If you want to read along, turn
to Micah. That's about seven books back
from Matthew. Micah chapter 7. Micah chapter 7. I'll give you
a moment while you're turning and finding that passage. Micah is called by some a minor prophet. I do not know why they do that. Maybe because it's smaller, but Micah is no minor than any
other prophet. Micah was contemporary with Isaiah. That is, Micah preached during
the same time that the prophet Isaiah preached. Micah was a,
what we might call a country preacher. He was not in Jerusalem
as Isaiah was. Micah warns, just as Isaiah did,
of the coming captivity of God's people because of their sin.
The rich maltreated the poor. This is about God's people. This
is not about society in general. That's what this is about. I
am not here to preach a social message. It has nothing to do
with that. I've often thought of even this.
God gives to some and does not to others and then we want to
tax those he gives to and give it to those God didn't give it
to. But it ain't about that. This
is about God's people. The Apostle Paul never worried
himself in any scripture as to whether or not the Senate
would rise again. He wasn't concerned about that. It was not the concern. Micah's concern is not simply
about social welfare, but the rich were robbing the poor of
their promises in the land. The prophets were prophesying
falsely when the people walked in rebellion against God and
the false prophets were saying, everything's okay, peace, peace. We're God's people. And Micah prophesies of that
coming Babylonian captivity. He mainly speaks of Assyria,
which was the first Russian, but he also spoke of Babylon,
which at that time was not the superpower that they were worried
about. Which validates Micah's prophecy,
just as it did Isaiah's prophecy. That's the backdrop. Israel's
rebellion against God. They were sinners. Right? They were sinners. Now, Micah chapter 7, listen
to these words. The last closing phrase from
Micah. The first phrase here in verse
18 is a play on Micah's name. 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. He will turn again. He will have
compassion upon us. He will subdue our iniquities
and thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. thou wilt perform the truth to
Jacob and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our
fathers from the days of old. What a passage. What a passage. What an end to this book in light
of the circumstances Concerning which Micah prophesied and prophesied
against the princes and the prophets of Judah and Israel that defamed
God's truth and Yet Micah is moved by God to end with these
words Notice the ending of Micah is
not and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and It's this right here. Because
the beating of swords into plowshares is of no value if justice is
not first satisfied. God would be a mockery if all
he did was promise swords one day will be beaten to plowshares.
The United Nations has that on the building in New York. Did
you know that? They don't believe that. but they don't, they definitely
don't understand the foundation upon which that will come. What a passage. What an end to
this book. But even more than that, what
hope for sinners in our day. I am the Lord, one prophet said. I change not. What a gospel trumpet. This ain't talking merely about
their release from Babylonian captivity. Yes, God came and
visited them in Babylon. He did for them in line with
what these last few verses says. But that's not the fulfillment
of Micah's prophecy. The Babylonian captivity and
its release therefrom. was and would have been nothing
but a temporary relief had not Jesus Christ come and visited
his people in his condescension into this world. What a gospel
trumpet this is. I have six questions to ask this
group this morning. Number one, is there anyone here
today familiar with iniquity? Anybody here familiar with iniquity? The word means perversity. And
it means perversity of all kinds, whether it be immorality, whether
it be morality, whether it be religious, or whether it be irreligious. It is perversity. It is that
Which is twisted from the truth of God. Perversity. Perversity in soul and in deeds. Not just in deeds, but not just
in soul either, but in soul and in deeds. Anybody here today
familiar with that? Anybody familiar with iniquity?
I am. It's like that incessant mosquito.
You ever had one of them? And the more you swat, the worse
it seems like it gets. It's like that gnat that doesn't
just fly in your mouth, but flies into the back of your throat
and you cannot but swallow it. You don't get rid of it, you
just swallow it. Anybody here this morning familiar
with iniquity? That may seem like a simple enough
question, but you know what? There are some circles, many
circles in this world. There are many places similar
to this one, probably far better and elaborate than this one,
where people gather probably by the hundreds, but they have
no familiarity with iniquity. Here's my second question. Is
there anyone here today familiar with transgression? Transgression. Transgression
means to revolt. To revolt. To rebel in soul and
in deeds. And heart, word, and mind. Anybody here this morning familiar
with that? This is exactly opposite of the
way most so-called preachers will be presenting their messages
this morning. They will be appealing to good
people. Or they will be appealing to
bad people to turn themselves around and become good people.
But Micah's message of blessing is to bad people. Is it not? Is there anyone here today familiar
with iniquity? Anyone here today familiar with
transgression? Question number three, is there
anyone here today who exalts? Anyone here today who honors? Anyone here today who seeks and
sees the justice of God's anger against iniquity and transgression? My iniquity and my transgression
even. Anyone here today who exalts
that that says God's right to be angry. And yet this religious
world, many men similar to me in appearance and doing what
I do as far as physically are trying to appeal and demand that
God is really not angry God is oozing with love for you. Now I ask, is there anyone here
today who exalts, who honors, who sees the justice of God's
anger against my iniquity and my transgression? God is right to be angry with
me. and much, much more. He's right. It goes to the point which many
have brought up. Men become angry when they hear,
Jacob I loved and Esau I hated and this world has been so brainwashed
by pseudo-Christianity. They say, God hates someone? When if we really understood
our iniquity and our transgression, we would cry out, God really
loves anyone? That would be the amazing thing.
But we've been lied to so long, it's all twisted up. And that's
just more of the perversion and the revolt. Now this leads me to my fourth
question. Is there anyone here today not offended in God's right
to the remnant? God's right to choose. Who is
a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by what
the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? It's a rare thing to find someone
not offended in God's right to choose. It's a rare thing. We're not talking just about
a doctrine, we're talking about the character, or maybe better,
the attribute of God. Is anyone here today not offended
in God's right to the remnant, God's right to choose? Number five, the fifth question.
Is there anyone here today who rejoices in absolutely free election? You say, well, that ain't in
here. Oh, yes, it is. He mentions Jacob. Yes, sir. That's right. Jacob. Now, since
it was true in that day, almost 27 or 2800 years ago, How much more so today when we
have an inspired writer moved to delineate it even in more
detail in Romans chapter nine, that the children being not yet
born, the children, not just nations, but the children, these
two little babies. We got two here this morning.
But in these two little babies, In these two, the children being
not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the
purpose of God, according to election, might stand, not of
him, or, I missed it, I missed it. It's of him that calleth.
It's all of God. It was said unto the mother,
God hates one, and God loves the other. Anybody offended in
that? The absolute free election. I remember, I think it was Henry
Mahan gave an account of a preacher who said the most hated doctrine
in the world, the subject of election. But that one preacher
was then rebuffed and said, but you could also present the most
loved doctrine in the world. It's just according to who you're
talking about. The sixth question, is there anyone
here today? And I mean, I'm talking to you
all. Is there anyone here today who
rejoices in the unilateral, immutable, covenant promise made by God
himself and he swore on it? Is that here? Oh yeah, Abraham. Abraham. Think of it. Hebrews chapter six puts it this
way. That God made promise to Abraham,
but because he could swear by no greater, he did what? He swore
by himself. So that we might have strong
consolation. Who have what? Fled for refuge. Who needs to flee for refuge?
People like Micah's talking about here. People like me, people
like you. To flee, to flee means you run
away from something. For refuge means you run away
to something. And there's a reason why you
run away and run to. The reason for both. Is there
anyone here this morning like that? Then hear the words again, who
is a God likened to thee? That pardoneth iniquity. Aren't
you glad? And passeth by the transgression
of the remnant of his heritage. Doesn't that make you rejoice? God's got a heritage? Yeah, he
does. I want to be one. And yet unbelief
says there can't be one. Then there's no hope. He retaineth not his anger forever. That's a good thing. Huh? That's a good thing. And the
summary is why? Because he delighteth He delighteth in mercy. We've,
even in ourselves, we know these things, we've experienced these
things, we believe these things, but I think we, these things
are partially still blinded to us because we have, most of us,
been brought up under the lie that God's love is so universal
and free to everybody that these things don't matter anyway. Are
we not? And even if we weren't brought
up under it, we're so surrounded by it everywhere we exist, you
can't get away from it even when you turn on the TV and listen
to Hollywood. If you do that thing. Because he delighteth in mercy, he will turn again. He will have
compassion upon us. He will subdue our iniquities. He's the one that's gonna cast
our sins into the depths of the sea. He will perform the truth
to Jacob. He will perform the mercy to
Abraham because he swore on it. And that's the way it's going
to be. Somebody like me says, that's good news. That's good news. Did you happen
to hear all the he's and the thou's? Where is one thing here
of the you's? Y-O-U is an apostrophe, whatever
it is. No mention here of the people,
it's all of God. Right? Now, even when I was in religion,
I was taught that's true for Israel in the millennium. But it can't be true now, because
God loves everybody. And I used to think, although
not too long, sadly, how can that be? Is God going to change?
But I figured myself not as smart as those who were teaching me.
Come to find out, none of us were smart. We were all totally
depraved. We didn't get, none of us got
it. None of us got it. No, any sinner that's ever saved,
he or she is being saved, has been saved, is being saved, and
shall be saved according to the acts of God in Micah chapter
seven, verses 18, 19, and 20. From the first one to the last
one. Note, read it again for yourself sometime. The he's,
he will, he will, he will, he will. I don't just like that. I've
got to have that. Take note of who moves first. He will. Right? He will turn
again. He will have compassion upon
us. He will subdue our iniquities. When you think of that, do you
think of Saul of Tarsus being bowed down on the road to Damascus? You should. You should. There's a man whose iniquities
were subdued. Even in his practice, Mason,
his life was totally different from that moment on. He was not
sinless. But his iniquities had been subdued. But let me tell you something,
had God only done that, that man and anyone else would still
die and go to hell. Because first of all, our iniquities
had to be subdued at Calvary. Justice had to be satisfied by
the holy blood of Jesus Christ. He was made sin for us that we
might be made the righteousness of God in him. All the conversions in the world
wouldn't have saved one person from eternal damnation and doom
apart from the person and work of Jesus Christ on Calvary's
tree. It may have been a fine deliverance,
but it could have only at best may have been temporary. We could
have never entered into God's presence other than God throws
justice to the wind, and God never throws justice to the wind.
Never. So take note. Who moves first?
Who deals with the problem? Sin, iniquity, transgression. Who's the one that's going to
subdue that? Well, you just gotta conquer yourself. You can't do
it. I can't do it. I tried for years. I thought
I had. See how deceived we are, we can
be? Take note who moves first. Take
note who deals with the problem. And take note of the certain
promise of his sworn actions. God says, I swore on it. Right? Oh, to be one of that group.
Right? Oh, to be one of this group right
here, right? And yet all around us, so-called Christianity says,
there can't be such a group like that. We all have to be equal. We are equal. Equally depraved. Equally full of iniquity. Equally
full of transgression. Equally full of sin. We are totally
depraved. And it takes a sovereign act
of a sovereign God in mercy and compassion to ever save even
one sinner. Even one sinner. Look at it. He will turn again. He will have
compassion on us. He will subdue our iniquities.
And thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform the truth to
Jacob. Notice Jacob is mentioned first
because we're all Jacob's before we're Abraham's in that sense.
In that sense. By nature, we're all Jacob's.
It's only by the grace of God we become Abraham's or I should
rather say his seed, the seed thereof. Thou wilt perform the
truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworn. Oh, When God allows me to grasp
that, it is relief. You know that? And usually I'm enabled to grasp
it the most when I'm gathered with somebody else to grasp it
with me. Usually. Sometimes it's hard to grasp
it by yourself because all you see is yourself. My conclusion? Great day. It's just 10 till. I need to
go back and rehash this. No. My conclusion, my message
this morning is to sinners, sinners, sinners, sinners. Not those who
used to be sinners. If you used to be a sinner, I
got nothing for you. I got nothing for you. Sinners,
I say this, take heart. But don't I have to bow down? You will be. You will be. Sinners take heart. Sinners, there is hope. But I don't believe like I should.
None of us do. I don't repent like, the very
fact that we have to repent. lets us know that we're still
sinners. And repentance is a good thing. But yet it manifests my
constant, total corruption in the flesh. And as Tim James says,
sometimes I gotta even repent of my repentance. We're just
a confounded mess. That gnat, buzzing around. You can't get away from it. Because
truly that mosquito, that gnat, it ain't out here. It's down
in here. Sinner, I say to you, take heart.
Sinner, I say to you, there is hope. Sinner, I ask you this
one more question. Has God so visited you in this
way? That's what I ask you. Do you
see your sins? How many of you see your sins
this morning? I do. God doesn't. He cast them into the depths
of the sea. Isn't that amazing? Yes, you
see them. You're going to see them. You're
always going to see them. But he don't. And after all,
isn't that what matters? Well, if I could just get rid
of them. You can't the way you want to.
He got rid of them at Calvary. He purged them there. Rest in
Him. But I don't see the evidence
in myself. As one preacher said, when you
do that, you're looking in an empty box. But I don't see enough
evidence in myself. You're looking in an empty box.
Don't look to yourself. Don't look at yourself. Look
to Him. Look unto me, God says, and be
ye saved. All the ends of the earth. Sinner,
take heart. Sinner, there is hope. Sinner,
has God visited you in this way? Sinner, it's not about your action.
It's all about God's action. Have you experienced that action? Have you? Now listen, if you're
not for sure if you have, you haven't. Give me now, don't. If you're
not for sure, you have it because you don't experience this and
not know it. Look at the example of it, Babylonian
captivity, God brought them out of it. You think somebody didn't
know when they were released from that bondage? Now come on
now. Huh? Now come on. Do you think
that anyone could go through a thousand years of Christ reigning
on this earth over all things with a rod of iron and not realize
it? Huh? No. It says the knowledge of
the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.
How completely does the waters cover the sea? Absolutely. It's not sea if it don't have
water over it. It's called land. You see, when God Almighty does
this work, you'll know it. You'll know it. But I'm not sure about myself.
Quit looking to yourself. It's not about you. It's about
what God has done. Has he done that for you? And
if you're not sure, you best fall on your face before God
and cry that he does. And it'll be up to him whether
he does or not. The whole of Micah is summed
up this way. Rest. Think of it, the people
of Israel were going into captivity and there was not a thing they
could do about it. Yet they were told to repent,
Mac. So repentance is not always gonna bring a negation of all
the circumstances. The circumstances will be there
and they may be horrendous and sour, but God will visit. God will visit. Oh, that we might
see this. Who is a God like unto thee?
that pardoneth iniquity, that passeth by the transgression
of the remnant of his heritage, he retaineth not his anger forever,
because he delights in mercy. He's gonna do it. He's gonna
turn again. He will have compassion on us.
He will subdue our iniquities. He will cast our sins into the
depths of the sea. He'll perform the work, because
he swore he would. Now, you can't have any more
than that. But what if I think I got it
and I don't? You'll perish. And there's not a thing you can
do about it. What if my profession's been false? You can't make another
false one and make it okay. You and I are in God's sovereign
hand to do with as he pleases. Now just take him for it. But
I deserve Hell! He delights in mercy. You see
it? And if I'm a vessel of mercy,
mercy I have. If I'm a vessel of wrath, know
this, nothing will change that. No matter how many religious
convulsions I go through, nothing will ever change that. Because
it's all God's work. You know, comfort us in these
things. Calls that force us, Lord, to look away from ourselves
and to look to You. And I ask it in Christ's name.
Amen.