Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.
The context of chapter 7 is pertinent for our days. Micah lives in a society of disintegration. The government was corrupt, neighbors could not be trusted, and the man had lost dignity within his own home. Morals were mocked at. The only unification was that evil was to be gloried in. They had a common enemy in the prophets of God who still proclaimed truth. The pertinency comes to life when we compare scripture with scripture in the New Testament. The more things change the more they stay the same. Mankind is no better for having access to a constant stream of information, they even seem to be disabled by it, not even possessing the capability to think for themselves, or able to process the streams data that tell their own narrative that disagrees with the so called fact-checkers. Every once in a while someone seems to show a glimpse of the light by admitting "things are getting really bad".
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, II Timothy 3:2-6
Men cannot regain their dignity if good men perish from out of the earth(v.2). The government can expect civil unrest and "noncompliance" when they wrap or conceal their evil methodology(v.3). The best of men(v.4) as a whole believe in their libertarian ideology that if we give evil space it will not harm us but will stay in it's corner, therefore its best we let every man do that which is right in his own eyes.
In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25.
Apparently this is something to boast about, but God did not think so. Believers live in constant fear that if they should stumble then the writing on the wall against them could only spell hypocrisy. There is obviously some truth to that, but this is not what will lead us into success, and it is not a life of faith. This is the snicker of the devil to constantly remind you that he is on your heels. He is ready and waiting to laugh at you and to make a spectacle of you. If these were the conditions which Christians were commanded to live under then it is certain no preacher could stand in the pulpit, no parent could raise their children for the Lord, and no apologetic could make a defense of the Christian faith.
Micah, in verse 7, professes that he looks upward to the Lord, fixing his gaze upward to the throne of God rather than on the battle strife around him. The deception is that the world has created a battle arena and in order to fight you must gird yourself with Saul's armor, enter the arena where Satan is the referee, the mainstream media is the platform, and the crowd is all rooting against you. Jesus already entered that arena. He went in carrying His cross to Golgotha, and came out champion of the world. Living by faith we do not live under the power of the world, and Satan does not set the stage for us. He does not choose where we go but God does. At the very worst he causes us to stumble. So Micah says "when I fall I shall arise"(v.8).
It is one of the great truths of all of the Bible. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Your possibility of failure is of absolutely no importance apart from your relationship with God. Guard your heart, confess your sins, fight the fight of faith, but do not be overcome of the battle strife. Our faith is lived out before God (Rom. 14:22). We are ever under the watch care of the One who will plead our case for us (Micah 7:9). At this very moment he pleads our case before the throne as our great Intercessor. If we seek refuge in the world you can be sure to be emptied of all hope. Be honest and ask yourself if there is something in the world you can put your confidence in. There isn't. I have heard scores confess "I would never raise children in this world". That is a confession. There are many professions that are maintained by believers that do not need to quit their profession, but must maintain their dignity before God by confessing the evils that exist in their line of work. There is an obvious contradiction in many a believers confession.
David's dance was before the Lord, not before men. He did not live in the darkness and knew better than anyone else of the evils about him, yet David lived under the light that Micah lived under. Micah and David confessed their sin to God. David's dance even upset Michal (2 Samuel 6:16-23) because she thought how could such a hypocrite make himself out be be a holy man, and more yet how could he be so confident in his faith to worship in such a manner? If he wasn't so religious he would know better than to debase himself before the common people. It is so appalling to those within Christendom and without that through our religion there is real transformation. It's not the religion, it is not the standards of Christianity either, for many religions and ideologies have standards, many far more strict than Christianity. It's the fact that we would dare boast to have been transformed by the life and power of one such as the Nazarene. They might never admit it, but that is precisely their attitude that Jesus is just not that special so what is the fuss all about. He is not that special so why would you allow His doctrines to so permeate your worldview and convictions?
When Jesus is on His way to raise Jairus' daughter scripture says they laughed him to scorn. Again mocking, persecuting, accusations, indignation, amidst the raising of one from the dead. If the very worst could happen to you is to fall flat on your face, in sin, or total discouragement, you are promised that so long as you live by faith He will raise you back up and set you back on your feet. When I fall I shall arise. The feebleness of humanity and your sinful nature guarantees that you will eventually fall flat on your face, but the power of and endless life guarantees that God can raise you right back up. The threat of mocking and rejection are guaranteed as well but those grow strangely dim while Micah says I will look unto the Lord...and He shall be a light unto me. How foolish do you think those who mocked Jesus on the way to raise up Jairus' daughter? Then continued to hear of his miracles? Then sat in darkness for 3 hours during the crucifixion? Then watched His teachings spread throughout all the world? At what point would people come to their senses?
What has held you back from waving the white flag to Christ? The same crowd that throws shade at Christianity showed their inner nature at Calvary. The world has never seen such power as was seen at Calvary. The mob spit and screamed at Him. It was total chaos. They blasphemed the name of God and because He had been beaten so badly He was unrecognizable. No matter how much noise was made when Jesus spoke the blaspheming, bloodthirsty crowd silenced. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him (Matt. 27:49). This is the contrast that needs to preached from the mountaintops. The people who hold sway over your acquaintances are not worth your eternal destination or eternal reward. Trust ye not in a friend (Micah 7:5).
Calvary showcases the love of God, but also showcases the depravity of man.
Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid that shall not be known. Matt 10:26
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