Saturday 17 July 2010

Background

This passage takes us to one of the most fundamental issues ofancient life. Who owns the land? This is, of course, an importantissue today as well, but it was even more central for the ancientHebrew.

The people of Israel saw the land in which they lived as a giftfrom God, which was theirs to enjoy freely and fully as part oftheir covenant life with God (Genesis 17:1-8). Joshua chapters 13 to 22 tellthe story of how the land was distributed among the people bycasting lots. The Israelite ideal was for each clan to own and farmtheir own land. But the prophet Micah addresses rich landlords whohave forgotten this social and theological point; who areoppressing people and not only removing from them their sourceofeconomic independence and livelihood, but also their inheritancefrom God.

In the ancient world, the dawning of a new day was meant to be atime which brought justice. The assumption was that thieves andvillains operated at night when the darkness would cover up whatthey were doing, but that in the morning help and justice would befound. There is a particular biting irony in verse 1 - the peopleaddressed by Micah are powerful enough to plot at night but carryout their wickedness in the full light of day, at the time reservedfor justice. This is a direct challenge to God's justice.

Micah goes on to picture what God's justice will be like. Fromverse 3 onwards the oppressors discover that the god they thoughtthey could mock is planning to humble them and to reverse theiractions. Verse 5 is a reference back to the original distributionof the land in the time of Joshua. On the day of justice, when thelots are cast for the land, the oppressors will not be representedand will not receive any land. The weak and the poor who havesuffered will be vindicated.

To Ponder

What situations today mirror the cry for justicein this passage?

What can the Church do to stand with theoppressed?