice, Amos intercedes: How can Jacob survive? He is so small! (7:2 and 5) In both cases, God relents.

Then Amos sees a wall built perfectly straight as confirmed by a plumb line. What do you see, Amos? And Amos replies, A plumb line (v.8). And God explains he is placing a plumb line among the people of Israel, and that no further deviation from true would be tolerated. The first two visions were about God bringing punishment upon Israel. J. Keir Howard asserts that the third vision implies Israel will crumble from within, doomed by its own crookedness. [1]

Then God shows Amos another vision: a basket of ripe fruit. Have you ever noticed pears or peaches arriving at the perfect stage of ripeness? We better eat these quick, or they’re going to rot. Once fruit is ripe, there’s really no way to hold back time – in a day or two they’ll have to be thrown out.

God relented from sending the locusts or the fires, but Israel’s own internal decay was bringing it down. The wheels were set in motion, with no rescue in sight.

What would God’s plumb line show about your life?

[1] J. Keir Howard. “Amos.” New International Bible Commentary. Ed. F. F. Bruce. Rev. ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999).

Day 274: Amos 4, 5 and 6

Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (Amos 5:24).

Boxer Mohammed Ali is credited with the rope-a-dope: drawing in opponent George Foreman by leaning against the ropes in a protective stance (above), allowing Foreman to hit him repeatedly, effectively tiring himself out. Once the other boxer was worn down, Ali went to work, eventually knocking Foreman out in the eighth round.

After Amos flawlessly executed the same maneuver, drawing in his audience for the knockout punch (yesterday), perhaps the people defended themselves by pointing to their extravagant worship. Israel had two centers for worship: Bethel and Gilgal, the homes of its golden calves. Wouldn’t that please God twice as much as Judah, which had only one… Jerusalem? Didn’t her lavish worship cancel out her treatment of the poor and the weak?

God spoke through his prophet: I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps (5:20-23).

We learn from Amos that the most beautiful praise is rendered null and void by the absence of justice; that God’s favorite worship is the practice of righteousness and compassion; and that love for God is best demonstrated in how we love his children.

How will you worship God this week?

Day 273: Amos 1, 2 and 3

They sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals (Amos 2:6).

Whereas Hosea prophesied to Israel regarding its spiritual adultery, Amos (a guest from Judah) preaches about Israel’s disregard for social justice. He was about as welcome as Billy Graham preaching a crusade in Tehran.

First he starts off with rants against… (the audience gets ready to be offended) …Aram. Now let me tell you about… (they grit their teeth) …Philistia. Let me tell you about Tyre (the mood is changing and people are starting to get on board). Let me tell you what I think about Edom and Ammon and Moab. By this time Amens are reverberating through the assembly. This guy can preach! And then the real crowd pleaser: Let me tell you what I really think about Judah! The crowd goes wild! Preach it, my southern brother from another mother!

If he’d left it there, people would be slapping him on the back, buying him drinks, and signing him up for the Israeli lecture circuit at 40K drachmas a speech.

But Amos couldn’t let it go. And now let me say a word about Israel. He goes on to regale them with examples of their own oppression of the poor and the weak. He lets them know that the Egyptians and the Philistines could take lessons from them in how to kick people when they’re down.

More tomorrow…

Do you treat people like you’d want to be treated?