The Leadership God Rejects

Bible Passage: Micah 3:1-12

This second sermon in the series follows on from the first in painting a picture of how far society had fallen in Micah’s day, and sharing God’s word of rebuke into this context. In this chapter the focus is particularly on the leaders of the people, and the ways in which they devour the people and distort the truth for their own gain, leading society to ruin in the process. However, in the midst of this chapter, we do see a glimmer of light as we see a new voice raised up to lead in a different way by the power of the Spirit: a promise that speaks of Micah himself in the immediate context, but that ultimately points to Jesus.

Leaders Who Consume the People (v1-4): These opening verses carry something of an exasperation towards the leaders of the nations. It seems obvious that they should embrace justice – this is a basic requirement of the role and something that anyone who has any degree of leadership responsibility should carry as a primary responsibility. And yet that is not the way of these leaders. They hate good and love evil, and rather than using their positions to serve those under their care, they instead destroy those entrusted to them for their own benefit. This is one of many passages in the Bible that speaks of abusive leadership in very strong terms (see also Ezekiel 34 and Matthew 23). Such leadership does not reflect God’s heart and God will rise up against it.

A New Voice God Raises Up (v5-8): In verses 5-7, we see Micah continue his critique of the leaders of the people, now turning to the prophets who spoke lies. In verse 5 we see those who would prophesy good things when they were fed but bad things to those who would not. Effectively they had made God’s voice for sale to the highest bidder! But in verse 8 this is contrasted with Micah himself, whose own message was not determined by what he had been paid but by the Spirit of God within him. God had given him the power to speak, and in doing so had raised him up as a voice of truth in contrast to all the deceptive voices around him. This sharp contrast not only served as a relief in Micah’s own day but pointed forward to Jesus, who came in the power of the Spirit proclaiming God’s word (see Luke 4:18-21).

The Ruin Corrupt Leadership Brings (v9-12): The passage so far has laid out a clear contrast between the corrupt leaders of Judah and the God-anointed prophetic ministry of Micah. In these final verses Micah shows us what happens when leaders are not doing things God’s way. It ends up with bloodshed and wickedness, and it is the people who suffer. And despite it all those leaders presume on God’s support in what they are doing, but in the end ‘Zion will be ploughed like a field’. This is a stark prophetic declaration: the place that was supposed to be the epicentre of God’s presence on the earth is reduced to nothing. A city that claims God’s name but refuses to embody God’s justice and truth cannot expect to continue in God’s blessing.

Potential Applications

• These verses speak directly to leaders and should challenge any of us who carry leadership responsibility in any context. Does the way we lead reflect God’s heart and treat those we are responsible for with kindness and justice?
• The passage also highlights the need for Spirit-anointed, truth-telling leadership. You could have a time of prayer for the anointing of the Spirit to come upon those who have leadership roles.
• For some, the discussion on unjust leadership will bring up experiences they have had at the hands of ungodly leaders. The passage highlights how God opposes these practices. You may offer prayer and pastoral support for any who are carrying the pains of these experiences.