Oppressive and Greedy Leadership


Micah 3:1-12
1And I said: Hear, you heads of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel! Is it not for you to know justice? —
2you who hate the good and love the evil, who tear the skin from off my people and their flesh from off their bones,
3who eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them, and break their bones in pieces and chop them up like meat in a pot, like flesh in a cauldron.
4Then they will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer them; he will hide his face from them at that time, because they have made their deeds evil.
5Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry “Peace” when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths.
6Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision, and darkness to you, without divination. The sun shall go down on the prophets, and the day shall be black over them;
7the seers shall be disgraced, and the diviners put to shame; they shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer from God.
8But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.
9Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who detest justice and make crooked all that is straight,
10who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity.
11Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on the Lord and say, “Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us.”
12Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.

As I read, and reread this chapter of Micah this morning, my first thought was, “why, oh why did I choose Micah?” And then I read it again, looking for some bright spot – some source of light in the midst of these dark words. None appeared. What we have here is an unflinchingly honest look at God’s response to leaders who are interested in their own wealth and power. It’s ugly.

Micah addresses his remarks against the three types of leaders found in Israel at the time: first, against the rulers; then against the false prophets; and finally against rulers, priests, and prophets. It wouldn’t be so distressing to read if this were just history, with no reality for today. But that is not the case. If we examine our own culture, we find a very similar situation. Who among us hasn’t looked at our own country’s leadership and thought “corruption”? And if you are part of a church for which these words are also true of the leadership, I am sorry for your situation.

God has placed people in leadership over us quite specifically and for very good reasons. Our leaders are His hands and feet. At least they are supposed to be such.

Every person in a position of authority has a responsibility to “know justice.” For it is through the application of justice that each member of society is to enjoy God’s blessings: a quiet and peaceful earthly life free from the threat of harm or loss and a full and rich spiritual life secure in the peace of God’s forgiving grace.
Spaude, C. W. (1987). Obadiah, Jonah, Micah (p. 127). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Pub. House.

The first section of this chapter is shocking. There is no stronger simile in all of Scripture. And while Micah isn’t exactly accusing the greedy leadership of actual cannibalism, the effect of their actions is the same. The shock value of this passage alone should cause anyone in a leadership position to take notice.

“Strip[ping] off their skin” and tearing “the flesh from their bones”—that’s removing substance and shelter. Livelihood is destroyed when they “break their bones in pieces.” Finally, when they “chop them up like meat for the pan,” their helpless victims have lost everything, except their trust in the Lord. God had called Israel’s leaders to be shepherds, caring for the special needs of his flock. At Micah’s time, Israel’s leaders were more like butchers, living off the flock.
Spaude, C. W. (1987). Obadiah, Jonah, Micah (pp. 127–128). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Pub. House.

After blasting the rulers, priests, and prophets what it all comes down to is the fact that each of them is far more interested in their own comforts and wealth than in any sense of service to the community. Their words are false, and their motives are self-serving. But justice is just around the corner, for God is not blind their ways. He will answer their greed and deal with their injustice. We may grow impatient waiting for that to happen, but it will.

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