I have reached the point in my Bible reading plan of being in the Prophets. At a 30,000-foot level, I always come away from those books with the sense that as people, we are accomplished at sin. History shows that we keep getting more accomplished at sin. That is far from a good place to be. Thankfully, the Prophets do not just reveal our sinfulness, they also underline that there is hope for sinners. Micah 7:9 is one verse that highlights both: I will bear the indignation of the LORD because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication.
Micah, perhaps speaking for the nation of Israel, starts with a sober declaration. The prophetic warnings about God’s wrath and rightly deserved. The people had sinned. Or to personalize it, I have sinned, and I deserve to be judged by God. But there is more to the story of life and God than just holy judgment. God is also our advocate. Or to help us see the connection of this verse to the gospel, you could say this verse is describing the gospel, God is the Savior. God is the One who provides the solution for our sins. We are not able to solve the problem. But God can and does. He brings us into the light and enables us to see His holy and righteous solution. In the gospel, the triune God reveals both the judgment piece – our sin being put on Jesus – and the bringing us into the light – the forgiveness and life we receive when we repent and trust the Lord Jesus alone as our Savior.
Earlier in my Christian life, I avoided reading the Prophets. They are harder to understand than a New Testament epistle or a historical narrative, but I have grown to value the Prophets. I need to see my sinfulness with clarity. And I also need to see in contrast to my sinfulness that God is beautiful beyond description. And yet I can describe His beauty in the gospel event of Jesus’ death and resurrection. In seeing His beauty, then I can begin to experience His love. Micah and his prophet friends are offering that to me. Please join me in reading the prophets.