"All this is for the rebellion of Jacob and for the sins of the house of Israel.  What is the rebellion of Jacob?  Is it not Samaria?  What is the high place of Judah?  Is it not Jerusalem?  For I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the open country, planting places for a vineyard.  I will pour her stones down in to the valley and will lay bare her foundations.  All of her idols will be smashed, all of her earnings will be burned with fire and all of her images I will make desolate, for she collected them from a harlot's earnings and to the earnings of a harlot they will return."

Discipline is difficult but necessary.

Here we see Micah's words about the strength that God will use to chastise the people He loves.  But, His love for Israel does not make the statements easier to swallow.

Micah is setting us up for something incredible.  God is coming to visit, face to face, His people.  This means a life change is taking place - that can be painful sometimes, but well worth it.  God is showing Israel that He has a single-minded goal of bringing life to the land.  Therefore, everything that is death will be razed!  God will spare no expense in bringing His people to the light.

When Micah writes: "What is the rebellion of Jacob?  Is it not Samaria?" he is speaking of the fact that Israel has placed all of her pride in Samaria - and none in God.  This is foolishness, something that we all experience, and it needs to be corrected.

Be on the lookout, for God's love is powerful.