No Tolerance for Corrupt Officials

July 12, 2015 Background Scripture: Micah 3 Lesson Passage: Micah 3:5 – 12 What do we expect of our leaders? I believe that there are at least three things we should desire of our leaders: set directions for the followers, communicate with the followers, and be fair to all followers. When leaders become corrupt, fairness is bound to be the first thing to suffer. When followers cannot expect fairness from their leaders, then some followers will likely suffer injustice. This holds true for both civil and religious leaders. Today’s lesson continues Micah’s prophetic warning against injustice among God’s people and the ensuing consequences of it. Chapter 3 in its entirety is a condemnation of the leadership of Israel and Judah. The leaders were corrupt and, as expected, the people suffered as a result of it. In spite of the warnings of several prophets, the leaders continued to speak the right thing and do the wrong thing. Israel’s leaders were expected to set the proper example for God’s people. Civil leaders are supposed to know and uphold justice but Israel’s leaders were guilty of perverting justice. They were accused of hating that which is good and loving that which is evil. In other words, in their unrighteousness, Israel’s officials had become the enemies of God. Even some of the prophets of Israel had become corrupt. Therefore, God was going to take away their vision that they would not be able to prophesy. They would not be able to speak about a future vision because God was not going to allow them to see one. As if things couldn’t get any worse, a graver charge against the leadership was that they were in it for money. God condemns greedy leaders in both the Old and the New Testaments. Today’s text is a clear example of one of the many examples in the Old Testament where God plainly exposed leaders who were greedy for money. Whether it was civil officials receiving bribes or religious leaders performing their duties for money, justice and fairness were being corrupted for the sake of money. Officials who are willing to be bribed will always destroy the integrity of an institution that exists for the good of a group—especially if the group consists of those who cannot fend for themselves. All fairness or justice is destroyed when officials act based on receiving money rather than evaluating the merits of each specific case or situation. When money is involved, the rich gains an advantage over the poor. In such cases, the rich can buy a favorable outcome from the justice system while the poor is apt to suffer at the hands of it even when he or she is innocent. However, God is the defender of the poor, orphans, and widows. God’s lack of tolerance for corrupt leaders provides salvation for the disadvantaged. It was in vain that Israel’s leaders thought that their lip service in speaking of the Lord was going to bring them favor with God. Contrary to what they thought, the nation would be destroyed because of their corruption. The suffering of the people would be on their hands and they would be held accountable for it by God. Robert C. Hudson July 1, 2015