Micah 1:8-12

Micah wept over God's judgment -- Micah 1:8-12 : Samaria's wickedness had spread even to Jerusalem. It was so heart breaking to Micah that he said, "I will lament and wail; I will go stripped and virtually naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals and a lamentation like the ostriches." Sin always spreads and always has a destructive effect on others also. Micah shared God's feeling concerning the horribleness of the sins of the people. Micah made use of word pictures with the name of the cities near Jerusalem. The message was "do not tell" God's message in this city that its name sound like "tell." Do not weep in a city where the name sounds like "weep." Do not roll in the dust in a city where the name means "house of dust." It was the custom of that day to roll in the dust to show complete despair and helplessness. Years before David said "Do not tell it in Gath" after Saul and Jonathan had died. (2 Samuel 1:20) He did not want the Philistines to be happy about their victory over Israel.

Micah likewise felt deep pain that the Assyrians would rejoice in their victory over Israel. These people would be taken away in nakedness and shame. Their enemies would have no concern for them. Their God cared and they did not even appreciate His concern. No one would step forward to neither assist Israel nor protect Judah. Trouble would come instead of any good news. The people became bitter and had no hope. These people hope for peace and help and none would come because they had left God. God would use the wicked nation of Assyria to carry out His judgment against His people.