All right, let's take our Bibles
again and turn with me to the book of Micah. Micah. Book of Micah. If you're looking
for it, find the book of Jonah. It's the next book. That's always
a good way for me to find it. The book of Micah. I've entitled
this message, The Language of a Believer. Now this is the verse
that I'm actually going to be looking at, I'm going to look
at all 20 verses, just touch them for a minute, but actually
Micah chapter 17 verse 18. Who is a God like unto thee that
pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant
of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger forever
because he delighteth in mercy. Now, going back to the beginning
of this blessed chapter, the prophet lays bare his heart. Now here he is, and as I read
this, I thought to myself, my, you talk about timely for today. And here was this man that wrote,
I think, 700 some odd years before the Lord Jesus Christ. came into
this world. But Micah the prophet started
off, first four verses, this is what he said, Woe is me, for
I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the great
gleaning of the vintage. There's no cluster to eat, my
soul desired the first ripe fruit. The good man is perished out
of the earth, None upright among men. They all lie and wait for blood.
They hunt every man, his brother with a net, that they may do
evil with both their hands earnestly. The prince asketh, the judge
asketh for a reward. Great man, he uttereth his mischievous
desire. So they wrap it up. The best
of them is as a briar. The most upright is sharper than
a thorn hedge. The day of thy watchman and thy
visitation cometh. Now shall be their perplexity.
What's Micah say it? He said, well, first of all,
he said, I'm looking around. And he said, it appears as though
to me. That first verse, woe is me,
first and second verse. I am as when they've gathered
the summer fruits. He said, looks like all the fruit
of God's mercy and compassion to men. Raising up men, preachers,
faithful, faithful believers. Looks like it's over. No cluster
to eat. My soul desired the first ripe
fruit. I enjoyed just being able to
be with God's people. Verse 2, the good man is perished
out of the earth. There's none upright among men.
I mean, what he was saying is that He said, these faithful,
faithful preachers, it appears as though that the Lord's taken
them out of this world. I mean, think of, for ourselves,
some of the faithful, faithful men that God has taught. I'm thinking in my mind right
now, Brother Henry Mahan, Brother Scott Richardson, now Brother
Don Fortner, Brother Maurice Montgomery, Brother Rupert Reibenbach,
some of these faithful men, think of the years and years and years
that God taught them, brought them through trials and tribulations
and taught them and aged them and matured them and kept them. Oh, the blessing that we received
from being able to hear them and glean from the knowledge
that God had given them, raised them up by grace, and here's
this world It said in the latter part of verse 2, they all lie
and wait for blood. They hunt every man his brother
with a net. They do, verse 3, that they may do evil. These
men were hated. Hated. And all of this, you know,
these blessed, blessed men and women that we've known that God's
taken, taken unto Himself. And soon, I mean, you think,
it won't be long for me. belong for the others that we
know. Almighty God has been pleased
to bring them unto Himself. But this day, this open day of
rebellion is not going to always continue. Look at verse 4. The best of them is as a briar. God took out His precious servants. The best of them, the most upright,
is sharper than a thorn hedge, the day of thy watchman and thy
visitation cometh. And then, now, shall be their
perplexity. God is going to have a witness
in this world. As long as this world stands,
God is going to have a witness until the day of Christ's second
coming. And then, that's when their perplexity
is going to be here. They hated God's people while
they were here. treated them with such disrespect
and laughed at them, laughed them to scorn. And these men
that would stand and preach the gospel and try to be a faithful
witness to God's message, you know, all these that have walked
in confusion and rebellion against God, God's going to deal with
them. And then verse 5 and 6, it says, Trust ye not in a friend. We have good friends that we
do trust, but he's talking about those that are not tried. Just because somebody says they're
my friend, I mean it takes years and years and years to trust
somebody. Trust ye not in a friend, put
ye not confidence in a guide. Keep the doors of thy mouth from
her that lieth in thy bosom. Even the closest of relationships
If the Lord has not given a spouse even, your spouse, a heart, you
can't really put any eternal trust. Look at verse 6. For the son dishonors the father,
the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law
against the mother-in-law. Man's enemies are the men of
his own house. I mean, we think that there would
be those that we could put some trust in, maybe even my family.
But that's not so. Sometimes it is by the grace
of God, but how many times is it not? How many times have you
found those of your own household are those that you can't really
trust? You can't trust them to be truthful
to you. You can't have any fellowship with them. Then he said in verse
7, therefore, this is what I'm going to do. This is the only
hope I've got. I will look unto the Lord. I'll wait for the God
of my salvation. Why is that, Micah? He said,
my God will hear me. The Lord will hear me. He'll
hear me in sympathy. What a statement of hope. When
I can find no lasting confidence, even from the closest of my friends,
I can trust Him. even the disappointments and
the sorrows and the failings of others when they are the means
that are used by the Spirit of God to drive me to the Lord Jesus
Christ. Those disappointments, when my
friends disappoint me, those failings are really blessings
because it caused me to cast myself upon the Lord. All things
work together for good to them that love God, to them who are
the called, according to His purpose. Then look at verses
8 to 13. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy. When I fall,
and I will, I shall arise. When I sit in darkness, I may not know what's going on
around me. I don't know what the Lord's doing. The Lord shall
be a light unto me. I don't know, but He does. And
being able to put my trust in Him, I'm okay. I'm alright. I will bear the
indignation of the Lord. His chastisements toward me,
they're for my good. They're out of love. These trials,
in the trials and tribulations, there's always safety. even if we don't understand what
the Lord is doing. He said, I'll bear, verse 9,
the indignation of the Lord because I've sinned against Him until
He plead my cause and execute judgment for me. He'll bring
me forth to the light. I shall behold His righteousness.
The way He treats me, I deserve a whole lot more that He gives
me. And when He does caused me to go through the waters. I have, verse 9, I've sinned
against Him. But He's going to plead my cause.
He's going to look to Himself in answering toward me. And the
Scripture says, verse 10, Then she that is mine enemy shall
see it, and shame shall cover her, which said unto me, Where
is the Lord thy God? People that don't know the Lord,
and you express to them your love and appreciation and trust
in Him. Believers go through the same
trials as unbelievers. We get sick, we have monetary
problems, we have family problems, we have... Believers. And it's
so easy for someone trying to justify themselves is all they're
trying to do. And now, they'll say whenever a believer is going
through a trial, we've got some dear friends right now going
through some real trials. Tribulation. And someone that's
not a believer, I thought you believed God. I thought God was
your friend. I thought, you know, when verse
10, when she that's mine enemy shall see it, shame shall cover
her which did see it. Where's your God now? Mine eyes
shall behold her, now she shall be trodden down as the mire of
the streets. In the day that thy walls are
to be built, in that day shall the decree go be far removed. That day that thy walls are built,
you think you got safety? Safety in what? What, safety
in your wisdom? Safety in your money? Safety
in your ability? Your strength? What? I tell you,
in that day, verse 11, thy walls to be built that day shall the
decree be far removed. And that day also He shall come
even to thee from Assyria, from the fortified cities, from the
fortress even to the river, from the sea to the sea, mountain
to mountain, notwithstanding the land should be desolate because
of them that dwell therein for the fruit of their doings. All
of this that the world thinks that they're accomplishing is
going to come to nothing. All of that that they've built
and think that they're going to sustain The scripture says,
verse 13, notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because
of them that dwell therein for the fruit of their doing. Because
of the wickedness of the land, there's going to be heartache.
It's coming. But God's people are going to
be kept. That's what Micah is saying, you know. Yes, I'm going
to fall, but I'm getting up again. But you ain't. You think you're
standing now, but you're not. You're teetering over the very
brink of hell. And you're mocking me. But in that day, God's going
to bring all this to judgment. And He's going to deal with the
wicked. Look at verse 14 to 17. Feed
thy people. Now there's a prayer. Here's
the prayer of Micah. His cry for help. Feed thy people
with thy rod. What is the rod of God? How does
God correct His people? His Word. This is the rod of
God. Feed thy people, guide thy people,
direct thy people, rule thy people with the rod. The flock of thine
heritage, which dwell solitarily, trust in the Lord, in the wood,
in the midst of carmel, Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as
in the days of old. Lord, keep your people, and well,
I tell you what, let me read verse 15, then it explains what
I'm about to say. It says, I'll read verse 14 and
15 again. Feed thy people with thy rod,
with your word, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily
in the wood, in the wilderness, in the midst of Carmel. Let them
feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old, according
to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt, will I
show unto him marvelous things." What was Micah asking? He was saying, Lord, like you
kept your people when they came out of Egypt, they went out into
that wilderness and there they were, they were holed up in a
solitary way. God had them hemmed up out there
in the wilderness. Now, what was out there? for
them to live on. Nothing. It was a wilderness.
And the Lord kept them. Their shoes didn't wear out all
those years. God kept them. He sent them manna
every day. Lord, feed us. Feed us with the
riches of your grace. Let us drink from the fountain
of life Himself. Feed us while we're dwelling
in the woods of this world. Feed us as you did your people
when they came out of Egypt, miraculously. Lord, keep us,
feed us, not only humanly speaking, with food, but Lord, direct us
and guide us with your word, with the rod of your word. Now, the case is laid bare. The
eyes of our understanding know that we're in this world, but
we're not of it. We're to be walking in this world,
trusting the Lord. It says the nations, verse 16,
17. The nations shall see. They're going to see and they're
going to be confounded at all their might. They're going to
be confounded. God has miraculously kept His
people. It amazes me. The nation of Israel
has always been a picture, a type. the physical nation of Israel. That little country over there
on the other side of the ocean has always been a picture of
God's elect. Now that's just a fact. We know
that. But I tell you the thing that
amazes me the most is that little old bitty nation. And I mean
comparatively speaking, it's a little bitty country. And I
mean there has been country after country after country that's
tried to wipe them out. I mean, in the Old Testament,
they took on everybody. They were like David and Goliath.
And they're still doing it now. Somebody's always firing rockets
at them and trying to come against them. They're a little bitty
country, a little country. But God has sustained it. But
remember, it's a picture. It's a type. Here we are, just
a small remnant in this world. But what's happening? We're still
here. You know, I mean, God's people have been hated. The world
hates us. But they can't wipe us out. I mean, the more God's
people are persecuted, the more strength that is beheld in the
Lord. And so, this is what Micah says
in verse 67. The nations shall see. and be
confounded at all their might. They're going to be confounded
with all the might they have and that they cannot eradicate
God's people. They shall lay their hand upon
their mouth, their ears shall be deaf. They're the ones going
to be groveling. They shall lick the dust like
a serpent. They shall move out of their
hole like a worm out of the earth. They shall be afraid of the Lord
our God, and shall fear because of Thee. God is going to keep
His people. That's what Micah said. I know
it appears as though God's removing His people, the faithful, faithful
people. And Micah says it just looks
like all the gleaning. I mean, God's taken them all
off. Here's a little apple right here, and there's a couple of
grapes left on the vine. I mean, most of all, this is
gone. You know, and Lord, I don't know, are you raising up new
preachers and stuff like that? God is going to have a witness. I've heard people mealy-mouthing
and just say, well, we're just about right at the end. No, we're
not. You know how long we're going
to be here? Just as long as the Lord pleases for us to be here.
If it gets down to just a couple of people, then God's going to
bless it. In fact, if He's pleased to keep it, He's going to keep
it. So then, here comes the conclusion. Micah said, Who is a God like
unto Thee? Who is a God like unto Thee? Moses said in Exodus 15, 11,
Who is like unto Thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like Thee,
glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Well,
here's the answer. None. That's the answer. There's none. There's none like
unto God. Who concerning Him is like Him? What does the Holy Spirit set
forth? That our God, the one that there's
nobody like but Him. He said, I am that I am. And there's none else. I'm God. Who is like unto thee? Listen to this. What little G
God pardons iniquity? Who is a God that pardons iniquity? Well, let me tell you the first
thing I know about that. I'm wrapping this up. First of all, we're guilty. But
according to the satisfied justice of Almighty God, concerning the
substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus Christ, concerning
the one who's borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, wounded
for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, God Almighty
has justly pardoned iniquity. He charged him with it. He charged
Him with our guilt. He was made sin. And now Micah says, who's a God like
unto you that can lift the guilt of sin from a sinner and make
His Son to be made sin for the one that God's going to pardon?
Who's a God that can do that but you? Who is the God that
passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?
I tell you this, I know from that verse God's got a people.
I know that. I know they're chosen. They're a heritage of the Lord
according to electing grace. They've been redeemed by the
blood of Christ. They've been regenerated by the power of God,
made willing in the day of God's power to come and to believe
on the Lord. He said, now my son has paid the debt, and when
I see the blood, I'm going to pass over you. The Lord said,
all that the Father gives me, they're going to come to me.
And they're in this world, but they're not of the world. And
God Almighty, has because of the death of Christ on their
behalf, God Almighty said, I'm going to pass by you. I'm not
going to take notice of it. I'm not going to charge you with
it. I'm not going to charge you with iniquity. I'm not going
to impute your sin to you. I charge it to my Son. Who is a God like unto thee? Who is a God that retaineth not
His anger forever? because he delighteth in mercy. Who is a God that will not hang
on to, or continue in, or hold to his anger forever? Oh, I know we do have loving
chastisement and correcting trials and tribulations, but God's not
angry with his people. Not angry with him at all. All
of his anger was spewed out on his blessed son. And Lord, why
did you do this? Because he delighteth in mercy. He delights in mercy. That's why he doesn't retain
his anger forever. Let me just read Jeremiah 9. Jeremiah chapter 9. Verse 23,
24. Jeremiah 9, 23, 24. Thus saith the Lord, let not
the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory
in his might. Let not the rich man glory in
his riches, but let him that gloryeth, gloryeth in this, glory
in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the
Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in
the earth. For in these things I delight. Can you imagine? God takes pleasure in showing
mercy and compassion to whomsoever He will. The unregenerate cares
nothing for His mercy but all those that are made willing in
the day of His power. How great is His mercy! And there's
only one way that God can be merciful. He's got to show mercy by exercise and judgment, but
judgment on the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ, the very
mercy of God Himself. There's mercy with the Lord,
but there's no mercy except the law be honored, justice be satisfied,
righteousness be established for the objects of God's mercy. And then look at verse 19. Great promise to His elect. He will turn again. Now, what do you mean He will
turn again? It doesn't mean that God's turning,
because He doesn't change. Nobody turns us. We're the ones
that are. He will turn again. He will have
compassion upon us. He will subdue our iniquities.
Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. He's
going to absolutely, in the day of His power, He's going to stop
us and He's going to turn us to Himself. He's going to do
just like He did when He came to Matthew. When Matthew sat
at the table of custom and the boy walked by him, he said, follow
me. You know what Matthew did? He turned. Closed up his books,
got up, Walked away. Why? The Lord had called him.
Called him in power. Called him in grace. Called him
in mercy. He's going to turn us. He's going to have compassion
on us. He's going to subdue our iniquities. Cast all of our sins
into the depths of the sea. Who is a God like that? But our
God. Then he said last day, verse
20, Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob Mercy to Abraham which
thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. The Lord is going to perform
the truth to Jacob. He's going to give Christ, who
is the truth, to Jacob, his people, his chosen, his elect. He's going
to show mercy to Abraham according to his covenant of grace. What
God Almighty has eternally purposed and promised in the Lord Jesus
Christ, He is faithful. The Lord Jesus has come. He has
redeemed His people. He will save His people. He'll
give them a new heart and regenerating grace. And finally, He's going
to bring them home into His very presence. That's the blessed
promise. that's given unto us through
Micah, God's prophet. Who is a God like you that pardoneth
iniquity, passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage?
He retaineth not his anger forever. Why? Because he delights in mercy. Doesn't your heart just cry,
Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, you didn't delight in mercy.
Have mercy on me, like old blind Bartimaeus. I tell you what,
every person that has ever cried out for mercy, God's already
had mercy on him. God's already given him a new
heart. That's why he cried in the first place. And he'll hear
that. He'll stop for that. That's what
Micah said. I'm gonna cry out to the Lord,
why? Because he'll hear me. I pray
this message be a blessing to us to the glory of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Amen.