The heart of the justice issue (Mic 3:1-4)

Shortly before Hungary joined the EU, the UK’s visa laws changed so that in my last year of studying at London Bible College, I had to apply for a student visa after I arrived rather than get it at the airport on entering the country. The process was meant to take six weeks. However after six weeks, I received an email that my application was now assigned to an immigration officer and I could expect a visa in another six weeks! At this stage, there was not enough time for the process before I meant to fly home for Christmas and if I left without a valid visa I would not be allowed to return after the holidays. I called immigration but met with unhelpful and rude hostility and felt treated like vermin. Since up to this point I have only met with courtesy and kindness from Brits, this came as a shock. Thankfully, the bursar intervened and secured an in-person appointment for me, so in the end I got my visa in time. I was immensely grateful that when I was helpless, someone stood up to advocate on my behalf.

As our passage opens, we encounter Israelites who sought help and justice from their leaders but in vain. The heads and rulers in Mic 3:1 were the tribal leaders with the task of passing judgment in court. Since the time of Moses, cases were dealt within the tribe and only the more complex ones were referred to the national leader (in Micah’s time, the king, cf. Exod 18:25-26). It is possible that among the people seeking redress were those whose land was unfairly seized (Mic 2:2), who then were given unfavourable verdicts due to the bribes of the powerful (Mic 3:11). While the phrase of eating someone’s flesh is a stock expression for oppression (Ps 14:4; 27:2; Zeph 3:3), Micah develops the image in all its gruesome detail (Mic 3:2-3). God is just, however, and will treat these unfair judges as they treated others. When they appeal for help to the Lord later, He will not hear their plea (Mic 3:4).

What is at the heart of such unjust attitudes? The Book of Micah opens with the root problem, which is the people’s idolatry and rebellion against the true God (Mic 1:5, 7). When we reject the Lord, as Adam and Eve did in the garden, we choose our own way and create room for finger-pointing, jealousy and murder until with time evil overwhelms us (Gen 3:11-13; 4:8; 6:5, 11). Or, as Romans 1:18-32 puts it, those who suppress knowledge of the true God and His sovereignty become worshippers of the creation rather than the Creator. When we bow down to other gods, such as ourselves, power or wealth, right and wrong become confused. If power or wealth is our ultimate aim then what serves this purpose will be good and what does not, bad. No wonder then that these magistrates in our passage ‘hate good and love evil’ (v.2). This is not an emotional reaction so much as a question of choice. They reject what is good in God’s eyes and choose what is evil because they are driven by aims contrary to God’s design.

Today, it is important that churches judge matters rightly. They should not bow down to the idol of social acceptance but speak out, for instance, against secular legislation that is morally wrong. Neither should they create an idol of their own impeccable image and cover up sins like sexual abuse, domestic violence or financial corruption in their midst or among their leaders. Likewise they should not worship at the altar of culture or custom and allow certain practices that lead to exploitation. Thus, the public reading of donors’ names and their offerings (something that is still happening in some NZ churches) allows for the exploitation of those who struggle to make ends meet. On an individual level, we may feel that we can do little, but as my initial example suggests, there are situations where we can help support or advocate for a brother or sister in need.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with others.