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"Disaster came down from the LORD"

Text: Micah 1:12

FIRST SAMARIA, NEXT JERUSALEM

Micah mentioned both Samaria and Jerusalem when he began his prophetic ministry (Micah 1:5). He first gave attention to the fall of Samaria (Micah 1:5-11). Next, he focused on the fate of Jerusalem (Micah 1:12-16). There was exquisite skill in expressing lament for Jerusalem as it was shown towards Samaria.

“For the inhabitant of Maroth pined for good,
But disaster came down from the LORD
To the gate of Jerusalem.”
Micah 1:12

1. “For the inhabitant of Maroth pined for good”

a) The word “Maroth”

i) It may be traced to the word “Marah” which means “bitter”.

ii) The word may be the plural form.

iii) It would suggest “great bitterness”.

iv) It may be a town in the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

b) The inhabitant of Maroth pined for good

i) It is natural to desire the “good” things of life.

ii) It is normal to want to experience goodness in one’s lifetime.

iii) The longing for “goodness” may even be described as “pining”.

iv) But a deep longing in itself does not necessarily result in obtaining one’s desire.

2. “But disaster came down from the LORD”

a) Whether “good” or “disaster” all things come down from the LORD.

b) “Come down”

i) This suggests that the source is from the LORD above.

ii) This disaster that would come upon Jerusalem may be traced to the LORD Himself.

c) The word “disaster” was used as the opposite to the word “good”.

3. “To the gate of Jerusalem”

a) Micah’s approach of describing the fall of Samaria and then Jerusalem was well thought out.

b) Samaria did fall ahead of Jerusalem.

c) This was the route of the enemies of Israel and Judah.

i) The Assyrians would see to the fall of Samaria.

ii) The Babylonians would see to the fall of Jerusalem.

d) Both cities fell and it was disastrous, more so, when it was the Lord who had determined this.