CAST ALL THEIR SINS INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA

Micah’s brief prophecy is a wonderful tribute to the longsuffering of God. The chosen people were nurtured, cared for, shepherded and protected, yet they consistently rebelled, refused to obey and sought to establish their own way of life, apart from God. Time and again they were taught that sin brings sorrow and suffering and time and again they learned that their God is a God of forgiveness.

The grief of Micah in the opening verses of chapter 7 drives him to his knees and he becomes an intercessor on behalf of the nation, or, more particularly, the remnant of the nation who would respond to the voice of God to their hearts. Micah takes his place with these in repentance, v. 9, and immediately assur­ance is given that the adversaries will be defeated and the walls, not just of the city, but for the security of the whole nation, will be established.

The last few verses of Micah chapter 7 are among the scrip­tures read in Jewish households during Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. On this day, as given in the Levitical law, sins were recalled, repented of, and atonement made through sacrifice. This was repeated year after year until the one final sacrifice of Calvary provided a means of cleansing and forgiveness which never needs repeating! By faith, the believer knows that all his sins have been dealt with; they will be remembered no more. The Lord Jesus, ‘after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God’, Heb. 10. 12.

Micah closes his prophecy with a beautiful tribute to the mercy and grace of God, even though the nation at large refused the One who came to ‘save his people from their sins’. The prophet foresees a time when a regathered remnant will appre­ciate the reality of their Day of Atonement, foreshadowed in Leviticus chapter 16, made possible because of the work of Calvary. Iniquity pardoned, transgression passed by and sins cast into the depths of the sea, out of sight and irretrievable! Then will be brought to fruition the covenant promises made to Abraham and Jacob ‘from the days of old’, Micah 7. 20.