URIJAH

2 Samuel 11
Having betrayed his faithful warrior's trust
Both David's soul and intellect were dark;
He sought to hide the product of his lust
So that the birth would pass without remark.

Urijah's instincts swerved him from that tissue
Of plotting through devotion to the ark.

Fidelity will not confuse the issue.

NABOTH

1 Kings 21
Heaven records, but may not intervene:
As when king Ahab showed that he was bent
On gaining Naboth's vineyard, and the queen
Jezebel worked to further that intent.

Naboth, defiant to a tyrant's rage,
Said, as he scorned a tyrant's blandishment,

"I will not sell my father's heritage"

EBED-MELECH

Their hatred made the lords of Israel fling
The prophet Jeremiah in a pit,
In mud, till Ebed-melech moved the king
To let him draw the prophet out of it.

Since this was something that God loved to see
His word declared an honour that was fit

"For thou hast put thy confidence in me"!

JAEL

Judges 4
Sisera, finding flight expedient,
Reached Jael, and so fled the battles's clamour;
She gave him milk; he slept within the tent:
She took the tent-pin and the workman's hammer.
She smote his temple - for God had decreed
His death would not enhance a warrior's glamour.
Her hands were practiced for the time of need.

HULDAH

2 Kings 22

After they found the writings of the law
Why did they seek Huldah the prophetess,
Who trenchantly expressed what she foresaw
In consequence of their unrighteousness?

She said Josiah's death would have occurred
Before apart from his heart's tenderness.

A woman close to God thus brought God's word.

BALAAM'S ASS

Numbers 22

Three times the angel stood in Balaam's way;
Three times the ass saved from the wrath to come,
And three times Balaam smote it; it could say
It had not earned Balaam's opprobrium.

It wisely spoke sufficient words to teach
The prophet, and was then, as wisely, dumb.

The silent time exceeds the time for speech.

A PAIR OF ASSES

For Rosie

Appropriately

We can see ourselves as

A pair of asses

- For each, like an ass, has been

Redeemed

By a perfect Lamb.

A pair -

Not ploughing with

An ox and an ass together.

And like Balaam's

Ready to speak well -

If by a miracle!

Alert for the time

When, specially,

The Lord has need of us;

But bearing, daily,

As we find grace,

Abigail to her Husband.

JERUSALEM

As Christ advanced to agony and woe

To bear my sins and for my sins atone

God's will ensured some recompense before:

Regally seated upon an ass's colt

Meekly towards Jerusalem He rode

Accompanied by crowds whose voices rose:

In acclamation they honoured and extolled.

They cried "Hosannah!", His status thus being owned,

The Son of David whom God will have enthroned.

They called on Zion to hearken and behold.

Had Pharisees ensured these mouths were closed

God would have drawn responses from the stones.

ONLY AN ASS

Exodus 13 v 13
Only an ass -
But a firstborn
One who has been redeemed
By a Lamb.
Luke 19 v 31
Only as ass -
But ready to be led
When the word comes,
"The Lord has need of it".
Numbers 22 v 28
Only an ass -
Dumb; dumber the better
Till the moment
When God gives speech.

JOHN 4

The world's Creator
Asking a poor woman for
A drink of water!

PARAPHRASE

For the Lord shall stand

And He shall provide

In Jehovah's strength,

In God's majesty

And His dignity.

And they shall abide

For He is, at length,

Lord throughout the land.

Micah 5: 4

HE WILL BRING ME FORTH TO THE LIGHT

           (Micah 7: 9)

Though my soul is dwelling in night
And my sins and sorrows depress
"He will bring me forth to the light"
For the Lord rejoices to bless.

When my heart is full of dismay
With the evil flesh will incite
The Deliverer's grace makes my way:
"He will bring me forth to the light".

"He will bring me forth to the light"
When the world around me is dim;
For Christ's love is constantly bright
And He sets my view upon Him.

If to sleep through Him is His will
May I face that brink without fright
For I know His keeping until
"He will bring me forth to the light".

"I SHALL BEHOLD HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS"

(Micah 7: 9)

Done with my filthy rags
And my figleafs, clad
In His best: I shall behold
His righteousness.

Grace swaddled me; grace
Had removed my stain: through grace
I shall behold His
Righteousness.

Doubts attack; the mind
Discredits; faith struggles.
And the word assures - I
Shall behold His righteousness.

What a day when the world,
Blind now, will wonder at
The sight: all veils removed I shall
Behold His righteousness.

But eternally, because
God saw righteousness accomplished
In the cross of Christ
I shall behold His righteousness.

PEACE

(Micah 5 v 5)

And this Man shall be peace
For this is God’s delight;
He sees Man perfectly
In Christ who shall hold sway;
When all things shall be right
And this Man shall be peace.

THIS MAN

(Micah 5: 5)
If you are thirled to sin
And longing for release
Open your heart to let Christ in,
"And this man shall be Peace".
Temptations may assail,
Or doubts within increase:
Trust in the One who will not fail:
"And this man shall be Peace".
Soon He shall have His Bride
Without one taint or crease,
To reign in glory by His side
"And this man shall be Peace".

THOUGHTS ON MICAH: XIV

(Chap 7: 18)


“Who is a God like unto thee?”; our souls
Bow to the God who blesses and forgives;
Each one who knows His graciousness extols
The only One through whom their spirit lives.


God's will desired that all His saints should be
Within His presence in the grace He gives
To say, “Who is a God like unto thee?”




This concludes the "Thoughts on Micah", though I may find other thoughts on Micah!

THOUGHTS ON MICAH: XIII

(Chap 7: 9)


“I shall behold his righteousness” in One
Who walked a righteous path; and who has proved
God's righteousness upon the cross: God's Son,
By whom the power of sin will be removed.


And in the multitude who God will bless,
As both His purpose and His grace behoved,
Through Christ “I shall behold his righteousness”.

THOUGHTS ON MICAH: XII

(Chap 7: 8)


My enemy, do not gloat over me:
Although I fall I shall arise. My eyes
Shall see the light because the Lord shall be
A light to me. You will not seize His prize.


Since He has taken my iniquity,
Through grace, although I fall, I shall arise;
Do not gloat over me, my enemy.

THOUGHTS ON MICAH: XI

(Chap 6: 8)


O man, the Lord has shewn you what is good
And what the Lord requires of you. He sought
Those who were just, loved mercy, and pursued
The humble pathway with Him, as He taught.


Think of the blessedness that will ensue
With Him! O man, the Lord has shewn you what
Is good and what the Lord requires of you.

THOUGHTS ON MICAH: X

(Chap 5: 5)


Rejoice - “for this man shall be peace” within
The hearts of those who call upon His Name;
For them He bore God's wrath for every sin,
While He endured the agony and shame.


Soon they will answer to the heavenly voice,
Then reign with Him when He asserts His claim
To earth “for this man shall be peace”; rejoice.