"Oppressed and Mistreated?"

Written by Rob Bailes

Do Not Lose Hope!

There was a time when Samaria and Jerusalem were living under extreme oppression and it seemed as though all hope was gone. Their oppressors would lay awake at night thinking of evil that they could do to torment them and rise the next day to exercise it. Why? Because they had the power to do it! Isn't it true that past governments have been guilty of this very action on the people who they ruled over?

Let's zoom in a little and look at other times this has taken place. There was a time when the church found it within their power to control the people as well and demand things of them by the power and authority that the government gave them. We even have some churches in our own country that try to dominate over their members by telling them what they can and can't do for God, even though they may feel God calling them into an area of service. I believe it is wrong to take away the blessings of God from a person's life just because you have the power to do this. Man is free under the grace and mercy of God by the sacrifice of His Son to freely worship, praise and proclaim the message of truth to a lost and hurting world today!

It is now in the past that we were lost in our trespasses and sins. Today we are forgiven and we must believe this and that His Son, Jesus rose from the dead to live.

Why must we resist the power of Jesus that is here for our own good and blessing? It is because we have a human nature and as long as we worship the things that we find pleasing in this world, rather than worship our heavenly Father, we will resist the source of love and grace that frees us. I was reading in Micah about the bondage of Samaria and Jerusalem and I could see how we can apply it to our lives today in many ways. Let's read a few verses from chapter two,

Micah 2:1-3
1. Woe to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds! When the morning is light they perform and practise it because it is in their power.
2. They covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them away; they oppress and crush a person and their house, even a man and his inheritance.
3. Because of this says the Lord: Behold, against this family do I devise an disaster from which you cannot remove your necks, nor will you be able to walk proudly, for it will be an evil time.

When I read this, I began to think about the families across our globe who hve been divided by divorce and I thought about how it is by one evil or another that these relationships have been severed. Then I thought about how many people are arguing and fighting over the possessions that they desire to claim for their own. It is true that we should not let someone get away with everything we have but I was thinking about how some people want it all.

That is the kind of person that Micah is talking about here to the Samaritans and the Jews. Do you hate someone so much that you would love to take all that they have and see them ruined? Does someone feel that way about you? Have you felt like someone is laying awake at night devising evil against you? If so, don't loose hope!

There is a day coming when this will change and when it does, Micah doesn't just say that the person will be under the avenge of God but he says in verse three that God says He would devise a disaster against their "family". Did you realize that what you do effects your family as well? That's right and it says that there will be no way to escape or get their necks out of His hand. That's a bad feeling when you can't break free, if you've ever played a sport where someone grabs you and you aren't able to free yourself. This passage describes their disaster in this way.

I look around today and can see people treating other this way and I also see families that are suffering the powerful hand of God reigning revenge on those who have made this their choice!

If you have been through this kind of oppression or treatment yourself, don't loose hope! God knows about it already and has a plan for those who are doing this to you. That's why it says in verse one, "Woe to those that devise iniquity and work evil plans while laying in their bed." The word "Woa" is used when riding a horse to tell the horse to "stop".

It's a command to cease from this type of treatment and turn from these wicked ways, so let's stop and surrender our thoughts to God each moment. Let's not hold revenge or hatred in our hearts, but rather turn it over to God, who says He will one day take them by their necks and not turn them loose.