THEN I SAID,
“Listen, you leaders of Jacob,
you rulers of the house of Israel.
Should you not know justice,
2you who hate good and love evil;
who tear the skin from my people
and the flesh from their bones;
3who eat my people’s flesh,
strip off their skin
and break their bones in pieces;
who chop them up like meat for the pan,
like flesh for the pot?”
4Then they will cry out to the LORD,
but he will not answer them.
At that time he will hide his face from them
because of the evil they have done.
5This is what the LORD says:
“As for the prophets
who lead my people astray,
if one feeds them,
they proclaim ‘peace’;
if he does not,
they prepare to wage war against him.
6Therefore night will come over you, without visions,
and darkness, without divination.
The sun will set for the prophets,
and the day will go dark for them.
7The seers will be ashamed
and the diviners disgraced.
They will all cover their faces
because there is no answer from God.”
8But as for me, I am filled with power,
with the Spirit of the LORD,
and with justice and might,
to declare to Jacob his transgression,
to Israel his sin.
9Hear this, you leaders of the house of Jacob,
you rulers of the house of Israel,
who despise justice
and distort all that is right;
10who build Zion with bloodshed,
and Jerusalem with wickedness.
11Her leaders judge for a bribe,
her priests teach for a price,
and her prophets tell fortunes for money.
Yet they lean upon the LORD and say,
“Is not the LORD among us?
No disaster will come upon us.”
12Therefore because of you,
Zion will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,
the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.
Original Meaning
THIS MESSAGE BEGINS the sermons given by Micah in the time of Hezekiah (3:1–5:15; see Introduction to Micah). Like the first section (1:1–2:13), this one has a similar series of negative judgment speeches (3:1–12), but it ends with a much longer series of positive promises of hope (4:1–5:15). The reference to Micah’s preaching to Hezekiah (and Hezekiah’s positive response) in Jeremiah 26:17–19 helps to date Micah 3:1–12 to an early period, before Hezekiah decided to follow God completely. Although some deny Micah’s authorship of chapters 4–5 and give it an exilic or postexilic date,1 I believe that the reference to the people’s present travails (4:9–5:1) describes events in the years preceding 701 B.C. The positive promises of hope in 4:1–8 could be an encouragement to Hezekiah shortly before or during Sennacherib’s attack on Jerusalem.2
Although Micah probably speaks the oracles in this section at different times during 714–701 B.C., in their present literary arrangement chapters 3–5 are connected by repeated themes. Willis suggests these sections are unified by five linking ideas that contrast Jerusalem’s present unjust leaders in 3:1–12 with God’s future just leadership in Zion in 4:1–8.3 If God is going to remove the unjust leaders in Jerusalem by bringing judgment on Judah (3:1–12), there is hope for the oppressed. If God will one day set up his kingdom and cause the Messiah to lead his people and the nations to a time of peace and justice (4:1–5:4), there is hope for all humankind. If God is going to remove the nation’s enemies, there will be no need for their sources of false trust—horses, strong cities, idols (5:5–15).
Such evidence leads to the logical question: Should the nation not turn from its evil ways and walk in the ways of the Lord today (Mic. 4:5)? Jeremiah 26:17–19 indicates that Hezekiah and many of the people respond to Micah’s preaching here by humbling themselves and trusting God. Thus, God delivers Hezekiah and Jerusalem from Sennacherib (Isa. 37), but he does not remove the Babylonian threat (Mic. 4:10) because of a lack of trust in God (Isa. 39).
The three judgment oracles in the first sermon (Mic. 3:1–12) are unified by their common condemnation of the leaders of Judah, who are unjust in their treatment of people. There is also a progression from God’s giving no answer when people cry for his help (3:4), to his giving no answer when the false prophets look for help (3:6–7), to the implied no answer from God when the temple is destroyed (3:12). This is in stark contrast to the leaders’ naive trust in the theological cliché that “the LORD [is] among us” (3:11). Both the first and third oracles (3:1, 9) are addressed to the leaders and rulers who are supported by false prophets (3:5), as in 2:6–11.
All three judgment oracles have a similar structure of an accusation and punishment. Part of the unifying glue that ties these pieces together are the ten common words found in at least two of these messages.4
The exact setting in Jerusalem for these oracles is unknown, although there is no doubt that the audience is Judah’s powerful and unjust religious, civic, and political leaders. Micah’s rhetorical purpose is “to persuade his audience that disaster will be the outcome of their actions . . . shattering the false security of his audience.”5 By the use of questions (Mic. 3:1), an appeal to his own experience (3:8), the quotation of their own misplaced theological beliefs (3:11), and his confrontational and emotional style, Micah tries to get his audience to consider seriously their future and transform their thinking.6 Although there is no direct call for repentance, Hezekiah’s response of fearing God and seeking his favor (Jer. 26:18–19) demonstrates the convincing power of Micah’s message and the working of God’s Spirit in the king’s heart.
The Removal of Judah’s Unjust Leaders (3:1–4)
MICAH BEGINS WITH a call to hear what God has to say (cf. also 1:2; 3:9; 6:1). This message is given to the “leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel” (3:1), a reference to the political and civic leaders responsible to ensure that justice governs all human relationships.7 These officials include judges, who adjudicate civil and criminal trials (one of which is the king), and the elders of tribal clans, who serve both as military leaders and local judges to settle minor disputes (Ex. 18:25; Josh. 10:24; Isa. 22:3).8
The rhetorical question, “Should you not know justice?” has an obvious answer: yes. These people are to be knowledgeable of civic government regulations and religious laws in the Torah so that they can give normative rulings based on good reasoning and authoritative tradition.9 This is the people’s and God’s expectation (Deut. 16:18–20; 17:8–13; Isa. 1:16–17; 5:7). By asking this question Micah raises doubts about what these people in leadership really know and do. Is justice actually being served?
God’s dissatisfaction with the justice being carried out in Judah is evident in Micah 3:2–3. These leaders “hate good and love evil”—just the opposite of what should be. To support this argument Micah uses the metaphor of cannibalism to exaggerate the depravity of this injustice. It is as if the leaders savagely and unmercifully tear the skin off people10 and rip the muscle from the bone to eat them. This picture is drawn from the behavior of a wild animal that has no conscience but only a desire to quickly satisfy its hunger. Half-starved beasts tear their victims apart, breaking bones. Drawing on another analogy, Micah claims these people are like cooks preparing a meal. The leaders chop up people for stew and throw their flesh in the pot to boil (3:3).
These are grotesque and violent pictures of inhumanity and barbarous acts.11 Micah’s analogy apparently refers to the leaders’ unjust stripping of people of everything they have and treating them like animals. The government and civic institutions, created to protect justice, use strong-arm pressure and outright violence to get what they want. Micah may have witnessed some of this brutal lawlessness and lashes out with this scathing description to bring out in the open the dirty secrets of the powerful leaders in Jerusalem.
There is no indication that the people who are being butchered by these unjust leaders have done anything wrong, nor does the text say that they are just the poor people of the land.12 This injustice ignores God’s view that these are “my people” (3:3), a covenantal term of endearment that describes the solidarity between God and his people. These ruthless leaders ignore the biblical view that every person is made in God’s image (Gen. 1:26–28). These acts are not what God-fearing, trustworthy, and fair leaders should do (Ex. 18:20–21). They are not following God’s statutes in the Torah or making just decisions after prayerfully taking the case to God for his direction (Ex. 18:15–16). Certainly this kind of language gets the listeners’ attention, puts their behavior in a new light, and brings everyone’s focus back to the basic issues of justice.
God’s response to their unjust behavior is to refuse to answer their prayers when they cry out for help (3:4). No mention is made of the punishment they will get, possibly because that is already presumed in an earlier oracle in this book (2:3–5, 10). They will soon find themselves in trouble and alone, but they will be without assistance from God when they lament their situation (see Deut. 1:42–45; Ps. 13:1; 27:9; Prov. 21:13; Isa. 59:1–2; Amos 8:11–12). Usually God is pictured as near and ready to answer and save people in need (Ps. 50:15; Isa. 55:6; 58:9; 65:24), but his grace and mercy will not be available to these leaders. As God said many years earlier, if the people fall into sin, “I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed” (Deut. 31:17). This is a terrifying state to be in.
The Removal of Judah’s Prophetic Leaders (3:5–8)
THIS SECOND PARAGRAPH focuses on the unprincipled prophets who “lead my people astray.” God’s covenant people are wandering aimlessly, being misled by greedy spiritual leaders who are out to get rich.13 These prophets are supposed to be trusted as the voice of God to his people. Micah does not say that they are the worst pagan scoundrels that ever existed, that they are trying to get the people to worship false gods (Deut. 13:1–4), or that they give false prophecies because they are deceived by a lying spirit sent from God (1 Kings 22:19–28). In fact, some of them are perhaps receiving messages from God (Mic. 3:7). They look like normal Hebrew prophets and talk the right “God talk,” but this has only made these prophets more deceptive.
Their downfall is that they love money and treat those more favorably who happen to slip a little extra cash in their hands (3:5). These spiritual leaders are not focused on faithfully delivering God’s message to his people but slant and misrepresent the full force of his words based on a person’s ability to give a financial gift. Those who give food or money to these prophets receive words of peace, salvation, health, God’s blessing, and success. But if a person cannot afford a gift or does not give as much as the prophets expect, then the one who comes for divine advice will receive a hostile prophecy of war, death, divine judgment, and hopelessness.14
Holy wars were usually viewed as holy “crusades against infidels”15 who rejected God, but in this case such dire invectives are pronounced on godly people simply because they cannot pay enough to meet the prophet’s financial demands. A person’s righteousness or love for God is not the basis of these prophets’ blessings or curses; rather, the key factor is one’s willingness to grease the hand of the messenger.
God is not pleased with this prostitution of the prophetic office. The logical result of their perversion is tit-for-tat. If they cannot deliver God’s message faithfully, God will not deliver his message to them. These prophets will soon be “without visions, . . . without divination,” in “dark[ness] . . . ashamed . . . disgraced . . . because there is no answer from God (3:6–7).” God will reject them, and they will lose all their enlightenment. Their perceptions of the future will be blinded. In this useless state, they will suffer disgrace and failure. Those who try to merchandise their prophetic gift to make a tidy profit will have it taken away from them. This implies that people will no longer come to them or pay them for their services.
Although it is legitimate to argue about what gifts these prophets really have, whether their messages actually come from God, or whether divination is a legitimate way of receiving a divine message, Micah chooses to skip these arguments and focus on an ethical question that is beyond the point of argumentation. No matter what one may think is the right answer to the earlier questions, these people are disqualified to be prophets. They are not primarily committed to giving God’s words but to manipulating revelation to please the wealthy and punish those who do not line their pockets with cash.
Micah’s prophetic role, by contrast, is centered around different priorities (3:8). The emphatic contrast is emphasized by the presence of the strong adversative ʾulam (“on the other hand” or “but as for me”) and the emphatic personal pronoun ʾanoki (“I, myself”). Micah highlights the source of his inspiration (being filled with the power from God and the Spirit), whereas when the other prophets are described, attention is primarily on the methods of inspiration (dreams, visions, and divination). Micah speaks with bold conviction based on divine justice in order to make the sins of Judah known, while the other prophets speak based on financial payments in order to get rich. Micah’s filling by the Spirit is the opposite of the false prophets’ abandonment by God.
Micah 3:8 is not a reference to Micah’s call to be a prophet16 but to his continuing way of functioning in his prophetic role. He does not speak his own words from his own imagination but is filled with powerful words from the Spirit of God. God’s power is the source of his “physical and psychic strength to stand up against opposition and discouragement.”17 His life is filled with, not merely touched by, the fire and motivation of God’s Spirit. Micah does not let his own agendas determine what he will say; he surrenders his will to let the Spirit guide and empower him for his task. This filling by the Spirit results in a strong sense of God’s justice and the courage to declare his words to others. Fear does not immobilize Micah, and favoritism does not guide his thinking.
This filling leads to the conviction that people in Micah’s audience must hear what God thinks about their sinful behavior. His role is “to confront, stand opposite to”18 their rebellion (rather than NIV “transgression”) against God’s authority. Micah and God are on the same wave length, for God’s purpose in coming to earth in great power in 1:5 is also to reveal the sins of his people. Micah knows what justice is (contra the leaders in 3:1), and he has the fortitude to stand up for it in front of the nation’s political and religious leaders. This sermon undercuts the theological message and motivation of these prophets. If they cannot be trusted by the leaders of Judah, these leaders will need to reevaluate all the positive messages from these prophets.
The Removal of Judah’s Political, Civic, and Spiritual Leaders (3:9–12)
THE FINAL PARAGRAPH returns to address the same audience in 3:1–4, the leaders and rulers who despise the idea of limiting their behavior options by the principle of justice.19 This paragraph is made up of accusations against these oppressive leaders (3:9–11) and a final announcement of judgment on the city of Jerusalem, the place where these leaders live (3:12).
In this oracle Micah specifies the injustice of politicians who build Jerusalem without concern for the cost of human life (3:10). The archaeological discoveries of Hezekiah’s Broad Wall in the Jewish Quarter of the walled city (ca. 24 feet wide) and Hezekiah’s Tunnel (2 Chron. 32:3–5, 27–30) in the Kidron Valley, plus new storage areas, testify to the expansion of Jerusalem and the need to protect and provide for many people within the city. These enormous construction projects would require thousands of man-hours of hard physical labor to cut and move tons of rock.20 Since the large army of Sennacherib may soon threaten the city’s existence, there is no time to waste. These leaders do not worry too much about who gets trampled in the process; they are intent on getting the job completed. Consequently many people die.
Micah also accuses other civic and religious leaders of injustices (3:11). The judges accept bribes rather than conduct their work without showing partiality (see also Isa. 5:23) in direct rejection of the admonitions of the law (Ex. 23:1–8; Lev. 19:13–15; Deut. 16:19). Once again the desire for money in the judges’ pockets, not doing what is right, determines what they do. The priests and prophets are just as bad because they have devised schemes that will enable them to sell their theological expertise for money. Yes, the spiritually minded priest charges people when they come to be taught at the temple.21 The prophets, of course, have gotten in on the same scam by telling the future for a fee.
The corruption and duplicity are unbelievable, but the leaders cover this all over by public expressions of piety (Mic. 3:11b). They profess to trust, rely, or lean on the Lord; they are not pagans who worship other gods or secularists who do not think they need God. Their reliance is based on God’s presence in their midst in the temple. They think that if the all-powerful God of the universe is in their temple in Jerusalem, it will be impossible for any nation to destroy them. They are immune from disaster; God’s presence makes them untouchable.
What hypocrisy! With one hand they reject God’s justice, but with the other hand they welcome his protection. This belief in God’s presence goes back to the people’s experience of God’s being in their midst in the fire by night and pillar by day in the desert journey (Ex. 13:21–22; 14:19–20). It symbolized God’s presence with them (33:2–5) and God’s presence above the ark in the tabernacle/temple (25:8–22; 40:34; 1 Kings 8:10–13). The great Psalms of Zion also proclaim its invulnerable status (Ps. 46; 48; 84; 87). But Micah’s audience has turned a conditional promise of divine presence based on the people’s covenant faithfulness and love of God into an absolute, guaranteed right unrelated to their faith or behavior. Why would God protect these unjust and selfish hypocrites?
Micah interrupts this series of accusations with a powerful “therefore” (Mic. 3:12), signaling the beginning of an unequivocal announcement of the removal of Jerusalem from the ancient Near Eastern map. In pointed style, Micah identifies the cause of Jerusalem’s problems. It is “because of you” leaders that Zion will be devastated. God holds you accountable for your actions; therefore, Micah’s audience will lose everything—their power, money, beautiful homes, stately buildings, even the walls of Jerusalem. Parts of the city will be leveled into a field for plowing, and the temple site will be a grove of trees and underbrush. There is no ambiguity in this statement. It is a powerful claim, warning of the end of Jerusalem. This action will prove that God is not a protector of unjust people and that he is not imprisoned in the temple. God is free to leave if his people reject him (see Jer. 7 for a repeated emphasis on these points).
There is an important footnote in Jeremiah 26:17–19 that needs to be added to this passage. It explains something about how the audience reacts to Micah’s sermon. An elder at the time of Jeremiah remembers how Hezekiah and the people of Judah heard this divine message. When the king and all Judah realized what would happen, they feared the Lord and entreated his favor so that this disaster would not fall on them. Because they turned to God, God graciously decided not to destroy Judah at this time.
This demonstrates the true persuasive power of Micah’s message and how God’s Spirit is able to use these words to pierce the hearts of unjust and deceptive people. This response by Hezekiah (see Isa. 36–37) changes the course of history for Judah. But it happens only because Micah is willing to declare the sins of Judah.
Bridging Contexts
THESE THREE PARAGRAPHS emphasize that God will hold political, civic, and religious leaders accountable for their actions. Although the context, responsibilities, and specific problems may be different for political, judicial, and religious leaders today, such people have a large impact on preserving justice for people in the cultures where they live. Because leaders, by the nature of their role, have unusual power to control the lives of others and easy access to the financial resources of the organizations they work with, there is great temptation to slightly (or grossly, in some cases) misuse these advantages for their own selfish gain or for the benefit of a friend.
Social and political power can bring special considerations and put unusual pressure on decision makers to do what influential people want. The desire to be powerful and financially well off can cause people in any culture or at any age to treat others unjustly so that they can reach the next higher level of status or authority. Micah’s warnings, and the reasons behind those warnings, set down key criteria for evaluating leadership in the church, in government, and in civic organizations. These principles also have some parallel application to family and business life, but these are not the focus of this contextual setting in chapter 3.
Political and judicial leaders. The paragraphs dealing with political and judicial leaders (Mic. 3:1–4, 9–10) center around the issue of justice and the far-reaching consequence of loving evil and hating good. This relates to the internal values a leader uses to act with integrity and fairness, both in legal relationships as well as common social relationships with others. Justice is a central characteristic of God (Ps. 145:17; Jer. 12:1; Dan. 9:14), for he acts rightly according to the terms of his agreements, with due respect for the duties and rights of each person.22
Although right judgment is frequently associated with decisions that are consistent with the law of God, justice is not just an impersonal observation of some legal mumbo-jumbo. Since the will and justice of God is expressed in the covenant instructions, any breaking of a law is actually a rebellion against the authority and person of God.23 Thus, justice is not primarily an abstract conception but a relational term that describes the appropriate behavior between two parties. In the case of earthly judges, just judgments are those decisions that impartially and fairly settle the claims of one person against another, based on the consistency of these actions with the will of God and the law of the land (Deut. 1:9–18; 16:18–20).
The establishment of justice functions to preserve the unique identity of the community by establishing a divine order and human respect between individuals. Principles of just behavior plus illustrations of unjust actions can be found throughout the Old and New Testaments.24 One can point to examples where leaders operate on the basis of just decisions as well as those where justice is not carried out (e.g., Abraham’s behavior in Gen. 12 and 20). A lack of just behavior changes King David’s future leadership potential (2 Sam. 11–12), but the just and gracious behavior of Nehemiah toward financial matters gives him great leverage in transforming the behavior of the unjust people in Judah (Neh. 5).
Since God and most people watch what leaders do and have great expectations of their selfless service, it is essential to stand firmly on the side of justice if one wants to continue in a leadership position. Those who abandon God’s way and forget about justice will sooner or later be abandoned by God and their followers when their deeds are uncovered (Mic. 3:4). Ripping God’s people apart rather than leading them will not be tolerated for long. Leaders cannot treat people like objects to be sacrificed for their own pleasure, for injustices cannot be hidden from God.
Spiritual leaders. The second paragraph (3:5–8) deals with principles of spiritual leadership by providing both a negative and a positive example. Messengers of God who fail to give godly leadership can cause people to go astray by giving preferential treatment to people who provide special financial benefits, mistreating people who are of no value to them, and twisting the words of God based on how they feel about the person to whom they are speaking (3:5). Having the privilege of sharing what God has said carries with it a heavy responsibility to speak only what God has said as well as all that God has said. Micah realizes that this task requires one to share the truth consistently even when it involves negative news for close friends or good news for enemies—something the prophets of Micah’s day will not do.
The messenger does not create the message; the messenger carefully hears what God says to each audience and then faithfully delivers that news to those for whom it is intended. If spiritual leaders let personal friendship or financial gain become a criterion that determines the message they speak to an audience, they may lead people astray from the truth and fail to carry out their divine responsibility (3:5). Micah presents some criteria that may open the blind eyes of those who are quick to point the finger at other spiritual leaders who are failing.
The person who gives godly leadership is filled with power and passion, commodities that are not common in the status quo culture of many churches. Of course, loud yelling should not be confused with power or passion, because the kind of power Micah is referring to is power that comes from the Spirit of God (3:8). This “filling” by the Spirit is not precisely defined, but the messenger has an overwhelming sense of complete control that results in submission to the divine presence. This power is partially manifested by the leader’s commitment to stand for justice in all relationships, rather than be influenced by other factors.
H. W. Wolff quotes a wise statement by Pascal (Pensées, 298) that “justice without power is powerless. Power without justice is tyrannical. . . . Justice and power must therefore be connected.”25 A dedication to speaking about justice requires courage and powerful convictions because sooner or later one is going to offend people and cause controversy by rejecting commonly accepted patterns of unjust behavior. God considers these commonly accepted patterns of behavior sin, and a spiritual leader must be able to identify sin without hesitation. This will be impossible if a leader is not walking close to God.
Those religious leaders who fool themselves by winking at the minor ways they lead people astray must take seriously the warning of Micah (3:6–7). It is a serious matter to teach and preach what God says, for accountability is high (James 3:1). Those who treat this responsibility lightly will find themselves abandoned by God, just like unjust political and judicial leaders (3:4). God will not give them his messages, trust them with his words of advice, or answer their prayers. They will be disgraced before their followers (rather than being bold and courageous; 3:8) and will be cut off from God (rather than being filled with his Spirit).
A false sense of security. The final paragraph (3:9–12) addresses some of the same issues of injustice dealt with in earlier paragraphs, but it adds one more characteristic that makes these civil, political, and religious leaders especially dangerous. They have a false sense of security and assurance about their work and their future, based on a deceptive conception of the presence of God in their midst (3:11). They think that since God’s Shekinah glory has been in the temple and he is the almighty God, Jerusalem will be protected and not suffer any calamities.
Amos addressed the same deceptive false sense of security that arose earlier in Israel (Amos 9:10). It was based on a false trust in the nation’s size, their wealth, and their military conquests (6:1–14). They had a false trust in the grace of God that had delivered them from Egypt (9:7–10). Over one hundred years after Micah, Jeremiah will again face this same false trust in God’s presence in the temple (Jer. 7:1–15). It is a common problem for people to presume God is for them and will graciously protect them from all danger, based on some true biblical information. But frequently this conclusion is based on a misapplied text, a series of half-truths, unbalanced suppositions, or incomplete information.
It is true that God lives in the temple and that he is almighty, but these facts do not mean that he will protect the people in Judah if they reject him and act unjustly. God’s relationship with his people is based on a covenant that requires his people to love him with all their hearts (Deut. 6:5), to fear him, to walk in God’s ways, to serve him (10:12), and to be a holy people (Lev. 19:2). If the people enter into this covenant relationship and maintain a close walk with God, his blessings and protection will be provided; but rebellion against God brings his curse (Deut. 27–28). The truth is, important political, judicial, or religious leaders today have no guarantee of God’s protection if they are unjust or lead people astray.
Contemporary Significance
MICAH’S CONFRONTATION OF the evil characteristics of leaders in his audience presents the possibility for the church to apply his three criteria to political, judicial, and religious leaders today. Micah is not just concerned about the affairs within the temple itself—the political, judicial, and priestly decisions the religious leaders make. He is concerned about justice within and outside of the temple; therefore, this application will address issues of justice within the church as well as in society in general.
(1) First, however, one needs to ask (based on Mic. 3:1–4) whether it is appropriate to apply criteria of justice to policies and practices of our political leaders. Although some question the propriety of being concerned about the moral life of a leader, God demands all leaders to be just. If the Bible emphasizes this point, should not people in the church take a stand on injustices? We should support politicians who call for independent counsels to investigate shady practices and congressional committees that censure the flagrant breaking of rules. Unfortunately, it seems the more liberal the church, the more interest there is in political and social justice.
(2) Closely related is another question: How does the church evaluate its spiritual leaders? Should the church and society not reject religious leaders who lead people astray (3:5)? Do we accept as leaders in the church only those who are filled with the power of the Spirit, who courageously stand for justice, and who declare to people their sins? Are these the criteria pulpit committees look for? Are these the prominent characteristics of our denominational leaders, or are they chosen because they have been faithful to the denomination, are theologically safe, and have a popular reputation? Should we not ask about a leader’s spiritual and moral character?
(3) Do the leaders of the church promote deceptive theological teachings, or do they attempt to uncover and expose the false cultural interpretations of the faith that parade around as the real thing? A similar question can be asked of politicians. Does this person I am about to vote for buy into some of the deceptive philosophies of our day (political, criminal, educational), or does he or she critique the culture and try to move people to a more realistic view of reality?
What kind of leaders are needed? In Micah 3:1–4, 9–10 God condemns leaders who have a lifestyle of violence, oppression, selfishness, and injustice toward others. These are not, of course, the success traits that are held up as ideals in modern leadership books. J. O. Sanders lists egotism and jealousy as two of the main perils of leaders, but injustice and oppression are not at the top of the list.26 Yet all too often selfishness and jealousy eventually lead to injustices toward those who are weaker. God rejected violence as an acceptable behavior pattern as far back as Noah’s flood (Gen. 6:11–13), and he judged the Egyptians for their oppressive injustice to the Hebrews (Ex. 3:7–9; 5:14–16).
The legal traditions in the covenant stipulations present a strong case for civic and judicial justice for others (especially in the courts in Deut. 16:18–20; 17:2–7), and they specifically forbid oppression (Lev. 25:35–43; Deut. 15:7–18; 24:15). If modern leaders behave oppressively or unjustly, it is a sign that they do not fear God (Lev. 25:43). Leaders who act in this way have either thoroughly rejected God’s instructions about justice in the Scriptures or are so perverted by their selfishness and rationalization of improper behavior that they no longer fully comprehend the distinction between right and wrong (Mic. 3:1).
This gets to the heart of integrity, a fundamental characteristic repeatedly highlighted in modern books on leadership.27 If leaders cannot be trusted to do the right and just thing, how can one respect their decisions and follow them? Too often a leader’s selfish goals and desires are given higher value than justice (3:5, 11). Money corrupts, and the pressure for big donations can tempt leaders to do things in secret that are not above board. Although it may seem contradictory and surprising to some in leadership, many citizens and church members wonder if their leaders (political and religious) are not far more interested in their salary packages and benefits than in issues of justice. God sees when any leaders treat others unjustly and will hold each of them accountable for acts of injustice and selfish attitudes toward money.
The veteran leader Paul encouraged the new leader Timothy to “command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Tim. 6:17). Paul also warned that “people who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction” (6:9). The desire for wealth can became a stumbling block to a leader’s trust in God and a source of temptation to sin against another person, and it may lead to a false perception of reality.
James also confirms that God will judge unjust leaders who have “hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. . . . You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourself in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you” (James 5:3–6).28 These passages should cause church leaders and politicians to ponder their attitudes toward money and lead them to question whether money has in any way led to injustices in their personal life or in their community.
The broader principles of Scripture condemn people (leaders or followers) who center much of their attention on gaining possessions, are unprincipled or unjust in the way they achieve status and power, or place their hope and satisfaction in money or power (see Mic. 3:5, 11). If leaders center their hearts on God, they will value justice, serve others, and enjoy whatever God has given them. If people take what God has given to another or obtain goods stolen through unjust dealings, God will correct the injustice by removing the unjust gains and eliminating that person from a leadership position. This is a prophetic message that every moral culture and every biblical church must live by and proclaim in the world today. Bonhoeffer said that “our being Christian today will be limited to two things: prayer and doing justice among men.”29 Such statements should not be taken lightly, for the level of devotion to prayer and justice reveals a great deal about a person’s relationship to God.
Spiritual leaders like Billy Graham are respected and used by God because they do not get entangled with financial controversies and have a deep sense of the presence of the Spirit, filling their lives (3:8). Dr. Graham speaks boldly about sin, includes themes about God’s justice, and is not shy about calling people to forsake the selfish cares of this world. Although no human leader is perfect or should be set up as the ideal example to follow, God can powerfully use leaders who allow the principle of justice to critique all their financial dealings and all their relationships to others. But God will abandon those who lead people astray through unjust behavior.
Dealing with theological deceptions. Like Micah (3:11), preachers and teachers must identify and confront the modern deceptions in our culture and in the church. Will being baptized in a church automatically guarantee a place in heaven? Will faithful attendance at church services and putting money in the collection plate result in God’s hundredfold blessing? Will taking Communion magically produce forgiveness regardless of a person’s true attitude? Will confirmation or church membership necessarily bring God’s favor for the rest of a person’s life? Does keeping the Golden Rule guarantee that a person will be treated kindly by God? Are these wise maxims to live by or deceptive myths that will eventually lead to ruin? Unfortunately, some people attempt to comfort themselves by rationalizing deceptive ideas that contain a portion of the truth but miss the overall thrust of what is needed to please and glorify God.
Sociologists call this kind of self-deception a reification30—a process whereby people view a social phenomenon as the only right way of doing things and give it an ontological status that makes it unchangeable. Thus, a person may believe that a human social institution like the church must always operate like the divinely designed pattern used by the early disciples in Acts 4:32–35. If one reifies this pattern, then no one may change any part of this formula or adapt it to different situations or cultures. But if the church pattern in the New Testament was a human social institution guided by God to meet the needs of Jewish people during the famine in Jerusalem while the church was in its infancy, then the concept should not be reified and is open to change. People today are then free to ask how to conceptualize and organize the church to meet the needs of people today in different cultures, such as China, Brazil, Kenya, and Sweden.
Many in the Amish community have reified certain man-made cultural patterns of behavior and dress. They have given certain outward signs of their identity an absolute status, but other Christians look at the principles of modesty, humility, and separation from the world and conclude these ideas can be implemented without maintaining such a reified lifestyle.
The most serious reified self-deceptions are theological.31 This happens when leaders or laypeople give divine authority and status to humanly created perceptions that do not fully represent what God has said or what he desires. Church leaders need to know what kind of false religious or theological securities people in the church, and those outside the church, depend on today. What beliefs or practices assure people that everything is right between them and God? Why do people believe God will bless them and protect them?
Naturally, the answers to such questions will vary, depending on the religious traditions practiced and the spiritual maturity of the person. I have spoken to people who believe they will be treated kindly by God because they have kept the Golden Rule. Others feel that their baptism as a child or the fact that they have taken Communion recently will please God. Others depend on a ritual prayer (the Lord’s Prayer) or the repetition of some pious formula (the Rosary). There seems to be a widespread feeling that, if I do certain things, God will repay me with his favor. This is based on a general belief in the justice of God and biblical passages that connect God’s covenantal blessings to human obedience (Deut. 27–28).
Like the Hebrews in Micah’s day, people today still can be confused or deceived about God’s presence and protection. Usually there is a partial basis in Scripture for deceptive thinking, but there is an overdependence on the goodness of God and a failure to appreciate the enormous impact of human sinfulness. Even though we may partially misunderstand the nature of the new covenant relationship we have with God, God will not be fooled. Thus spiritual leaders (like Micah) have a serious responsibility and play an important role in giving members of their churches a balanced presentation of the whole message God has revealed in order to remove any false expectations about his protection.
Three issues raise problems with overly optimistic expectations of divine protection. (1) Human experience demonstrates that good people sometimes suffer unexpected tragedies. This has happened in my own family and in the families of two of our friends. It is a deceptive security to depend on your Christian beliefs or your good behavior to automatically bring material blessings, good health, and protection from all disasters. This is much like the case of God’s righteous servant Job, who suddenly had God’s blessings removed and his health destroyed (Job 1–2). When these things happen, it is not unusual for people to question God (cf. Job 9) because we live with the false security that bad things will not happen to good people.32 Such incidents do not mean that God does not exist or that he is unjust; rather, they point to the fact that there is not always a one-to-one relationship between our actions and God’s response in this world. People may try to limit what God can and should do, but such positive formulations only make the reality of life more bitter when God does not follow our plans.
(2) The Bible does describe the prophets being persecuted (Jer. 15:10–21; 20:1–6; 28; 37–38), Paul’s many painful experiences (2 Cor. 11:23–29; 12:10), and Peter’s advice that his audience should not be surprised if they suffer persecution (1 Peter 4:12–19). Yet many in the Western world today have a false security that they will not suffer or be persecuted because of their faith. In contrast to this view is the fact that many Christians in other countries are in fact persecuted because they believe in Christ (particularly in Muslim countries closed to the gospel). Their lives are anything but peace and prosperity, yet they live lives pleasing to God.
(3) It is all too apparent that many false securities are not based on a fundamental belief that every good thing a person receives is an act of God’s grace (people somehow think they have earned it). It is a perversion to conclude that we will always get what we think we deserve in this life. If that were true, there would be no basis for any security for anyone, for everyone falls far short of God’s holiness and rightly deserves God’s immediate judgment.
The essential point these examples have with Micah’s message is that people create false expectations and develop an empty security based on inappropriate theological grounds. At this point in Micah’s sermons (3:9–11), the prophet does not attempt to create a positive set of criteria for authentic security but simply gives his own testimony about the things that make him tick (3:8). His main purpose is to remove those deceptive factors that cause people to develop a false sense of security. Spiritual leaders today must also warn people about imaginary securities that have no basis in Scripture or that twist biblical teachings to create false impressions of an easy way to earn God’s approval. We must confess that we live totally by God’s grace. A selective reading or slanted interpretation of the Bible needs to be challenged so that the blindness that covers people’s eyes can be removed.