Miquéias 1
Thomas Constable · Citado em PreceptAustin
Miquéias 1
Constable: God would smash Samaria's idols proving them incapable of defending themselves much less helping others. He would burn the luxurious ornaments that the people offered as temple gifts in the conflagration that would accompany Samaria's overthrow. All the pagan images that the people had made would perish. The Lord viewed these physical treasures as the earnings of harlot Israel who had been unfaithful to Him (cf. Hosea). The Israelites had committed adultery with temple prostitutes, but the Assyrians would destroy the gifts that they had brought into their temples and use them for their own idolatrous worship. (Micah Commentary) Micah 1:8 Because of this I must lament and wail, I must go barefoot and naked; I must make a lament like the jackals and a mourning like the ostriches. I will wail Isaiah 16:9; 21:3; 22:4; Jeremiah 4:19; 9:1,10,19; 48:36-39 a wailing Job 30:29; Psalms 102:6 owls Heb. daughters of the owl. THE PROPHET'S EMPATHY AND AGONY Because of this - Always pause and ponder phrases such as "because of this" ("because" = explains the reason for something and this word occurs >1400x in NAS functioning as a term of explanation). Interrogate these "code words" with "5W/H type" questions such as what is this? What is Micah explaining (which usually "forces" us to examine the preceding context)? I must go barefoot and naked - Micah is identifying himself with the nation. Captives in combat were often subjected to the humiliation of nakedness. Patterson "This was one of several rituals for mourning the dead in the biblical world. The stripping away of clothing and footwear signified the laying aside of one’s former status and was a symbolic admission of defeat (Walton, Matthews, and Chavalas 2000:781; cf. the enacted prophecy of Isaiah, Isa 20:2)."
Miquéias 1
Constable - Sarcastically, Micah urged the people of Lachish (Heb. lakish), a town known for its horses, to hitch a team (Heb. rekesh) of horses to a chariot to escape from the enemy. They would not be able to escape, however, because Lachish had led Jerusalem, as horses lead a chariot, into the sin of idolatry. (Ref) MISSING GOD'S MARK! Sin (02403)(chattat/chattath) means wrong, iniquity, sin. Chattat, like it's NT counterpart (hamartia), means to miss or fall short of the mark, which ultimately is the will and plan of God as revealed in Scripture. Sin is whatever misses the will of God for man doctrinally or morally. The result of chattat/chattah is that man misses the goal God has for him by failing to observe the requirements of holy living and thus falls short of spiritual wholeness. We are all sinners. We all miss the mark, and none of us are perfect nor will we ever be perfect in this life. This is why Christ had to die for our sin so we might have His righteousness (see 2Cor 5:21). Chattat can be an offense against man (1Sa 20:1 Ps 59:3, Ge 31:36 which also has word pesha') but more often represents an offense against God, and is found mainly in the historical and prophetical literature. It is interesting that even pagan Pharaoh recognized his sin against Jehovah and against Moses (Ex 10:16 where sinned = verb chata, 02398), and ask Moses to intercede with God to "remove this death from me." (Ex 10:17) We get a word picture of the meaning of miss the mark by the use of the related verb chata' (02398) in Judges 20:16 where we read that "Out of all these people 700 choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss (Lxx = examartano [ex + hamartano] means to miss one's aim, to err, to sin.)." The Hebrew verb chata is used 221v in in OT and is translated "sin" 55x and "sinned" 87x (First use = Ge 20:6, 9). In a different context, chata is used in Pr 19:2 to describe a man in a hurry who “misses his way” (Pr 19:2ESV) The NET Note on Pr 1:10 (which has the cognate word "sinners" - 02400) is interesting, explaining that "the idea of sin is often explained as “missing the moral mark”. But the term should not be restricted to the idea of a sin of ignorance or simply falling short of the moral ideal. Its meaning is more likely seen in the related Akkadian term “to revolt, rebel.” It is active rebellion against authority. It is used here (Pr 1:10-note) in reference to a gang of robbers." TWOT - like other words related to the notion of “sin” chattat assumes an absolute standard or law. But, whereas pesha' signifies a “revolt against the standard,” and 'avon means either “to deviate from the standard” or “to twist the standard,” chattat means "to miss, to fall short of the standard. Chattat is translated by the Lxx here in Micah 1:13 with the noun hamartia which describes a departure from doing what is right, especially as it relates to God's standard of righteousness. In fact the chattat is most commonly translated in the Lxx with hamartia, although occasionally it is translated with anomia (Neh 4:5, Job 13:23 uses both hamartia and anomia) which describes that which is without the law and signifies, not merely the abstract idea, but disregard for, or actual breach of, the law of God. In Ex 29:14 we see that chattat/chattath can refer not only to sin but also to the sin offering. This latter meaning takes on special significance in Leviticus 16 which describes in detail the annual Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), chattat is used 8 times to describe the sin offering (Lev 16:3, 5-6, 9, 11, 15, 25, 27). How fascinating that the same word chattat/chattath describes not only the problem but also the remedy for the problem. Indeed, it was the blood of the sin offering that brought atonement (Lev 16:6,11, 27)! Mounce writes that this "has profound implications for understanding Paul’s statement in 2Cor 5:21-note, that the One Who knew no sin was made sin for us, that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Did Jesus become sin, or did He become a sin offering?Given Paul’s thorough acquaintance with the OT, perhaps both are implied." (Ed comment: See Ro 8:3-note = "in the likeness of sinful flesh and [as an offering] for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh") The first use of chattat/chattath in Genesis personifies sin as if it were a fierce animal like a lion getting ready to pounce on Cain, its victim. One might also think of sin here as having a snare (like a trap getting ready to spring) with an attractive power or luring force (See the "snare" aspect of Jeroboam’s idolatrous calves = 1Ki 12:30; 13:34 = both use chattat). What is fascinating is that God tells Cain he must master it (chattat/chattath) which means he could have mastered it (God never calls us to do something He does not enable us to carry out), which means that there was surely sufficient grace available to Cain to enable obedience (had his heart wanted to obey)! Amazing grace indeed! And so we read Gen 4:7 = “If you do well, will not [your countenance] be lifted up? (Rhetorical - answer of course is "Yes!") And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master (Heb = mashal = "govern" in Ge 1:18) it.” We see another aspect of chattat in Pr 5:22 where Solomon warns (and sadly failed to heed his own warning - see 1Ki 11:1-11) "His own iniquities ('avon) will capture the wicked, and he will be held with the cords of his sin." In the second use of chattat God says “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave." (Ge 18:20) In Pr 5:22 Solomon warns (and sadly failed to heed his own warning - see 1Ki 11:1-11) of the power of sin using two of the Hebrew words for sin - "His own iniquities ('avon) will capture (Heb - lakad = catch in a net, trap or pit, figuratively of entrapment of men caught in snares laid by enemies as in Jer 5:26; 18:22; Ps 35:8; Lxx translates lakad with verb agreuo used in " hunting or fishing = to take, catch; figuratively of taking advantage of someone in an unguarded moment, seeking to catch them in a mistake, try to get them to make a wrong statement as in Mk 12.13) the wicked, and he will be held (Heb = tamak = basic idea = "grasping securely"!) with the cords of his sin (chattat/chattath)." ISBE - A fairly exact definition of sin based on Biblical data would be that sin is the transgression of the law of God (1 John 3:4 ). Ordinarily, sin is defined simply as "the transgression of the law," but the idea of God is so completely the essential conception of the entire Biblical revelation that we can best define sin as disobedience to the law of God. It will be seen that primarily sin is an act, but from the very beginning it has been known that acts have effects, not only in the outward world of things and persons, but also upon him who commits the act. Affects the Inner Life: Hence, we find throughout the Scriptures a growing emphasis on the idea of the sinful act as not only a fact in itself, but also as a revelation of an evil disposition on the part of him who commits the act (Genesis 6:5 ). (See full article on sin) Webster (1828) on iniquity - 1. Injustice; unrighteousness; a deviation from rectitude; as the iniquity of war; the iniquity of the slave trade. 2. Want of rectitude in principle; as a malicious prosecution originating in the iniquity of the author. 3. A particular deviation from rectitude; a sin or crime; wickedness; any act of injustice. Webster (1828) on sin - The voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule of rectitude or duty, prescribed by God; any voluntary transgression of the divine law, or violation of a divine command; a wicked act; iniquity. Sin is either a positive act in which a known divine law is violated, or it is the voluntary neglect to obey a positive divine command, or a rule of duty clearly implied in such command. Sin comprehends not actions only, but neglect of known duty, all evil thoughts, purposes, words and desires, whatever is contrary to God’s commands or law. Webster (1828) on wrong - Not morally right; that deviates from the line of rectitude prescribed by God; not just or equitable; not right or proper; not legal; erroneous ; as a wrong practice; wrong ideas; a wrong course of life; wrong measures; wrong inclinations and desires; a wrong application of talents; wrong judgment. Hab. 1. Vine - The basic nuance of this word is “sin” conceived as missing the road or mark (155 times). Chattat can refer to an offense against a man: (Ge 31:36). It is such passages which prove that chattat is not simply a general word for “sin”; since Jacob used two different words, he probably intended two different nuances. In addition, a full word study shows basic differences between chattat and other words rendered “sin.” For the most part this word represents a sin against God (Lev 4:14). Men are to return from “sin,” which is a path, a life-style, or act deviating from that which God has marked out (1Ki 8:35). They should depart from “sin” (2 Kings 10:31), be concerned about it (Ps. 38:18), and confess it (Num. 5:7)....In a few passages the term connotes the guilt or condition of sin = (Ge 18:20). The word means “purification from sin” in two passages = (Nu. 8:7; cf. 19:9). Chattat means “sin offering” (135 times). The law of the “sin offering” is recorded in Lev 4- 5:13; 6:24-30. This was an offering for some specific “sin” committed unwittingly, without intending to do it and perhaps even without knowing it at the time (Lev. 4:2; 5:15). Baker on chattat - A feminine noun meaning sin, transgression, sin offering, punishment. The word denotes youthful indiscretions (Ps. 25:7); evil committed against another (Gen. 50:17); trespasses against God (2 Chr. 33:19; Ps. 51:2[4]; Amos 5:12); a general state of sinfulness (Isa. 6:7); and the specific occasion of sin, particularly in reference to idolatry (Deut. 9:21; Hos. 10:8). It also implies an antidote to sin, including purification from ceremonial impurity (Num. 19:9, 17); the sacrificial offering for sin (Ex. 29:14; Lev. 4:3); and the punishment for sin (Lam. 4:6; Zech. 14:19). In the story of Cain and Abel, sin appears as a creature, ready to pounce, lurking “at the door” of Cain’s heart (Gen. 4:7). Chattat - 267v in NAS = offering for the sin(1), punishment(3), purification from sin(2), sin(93), sin offering(117), sin offerings(2), sinful(1), sinned(1), sinner(1), sins(70). Chattat - 272v in KJV = sin 182, sin offering 116, punishment 3, purification for sin 2, purifying 1, sinful 1, sinner 1; 296 Chattat/chattath - 267v - Most of the uses are in Leviticus and Numbers and then in the prophets. - Ge 4:7; 18:20; 31:36; 50:17; Ex 10:17; 29:14, 36; 30:10; 32:30, 32, 34; 34:9; Lev 4:3, 8, 14, 20f, 23ff, 28f, 32ff; 5:6ff; 6:17, 25, 30; 7:7, 37; 8:2, 14; 9:2f, 7f, 10, 15, 22; 10:16f, 19; 12:6, 8; 14:13, 19, 22, 31; 15:15, 30; Lev 16:3, 5-6, 9, 11, 15-16, 21, 25, 27, 30, 34; 19:22; 23:19; 26:18, 21, 24, 28; Nu 5:6f; 6:11, 14, 16; 7:16, 22, 28, 34, 40, 46, 52, 58, 64, 70, 76, 82, 87; 8:8, 12; 12:11; 15:24f, 27; 16:26; 18:9; 19:9, 17; 28:15, 22; 29:5, 11, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, 38; 32:23; Deut 9:18, 21, 27; Josh 24:19; 1 Sam 2:17; 12:19; 14:38; 15:23, 25; 20:1; 2 Sam 12:13; 1 Kgs 8:34ff; 12:30; 13:34; 14:16, 22; 15:3, 26, 30, 34; 16:2, 13, 19, 26, 31; 2 Kgs 3:3; 10:31; 12:16; 13:2, 6, 11; 14:24; 15:9, 18, 24, 28; 17:22; 21:16f; 24:3; 2 Chr 6:25ff; 7:14; 28:13; 29:21, 23f; 33:19; Ezra 8:35; Neh 1:6; 4:5; 9:2, 37; 10:33; 13:26; Job 10:6; 13:23; 14:16; 34:37; 35:3; Ps 25:7, 18; 32:5; 38:3, 18; 51:2f; 59:3, 12; 79:9; 85:2; 109:14; Prov 5:22; 10:16; 13:6; 14:34; 20:9; 21:4; 24:9; Isa 3:9; 6:7; 27:9; 30:1; 40:2; 43:24f; 44:22; 58:1; 59:2, 12; Jer 5:25; 14:10; 15:13; 16:10, 18; 17:1, 3; 18:23; 30:14f; 31:34; 36:3; 50:20; Lam 4:6, 13, 22; Ezek 3:20; 16:51f; 18:14, 21, 24; 21:24; 33:10, 14, 16; 40:39; 42:13; 43:19, 21f, 25; 44:27, 29; 45:17, 19, 22f, 25; 46:20; Dan 9:20, 24; Hos 4:8; 8:13; 9:9; 13:12; Amos 5:12; Mic 1:5, 13; 3:8; 6:7, 13; 7:19; Zech 13:1; 14:19 Isa 6:7 And he touched my mouth [with it] and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity ('avon) is taken away, and your sin (chattah) is forgiven.” There are 3 primary Hebrew words for “sin”. Each is defined based on the existence of God's standard of righteousness (all that God is, all that God commands, all that God demands, all that God approves, all that God provides in Christ Jesus 1Co 1:30) established by God. Chattat/chattath [02403] = miss the mark or to fall short of the divine standard; to err and wander Pesha' [06588] = rebellion or transgression, and indicates revolt against the standard. 'Avon [05771] = iniquity or guilt is a twisting of the standard or deviation from it; crooked dealing[/FONT> Other Resources on Sin - Sin (1) - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Sin - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology Sin - Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament Sin (2) - Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament Sin - Torrey's Topical Textbook Sin - Holman Bible Dictionary To the daughter of Zion– Pictures Jerusalem as a young lady, at her beginnings (see comment on Mic 4:10). Because in you were found The rebellious acts of Israel. Micah 1:14 Therefore you will give parting gifts On behalf of Moresheth-gath; The houses of Achzib will become a deception To the kings of Israel. give 2 Samuel 8:2; 2 Kings 16:8; 18:14-16; 2 Chronicles 16:1-3; Isaiah 30:6 to or, for. houses. Psalms 62:9; 118:8,9; 146:3,4 Achzib that is, a lie. Joshua 15:44 Moresheth Gath - Even Micah's hometown would be destroyed! Have you ever preached a word that you did not want to preach because it was "too close to home?" Micah would understand! (cf his reaction in Mic 1:8) HCSB-SB adds that "Like a father giving away his betrothed daughter (cf Dt 22:23), Judah would have to give away Moresheth-gath (sounds like Hebrew meorashah; meaning "betrothed") to Assyria."