Martin Luther on the Prophets

I read the book of Micah from the Old Testament over the last two days. I hadn't read in the prophets in a while and it was both refreshing and challenging.

If you haven't read any of the prophets you should try. But you need to learn a little of the cultural context to even begin to piece together what they are trying to say. Once you do it's a really 'rich' message.

After I finished reading it I thought, "I understood some but what did that or that or that mean?". So I picked up my Tyndale Old Testament Commentary series and read the introduction to the commentary on Micah. In it, Martin Luther was quoted as saying...

(The prophets) have a queer way of talking, like people who, instead of proceeding in an orderly manner, ramble off from one thing to the next, so that you cannot make head or tail of them or see what they are getting at."

Now this sounds like a guy I could get along with! I really like his honest appraisal.

Regardless of how it can be difficult to understand them, here are a few great verses from Micah. Maybe it will draw you in.

4:1 In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house
will be the highest of all—
the most important place on earth.
It will be raised above the other hills,
and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
2 People from many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of Jacob’s God.
There he will teach us his ways,
and we will walk in his paths.”
For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion;
his word will go out from Jerusalem.

Also,

6:8 No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.

And lastly,

7:18 Where is another God like you,
who pardons the guilt of the remnant,
overlooking the sins of his special people?
You will not stay angry with your people forever,
because you delight in showing unfailing love.
19 Once again you will have compassion on us.
You will trample our sins under your feet
and throw them into the depths of the ocean!

This last verse is where this Audio Adrenaline song comes from... here
Read the lyrics... here