”Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.
Micah 7:8New International Version (NIV)
Micah 7:8 Devotional (Daily Bible Verse)
Though I have fallen, I will rise
Micah 7:8, which I have themed “Though I have fallen, I will rise“, is a record of Prophet Micah’s words of hope to Israel. Prophet Micah published these words of hope because God was not done with His people. That even though His people had fallen from what He had called them to, He still had a purpose for them.
Do not gloat over me, my enemy!
Nevertheless, verse 8 opens with the words “Do not gloat over me, my enemy!” Because Israel’s enemies including Assyria and Babylon, rejoiced over their decline and fall. And it will not be unusual for Satan or someone or some people to laugh at your “misfortune”.
God judged Israel and their enemies
But unknown to Israel’e enemies, Israel’s fall was God’s loving discipline for their rebellion – God judged them for their sin. For centuries, God had warned Israel concerning their ignoring and rejecting Him, scoffing at His Law, and practice of injustice. He had told them that they would be ejected from their land and kingdom, and become slaves. And all this came to pass in their fall right before and in the hands of their enemies.
Importantly, when you have sinned, it is, therefore, important to accept the same. Because acceptance is the first phase of repenting of your sin. No wonder, Micah in Micah 7:9a, using the language of the court of law, wrote: “Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause”.
Furthermore, the gloating of Israel’s enemies amounted to naught (Micah 7:10). Therefore, the gloating of Satan and your enemies over your fall, courtesy of sin, will amount to naught too.
God also pronounced judgment on the nations that gloated, rejoiced, and took advantage of His people when they were captives (Ezekiel 25-26). No wonder Proverbs 24:17-18, therefore, warns you to “not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, (17) or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them (18). And Proverbs 24:15-16 extends this wisdom to the righteous with the words: “Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place (15); for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes (16)”.
Though I have fallen, I will rise
In spite of all that happened to Israel, Prophet Micah was confident that God would not only forgive Israel but be a light to them (Micah 7:8b). Because God’s judgment (discipline or punishment) doesn’t mean that He is done with you.
Prayer/Blessing
Lord God, please help me to rise again, from the low that I have fallen down to. This is my humble prayer in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 120-131 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))
