Micah 7:2-4

The *vineyard in verse 1 refers to the nation called *Israel (Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalms 80:8-16). The fruit refers to good men and women. These are the ones that obey God’s *covenant. They obey God’s moral laws. But there are no loyal people any longer. People hide from each other. They try to make each other fall into a trap. It is as if each man hunts his brother with a net (Psalms 10:8-9). It seems that everyone is completely bad.

Perhaps there used to be some good people in the city. But the wicked people have affected them. The city’s people in general have become wicked. By God’s standards, all the people are bad. And all people today are bad. Paul speaks about that in the letter that he wrote to the Christians at Rome (Romans 3:9-26). We see this in Romans 3:23 especially. God is completely good and holy. Not one person is like him. Nobody is anywhere near as good as he is. All people have *sinned. Nobody reaches his standards. Nobody is good enough to reach them.

Micah now names the crimes that people do. He speaks about the wicked judges. They change their decisions in the courts. They take money for that. The law is very strict about such payments. Such payments are called ‘bribes’ (Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 10:17; Deuteronomy 16:19; Deuteronomy 27:25).

The leaders do not merely ask the people for money. They force them to pay. The important leaders do not make good and fair decisions. They do whatever they want to do. ‘Both hands’ (the judges and the king) are experts in how to do evil things. They choose not to punish this evil behaviour. The great man speaks aloud the evil desire that is in his heart. These rulers make their evil plans together. They spend time in each other’s company. And together, they plot cruelty, murder and other wicked acts.

A bush with *thorns causes pain and injury. And even the best official is like a bush with *thorns. The judges do not act fairly. They do not give fair decisions. The judges are separate from the people. It is as if sharp *thorns keep them apart. A poor person might try to get help from a judge. But the judge will not care about that person’s request. Micah said that God had looked for a little fruit in the orchard (land where people grow fruit). But God had found nothing. Even the best ruler is like a hedge that has *thorns. You try to get past him. But the *thorns will hurt you. Even the best ruler among them is wicked. He is like a sharp point (*thorn) that grows on a bush. A *thorn hurts people. And that ruler only causes trouble. He does not help the people.

Some people suffer from similar problems in today’s society. The purpose of the law should be to reward good people and to punish bad people. But sometimes it is not like that. The legal system can seem like an enemy. It may not help people. Instead, it may hurt them. A bush with *thorns hurts people. The legal system can seem to have a similar effect. Also, it may only benefit wealthy people. And it may make ordinary people suffer.

God has accused *Israel. He has given his judgement about them. Now he will soon send punishment to them. The officials in a city used to appoint guards who would stand on the city’s walls. Their job was to warn about possible danger (Isaiah 21:6). To warn people, they made a loud sound with special instruments. The *prophets in *Israel had a similar job. God gave that task to Micah (Micah 2:6; Micah 3:8). Amos had a similar task (Amos 5:18-20). But the nation took no notice of its *prophets. Micah says, ‘Your *prophets said that this day would come.’ Now God will visit the people. This means that God will punish them. God will use the nation’s enemies to carry out the punishment. He will cause confusion and terror in *Israel.

This visit from God will have terrible effects on the people. They will be afraid. They will be confused. God will ask important questions. And the people will not know what to say. (See Micah 6:3).

v5 Do not trust your neighbour. Do not trust a friend. Do not even speak freely with your wife. Be careful about your words. v6 Sons refuse to respect their own fathers. Daughters oppose their own mothers. A woman hates her husband’s mother. Your family is now your enemy.