Book of MicahSample

ENMITY WITH THE LORD

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4)

Micah was a prophet who lived in an area far from the city center of the government. However, God had called him to deliver His message to the nation and government of Israel. At that time, the nation was led by people who were evil and full of injustice. This caused them to experience oppression and attacks from the surrounding nations.

The Bible also states that the condition of this world will get more and more wicked, and that evil may enter and pollute God's people. Moral crimes, deviant behaviors, disrespectful behaviors towards the holiness of God, and manipulation of religious values happen in this world. 

Micah came as God's messenger to convey that the Israelites had turned away from the Lord and committed many crimes. The Israelites had turned away from God by practicing idolatry and following the ways of the people who did not know God. As God’s people, we must be vigilant in the end times because the world is used by the devil to lure people into his trap and thus mislead God's people. We have to be on guard.

Friendship with the world is enmity with God. When someone compromises with the world, it opens the door for the devil to do evil. However, the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers will give warnings so that they will not fall, but will immediately turn to the Lord. 

Micah can be described as the voice of the Holy Spirit that gave a warning to the people of Israel. 

May all of us have tender hearts to hear the warnings of God through the voice of the Holy Spirit within us, through sermons and readings of His Word, or perhaps, through our brothers and sisters in Christ. That Holy Spirit voice might be a warning, or a correction of our hearts so that we could amend things that are wrong. We are not being judged when we are rebuked; instead, a rebuke is a good way to deliver us from the evil ones. 

May we be willing to focus our hearts on every word of God.