When it is never enough (Mic 2:1-5)

One of the difficulties with reading the prophets is that the sins they castigate can be so severe that we, Christians, struggle to identify with the problem. How many believers would recognise themselves in the portrayal of Mic 2:1-2, scheming to take by force the possessions of others and doing so brazenly in broad daylight? Such dramatic descriptions are difficult to relate to, but we must remember that they were not directly addressed to us so that we are not obliged to take on ourselves the prophet’s exact accusation. Nevertheless, it was written for our benefit and as such we profit from reflecting on it in two ways. First, we need to ask what the root cause of the sin is because then we frequently recognise human impulses and temptations we also struggle with, albeit in a more mundane form. Secondly, we should reflect on God’s character through the passage, which will deepen our understanding of His person and ways.

At the heart of Israel’s crime is the temptation of coveting (Mic 2:2), perhaps one of the most fundamental sinful urges of the human heart (Exod 20:17). Most obviously, coveting involves material possessions, sometimes relationships (e.g. someone else’s spouse), but in a more subtle way, we may envy another person’s position, abilities or opportunities in life. Desire, of course, is not all bad. It spurs us on to move forward in life and reach our goals. What makes certain desires problematic then? In Micah, the object of coveting is land (v.2), which was allocated by God to each family. When the powerful seized someone else’s land, they took what the Lord did not intend for them. David was given much, and the Lord would have added to it more if he had asked, but he took someone else’s wife and abused his power to get her (2 Sam 12:8). Adam and Eve were likewise offered bountiful provision, but they wanted and seized the one thing that God had forbidden (Gen 2:16-17; 3:6). To summarise, desires are a problem when we take what God has not given. When He specifically closes off avenues, we end up forcing our way to get what we want, often through forbidden means.

Our passage also presents a stark warning of God’s judgment (Mic 2:3-5) and it is a perfect example of the punishment matching the crime. While God’s people ‘plan’ their sin (v.1), God ‘plans’ calamity (v.3; the same Hebrew verb in both). The robbers of land will be robbed of their land themselves (v.4) with no hope of their ever getting it back (v.5). While Micah does not spell out who will take the land, historically, it will be Assyria in the northern kingdom of Israel and much later, Babylon in Judah. The last verse hints at the hope of return when land will be re-distributed again, just as it was when Israel first settled in Canaan (Num 34:13, 15-17). Nevertheless, evildoers will not benefit from it. Thus, Micah reminds us of God’s character of justice and the principle that we reap what we sow.  

In today’s world when advertising cleverly pushes our emotional buttons to awaken our desires, we are vulnerable to coveting more than ever. Ads tell us that we are worth it, we deserve it and that whatever is on offer will make us happier, more satisfied, or more attractive. Put this way, coveting is a form of idolatry, looking for something other than God for our fulfilment. Who hasn’t struggled to resist some form of such advertising? We may not go out to steal what someone else has but we may end up living beyond our means, compromising on things that matter to the Lord (e.g. our giving) and filling our mind and heart with desires that edge God and our relationship with Him out of our life. At its roots, coveting expresses an implicit dissatisfaction with what the Lord has given as not enough. Our best defence, our remedy, in fact, is to remember all that God has granted us and make a conscious effort to be content with what we have.

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