Reading: Micah 4, Revelation 21.   Verse 3 and 4 speak about that beautiful prospect, when the Word of God reigns. Those well known words ‘They shall beat their swords into plowshares’. Many people misuse these words for their doctrine of pacifism. This is a promise that comes to fulfillment, if we listen to the Word of… Continue reading Meditation: Micah 4:1-5 (3)

Reading: Micah 4; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13   God had not chosen Israel as His people because of their own goodness. In Deuteronomy 7, Moses reminds the people that God had chosen them out of His love. Not because they were such a great people:  The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were… Continue reading Meditation: Micah 4:1-5 (2)

Reading: Micah 4 Micah prophesies about a beautiful future for the mountain of the LORD’s temple and for Jerusalem. It may come as a surprise, right away after what he prophesied at the end of chapter 3, where he spoke about the destruction of Jerusalem. The situation in those days was not very positive: the… Continue reading Meditation: Micah 4:1-5

Reading: Micah 3; Romans 10:5-21 Unveiling the sins of God’s people. Preaching about sin. Admonition. That is something, that is not very popular. Many don’t want to hear it. It is so important that others have a positive opinion about us, that they see that we are good; it is so important that we are better… Continue reading Meditation: Micah 3 (3)

Reading: Micah 3; Acts 4:32-37 In the first part of chapter 3, Micah addresses specifically the leaders of Israel. When he uses the names Jacob and Israel, then that reminds them of the covenant which God made with Jacob, who was also called Israel. These names are used in general for the people of God.… Continue reading Meditation: Micah 3 (2)

Reading: Micah 3; 2 Timothy 4:1-5 Micah does not preach to be honoured by human beings. He is an instrument of God’s Spirit. He would have liked it much more to preach things that the people like to hear and to prophesy positive things. But he also knows that that is not the truth. The… Continue reading Meditation: Micah 3

Reading: Micah 2; Ezekiel 34   God will gather the remnant of His people together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in a pasture. Now that the rulers over the people abuse their power for their own profit and do not pastor the flock, God will destroy them and He will take care… Continue reading Meditation: Micah 2:12-13

Reading: Micah 2; Isaiah 3:13-4:6 This chapter speaks about God’s grace for His people, especially the verses 12-13. A remnant will be saved. This is comforting, but also threatening. Imagine that God would say to you, God’s people: only a remnant of you will be saved, only a small group. The rich and the powerful,… Continue reading Meditation: Micah 2:1-11

Reading: Micah 1:10-16; 2 Kings 19:1-19 Micah prophesied in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. What he describes in the verses 10-16 is probably the attack of Sennacherib on Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Hezekiah, as described in 2 Kings 18 and 19. In 2 Kings 19, Hezekiah brought this before the LORD… Continue reading Meditation: Micah 1:10-16 (2)

Reading: Micah 1:8-16; 2 Kings 8:17-37 In verse 10-16 Micah speaks about the country of Judah. ‘It has come to Judah’, he said in verse 9. It has come to the gate of my people – to Jerusalem. From Samaria, the focus now shifts to Jerusalem. The people must know that the fate of Samaria… Continue reading Meditation: Micah 1:10-16

Reading: Micah 1:8-16; 2 Kings 18:1-16 The time during which Micah prophesied was a time full of injustice. The people were oppressed by the political elite. Those who devise iniquity (see 2:1). It were not only the poor who were oppressed, but the middle class in Israel and Judah was also degraded, oppressed and reduced… Continue reading Meditation: Micah 1:8-9

Reading: Micah 1:1-7; Hosea 1:1-9 Micah prophesies that God will make Samaria a heap in the open country, a place for planting vineyards. The city will be destroyed. It will be open land so that there is space to plant vineyards. The city was built on a hill, but now that Samaria will be destroyed, her… Continue reading Meditation: Micah 1:1-7 (2)

Reading: Micah 1:1-7; Hebrews 12:18-25   The prophet Micah lived in the time just before the fall of Samaria in 722 before Christ. Micah came from Moresheth, southwest of Jerusalem. He worked and prophesied especially in Judah. The time of Micah was a time of many prophets. Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Joel all prophesied in those… Continue reading Meditation: Micah 1:1-7

Reading: John 14:7-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 In an earlier meditation, we read from Hebrews 1:3 that Jesus Christ is the express image of the Father (30 October: God’s image – Father-Son). God reveals Himself to us through His Son. We cannot see God, the Father. But God the Son assumed human nature and in Him God revealed… Continue reading Meditation: that God may be all in all – 1 Corinthians 15:28

Reading: Romans 8:18-30 Adam and Eve, created in God’s image, were called to rule over this creation. Ordained as king over this creation, man was called not only to rule over but also to protect this creation from harm, from attacking enemies. Filling the earth and subduing it. Developing it, all to God’s glory. When the… Continue reading Mediation: God’s image: the firstfruits of the Spirit – Romans 8:18-30

Reading: Genesis 1:28; Genesis 9:1-17; Revelation 20:4-6   God created mankind to live in relationship with Him and with each other. God also created mankind to rule over God’s creation. In previous meditations we saw how we reflect God in our relationships. Today we will look at the last aspect of being God’s image: our… Continue reading Meditation: God’s Image: have dominion – Genesis 1:28

Reading: 1 John 4:7-19   Yesterday we saw that we are God’s image, where it comes to the relationship Father- Son/Parents-children. This close unity between parents and children, and as a result of that also between siblings (coming from the same parents), can be taken broader as well, reflecting the unity of God. Out of… Continue reading Meditation: God’s Image: that they may be one – 1 John 4:7-19, John 17:11

Reading: Hebrews 1   Mankind is also the image of God in another way: in the relationship parents-children. The Son of God is begotten of the Father, before all ages. Begotten, not made. As image of God, mankind is begotten of one man, Adam. Adam (Man) is called the son of God (Luke 3:38). Adam… Continue reading Meditation: God’s image: Father – Son – Hebrews 1, Romans 8:16-17

Reading: Genesis 1:27-28; Ephesians 5:22-33   God created us within our families. The family has an enormously important place in God’s work. God works through the families. He called Abraham, and in him ‘all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Not the individuals, but the families. And Abraham and his family… Continue reading Meditation: God’s Image: male and female – Genesis 1:27-28

Reading: 1 John 1 and 3:1-3.   God created us in His image. It is God’s will that we live with Him. For that reason, God has given us the gift of communication, so that in our words we can praise and glorify God. He has given us the ability to love, so that we… Continue reading Meditation: God’s Image: answer to God’s love – 1 John 1 and 3:1-3