Who is like God?

Context: Micah and his times (Jeremiah 29:18-19, Micah 1:1)

• Meaning: Who is like God
• Timeline (Judah): Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah kings of Judah
• Timeline (Other prophets) during this time: Isaiah, Amos, Jonah Hosea and Jeremiah
  • People were corrupt. Exploited vulnerable folks. Followed other gods.
• People of Israel already faced captivity from various kingdoms around them
  • Syrians – Naaman the leper had a captive girl from Israel
  • Assyrians – Pul, Tilgath Pilneser

What was the situation in this passage? (v1-6)

• Famine (food)
  • There is no cluster of grapes to gather. Like as if the harvest was done.
    • In a land where a cluster of grapes needed 2 warriors to carry it
  • Nor are they any early figs to eat! Apparently the early figs are sweeter 
• Famine (ethics and morals)
  • Can’t find godly men or upright men.
    • They are all ready to kill for personal benefit
      • Diligently doing evil stuff 
    • Both the rulers and judges are corrupt looking for bribes
    • Those who are powerful enforce their evil desires
• Famine (trust)
  • Cannot trust any one
    • Neighbor, friend or wife.
      • Need to be very careful with words
• Famine (relationships)
  • Conflicts: son & father, daughter & mother, daughter-in-law and mother-in-law 
  • Enemies in the house!

What was Micah banking on? (v7-10)

• Micah knew that God would hear him
  • The God of his salvation!
• That Micah may fall – but he would raise again
  • Not because of his greatness – he acknowledges he is a sinner
• Micah trusts that God will bring him back to light

Why? (v18-20)

• There is no other God like Yahweh! Micah means “Who is like God (Yahweh”)
  • Who pardons
  • He is not angry forever
  • Delights in loving kindness
  • Compassionate
  • Merciful
  • Treads, not us, but our sins underfoot 
  • Keeps his promises

Conclusion / Application

• We can bank on the fact that God is always in control – no matter the situation
• Thankful for God’s loving kindness, compassion and mercy!

Main Passage Micah 7:1-10,18-20 – World English Bible (WEB)

7 Misery is mine! Indeed, I am like one who gathers the summer fruits, as gleanings of the vineyard:

    There is no cluster of grapes to eat. My soul desires to eat the early fig.

2 The godly man has perished out of the earth, and there is no one upright among men.

    They all lie in wait for blood; every man hunts his brother with a net.

3 Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently.

    The ruler and judge ask for a bribe; and the powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul.

    Thus they conspire together.

4 The best of them is like a brier.

    The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge.

The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion.

5 Don’t trust in a neighbor.

    Don’t put confidence in a friend.

    With the woman lying in your embrace,

    be careful of the words of your mouth!

6 For the son dishonors the father,

    the daughter rises 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 But as for me, I will look to Yahweh.

    I will wait for the God of my salvation.

    My God will hear me.

8 Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy.

    When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, Yahweh will be a light to me.

9 I will bear the indignation of Yahweh,

    because I have sinned against him,

    until he pleads my case, and executes judgment for me.

    He will bring me out to the light.

    I will see his righteousness.

10 Then my enemy will see it, and shame will cover her who said to me, where is Yahweh your God?

Then my enemy will see me and will cover her shame.

    Now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets.

18 Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity,

    and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage?

He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.

19 He will again have compassion on us.

    He will tread our iniquities under foot; 

    and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

20 You will give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham,

    as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

Notes / Cross References

Jeremiah 26:18-19 18 “Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Yahweh of Armies says: “‘Zion will be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem will become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.’ 19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Didn’t he fear Yahweh, and entreat the favor of Yahweh, and Yahweh relented of the disaster which he had pronounced against them? We would commit great evil against our own souls that way!”

Micah 1:1 Yahweh’s word that came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

Numbers 13:23 They came to the valley of Eshcol, and cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bore it on a staff between two. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs.

Luke 20:20 They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.