"The sun shall go down on the prophets"
Text: Micah 3:6
THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS
God gave to Israel priests who were supposed to lead the nation spiritually, while the secular leaders govern the country judicially. But when the system of leaders began to fail badly, God raised up prophets. They were sent to Israel with important messages from the Lord.
But once corruption began, it soon permeated everything in the kingdom. The princes, the judges and even the prophets were adversely affected! There came a special word of warning to the so-called spiritual leaders.
“Therefore you shall have night without vision,
And you shall have darkness without divination;
The sun shall go down on the prophets,
And the day shall be dark for them.
So the seers shall be ashamed,
And the diviners abashed;
Indeed they shall all cover their lips;
For there is no answer from God.”
Micah 3:6-7
1. Names for so-called spiritual leaders
a) Prophets Micah 3:6c
b) Seers Micah 3:7a
c) Diviners Micah 3:7b
2. What did they do?
a) They were supposed to have visions from God.
b) They were supposed to have the power of divination.
c) They were supposed to obtain answers from God.
3. God’s word of warning
a) “You shall have night without vision”
i) The night was noted by the OT writers as the usual season when God gives a vision to His servants, the prophets.
ii) But these false prophets would not see God speaking to them.
b) Instead the night would remain as “darkness” without divination.
c) The prophets would end each day in darkness without God speaking to them at all.
d) The seers, which was often an alternative term to describe the prophets would not be able to give good and godly counsel to anyone who would consult them.
e) The diviners would be ashamed of the fact they were no longer able to divine omens.
f) They shall cover their lips (i.e. they shall cover their mouths aghast).
g) There will be no answer from God to them no matter how they sought to reach Him!