“Puns”

Are you a clever wordsmith like the prophet Micah? Why has God used this prophet during the reigns of four unfaithful kings? Like many prophets and the author of Hebrews, God uses him to call us to remember from where we have fallen and repent.

 Micah was sent to a people who were not faithful to Jehovah. He used puns to share God’s word. Yet, even with that, the people and their leaders did not listen or change their ways. What does God have to do with us to get us to pay attention and change our ways? Ray Stedman writes: “Micah took the names of the cities and shared what God was showing him. For example, “Tell it not in Gath, weep not at all” Gath means “weep,” and the prophet plays on that name. Here is how it would read: “In Weep Town, weep not; in Dust Town, roll yourself in the dust.” (Bathleaphrah means town of dust.) “In Beauty Town, beauty will be shamed.” (That is the meaning of Shaphir—beauty.) “In Zaanan (which means march) they’ll march not forth.”

God is sending both nations a warning. The author of Hebrews does the same. The message is: “Don’t harden your hearts!” God wants soft hearts, purity, and righteousness, but like people today, who only call on God when circumstances are grave, Micah is saying just like Joshua: “choose today whom you will worship.”