This post goes along with our study Reading Twelve Old Testament Books. You can purchase the workbook here: Study Guide for Reading Twelve Old Testament Books.
God’s blessed my husband and me with three of the most wonderful children in the world. I know, we all say that right! I can honestly say they are a true blessing. Our desire is to teach and train our children in the way they should go. We want to raise our children in the ways of the Lord. We love them and want the very best for each of them. But more importantly, we desire their lives bring honor and glory to God. When we fear God and desire to honor Him, our actions will line up with our desires. Instilling fear and reverence of God is the main goal as we raise our children. True love exposes the false and announces the truth.
Love Comes With Truth and Discipline
Everything we taught our children came with a why and if not. We wanted them to know there is always a consequence good or bad to every action taken. There’s always a reason why to everything we’re taught to do. If you truly love someone you tell the truth you teach them the right and wrong way to do something. We all need to know there is always a cause and effect to every action we take.
God Loves and Disciplines His Children.
Roy and I looked at our parents for help in raising our children. However, the word of God was our main source of teaching. The Old Testament books are great examples of how God loved and disciplined His children. You may be saying, “How in the world do you see that?” I will tell you in a sec:)
Micah: An Example of God’s Love
I know and I see there are many lessons in the book of Micah. However, for this writing, I am attempting to roll the entire book up into one over-arching theme. These Old Testament books are not readings of feel good messages. They are hard messages of truth. They expose the sinful actions of God’s people. People do not want their sin brought out into the open. Maybe that is part of the reason why the church is in such a state of apostasy. Maybe that is why families are falling apart.
True love exposes the false and announces the truth. With truth comes healing and restoration.
The book of Micah exposes the sins of Jerusalem and Samaria. {Let’s be honest, these are our sins too!} God never fails to bring to attention our sins. In love, our Father, says, hear, and hear now! Judgment is coming, the consequence for sin will not delay.
Hear, and Hear Now
|Hear, O peoples, all of you: Listen, O earth and all it contains. And let the LORD God be a witness against you, the LORD from His holy temple.| Micah 1:2
The call to hear is recorded three times in the book of Micah. Micah 1:2, Micah 3:2, and Micah 6:1. Each call to hear is followed by the case the LORD has against Israel. This call is not a tickle my ear call. It is loud and it is serious.
Remember when your children were little and you would sometimes take their little faces in your hand and look them straight into the eye and with seriousness discipline them? That is what God is doing and while He is still warning, there is still time for repentance! There is no time for fooling around. This is serious. The rod of discipline is coming.
Those who have ears to hear, let them hear! The message of Micah is to the children of God. If you are a true child of God hear and obey.
Now take the message of hope to a lost and dying world. For they cannot hear without a messenger! True love exposes the false and announces the truth!
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HI Lisa! This lesson hit home for two reasons: 1) the politics of the day (truth and politics don’t mix), and 2) I could easily remember my parents applying those discipline tactics on me, and they worked! (Obviously, I’m 44 and I remember them)
You are right Susan! Politics and truth do not mix! Thankful for parents that teach well!