Abuses and Abusers
Opening Prayer
Lord, You are a God of holiness and justice. I praise You for all You are and all You do.
Read Micah 2:1-13
[1] 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. [2] They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance. [3] Therefore, the LORD says: “I am planning disaster against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of calamity. [4] In that day people will ridicule you; they will taunt you with this mournful song: ‘We are utterly ruined; my people’s possession is divided up. He takes it from me! He assigns our fields to traitors.'” [5] Therefore you will have no one in the assembly of the LORD to divide the land by lot. [6] “Do not prophesy,” their prophets say. “Do not prophesy about these things; disgrace will not overtake us.” [7] You descendants of Jacob, should it be said, “Does the LORD become impatient? Does he do such things?” “Do not my words do good to the one whose ways are upright? [8] Lately my people have risen up like an enemy. You strip off the rich robe from those who pass by without a care, like men returning from battle. [9] You drive the women of my people from their pleasant homes. You take away my blessing from their children forever. [10] Get up, go away! For this is not your resting place, because it is defiled, it is ruined, beyond all remedy. [11] If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ that would be just the prophet for this people! [12] “I will surely gather all of you, Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture; the place will throng with people. [13] The One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the LORD at their head.” Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What sins are described and condemned here?Several years ago I spent a month in Bangladesh. I saw how easy it was for farmers to fall into debt when struck down by illness or injury. When this happens, they often sell their land, become tenant farmers and must share the rewards of their work with their new landlords. The next stage is to be dispossessed completely, with no hope of earning a living. In this chapter, God first rebukes (1-5) the wealthy landowners who covet and grab ever more land. (A graphic biblical example of this is the story of Naboth’s vineyard in 1 Kings 21.) The second rebuke (6-11) is reserved for the false prophets who turn a blind eye to these acts of injustice and thus fail to defend the cause of the oppressed. Who is worse: the perpetrator of an injustice or the onlooker who remains silent? As Edmund Burke famously said, “All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.”
Apply
Write a letter raising your voice against one example of injustice in your community or society.
Closing prayer
Lord, help me to share Your heart for justice and Your anger with injustice. Show me what I should do for justice.
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