If a liar and deceiver comes and says,
Micah 2:11 NIV
‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’
that would be just the prophet for this people!
Micah was a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. And, like most true prophets, he pronounced coming judgment on the nation because of their unfaithfulness to God.
But the people of Judah didn’t want to hear about God’s judgment. They didn’t want to hear about how they were falling short of God’s expectations for them as individuals and as a nation. Instead, they wanted prophets who would tell them everything would be OK. That God would protect and bless them so they could live a life of peace and prosperity.
And there were, during that time, those who called themselves prophets who told them what they wanted to hear. That there would be no coming judgment by God. Instead, they assured the people that God would soon step in and fix all that was wrong. And that his blessings were just around the corner. They had nothing to worry about. Nor any need to change.
Are we any different today? How many of us want to hear that God is not pleased with us? That we need to turn away from the ways of this world and live for Christ instead? We generally prefer to hear that we are OK. And that God will protect and bless us with no obligation on our part.
And there are false prophets today who will tell us what we want to hear (2 Tim. 4:3-4). But we should reject them and listen instead to those whose message conforms to the Scriptures. To those who call on us to turn from our own desires and the ways of this world and instead follow Jesus as Lord.
Amen