Three Questions

Micah 2:7b "Is the Spirit of the Lord restricted? Are these His doings? Do not My words do good to him who walks uprightly?"

Micah was warning the people that they were going to see trouble because of the way that they were oppressing those who trusted them. God had three questions for these people: Is My Spirit restricted? Is He doing this? Don't I show favor to those who do what is right?

First question: Is the Spirit of the Lord restricted? Restricted is an interesting translation. The word actually means grieved. Is the Spirit of the Lord grieved? Is He sad about what you are doing to others? You bet He was. He cares about people. Not only that, but He cared about the people who were acting shamefully. God's heart's desire is for all of our good. He is grieved when others are cheated. He is grieved when others are robbed. He is grieved when others are oppressed. And He is grieved because He desires those who are engaging in rotten activity to change.

A good question that I need to ask myself is: Why do we sometimes act the way we do toward others? Why are we mean, or why do we deceive, or why do we cheat others? Sometimes our actions and our words are so stupid. They don't help others and frankly they hurt us in the long-run. That is what happened in Micah's day and it still happens today. We definitely will reap what we sow and this saddens God.

Second question: Are these His deeds? I suppose you could take this two ways. Is God doing this rotten stuff to others? The answer: No. The other way you can take this question is, is God bringing the justice that was necessary to correct these wrongs? The answer: Yes. God will not sit idly by while we treat others improperly. We will eventually see how His economy works. What goes around comes around. This is the way life works and He has laid it out for us in His word.

This leads to the third question: Don't my words do good to those who do what is right? Absolutely. God's word is true. When we do what is right He blesses. You could take this verse conversely and read it: "Don't my words do bad to those who do what is wrong?" You bet.

The point of all of this is: Do you want God to bless? Do you want God to smile on you? Do you want to see God work positively in your life? Then do what He says. Don't grieve His Spirit…obey Him.