10.
The Lord promised to return to Israel, but not to bless them. He would visit them according to their sin and worship of other gods. They were to go through a time of great loss and difficulty. The Lord would remove all the things with which He had blessed them. From the harvest of the fields to their flocks there would be complete failure. The joy of religious orders and ceremonies would be taken from them. Her lewdness was to be exposed to all. Her fruit trees would cease to bear fruit. All that she had attributed to the blessing of Baal and other heathen gods was to be utterly spoiled. Read Judges chapter two in connection with the attitude and actions of the nation brought up from Egypt, into the land given them by the Lord.
Further evidence that the sin of Israel was that of idolatry. They were about to reap the harvest of the time spent worshiping Baal and their adorning of themselves to worship false gods. In all this they forgot the true and living God. The Divine principle of reaping what is sown is very definitely applied here. Gal 6:7 Not only does this apply to Israel of that day but it is very true of our lives today. Hos. 2:13 After all this, can the Lord change His mind? The Lord does not excuse sin, but He is merciful and will exhibit His mercy wherever possible. He will react to all situations according to His nature and character.
The prophetic utterance found in the remainder of this chapter is utterly amazing. It is a full and complete manifestation of the mercy and grace of the Lord toward those who will serve Him. Can He who possesses the infinite mind, forget? The Lord has stated that He will never remember the sin which has been confessed and forgiven. He is the one who will blot sin out and completely forgive. Isa. 43:25 Those who have been forgiven should know that the Lord has cast all our sins behind His back. Isa. 38:17 In loving kindness He has forgiven and covered all the sins of those who are His people. Ps. 85:2 So according to His character, as the God who delights in mercy, He passes over the iniquity of His people. Furthermore, He does not continue angry forever, because He is the God who delights in mercy. Micah 7:18 He will turn, He will forget His anger and demonstrate compassion on His people. He will return and call to Israel with compassion. He will bring their iniquities into submission, that is, make them to triumph over sin. Then He will cast the sins of His people into the depths of the deepest sea. The deepest is found in the Pacific Ocean known as the Mariana Trench and is some 6.8 miles, 11 kilometers deep. Micah 7:19 How far is the east from the west? Ps. 103:12 Micah anticipated that truth and mercy would be revealed and demonstrated to the descendents of Jacob and Abraham. Mercy and truth originate with the Father and the Son and are committed to all who embrace the Lord Jesus as Savior. 2 John 3.