So maybe you’ve heard it said, ‘read your bible’ so you tried and failed. Our hope as leaders is that all of us will pick up God’s word and come to understand the true nature of God. After all, the bible is God’s Word curated over centuries detailing His nature, His will, the meaning of life and humanity’s historical interactions with Him. The Bible details the hidden keys to the Kingdom. Hence, the reason we are reviewing a new book each week.
This week we move ahead to the book of Micah. His name means “Who is like the Lord?” and lived from 735BC to 700 BC. Micah exposes corruption at every level of his society (from kings to politicians) and from inside the Kingdom to those about to invade. He ended his ministry sharing the hope and promise of God. Now, you don’t have to be a Christian for long, to know the prophetic utterance of what ‘right living’ under God is; as Micah shares so succinctly (6:8) - Do Justice, Love Mercy, and Walk humbly with your God.
While the words are prescriptive for those who are wondering about a relationship with God, Micah’s greater prophetic words come in the next chapter. It’s there. We will spend our time today.
Please open your bible to Micah 7. We will begin at verse 14
Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, which lives by itself in a forest, in fertile pasturelands.
Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in days long ago.
15 “As in the days when you came out of Egypt, I will show them my wonders.”
16 Nations will see and be ashamed, deprived of all their power.
They will put their hands over their mouths and their ears will become deaf.
17 They will lick dust like a snake, like creatures that crawl on the ground.
They will come trembling out of their dens; they will turn in fear to the Lord our God and will be afraid of you.
18 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
19 You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
20 You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged an oath to our ancestors in days long ago.
The bible project authors speak of the reason we should garner hope from these scriptures. All of which describe aspects of God’s character. As Micah's name inquires: “Who is like our God?’ Or in other words, “ What is the nature of God?”
Character is defined as: qualities distinctive to an individual
If we say someone is a good person. We might be saying he doesn’t lie, cheat or steal. We might also be saying he keeps his word, is consistent with deeds and helps others. However, “Good” is a relative term dependent upon the criteria of the individual using it. A capitalist might say you're good as long as you create wealth. A Buddist might say you're good when enlightened. A Muslim when you've done enough to be judged worthy
As Christians, we define “good” from the word of God and his actions when Jesus walked among us.
So we define 'Good' as followers of Christ with a metric no one can debate: love.
He is literally the essence of love. This is stated clearly in 1 John 4:8, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” God’s love is eternal. Because He is unchangeable (Micah 3:6), His love never changes. As paul writes to the Romans,
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39).
His love is so overwhelming it can only be described as perfection. A perfect love is able to see us as more than the sum of all our faults or proof of our broken nature. Perfect love recognizes the character defects as learning opportunities to overcome human fear.
As John wrote in 1 John 4:18 says, “Perfect Love casts out fear.”
The Bible says that “love comes from God” and “God is love” (1 John 4:7–8); in other words, love is a fundamental characteristic of who God is. Everything God does is impelled and influenced by His love. There is a distinct word for the type of love that God displays. In the Greek, this word is agape, and it refers to a benevolent and charitable love that seeks the best for the loved one.
The context here is important so take a listen to 1 John 4:16-18
16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
The dismissal of the fear of final judgment is one of the main functions of God’s love.
God’s character is one of perfect love of all he created. This means that no matter what you have done.
God still loves you.
God’s love does not diminish ever.
God’s perfect love offers mercy.
God’s perfect love offers forgiveness (no matter what).
God’s love offers second chances.
God’s love is one that casts your fear away and God chooses to not remember it.
God’s love offers a way up and out of the mire of the past.
God’s love also gives you purpose in the present. In the present, you can be reborn to begin your relationship anew and live the kingdom with God NOW. You get to live in the present reality attempting to cooperate with our triune God to bring a little heaven to earth in all our affairs. You get to see people transformed, offer his grace, forgiveness and mercy so our friends might join us on the eternal journey.
BUT THAT IS NOT ALL!!!
God’s love gives you a future. A future in a place with Him and all those who chose to accept the loving offer who have gone before you. A place without pain or tears. A place of joy. A place of perfect love. Can you see it? Can you sense being in the presence of God? Micah describes it so perfectly.
18 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
19 You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
One of the stories I like about God’s love for us, goes like this
There was a priest in the Philippines who carried the burden of a secret sin he had committed many years before. He had repented but still had no sense of God’s forgiveness.
In his church was a woman who claimed to have visions in which she spoke with Christ and he with her. The priest however was skeptical. To test her he said, “The next time you speak with Christ, I want you to ask him what sin your priest committed while he was in bible college.” The woman agreed. A few days later the priest asked, “Well, did Christ visit you in your dreams?”
“Yes he did”, she replied.
“And did you ask him what sin I committed in bible college?”
“Yes”
“Well what did he say?”
“He said, ‘I don’t remember.’” Source: reported in Ron Lee Davis A Forgiving God in an Unforgiving World
Herein lies the good news, God so loved the world, he would send his one and only Son, to live, die and rise again for the forgiveness of sin out of a perfect love for you. It's a reason we recreate and remember and give thanks to God his love. To answer Micah's question - who is like our God - no one and that is why we worship him.
Creative: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/micah
References: Quest Bible Overviews p:1352-62, NIV compact bible commentary, bible gateway (niv), https://www.gotquestions.org/perfect-love-casts-out-fear.html
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