King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Chapters: The Book of Micah
Message: Just Two Commands
Hello My Friend,
As I was reading the chapters for today, this passage came to mind, [Romans 10:14-16 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?]
More people are presented with the Gospel than we realize, but there are few reasons why so many do not receive Christ as their Saviour, the most prominent would be their rejection of Him all together. However, the number one reason why so many reject Christ has to do with the fact that they are given incorrect information about Him. The world sees Jesus as this ruthless judge who accuses them of their every fault and gives them a death sentence unless they follow His commands. Of course, Jesus is our judge, and we ought to refrain from sin, but that is not how it actually works. As much as we do deserve death for our sins, Jesus gave His life for every soul, even for the vilest of sinners, and of all the commands given, Jesus narrowed them all down to two, [Mark 12:29-31 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.]
The Book of Micah contains seven chapters, the author of the book is Micah and it was written to Israel and all nations. The timeline for these events took place approximately between 758BC and 710BC. The purpose of the book is a call to repentance for all to avoid judgment. What we are to learn from the book is that God judges all and pardons all who turn away from their own righteousness and trust in Him for their salvation, [Micah 7:18-19 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. 19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.]
As Christians, we would like to think that we live by every word of God, but the truth is, we do not. Every single saved, born again Christian struggles with something they are trying to overcome. Now, we who are saved, are all saved by the grace of God and nothing we do can take away our salvation, but we can still suffer for the sinful things that remain, especially those who live in sin are content to keep it in their lives. While God sent Isaiah to prophesy in Judah, he sent Micah to Samaria to remind them of the judgment coming, and why.
[Micah 1:2-5,9,15 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. 3 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. 4 And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place. 5 For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem? 9 For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem. 15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.]
[is it not Samaria?] Samaria caused Israel to sin when they walked away from Him after Solomon died. They were the ones who accepted Jeroboam’s false gods over the Almighty, then later on Ahab’s god. Judah followed suit when they allowed Baal worship into Jerusalem after Jehoshaphat died and his son married Athaliah. Since God will have no other gods before Him, He will judge them, [Exodus 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;]
[he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.] [Adullam; Justice of the people.] Many Bible scholars and commentators will associate Adullam with the city and cave that David hid in when on the run from Saul, but as you read the verse something else is hidden in the passage. God was about to use Israel’s allies to judge His people in order to actually get the glory for getting justice for His people. Through Micah, God stresses the importance of understanding that while God does chasten His faithful, He never forsakes them, but He will reject those who rebel against Him and even send false prophets to confuse them since they refuse to accept them.
[Micah 2:6-7,10–11,13 Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame. 7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? 10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction. 11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people. 13 The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.]
[he shall even be the prophet of this people.] This is exactly why God allows all this false religion, they rather believe the lies over the truth. If they are going to accept the religion or the false god over the truth, then He will give them up to their own confusion, and their king is none other than Satan himself, [Revelation 2:9-10 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.]
You see, there are many, many people who believe in God, they want His blessings, protections, and of course, to go to heaven when they die. Where they falter lies within their own understanding of God’s ways. Instead of reading His Word themselves, they rely on man to teach them, and there are always false prophets out there willing to appeal to their thinking. Therefore, they make up their own god, live in sin, and teach their lies to the world. In fact, through Micah, God addresses these prophets that cause His people to err.
[Micah 3:1-2,4-7 And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment? 2 Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; 4 Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings. 5 Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him. 6 Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them. 7 Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.]
[for there is no answer of God.] Mega churches, television evangelists, faith healers, these are all examples of false prophets, declaring that God is with them, but He is really no where to be found. Anyone can take some Scripture from the Bible and use it to say that God is with them, but true Christians reflect Christ off them by their humble actions, [1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:]
There is no better way to reflect on our lives than to be at the point that we fear for our lives. God warns, God allows, but God also forgives, and forgives, and forgives. However, there will come a day when Israel will acknowledge Christ for who He is and accept Him, and that is when He will return to reign as King and only His faithful will join Him. Micah speaks of the day that many nations will come to worship our King.
[Micah 4:1-2,5,7,10 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. 2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever. 7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. 10 Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.]
[Be in pain, and labour to bring forth,] What a sight it will be to see Jesus walking the earth again as He gathers the last remnant of all believers, both Jew and Gentile. And this is why we are sent out into the world, to grieve for and bring lost souls to Christ. It never fails that no matter how many times I read the Bible through there is always something new to discover, and if you think that the Jews did not know this, think again, even through Micah we learn of yet another prophecy concerning Jesus. Through Micah, we learn about what happens when Jesus Himself gets judged.
[Micah 5:1-4,8 Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. 2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. 4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. 8 And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.]
[they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.] This is of course speaking of when Jesus will be judged and then shortly after crucified. Unless you are reading the Word of God for yourself you would not know that. There will come a time, and we are very close to that, when the Gospel will not be able preached and it will not be so easy to get saved, and this is another reason why we need to keep preaching the Gospel while we are able. We must understand that a life with Jesus is not about religious rituals of confession and sacrifice, it never has been, it has always been about loving Him and giving Him all of our heart. Through Micah, God explains exactly what He wants from His people.
[Micah 6:1-3,6-8 Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. 2 Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD’S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. 3 O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me. 6 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?]
[and what doth the LORD require of thee,] God’s commands are not grievous. When we walk with Jesus we think about every step we take, and are more prone to refrain from anything that will be displeasing to God. I get it, walking with Jesus can be lonely sometimes, especially when you are trying to live your life through Him and everywhere you turn there are obstacles. We must realize that ungodly people are our biggest influence, and sometimes it is better to be alone than allow ourselves to be corrupted by those who live in the world. In fact, through Micah, God tells us that family is our biggest influence against Him.
[Micah 7:2-3,5-9 The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. 3 That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up. 5 Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. 6 For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house. 7 Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. 8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me. 9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.]
[when I fall, I shall arise;] I love this! The just fall seven times, and get back up, and each time they get closer to Christ. Because we carry this wretched flesh, and under certain circumstances, especially those who do not have Christ close by them, any of us can be influenced by those who are of the world. More Christians get hurt by loved ones than anyone else, but Jesus is above all that, He truly is a friend that sticks closer than a brother, [Proverbs 18:10,12,14 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. 12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility. 24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.]
Jesus Christ Magnified: [Micah 4:7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.]
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, I know I have had my share of falls in life, the amazing thing is that You were always there to pick me up when I called on You. I know I tried so many times to do things on my own, but time and time again You remind me that I can do nothing without You. Thank You for giving me the will to come to You in the first place, and even though I still fall, I know You are always there to pick me back up again. Lord, I know that it is better to be obedient than sacrifice, keep me faithful to You by staying in Your Word, and being accountable for the things I learn. Help me to keep my eyes on You at all times, and not look to sinful man for guidance in Your ways, trusting that You will shine Your Light upon me. Give me Your power, compassion, mercy, and grace to be a faithful witness to shine Your Light upon the lost. I ask these things in Your name Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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