LBC Weekly SPARK – September 27, 2012

Dear LBC family and friends,

I hope the week is off to a great start for you. A couple weeks ago we had a pretty momentous members meeting announcing the plans to plant a church in the Los Angeles area in the next year. I was so thankful to hear the enthusiastic response of our members because it showed once again how committed this congregation is to the MVP of LBC. We have said that we would be a church planting church and have done all we can to uphold this desire in accordance with God’s Word.

Some may be wondering why a church plant in Los Angeles is necessary. Aren’t there already good churches there? We announced at the members meeting, that a church in LA would be strategic because of its proximity to The Master’s Seminary. This could be instrumental in the training up of future pastors and leaders. Also, LA provides a more central location for all the California Lighthouse churches. But even without these factors in mind, it is a bit naive to think that there are a sufficient number of churches in LA. It is one of the most populated cities in America, and as we know too well, many churches do not equal many good churches. And even the good churches are not all committed to the MVP, and specifically church planting, in the way LBC is. Again, this isn’t to say that we believe we are the only church or even the greatest church, but we believe in what we are doing and want to continue to see the work spread throughout the surrounding regions and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

I know that many were surprised to hear that elder Mike Chon and his family were planning to go and help Pastor John in the church planting effort. Many changes are going to be necessary in order to move forward. We don’t commit ourselves to church planting because it is easy or convenient. We do it because we love God and people, and want to see souls saved. So, though I’m sad that Mike and Caroline and the boys are planning to move away, I’m super excited that John will have good help and support (because he’s going to need it).

LBC San Jose and East Bay are also planning on losing much even in the fact that Pastor John is leading the church plant in LA. But we are completely confident in and excited for Pastor J. R. Cuevas to take the lead in San Jose, and that the East Bay church plant is in good hands with Pastor Jim Kang. Please continue to pray for our pastors and leaders and their families, that they would always depend on the Lord in all things and find their strength and sufficiency in Him. Please also pray that God would be gracious to give us fruitful ministries where people are being taught all that Christ commanded to the glory of God (Matt. 28:20).

At the members meeting, we were also happy to announce officially that the elders of LBC San Diego have nominated Johnny Kim as an elder. We are hoping to install him into leadership at the next members meeting. Please be praying for Johnny and Mimi as they take this time to carefully consider this nomination. Please also pray for Mimi as she continues in what has been a fairly difficult pregnancy.

So, it was a good members meeting. I can’t put into words how thankful I am for this church and ministry that I am given by the grace of God. Obviously in moving forward we have a lot to pray about, so let’s be faithful in it. Let’s pray that the name of Christ would be exalted and that the gospel of grace would go forth from us to the nations.

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

Here are the announcements for this week. Please read through them all!

  1. FLOCKS. Don’t forget that our regional flocks meet this week starting tonight. For more information about flocks, visit the info table on Sunday or check out the website. Also, don’t forget to complete the homework so you can participate in the large group discussion time. Flocks worksheets can be downloaded at the flocks website.
  2. ALL-CHURCH PHOTO. This Sunday, after service, we will head out to the parking lot to take our annual all-church photo. Parents, please be sure to get your kids from their classes as soon as service is over so that we can take the photo quickly. Some families may also be asked to move their cars to make room for the photo.
  3. FUN IN THE SUN. This Sunday will also be the last FITS of the summer. This time South Bay Community Church in National City will be joining us for fellowship. This is the church we are working with in a joint outreach effort to the children of that area. FITS will run from 11:30am-4:00pm. Be sure to bring sunscreen and a change of clothes! Lunch will be served for $5/adult (kids 0-12 eat free!).
  4. KIDS’ CLUB. LKC will begin next Thursday, October 4, from 6:30-8:00pm. All kids ages 3-12 are welcome to participate. Yes! Parents, that means LKC is open to preschoolers, but your child must be potty trained. Please contact Josh Liu for information about registration (liu.joshuac@gmail.com). The cost is $30/child for the entire year! Each subsequent child in the same household will receive a $10 discount!
  5. GRACE LIFE FAMILY MINISTRY. Grace Life will begin meeting for Bible studies on Thursday, October 4, in conjunction with the LKC schedule. All married couples and parents are encouraged to come out as we will walk through a biblical study of the mind. The theme is “What Do You Think?” and it promises to be a helpful study. This will also be a great time for fellowship! For your help, nursery care will be provided during this time.
  6. ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL. Three classes will begin during the Sunday School hour on Sunday, October 7. Steve Preslar and Min Kim will be teaching “Fundamentals of the Faith.” Mike Chon will be teaching “Praying to the Glory of God.” John Rudolph will be teaching “Survey of Basic Apologetics,” answering common objections to the Christian faith. Please make time to attend one of these classes as they are provided to help equip and train you.
  7. MEMBERSHIP CLASS. Our next membership class will be on Saturday, October 13, from 9:00am-12:00pm (yes, we are keeping the 9:00-12:00 schedule), and Sunday, October 14, from 2:00-5:00pm. Attendance at both classes is mandatory. Please contact Pastor Patrick for an application.
  8. FALL FESTIVAL. Our annual Fall Festival will be on Wednesday, October 31, from 5:00-8:30pm. This is a great alternative to Halloween and an opportunity to spend an evening with the church family. There will be games and fun! The cost for entrance is $8/adult (children 0-12 are free!). Dinner will be served! Come dressed up! Prizes will also be awarded for best costumes. Please don’t dress in anything that promotes wickedness and evil or in anything inappropriate (including cross-dressing).
  9. FALL FESTIVAL PLANNING MEETING. We need help making this year’s Fall Festival a success! If you would like to help out, we will be having an planning meeting on Tuesday, October 2, from 7:00-8:30pm. If you can help out but can’t make the meeting, please let Pastor Patrick know.
  10. ALL-CHURCH RETREAT. Our all-church retreat is coming up on November 2-4 at Pine Valley Bible Conference Center. We are super excited that our speaker this year is Pastor James Lee of Pillar Bible Church. The cost for the weekend is $150/adult and $75/child (ages 3-12) with a $450 max/family. This price includes two nights and five meals, so it really is a great deal! Sign up this Sunday in the foyer!

Lumos 2012 Update

by Josh Liu

The leaders at Lighthouse Bible Church continually strive to carry out the mission, vision, and passion of our church in all of our ministries – to make disciples of Christ through the vehicle of the church out of a love for God and people. In doing so, they are constantly examining how to best minister to the members and how to best equip and disciple young leaders. As a result, the youth ministry has undergone major changes in the past. Several years ago, Pastor JR Cuevas oversaw the youth ministry until he was called and sent to church plant in San Jose. Then, Roger Alcaraz oversaw the youth ministry for a couple years until joining College Life staff. Now, I have come to oversee the youth ministry. While these changes are significant and seemingly turbulent, the biblical principles governing LBC’s youth ministry remain the same. The staff and I are still committed to a gospel-centered, Scripture-based ministry that will evangelize and disciple these young men and women to deeper a knowledge and understanding of God and His Word.

The staff and I are extremely excited to serve the youth and their families! During the summer, we were able to have several informal gatherings that allowed the youth, their families, and prospective staff fellowship together. For the 2012-2013 academic year, Lumos will be hosting Friday night Bible studies at the church; we will join the college ministry’s praise time, then divide for teaching. Cesar Vigil-Ruiz and I will be teaching on 1 John and Romans respectively. On Sundays for second hour, youth small groups will use sermon reflection worksheets to review and think of applications of that Sunday morning message. We hope to host Saturday seminars on topics such as comparative religions, home economics, auto care, apologetics, and so on. The staff is also planning on hosting gospel nights and games nights to provide opportunities for invitation, evangelism, and further discipleship. I hope as you read this you are getting as excited as I am! The ministry would love to see the whole church body participating in the life the youth (and vice versa) through these events (e.g. Car Care Ministry leading a Saturday seminar).

Please prayerfully support us as we continue through this season of transitions. Pray for the staff who have sacrificed much and are persevering through their own personal trials. Pray that we remain faithful to Scripture and exalt Christ in our ministry. Pray for the youth and their families as we minister the gospel of God to them. And pray for the salvation and spiritual maturation of these young souls.

BOB – Nahum

by Stephen Rodgers

NAHUM IN 10 WORDS OR LESS

“Powerful, wicked Nineveh will fall before God’s judgment.”

TITLE

Like the majority of the other prophetic books, Nahum is named for the prophet who gave the prophecy that bears his name (Nahum 1:1).

AUTHOR & AUDIENCE

Per Constable:

We know nothing about Nahum (“compassion,” “consolation,” or “comfort”) other than what we read in this book. His name proved significant since he brought comfort and consolation to the Judeans with his prophecies. He was “the Elkoshite” (Nahum 1:1), so he evidently came from a town named Elkosh, but the location of such a town has yet to be discovered. Scholars have suggested that it stood near Nineveh, in Galilee, near Capernaum (City of Nahum?), east of the Jordan River, or somewhere in Judah. Since he was a Jewish prophet and evidently lived after the fall of Samaria in 722 B.C., a location in Judah seems most likely to me.

Nahum’s prophecy was delivered both to the Assyrians who had captured and carried off the ten northern tribes, but also to the southern kingdom of Judah who feared that the same thing might happen to them.

DATE

Nahum can actually be dated fairly easily, since it clearly takes place between two well-known historical events: the fall of Thebes and the fall of Nineveh.

Per the MSB:

With no mention of any kings in the introduction, the date of Nahum’s prophecy must be implied by historical data. The message of judgment against Nineveh portrays a nation of strength, intimating a time not only prior to her fall in 612 B.C. but probably before the death of Ashurbanipal in 626 B.C., after which Assyria’s power fell rapidly. Nahum’s mention of the fall of No Amon, also called Thebes (Nahum 3:8–10), in 663 B.C. (at the hands of Ashurbanipal) appears to be fresh in their minds and there is no mention of the rekindling that occurred ten years later, suggesting a mid-seventh century B.C. date during the reign of Manasseh (ca. 695–642 B.C.; cf. 2 Kin. 21:1–18).

BACKGROUND & SETTING

It helps to think of Nahum as the sequel to Jonah. Over 100 years before, God had used Jonah (worst. prophet. ever.) to proclaim to the Ninevites a message of judgment. In response, the Ninivites repented in rather spectacular fashion (remember the remorseful livestock). However, that spirit of repentance was apparently short lived, since in the intervening years they had managed not only to return to their evil ways, but had been used themselves as an instrument of judgment in the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel…who themselves had not learned the necessary lessons from Jonah’s message.

Fast forward to Nahum, and his prophecy concerning Nineveh. Despite the apparently overwhelming odds, he promised that the Assyrians would be judged for their wicked and cruel ways, and that God would ultimately deliver His people.

HISTORICAL & THEOLOGICAL THEMES

There are two major themes that run through the book of Nahum.

  • Judgment. Nahum portrays God as a divine warrior, and made it clear that it was He who would destroy Nineveh (Nahum 1:2-3, 8, 14-15). Among the chief sins of the Assyrians, he singled out violence (Nahum 2:12; 3:1, 4), idolatry (Nahum 2:14), and cruelty (Nahum 3:19) for particular mention.
  • Deliverance. Nahum brought a message of hope to Judah, who had suffered under the Assyrians for many years. He told how God cares for His people, and will avenge them against those who abuse them. Ultimately, He alone will truly protect them (Nahum 1:7), free them from oppression (Nahum 1:13, 15), and restore them (Nahum 2:2).

INTERPRETIVE CHALLENGES

There are no significant interpretive challenges regarding Nahum.

LITERARY FEATURES

Per the ESVSB:

The prophetic book of Nahum consists entirely of oracles of judgment, with no oracles of redemption or blessing, though a future restoration of Judah is indicated in passing. The second half of the book includes taunts, pronouncements of woe (sometimes called “the woe formula”), and vivid narratives of destruction. In a sense, the whole book is an extended taunt. Since the imagery and motifs are consistently military in reference (with God pictured as a divine warrior), the book can be considered war poetry.

OBJECTIONS

No major objections are raised against Nahum, although unbelievers try to find alternative explanations to Nahum 1:8 and 3:11, which are a little too accurate for comfort for the unbelieving mind. Nahum 1:8 most likely refers to the overflowing of the Tigris river, which actually was a pivotal moment in allowing Nineveh to be conquered by the Babylonians/Medes/Scythians. Nahum 3:11 most likely refers to the fact that after its destruction in 612 BC, this massive city, at one time considered to be one of the largest in the ANE, was buried under the desert sand and remained hidden until 1842 AD…nearly 2,500 years later.

NOTABLE QUOTABLES

  • Nahum 1:3
  • Nahum 1:7

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Nahum is basically the sequel to Jonah.
  • Nahum is not quoted in the NT, although there may be an allusion to Nah. 1:15 in Rom. 10:15 (cf. Is. 52:7).
  • The Assyrians were known for their cruelty in warfare, often engaging in behavior such as making pyramids of severed heads, stacking bodies like cordword (Nahum 3:3), and murdering infants (Nahum 3:10).

Other Works Referenced

  • Apologetics Study Bible, “Nahum”
  • Archaeological Study Bible, “Introduction to Nahum”
  • ESV Study Bible, “Introduction to Nahum”
  • MacArthur Study Bible, “Nahum”
  • NET Bible, Nahum
  • NIV Study Bible, Nahum
  • Reformation Study Bible, “Nahum”
  • The Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook, “Nahum”
  • Dever, The Message of the Old Testament
  • Driscoll, A Book You’ll Actually Read On the Old Testament
  • Knight, The Layman’s Bible Handbook

FOF #5: The Work of Jesus Christ

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

by Pastor Patrick Cho

The most central idea to all of Christianity is that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose again after three days to save sinners. Still, it saddens me (though it no longer surprises me) that we frequently meet professing Christians who grew up in the church never hearing the gospel in its entirety, and some who are confused about the most basic ideas about it. A number of years ago, when I was still the college pastor at Lighthouse, I announced to the collegians that we would take an entire year to examine the doctrine of salvation. We broke down the gospel and studied it weekly with different emphases in mind.

When I first announced this to the collegians, some rolled their eyes at me as if to say we could spend our year better by looking at a wider range of topics or the “meatier” portions of Scripture. By the year’s end, however, most agreed it was a truly helpful study that revealed how little they knew about the gospel. By God’s grace, many realized through that study how shallow their understanding of the cross really was, and some even told me later that God used that study to rescue them from their sins and lead them to Christ.

We have learned over the years not to assume that someone who professes to be a Christian really understands the gospel. Even if a person has grown up in the church, we want to make sure they know what the Bible says about God, their sin, the cross, and the response of faith. We don’t do this simply to get people to question their salvation. We do this because we’ve found that oftentimes their behavior gives them reason to question the genuineness of their faith (cf. 2 Cor. 13:5) or at least they have some need to fine tune their knowledge of the gospel and what Jesus accomplished on the cross.

Any true and lasting hope a person has in this world must be found in Christ. There are many things that people turn to when they are in trouble. Some turn to their friends to find comfort, encouragement, or counsel. Others call upon their family members to lend support or help. There are many things that people turn to for refuge and escape when they are going through difficult times – exercise, sleep, food, alcohol, etc.

But the Bible tells us that our refuge should be Christ. Nothing else can deliver in an ultimate sense. Regardless of how difficult our circumstances or situation, there is no greater problem for us than our sinful souls. Our sin nature is a deeper problem than any failing marriage, unemployment, or natural disaster. The reason for this is that sin and its consequences are at the root of every problem we face. If we don’t deal with our sin problem, we are simply addressing symptoms and not the root cause of our problems.

Every person deserves to be condemned by God because of our sin. We have offended a perfect, holy, and infinite God, so the Bible teaches that the punishment for sin is an eternity in hell. “Why not simply change and stop sinning?” someone might reason. The problem is that we don’t have what it takes in ourselves to make things right. This is because our sin affects the totality of our being. Every word, every action, every thought is tainted by our sin. If we do “good” things, we do them with wrong motives (cf. Heb. 11:6; 1 Cor. 10:31). So even if we wanted to do something about our sin, it’s our sin that stands in the way of our ability to do anything about it. Ultimately, we spend our lives living for things that are less than God and each day is lived in opposition to who He is and what He desires of us.

Our sin renders us guilty and God is a perfect judge who doesn’t allow sin to go unpunished. The penalty incurred because of sin must be paid. When Jesus came into the world, He lived a perfect life. He never had a single evil thought or motive. He never spoke an evil word or committed an evil action. His life was completely unstained by sin. At the end of His earthly career, though, Jesus shed His blood and died on a cross. The Bible teaches that He did this as our substitute – “for us” or “on our behalf” (Rom. 5:8). But God took Him who knew no sin and made Him sin (2 Cor. 5:21). This doesn’t mean that Jesus became an immoral person or that He became wicked. It means that when He died on the cross, He stood in the place of sinful people. He died in our place so that we would not have to bear the punishment for sin. The justice of God demanded that sin needed to be paid for, so Jesus paid it all for us.

The one who trusts in Jesus as their Lord and Savior can be forgiven of their sins and have this salvation granted to them. The Bible talks about your need to repent and believe in the gospel (Mark 1:14-15). By God’s grace, you need to turn from your sin and turn in faith to Jesus, trusting in the work He did on the cross. You have to confess that you are a sinner who has offended a holy God and that you cannot do anything about your sin. You have to trust that Jesus died on the cross in your place and made it possible for you to be right with God.

By placing your faith in Jesus, the Bible says that God will rescue you from judgment and transform your life. He will change you from the inside out. The Bible says that He will give you a spiritual heart transplant (Ezek. 36:26), He will raise you from spiritual death to life (Eph. 2:1-9), and He will heal you of your spiritual blindness and give you sight (John 8:12; cf. Acts 26:18). Everything is different for the person who lives for Jesus – there is a new outlook on life with a new ultimate purpose. You don’t just try to be the best person you can be, but you try to live your life in the ways of God for His glory and honor.

All of this is made possible because of what Jesus did on the cross serving as our substitute. He died in our place and bore the punishment for our sin so that we could have life. Even though He never sinned, God treated Him as the sinner so that He could treat us as sinless. This truly is amazing grace! It is a gift that is completely and utterly undeserved, but one that was completely and utterly needed. God rescued us from our sin because He knew we would be hopeless on our own. So praise God for the salvation He offers us in Christ!

Salvation is of the Lord

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Jonah 2:9

Salvation is the work of God. It is He alone who quickens the soul ‘dead in trespasses and sins,’ and it is He also who maintains the soul in its spiritual life. He is both ‘Alpha and Omega.’ ‘Salvation is of the Lord.’ If I am prayerful, God makes me prayerful; if I have graces, they are God’s gifts to me; if I hold on in a consistent life, it is because He upholds me with His hand. I do nothing whatever towards my own preservation, except what God Himself first does in me. Whatever I have, all my goodness is of the Lord alone. Wherein I sin, that is my own; but wherein I act rightly, that is of God, wholly and completely. If I have repulsed a spiritual enemy, the Lord’s strength nerved my arm. Do I live before men a consecrated life? It is not I, but Christ who liveth in me. Am I sanctified? I did not cleanse myself: God’s Holy Spirit sanctifies me. Am I weaned from the world? I am weaned by God’s chastisements sanctified to my good. Do I grow in knowledge? The great Instructor teaches me. All my jewels were fashioned by heavenly art. I find in God all that I want; but I find in myself nothing but sin and misery. ‘He only is my rock and my salvation.’ Do I feed on the Word? That Word would be no food for me unless the Lord made it food for my soul, and helped me to feed upon it. Do I live on the manna which comes down from heaven? What is that manna but Jesus Christ himself incarnate, whose body and whose blood I eat and drink? Am I continually receiving fresh increase of strength? Where do I gather my might? My help cometh from heaven’s hills: without Jesus I can do nothing. As a branch cannot bring forth fruit except it abide in the vine, no more can I, except I abide in Him. What Jonah learned in the great deep, let me learn this morning in my closet: ‘Salvation is of the Lord.’

2.26a

Weekly Links (9/21/2012)

John Owen and John Calvin knew more theology than John Bunyan or Billy Bray, but who would deny that the latter pair knew their God ever bit as well as the former? (All four, of course, were beavers for the Bible, which counts for far more anyway than a formal theological training.) If the decisive factor was notional correctness, then obviously the most learned biblical scholars would know God better than anyone else. But it is not; you can have all the right notions in your head without ever tasting in your heart the realities to which they refer; and a simple Bible reader and sermon hearer who is full of the Holy Spirit will develop a far deeper acquaintance with his God and Savior than a more learned scholar who is content with being theologically correct. The reason is that the former will deal with God regarding the practical application of truth to his life, whereas the latter will not. (J.I. Packer, Knowing God)

by Richard Shin

And we’re back! It was another action-packed week. Here we go:

  • Christianaudio.com has a free audiobook out by C.J. Mahaney called Don’t Waste Your Sports. Download it now before it’s too late.
  • A new discovery of a piece of papyrus caused a storm this past week. Why? Because it suggested that Jesus was married. There have been a lot of responses. I’d like to point you to a few: Michael J. Kruger’s, Al Mohler’s, and Thomas White’s.
  • Two people could argue until their teeth fall out on whether or not the gift of tongues has seized to exist with the close of the canon. Regardless, Scripture is abundantly clear on how and with what purpose one ought to speak in tongues. Josiah Grauman as a cessationist shares how one ought to engage in these discussions in two parts: part 1 and part 2.
  • How do you define morality? One might argue that immorality is anything that harms other people. But is this true? In this video, Tim Keller and Al Mohler discuss whether this definition of morality suffices. For your information, I’m hurt by that definition.
  • Mike Lee gives four reasons we as Christians do not burn things down when Jesus is mocked.
  • I’m sure some of you can benefit from this graphic.

Can you believe we’re almost in the fourth quarter of the year? Neither can I. Have a great weekend, everyone.

Coram Deo

LBCSD Sonlight Curriculum 2012-2013: An Explanation and Purpose

by Abram Kim

It is the start of another school year and Sonlight is well underway towards partnering with parents to teach the truths of Scripture to the next generation of our church. This year, Sonlight, LBCSD’s elementary ministry, is veering from Children Desiring God curricula and will teach from a curriculum by Answers in Genesis titled, “Answers for Kids Bible Curriculum.” I found this curriculum at the 2012 Shepherd’s Conference and got it because I wanted to consider using it for Sonlight. My hope and prayer for this curriculum is to show our Sonlight children what it looks like to have a biblical worldview, including the 6-day creation of the entire universe.

The first part of the curriculum teaches the 7 C’s of history: Creation, Corruption (the Fall), Catastrophe (the flood), Confusion (tower at Babel), Christ, Cross, and Consummation. This was the VBS theme for LBCSD in 2008. It was a great overview of all of history from a biblical perspective. This will be a great starting point for the year. All of the world and all of history belongs to our God. We as a staff pray that these lessons will help our Sonlight children view creation, history, and their lives from a biblical worldview.

The rest of the curriculum goes through some common questions people have about the Bible, including the age of the earth and dinosaurs. We will explore topics like how we got the Bible, is the theory of Evolution true, and why people around the world look different. Though some of the science in this curriculum might be beyond the comprehension of some of the children, it is still good to introduce these topics from the Bible. We need to be reminded ourselves and pass on to the next generation the clear and unrivaled authority of Scripture. We must be reminded that the source of truth is God Himself, and that the Bible we have is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16).

It seems that this world gets more wicked and more vile day by day. The cultural norms now tolerate blatant evils and accept lies as truth. Evolution is accepted as fact. Abortion happens everyday. Children no longer live under authority and are often treated as if they are adults already, as parents bypass the rod for a form of self-esteem that increases self-reliance and leads them away from the Sovereign Lord.

As a church, we must continue to educate our children in the truths of Scripture. Truth is the only dependable and reliable weapon against falsehood. Our constant prayer as a ministry is that God will enlighten the hearts and minds of every child in Sonlight and that God’s truth will guard their hearts and minds as they grow up in their generation. May they have a greater biblical upbringing than we ever did. May they be equipped to discern what is true and false, and to ward off the plethora of deceitful falsehood surrounding our culture. Please pray with us this year that our Sonlight children will develop a truly biblical worldview.

BOB – Micah

by Stephen Rodgers

MICAH IN 10 WORDS OR LESS

“Israel and Judah will suffer for their idolatry and injustice.”

TITLE

Like the majority of the other prophetic books, Micah is named for the prophet who gave the prophecy that bears his name.

Per the MSB:

The name of the book is derived from the prophet who, having received the word of the Lord, was commissioned to proclaim it. Micah, whose name is shared by others in the OT (e.g., Judg. 17:1; 2 Chr. 13:2; Jer. 36:11), is a shortened form of Micaiah (or Michaiah) and means “Who is like the LORD?” In Micah 7:18, Micah uses a play on his own name, saying “Who is a God like You?”

AUTHOR & AUDIENCE

It is somewhat interesting to note that Micah is identified by his location (Micah 1:1, 1:4) rather than his  lineage (Joel 1:1; Jonah 1:1). Both the MSB and the NET overlap in their introduction of him, but each provide a bit of extra information.

Per the MSB:

The first verse establishes Micah as the author. Beyond that, little is known about him. His parentage is not given, but his name suggests a godly heritage. He traces his roots to the town of Moresheth (Mic. 1:1,14), located in the foothills of Judah, approximately 25 mi. SW of Jerusalem, on the border of Judah and Philistia, near Gath. From a productive agricultural area, he was like Amos, a country resident removed from the national politics and religion, yet chosen by God (Mic. 3:8) to deliver a message of judgment to the princes and people of Jerusalem. 

Per Constable:

The name “Micah” is a shortened form of “Micaiah,” which means, “Who is like Yahweh?” A different Micaiah, the son of Imlah, served as a prophet in the Northern Kingdom during the reign of King Ahab of Israel (874-853 B.C., 1 Kings 22:8-28; 2 Chron. 18:3-27). Micah’s hometown was Moresheth-gath, which stood about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem in Judah (Mic. 1:1). It was called Moresheth-gath (Mic. 1:14) because it was fairly close to the Philistine town of Gath. Moresheth-gath was also about six miles northeast of Lachish, an important Judean town in Micah’s day because it stood on an international trade route. Since Moresheth-gath stood only about a day’s walk west of Tekoa, Amos’ hometown, these prophets, who were roughly contemporary, may have known each other. Amos prophesied during the reign of King Uzziah of Judah (Amos 1:1), and Micah prophesied during the reigns of Kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, who followed Uzziah (Mic. 1:1).

DATE

Micah clearly falls into the sub-category of the pre-exilic prophets, albeit as a somewhat unusual one since he prophesied to and against both Israel and Judah.

Per the MSB:

Micah places his prophecy during the reigns of Jotham (750–731 B.C.), Ahaz (731–715 B.C.), and Hezekiah (715–686 B.C.). His indictments of social injustices and religious corruption renew the theme of Amos (mid-eighth century B.C.) and his contemporaries, Hosea in the N (ca. 755–710 B.C.) and in the S Isaiah (ca. 739–690 B.C.). This fits that which is known about the character of Ahaz (2 Kin. 16:10–18) and his son Hezekiah prior to his sweeping spiritual reformations (2 Chr. 29; 31:1). His references to the imminent fall of Samaria (Mic. 1:6) clearly position him before 722 B.C., at approximately 735–710 B.C.

BACKGROUND & SETTING

In many ways, the closest match to Micah (both personally and thematically) is Amos. Like Amos, Micah was a rural prophet sent to an urban center to bring a message of God’s impending judgment as a result of social and spiritual injustice and idolatry. Some have theorized that they might even have known each other (Leon Wood, The Prophets of Israel).

Per Constable:

Micah ministered to the people of Judah, the Southern Kingdom. He predicted the destruction of the Northern Kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians and warned the Judeans that God would discipline them too for their sins. As in all the prophetical books, the standard by which God measured His people was the Mosaic Covenant. If they obeyed, they would enjoy blessing, but if they disobeyed, they could expect punishment (cf. Lev. 26; Deut. 28). Micah, too, pointed out how the Israelites had broken the covenant and that judgment was inevitable, but he also promised ultimate restoration in view of God’s promises to the patriarchs. Micah never used the word “covenant” (Heb. berit), but it is clear from what he wrote that thoughts of the covenant were always in his mind.

In a similar fashion, Micah is never explicitly addressed as a “prophet,” but the source of his power is explicitly attributed to the “Spirit of the Lord” (Mic. 3:8; cf. 2 Pet. 1:20–21).

HISTORICAL & THEOLOGICAL THEMES

There are three major themes that run through the book of Micah:

  • Judgment Against Oppressors. Micah focused his anger on both idolatry and social evil, but the most extensive and harsh comments were reserved for those who used their power to oppress those weaker than themselves. Those in power had conspired to do evil (Micah 2:1; 7:3), coveted and defrauded (Micah 2:2; 6:10), stolen and plundered (Micah 2:8), hated good and loved evil (Micah 3:2), oppressed the poor (Micah 3:3), despised justice and distorted truth (Micah 3:9), accepted bribes (Micah 3:11; 7:3), used their religious positions for profit (Micah 3:11), engaged in dishonest business practices (Micah 6:11), acted with violence and deceit (Micah 6:12), and murdered their own people (Micah 7:2). As punishment for this, Micah prophesied that God would bring judgment upon both Samaria (Micah 1:6-7) and Jerusalem (Micah 1:12; 3:12; 4:10).
  • Restoration. Micah declared that after judgment God would mercifully forgive and restore His people (Micah 7:9), bring them back from Babylon (Micah 4:10), and restoring Jerusalem’s dominion (Micah 4:8,13).
  • Justice. Micah asks a seemingly simple question, “What does the LORD require of you?” The answer in Micah 6:8 (made famous by a Christian praise song in the 80’s), is not used simply a cute chorus of noble activities. It was explicitly a lack of these qualities for which Israel was condemned.

INTERPRETIVE CHALLENGES

There is a minor interpretive issue related to Micah 4:2-3 and Isaiah 2:2-4.  The question is typically framed as follows:

  • Did Micah quote Isaiah, or
  • Did Isaiah quote Micah, or
  • Did both Micah and Isaiah quote some third source?
Considering that Micah and Isaiah were contemporaries of one another, it really doesn’t matter.

LITERARY FEATURES

Per the ESVSB:

Micah comprises a series of oracles (prophetic pronouncements) delivered in a variety of historical and political contexts. The overall genre is prophecy. While Micah uses a variety of forms such as disputation (Micah 2:6–11) and lament (1:8–16), the two leading prophetic forms in Micah are the oracle of judgment (Micah 2:1–4) and the oracle of salvation or redemption (Micah 5:2–5). The oracles of judgment follow the rules of satire: they have one or more objects of attack, a vehicle in which the attack is embodied, a stated or implied norm by which the criticism is conducted, and a prevailing tone that is either biting or laughing. Some of the oracles of salvation picture a future golden age (which can be taken either as messianic visions of the first coming of Christ or as apocalyptic visions of Christ’s second coming). Much of the book’s content is embodied in poetical language, requiring the reader to unpack the meanings of images and figures of speech such as wordplay (see note on Micah 1:10–15), metaphor, and simile (Micah 1:4, 8; 2:12; 3:3, 12; 4:9–10; 5:8; 7:1, 4).

OBJECTIONS

Some have objected that the prophetic “cycles” of Micah which alternatively warn of judgment then foretells of redemption and salvation are not unified enough to be the work of a single author. This overlooks the obvious counter-objections that 1) the book is unified as an overall whole, and 2) other prophetic authors juxtaposed judgment/salvation prophecies.

The majority of scholars do not consider this claim to be a significant objection to Micah having a single author.

NOTABLE QUOTABLES

  • Micah 5:2
  • Micah 6:8

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Micah gets quoted often elsewhere in the Bible.  In the OT, we first see Micah 3:12 quoted in Jeremiah 26:18, showing that Micah was known and apparently canonical by Jeremiah’s time. Micah 3:10 is also quoted in Habakkuk 2:12.  In the NT, Micah 5:2 is quoted by the priests in Matthew 2:6, and Christ quotes Micah 7:6 in Matthew 10:35-36.
  • To sit under one’s own vine and fig tree was a proverbial picture of peace, contentment, and security (Micah 4:4).
  • “Seven…even eight” is a figurative expression for “an indefinite number” (Micah 5:5).

Other Works Referenced

  • Apologetics Study Bible, “Micah”
  • Archaeological Study Bible, “Introduction to Micah”
  • ESV Study Bible, “Introduction to Micah”
  • MacArthur Study Bible, “Micah”
  • NET Bible, Micah
  • NIV Study Bible, Micah
  • Reformation Study Bible, “Micah”
  • The Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook, “Micah”
  • Dever, The Message of the Old Testament
  • Driscoll, A Book You’ll Actually Read On the Old Testament
  • Knight, The Layman’s Bible Handbook

Signs of Spiritual Maturity #5: Changes in Friendship

by Elder Peter Lim

In my previous article, I focused on the changes that occur in a Christian’s heart as he matures spiritually. Today I’d like to focus on changes that occur within Christian circles of friends. There are many different circumstances that lead Christians to decide whether to stay at the church of their childhood (physical or spiritual) or to move on to a new church. There are valid reasons for both. Unfortunately some people make decisions like this for invalid reasons as well. Either way, these scenarios will afford more mature Christians an opportunity to respond differently to these situations than a less mature one.

A sign of spiritual maturity is that changes in friendship occur deliberately for the purpose of maximizing God’s glory.

Here are some common scenarios:

Newcomers

Nobody likes changes when things are going well. In a healthy church situation, there will be close friendships as people share their lives with one another in mutual accountability and care. When new people visit, they come in search of a community of believers who will welcome them into their fellowship. A mature person knows this and will go out of his way to welcome new people into their circles. Eventually, the size of a group of close friends grows beyond the ability of the group to maintain their close ties and also welcome new people in. As a result, those circles will often change and a sense of closeness with the same group of people will be lost. This is good and appropriate because it’s done deliberately for the purpose of maximizing God’s glory.

Station in Life

Collegians often spend a lot of time with each other because they are often roommates with one another and they have common struggles as students. They may even have the same vacation schedule for Summer, Fall, and Spring breaks, enabling them to spend time with one another. As they transition to a working adult lifestyle, many old friendships change. Some start to get married and have children. Almost necessarily, friendships change depending on when children are born since the parents tend to gravitate toward their children’s age group. Station in life changes are obvious but my point in all of this is to remind all of us that just because the feelings of closeness with old friends may change over time, a mature Christian can understand and even deliberately make these changes for the sake of ministry to those who they are better suited for. Old friends are not lost. New ones are gained. Certainly the old friendships will be different due to less time being spent with them. Mature believers will have a heavenly perspective, knowing that to live is Christ. We will have an eternity not only to spend in the presence of Jesus but with old friends as well.

Church Plant

Perhaps nothing is as difficult or deliberate as the change in friendships that take place as a result of planting a new church. The ones who are most likely to leave are those same faithful servants who have been serving actively in key roles at the home church. These would be dear brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we have been developing close friendships with. Why would we put ourselves through this kind of sacrifice? For the sake of the gospel of course. Not many churches are committed to doing this however. That’s because it’s not easy to purposely send people away because the home church would be stronger with them than without them, and it’s not easy to purposely part ways with close friends. This would only make sense if one understands that God’s glory is at stake here. It takes a mature believer to think this way.

Of course these scenarios are just a sampling of the many changes that may take place in a person’s life. These changes are best dealt with by mature Christians because we will deliberately make changes in friendships for God’s glory. We will trust God with those changes that are difficult or painful. Have you deliberately made changes in friendships that result in less comfort/convenience for yourself but results in more glory for God? If so, that’s a sign that you are maturing in Christ.

But Jonah Rose Up to Flee unto Tarshish from the Presence of the Lord…

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Jonah 1:3

Instead of going to Nineveh to preach the Word, as God bade him, Jonah disliked the work, and went down to Joppa to escape from it. There are occasions when God’s servants shrink from duty. But what is the consequence? What did Jonah lose by his conduct?

  • He lost the presence and comfortable enjoyment of God’s love. When we serve our Lord Jesus as believers should do, our God is with us; and though we have the whole world against us, if we have God with us, what does it matter? But the moment we start back, and seek our own inventions, we are at sea without a pilot. Then may we bitterly lament and groan out, ‘O my God, where hast Thou gone? How could I have been so foolish as to shun Thy service, and in this way to lose all the bright shinings of Thy face? This is a price too high. Let me return to my allegiance, that I may rejoice in Thy presence.’
  • In the next place, Jonah lost all peace of mind. Sin soon destroys a believer’s comfort. It is the poisonous upas tree, from whose leaves distil deadly drops which destroy the life of joy and peace.
  • Jonah lost everything upon which he might have drawn for comfort in any other case. He could not plead the promise of divine protection, for he was not in God’s ways; he could not say, ‘Lord, I meet with these difficulties in the discharge of my duty, therefore help me through them.’ He was reaping his own deeds; he was filled with his own ways. Christian, do not play the Jonah, unless you wish to have all the waves and the billows rolling over your head. You will find in the long run that it is far harder to shun the work and will of God than to at once yield yourself to it.
  • Jonah lost his time, for he had to go to Tarshish after all.

It is hard to contend with God; let us yield ourselves at once.

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