Daily Devotions

Micah

Micah 
Day 
Day 72

"The treasures of wickedness"

Text: Micah 6:10

THE LOVE OF MONEY

The sin of coveting was addressed in the 10th Commandment. The words “You shall not covet” fell on deaf ears of the wicked. The greed for wealth drove many to use various means to obtain treasures.

“Are there yet the treasures of wickedness
In the house of the wicked,
And the short measure that is an abomination?
Shall I count pure those with the wicked scales,
And with the bag of deceitful weights?”
Micah 6:10-11

1. “Treasures of wickedness”

a) The term the Lord used was ominous sounding.
b) The fact cannot be denied.
i) Dishonest means is simply “wickedness”.

ii) And through these means, “treasures” are obtained.

2. “The house of the wicked”

a) This is a reference to the merchants who cheat their customers.
b) Wickedness is seldom a single act.
c) The house of the wicked is built on wickedness.

3. Two things were highlighted as the means used by the wicked to cheat people

a) “The short measure”
i) The “measure” is a device used to measure grain.

ii) The short measure means that the customer is therefore given less than he paid for.

iii) The victims were mostly uneducated and poor people.

iv) Some would not know that they had been cheated.

v) Those who suspect that they were cheated had no recourse to justice (judges were often corrupt).

b) “The wicked scales, and with the bag of deceitful weights”
i) Scales were used to measure the weight of many kinds of goods.

ii) The wicked merchants had bags of weights that were false.

iii) The ignorant or unsuspecting customer would be cheated again and again.

c) “Abomination”

These wicked means were called “abomination” in the sight of the Lord!
They were anything but “pure!”