Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
Micah 7:18 NIV
The Prophet, Micah, opens this chapter with a brief narration of how corrupt the nation of Israel had become. A nation out of the remnant that God preserved from the flood in the days of Noah. In verse two he says.
“There are no longer any people here who obey God. There are no good, honest people. Everyone is waiting to kill someone else. They are all like hunters, who try to catch each other.”
Micah 7:2 EASY
Unfortunately, our world today is very much like these people during the days of Micah (if not worse). With all the evils happening throughout the world today, people who are genuinely obedient to God are becoming scarcer by the day. Our world is now full of men hunting one another. Not only within the secular world but also even in the church. “Ministers of the devil” hunting down one another because of some leadership position in the church.
But as we come towards the end of this passage, we see prophet Micah shifting focus from talking about the people’s sins to the greatness of God – in His mercy and love. “Who is God like you…” he said. What a profound cry of God’s wonder; an astonishment at the grace of God. The answer is not far-fetched. There is absolutely no other like God, neither here on earth nor in heaven. Our God has no comparison.
“Are there any gods like the LORD? No, there are no gods like you— you are wonderfully holy! You are amazingly powerful! You do great miracles!”
Exodus 15:11 ERV
The prophet acknowledged that no matter how great a man’s sin may be, the grace of God is far much greater to bring pardon and total forgiveness.
“You like to be kind because you love us. You will remove everything that we have done wrong. You will crush those bad things. You will throw all of them into the deep sea.”
Micah 7:19 EASY
Though God may punish His people as a means to correct and not condemn, yet He will bring comfort in the end because He does not remain angry forever. He is always ready to show mercy.
It is no exaggeration that there is no level of wickedness or sin that God cannot forgive. But should this then be our licence to sin? Are we to continue to in sin so that God’s grace may abound? (Romans 6:1)
The humanness of man does not manipulate the greatness of God. He remains God all by Himself. God’s sovereignty is not dependent on human obedience. He existed before time and and will still exist after time as passed.
This understanding should move us to walk circumspectly. His greatness is not a license to sin. No one should ever dream of taking God for granted. There is no one like our God.
