SUMMARY
Micah receives some pressure to change his message from doom and destruction to a hopeful word that will reassure the people.
ANALYSIS
No one wants to hear words of destruction or severe criticism of one’s leaders and fellow citizens. Prophets of doom are usually not appreciated until it is too late to do anything to avert the catastrophe that is proclaimed. Micah is told that he should not preach such woeful words (v. 6). His critics claim that to bring such a message reveals a lack of trust in God’s promises and patience (v. 7). Micah’s pessimistic words, say the critics, serve only to frighten the people, to take away their sense of security. After all, God had called them to be God’s special people and had made an everlasting covenantA covenant is a promise or agreement. In the Bible the promises made between God and God's people are known as covenants; they state or imply a relationship of commitment and obedience. More with them. God had promised that there would always be a son of David on the throne and that God’s name would always dwell in the templeThe Jerusalem temple, unlike the tabernacle, was a permanent structure, although (like the tabernacle) it was a place of worship and religious activity. On one occasion Jesus felt such activity was unacceptable and, as reported in all four Gospels, drove from the temple those engaged... More in Jerusalem.
Such criticism of negative prophecies is an issue in almost every age. Our desire is to look ahead to a bright future, not one full of dire events. The tendency is to turn off the bad news and listen only for the prophets of hope, whether or not they are realistic in their evaluation of the situation. And the leaders of a society generally encourage a hopeful outlook and denounce those who criticize and condemn. The critics are accused of disrupting the society’s sense of well-being and trust in the work of the leaders.
