On 7-12-15, Micah 3:5-12 will be our Adult Sunday School/ Uniform Series/ International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as No Tolerance for Corrupt Leaders and Prophets or No Tolerance for Corrupt Officials

No Tolerance for Corrupt Leaders and Prophets 

or 

No Tolerance for Corrupt Officials

Micah 3:5-12

July 12, 2015

Commentary 

by

Jed Greenough

Continuing under the idea that we should be looking inward at ourselves instead of what Israel was encountering in the days of Micah should remain a sobering thought.  When you read today’s Micah 3 you may instantly have moments of familiarity.  If not count your blessings because these same leaders exist today in our church as they did in Israel.

These kinds of scriptures should impress those who teach (lead) and you who inspire to teach (lead).

As you prepare this week I hope the following will give you much to discuss with some being personal.  If not personal then your church and you are so blessed you have to know, consider and react to the fact that others are not.

1. Discuss why the messages delivered are often of a personal nature for the deliverer.  Keep that in mind when you look at verse 5.  The message is mild when they feel assuaged and the opposite when things don’t go there way.
2. What are the different ways that leaders could “wage war” against their people?
3. What are some ways that some leaders expect to be fed?
4. Discuss how things can seem to go swimmingly for certain leaders and then things go “dark for them” as mentioned in verse 6.
5. Discuss some famous examples of disgrace as mentioned in verse 7.
6. How could a church save a leader from themselves?
7. How can we be like Micah in verse 8.
8. Share examples of “Micahs” from today.
9. When you read verse 9 of leaders “who despise justice and distort all that is right” how do you think things can get so bad?
10. No one likes to think of our church having anyone in authority who could do as verse 11’s leaders did to “judge for a bribe”, “teach for a price” but to not admit it is to deny human nature.  People today still think “Is not the Lord among us?  No disaster will come upon us.”
11. Can a leader come back from this?
12. Verse 12 shows just like all of Israel paid the consequences and was our example so too will the whole church pay the price.

Upcoming Lessons

July 19     Justice, Love and Humility or What the Lord Requires     Micah 6:3-8

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved