The Trials of Three Kings
Micah 1:1
The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
I. Who is Micah the Morashite?
Morashite simply means, "belongs to, or, possession of". This is talking about the identity of the person. Who are we belongs to? Many people found their selves belong to their riches, so they will dedicate their entire life to get more riches to call their own. Some will found their selves belong to their wives, so they will be so afraid to their wife. Or, perhaps like in Micah 1:14, "Moreshethgath", which means “possession of Gath (wine)”, there are people who so addicted to the alcohol or wine.
Micah the Morashite is talking about someone who tries to find about his identity, the purpose of his life. Try to find the truth about the Master of his life.
And he found that his Master is God, because his name is Micah, “who is like Yahweh (God)?” Isn’t that wonderful if we dedicate our life to the Creator, The Victory over all, The Savior, and The Supreme God? Isn’t it wonderful to place our identity in God? The Bible said, that, we are the citizenship of heaven (Heb 11:13-16)? Our ID-card is from heaven!
II. The Test of Three Kings
BUT, to dedicate our life to God is not so easy as its look. There are temptations, hardships, even trials to make us doubt about our “Identity”, to doubt about the God’s sovereignty.
“… in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, …”
1. The first trial – the first king, Jotham.
2 Kings 15:34, 35: “He did what was right in the sight of the LORD; he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD.”
In verse 34, it seems there is no problem at all in the life of Jotham. But we’ll find the big “ONLY” in the verse 35. Jotham did not destroy the high places, the places where people worshipped other gods.
I call this as living a compromise life. Many people, called them self as a Christian, but live this kind of living. They are being so ignorant about the salvation of others. They do not want to be bothered by making others save. They even make a high wall, a gate, to separate them self with other people, so people saw them as an exclusive people. I will not forget about what Mahatma Gandhi said about Christianity in India that time, “If a Christian acts like a Christian, there will be no Hindu or Moslem in this country.” Listen folks, Satan do not afraid when you become a Christian who just lives for your self; but he surely will tremble, when you become a Christian who saves many souls for the Kingdom of God!
2. The second trial – the second king, Ahaz.
2 Kings 16:2-4, “Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD his God, as his father David had done. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and even made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had driven out from before the sons of Israel. He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.” (NASB)
This is what I called as a “wicked Christian”. There are people, who been baptized, filled with the Holy Spirit, speak in tongues, BUT they just so cruel with others. From Monday to Saturday, they are just so fleshly, but in Sunday he can be like an angel. Do you ever meet this kind of man? I did, I even met many of them. It’s so pity! They always based their salvation according to how much they gave something to the church! They though God is like “uncle Scrooge”, who will do anything for their money, their kindness! It’s so pathetic! It made me sick! I’m sorry for my language, but I must rebuke this kind of sin from the Christianity today.
3. The third trial – the third king, Hezekiah.
2 Kings 18:3-6
Hezekiah is talking about people who got saved; they felt God’s help, He is a nice Christian… then suddenly! BOOM! He so proud about everything that he has (God’s blessing to him), and he begin to make a big mistake. This man begins to let the enemy (Satan) enter his house (his heart, his family). This kind of person is just like Eve in the Garden. They always let the Devil lies to them, and they trust his lie. Eph 4:27, "Neither give place to the devil." Brothers, don’t give Satan a place where he can launch his attack to us. Hezekiah was failed in this area, of course we can’t judge him, but we can learn something from his life. We can pray all night long, we can fasting twice a week, we can be a minister from the great church; BUT we never immune to the sin.
Don’t be proud, even when God blessed you with a great blessing, keep in humility before the Lord (Jam 4:10, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up")
CONCLUSION:
When we become a Christian, it doesn’t mean that it’s over, but it just started. We must fight, with this "three kings" in our Christianity life. They are: the ignorant king, the wicked king, and the proud king; and they will try hard to make you one of their citizens. I hope we never will distract to come in other country, because we are going back to our homeland, the heaven; and to our King of kings, Jesus! Because we are His possession; we are His Micah, people who stands before our friends and enemies and cry out: "Who is like my God?"
Heb 11:14, "And obviously people who talk like that are looking forward to a country they can call their own."
