Micah 2:1–5

To this point in the book, few reasons have been given for the judgment of Judah, but this lack is quickly remedied by this judgment oracle, which takes aim at wealthy landowners who devise ways and means to fulfill their covetous desires. They scheme up plans during the midnight hours to rob poor farmers of their houses and drive them from their land (Mic. 2:1–2). The indictment of these criminals is followed by another sentence by Yahweh in which the punishment equals the crime (cf. 1:7b). Yahweh himself devises judgment against these ancient opportunists and drives them from their land (2:3–4). What is more, they will never be able to reclaim their land nor their status in the congregation of Yahweh (v. 5).

1. I.A. The Divine Epiphany of Judgment (1:2–2:11) . . .
   1. 3. Dead Men Walking: Reasons for Judgment and Exile (2:1–5)
      1. a. Indictment of the Covetous (2:1–2)
      2. b. Sentence Passed on the Covetous (2:3–5)

Theologian Sally Brown captures well the thought of a passage like this:

Imagine [prosperous landholders] gathered at a benefit gala. Bursts of laughter ripple through the room; their mood is buoyant. Their common bond, in addition to an elite social standing, is a knack for finding the upside in a volatile land market. But just as they are lifting their glasses to congratulate themselves, the party is interrupted by a messenger. Drinks are poised mid-air; all are strained to listen. The messenger bears a funeral announcement? Whose? Theirs.¹

It is not difficult to connect the dots to the twenty-first century, where millions of dollars have been made by the unscrupulous and dishonest. From Yahweh’s point of view, people who engage in such practices are dead men walking. In fact, Paul describes life before Christ as that of spiritual death in trespasses and sins, following the covetous desires of the heart (Eph. 2:1–3).

The origin of these desires is covetousness. Such sin is prohibited by the last of the Ten Commandments, a commandment different from all the rest: it is the only one that cannot be politically enforced by human beings. The heart is known only to oneself and God. Thus covetousness is a type of warning system, announcing that all is not right spiritually. The all-consuming desire to possess something illicit is a sign of idolatry, of making a substitute for God (Col. 3:5). The result is injustice, the failure to love one’s neighbor.

Jesus makes this crystal clear in his teaching concerning the dangers of covetousness. The story of the rich fool, who tears down his barns to build bigger ones in order to hoard his increased wealth, is a story of a heart gripped by covetousness (Luke 12:13–21). Covetousness cannot satisfy, for it is based on a faulty understanding of what it means to be human. As Jesus remarks, “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). Jesus tells his disciples not to fuss and fret about material things, but rather to put his kingdom first (Matt. 6:33). Then they will find a deep peace and will have all of their material needs met as well. With Christ now at the center of one’s life, one can lay awake at night devising ways to bless people and empower them by serving and helping them. The life redeemed by God has God at the center and seeks to bring the divine order of shalom into society. Just as the covetous heart will find more and more ways to oppress in order to fill an infinite spiritual vacuum, the heart with God at the center will be satisfied and will seek creative ways to express generosity and kindness.