Friday, January 22, 2016

A foolish man looking for light in the darkness



Micah 1:1

It was December 31, 2009, this became my first attempt at publishing a blog, but that was not my intent, it was to leave my grandsons a record of what I believed about God, and the few insights I have both learned and experienced most of them through bought lessons.  Lessons, I hope they will not have, and lessons that left deep scares on others and myself.  My first blog was on December 31, and then on January 1, I wrote about my understanding of Genesis the book of beginnings.  Below is an excerpt from December 31, 2009.  The justification for revisiting this is Micah 6:8, my life verse: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

“When I was just a child, Mother and Dad gave it to me, they said son, in this book is a lot of history. It also will guide your path and bring you victory, but you must not be foolish, but read it daily.  And often at my father’s knee he read the book to me, and when we went to church they opened it up you see.  The book was read and taught, its many stories astonished me and that book has a special place in my childhood memories.  But as a teenager that book was put on the shelf and out of my mind, only to be carried to church and back home.  I still remember its message, how the Christ had died for me, but it was not in keeping with what the world had to offer me.”  And a foolish man I was, seeking life and light, from a world that only offers darkness and death.

I know of few men who I would trust more than Chuck Swindoll to introduce the book of Micah to you and me.  The prophet Micah identified himself by his hometown, called Moresheth Gath, which sat near the border of Philistia and Judah about twenty-five miles southwest of Jerusalem. Dwelling in a largely agricultural part of the country, Micah lived outside the governmental centers of power in his nation, leading to his strong concern for the lowly and less fortunate of society—the lame, the outcasts, and the afflicted (Micah 4:6). Therefore, Micah directed much of his prophecy toward the powerful leaders of Samaria and Jerusalem, the capital cities of Israel and Judah, respectively (1:1).” (Chuck Swindoll)

“The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.” (Micah 1:1)

I once more in the introduction will share Chuck Swindoll insights; Judah seemed on a roller-coaster ride—ascending to the heights of its destiny in one generation, only to fall into the doldrums in another. In Judah at this time, good kings and evil kings alternated with each other, a pattern seen in the reigns of Jotham (good, 2 Kings 15:32–34); Ahaz (evil, 2 Kings 16:1–4); and Hezekiah (good, 2 Kings 18:1–7)

From the Back Porch, with Jan and Zach in Hawaii,

Bob Rice

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