In the last two weeks we’ve seen that God is very much concerned with our hearts - the attitude of our heart towards Him. Are we open and surrendered to Him so that He can work in our lives? Last week we saw the God is concerned with our motivations - that God desires for our hearts to be focused on Him and not all the distractions of this world.

Today we want to consider how God looks at our witness in the world. As we go through Micah 3 - I’d like you to keep one question in your mind. Here’s the question: Would anyone notice if our church closed down tomorrow? Thinking about where our witness as a church is - Would anyone notice if our church closed down tomorrow? And, if they did notice - would they care? Keep that in mind and let’s look at Micah 3.

Micah 3:1: And I said, “Hear now, heads of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel. Is it not for you to know justice? You who hate good and love evil, who tear off their skin from them and their flesh from their bones, who eat the flesh of my people, strip off their skin from them, break their bones and chop them up as for the pot and as meat in the kettle.” Then they will cry out to the Lord, but He will not answer them. Instead, He will hide His face from them at that time because they have practiced evil deeds.

Let’s pause there and think about what we’re looking at. In Micah 3 - God is going to focus on 3 groups of leaders among His people - civil leaders - prophets - and priests. All of whom have been given a leadership role - a role in which they were to represent God to the people.

In the Book of Exodus Moses is instructed to select leaders for the people who are “men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain…” Men who love God and hate evil and will lead the people in obedience to God. (Exodus 18:21) When the people looked at these leaders they were suppose to be drawn closer to God - to see in these leaders examples of God’s holiness - His justice - His mercy and love.

A few years back I found myself on the border of Syria and Lebanon at 2:00 in the morning. There are 3 checkpoints on the Syrian side of the border and 3 checkpoints on the Lebanese side of the border. On the Syrian side - to move through the checkpoints involved paying a little extra - cash - to certain officials. On the Lebanese side we had pay an official - a little cash - to wake up the official who was able to give me a visa. And of course that official needed a little extra cash for his pocket as well. That little extra is the way things are done.

In Israel - in Micah’s day - the government officials had this down to a fine art. So much so that Micah says they were, “tearing the skin off the people - flesh from the bones.” In today’s English, they were “skinning them alive” - “ripping them off.” Micah says the civil leaders were chopping up the people and using them as meat in the kettle. They were like cannibals - shepherds feasting on the sheep to feed their own hunger.

The worst of this was happening in the courts where these civic leaders were misrepresenting God’s justice to His people. If you wanted justice you had to pay for it. Bribe the judge. Pay for a high priced lawyer. If you were poor there was no justice. Does this sound like today? Those who win in court are the ones who’re able to pay for the best lawyers. The people cried out for justice and the civil leaders ignored them. All they were interested in was money and power.

God’s response - in verse 4 - is silence. When these corrupt civil leaders cry out to God - just like they’ve misrepresented God’s justice - like they’ve ignored the poor - God ignores them. He hides His face. They’re helpless and God will not come to the rescue.

Going on - verse 5 - God moves to the second group of leaders - the prophets. Verse 5: Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray; when they have something to bite with their teeth, they cry, “Peace,” but against him who puts nothing in their mouths they declare holy war.

The role of the prophets was to relate God’s word to the people: “Thus saith the Lord God…” So that the people would know what was coming or how they should be living. The prophets were suppose to be the trusted voice of God to His people. But the prophets - like the government officials - the prophets were in on the take.

Those who could put a little extra in the prophet’s mouth - slip a little something extra - food or money - into their hands - the prophets would give them prophecies of peace - wonderful blessings of God. If a person couldn’t come up with that little extra something they’d get a prophecy of war - death and disaster.

Please hear me. I’m not pointing fingers at anyone in particular. But, if I mention the words “Television Evangelist” what image comes to mind? You don’t have to raise your hands. But when I said Television Evangelist how many of you thought about money? “That’s what they’re all about. Money for themselves. We’ll pray for you or send you this special token of God’s blessing if you just send us money.” If you have that image in mind - you understand the prophets of Micah’s day.

In verse 5 God says, the prophets are leading “My people astray.” God’s people have no idea what God expects of them or how they’re to live. They’re like a ship without a rudder - no compass - no idea of what direction to go or how to get there. Because these spiritual leaders - who are suppose to represent God to His people - are only interested in money.

Verse 6: Therefore it will be night for you - without vision, and darkness for you - without divination. The sun will go down on the prophets, and they day will become dark over them. The seers will be ashamed and the diviners will be embarrassed. Indeed, they will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God.

The prophetic voice is a gift from God. And just as easily as God can give the gift of prophecy and the honor of speaking for Him - God can shut down the prophet. Turn him off. Leave him with nothing. From God they’ll get nothing - no vision - no spiritual perception - no answers from God - nothing but empty darkness - God’s rejection. That’s embarrassing - shameful - the exposing of a fraud - when the prophet has nothing to say.

In contrast - Micah describes himself and those who really are speaking for God - leading people to God. Verse 8: On the other hand I am filled with power - with the Spirit of the Lord - and with justice and courage to make known to Jacob his rebellious act, even to Israel his sin.

Do you remember Balaam the prophet of God? The people of Israel were camped on the east side of the Jordan River - getting ready to conquer Canaan - the Promised Land. Balak - the King of the Moabites has been watching the movements of Israel. Israel has just wiped out the Amorites and Balak figures the he and Moabites are next on Israel’s conquest list.

Balak - the king - tries to hire Balaam - the prophet of God - to come and curse the people of Israel so when Balak goes up against Israel in battle he’ll win. Balak sends messengers to Balaam with an offer of money. And Balaam refuses. Again - a second time Balak sends more important men and an offer of even more money. He’s negotiating. “How much do you want to come and curse Israel?” Finally Balak himself goes and promises to give Balaam riches beyond what he can imagine.

That’s the image Balak had been given of prophets and religion. Balaam was a prophet for hire. Whoever paid him the most got the blessing. But Balaam 3 times blesses Israel and finally ends up cursing Moab.

Balak says, “What have you done? I took you to curse my enemies. But, you blessed them!” Balaam tells Balak, “Didn’t I tell your messengers whom you sent to me - even though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the Lord, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the Lord speaks, that I will speak?” (Numbers 22-24)

Micah says - in contrast to the prophets for hire - Micah is filled “with the Spirit of the Lord.” Like Balaam, he’s in touch with the living God. Listening to God. Led by God. God has filled Micah with His power - given Micah strength and courage - a desire to see God’s justice represented to His people.

Micah’s message is not popular. Its not politically correct. Its not a message of peace. It’s a message of confrontation and judgment. He’s standing up and telling it like it is when it would have been so easy to crumble before the opposition or the promise of financial reward. But, God calls Micah to exercise true Godly leadership - to witness for Him - to represent God to the people. To speak with the confidence and authority of one who speaks for God. To speak out against the disobedience and sin of God’s people - and point them back to God.

Verse 9: God moves on to the third group of leaders - the priests. Priest were the “meechnorts” - they stood between God and His people - mediating through sacrifices and prayers. Without the priests the people couldn’t maintain the holiness - the purity - of their covenant relationship with God.

God brings 4 accusations against the priests. Verse 9: Now hear this, heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who abhor justice and twist everything that is straight Accusation number one is perversion. Taking what is right and twisting it around so the people were confused about what was just and unjust - holy and unholy.

Verse 10: who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with violent injustice Accusation number two - violence. They didn’t care who got hurt - spiritually or physically.

Verse 11: Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, her priests instruct for a price and her prophets divine for money Accusation number three - greed. The priests - like all the other leaders are in it for the money. They’re making money off of God. Selling religion to the people.

Going on - Yet they lean on the Lord saying, “Is the Lord in our midst? Calamity will not come upon us.” Accusation number four - arrogance. They’ve turned the Temple worship into an empty ritual - a business venture devoid of the Spirit of the Lord. We can hear them talking to themselves, “Impressive Temple facilities. Attendance is good. Giving is up. We’re doing the worship thing okay.” They’re so arrogant they assume that God will take care of them - God will be there for His people - because - well, after all they are His people - regardless what they do.

During the Passover week - the disciples and Jesus were in the Temple. On the way out the disciples are talking about what they’d seen - the money that was given - the temple complex. They said, “Jesus, look at these tremendous buildings! Look at the massive stones in the walls.” Jesus answers them, “Do you see these magnificent buildings? Not one stone will be left on top of another. It’s all going to be torn down.” (Mark 13:1,2)

Days later - after Jesus rose from death - the disciples remembered another time - when Jesus had spoken of Himself. Jesus had said, “Destroy this temple - meaning Himself - and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:19-22) Jesus torn down - dying on the cross - and Himself raised from death 3 days later. The buildings aren’t what’s important here. The purpose of a Temple is to draw attention to deity within. Jesus - God - is what’s important.

When we focus on the buildings - the symbols - the rituals of our faith we’ve already taken our eyes off of God. Like the priests of Micah’s day it becomes easy for us to be impressed - to think that God has put all of this here for us. To forget that we are here because of God and for God.

The priests had taken this wonderful privilege of mediation and turned into an empty travesty of self-focused religion. What good is it to have all this religion - an impressive temple and worship - if God Himself is not worshipped? If we - and those around us - are not brought into a relationship with God?

Verse 12: God’s judgment: Therefore, on account of you Zion will be plowed as a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the temple will be come high places of a forest.

Which - according to the Jewish Talmud and tradition - this actually happened. When the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. - Rufus - an officer in the Roman army had the foundations of the Temple on Mount Zion plowed just like field.

Now, how does all this apply to our lives today? Do you remember the question I asked as we began? Would anyone notice if our church closed down tomorrow? Its like asking, What impact are we having in our world?

Thinking about that question and what we’ve seen here in chapter 3 - there’s a challenge for us to consider our witness in the world. The leadership position we’re in in which we represent God to the people of our homes and communities.

People are weary of civic leaders focused on themselves - using people to stay in power. They’re disillusioned with a church mired in scandal. Repulsed by self serving religious leaders. Left wanting by empty ritual devoid of true worship. They need to see the genuine life of Christ lived out in us. They need to see the kind of courageous impassioned sincerity that Micah had. Leadership that points people to God. That impacts our homes and communities for God.

That’s where God judges us - our leadership. Is it for Him or for ourselves? We can’t lead on our own. An authentic relationship with God - witnessing for Him - cannot be done in our own power. But, like Micah we need to be filled with the Spirit of the Lord. God needs to give us the courage and power - the passion for God’s justice - to speak forth the truth of God today.